Should Religion Be Taught in Public Schools?

druscilla; in oz.:

School is meant to prepare you for the real word

And religion isn't part of the real world? You'll deal with people's religions in the "real world" a whole lot more than you will with how plants photosynthesize, how to factor polynomials or other things you're required to learn in school.

Kurtni Page:

druscilla; in oz.:

School is meant to prepare you for the real word

And religion isn't part of the real world? You'll deal with people's religions in the "real world" a whole lot more than you will with how plants photosynthesize, how to factor polynomials or other things you're required to learn in school.

But I don't think you need to be taught it to deal with.
I wasn't taught it.
I deal with it, pretty well I think.
And I actually don't run into it all that often.
I agree that you might use it more that logorithms, but I don't think it's something that needs to or even really can be taught.
Dealing with religions is more of a cultural thing. I see no problem with a multicultural class that may discuss religion among other things. That's teaching you how to deal with religions and other culture.
But teaching religion isn't teaching you how to deal with it. It's just teaching you a religion.

NO!
Religion is so boring and if the parents want their children to learn, they should either teach their kids themselves or send them to a religious school.

druscilla; in oz.:

I see no problem with a multicultural class that may discuss religion among other things. That's teaching you how to deal with religions and other culture.

When I say teach religion, that's what I mean. Learning about other cultures and how religion has shaped them is important. I don't consider teaching about religion to be the same as preaching about it.

Synyster Gates:

NO!
Religion is so boring and if the parents want their children to learn, they should either teach their kids themselves or send them to a religious school.

Math is much more boring that religion.
If a class should be outlawed just because it's boring, a lot of classes wouldn't exist at all.

Synyster Gates:

NO!
Religion is so boring and if the parents want their children to learn, they should either teach their kids themselves or send them to a religious school.

So what if the children want to learn?

ChemicallyImbalanced:

So what if the children want to learn?

If you want to learn religion, go to a church school, or better still, a church. Kids want to learn tons of things, but that doesn't mean that they should be taught in the classroom. I have nothing against children learning, but there is a time and a place for everything, and it isn't always the public system.

Public education is meant to democratic and lowest-common-denominator. That is not to say that I would discourage people from learning whatever they like, but to be fair to everyone in the system, you can't include things that are culture-specific in the curriculum. I agree that exposure to all the major social forces is good, but even if you made such subjects available (I don't see the harm), I would still argue that you keep them optional.

And when it comes to teaching religion as part of science, I would no more want it taught in schools than religious people would want evolution taught in church.

Scarecrow Angel:

ChemicallyImbalanced:

So what if the children want to learn?

\That is not to say that I would discourage people from learning whatever they like, but to be fair to everyone in the system, you can't include things that are culture-specific in the curriculum.

So you're saying that public schools shouldn't teach anything to do with anything that's culture-specific?

ChemicallyImbalanced:

So you're saying that public schools shouldn't teach anything to do with anything that's culture-specific?

That's not to say that they shouldn't teach about cultures. To learn about, say, the indigenous population is one thing, because it applies to everyone in the system by virtue that they share in the same society. But to teach ABOUT a culture is very different from teaching a culture itself.

Teaching awareness about religions is one thing, but to teach religion in the same manner that a church teaches religion- that is, to preach it, belongs in an entirely different place.

Scarecrow Angel:

ChemicallyImbalanced:

So you're saying that public schools shouldn't teach anything to do with anything that's culture-specific?

That's not to say that they shouldn't teach about cultures. To learn about, say, the indigenous population is one thing, because it applies to everyone in the system by virtue that they share in the same society. But to teach ABOUT a culture is very different from teaching a culture itself.

Teaching awareness about religions is one thing, but to teach religion in the same manner that a church teaches religion- that is, to preach it, belongs in an entirely different place.

You just contradicted yourself. :mrgreen:

I agree that no religion class should actually preach the religion unless it's a speicalised school or church, but I think that it should be offered as an elective for students to choose if they wish to learn religious studies.

Yes, because like Dru said...it would help learning about other people...but also I think it should be optional...you know, for those people who don't believe their kids should learn God in school.

I wish they would teach religion in school. But only about religion... and not just one... all of them. I mean, I know that if I want to know something about a religion, I can just look it up, and I also know that some classes touch on religion a little bit, but I wish we had a class for completely educational purposes.

An elective of course, like the ones you can take in college.

That'd be really interesting I think, and I'd take it! ^_^ [Already planning on taking a few classes about religion in college]

Um...question.
If teaching religion in schools became mandatory--even for those who think it should be an elective--how would they tackle that issue in private religious schools?

^^ Even people of different religions at least need the knowledge of other religions. Knowledge is power. I would think, no matter how much you are in to your own religion, you should still have open enough of a mind to recognize and learn about other religions. Like, we live in a democracy and we never intend to change, but we still learn about other types of government.

Lyzzla:

Um...question.
If teaching religion in schools became mandatory--even for those who think it should be an elective--how would they tackle that issue in private religious schools?

I go to a private religious school and I take a religious studies class.
What do you mean by tackle it?

ChemicallyImbalanced:

Scarecrow Angel:

ChemicallyImbalanced:

So you're saying that public schools shouldn't teach anything to do with anything that's culture-specific?

That's not to say that they shouldn't teach about cultures. To learn about, say, the indigenous population is one thing, because it applies to everyone in the system by virtue that they share in the same society. But to teach ABOUT a culture is very different from teaching a culture itself.

Teaching awareness about religions is one thing, but to teach religion in the same manner that a church teaches religion- that is, to preach it, belongs in an entirely different place.

You just contradicted yourself. :mrgreen:

I thought I made it pretty clear that I didn't... I agree with teaching about religions, but I don't agree with religious instruction. I went to a Catholic school, and so my school taught a belief in the Christian god, rather than just an awareness of Christianity. Of course, you have to expect that when you opt to go to a Christian school, but I would be very offended if the same thing happened in a public high school. I have no problem with public schools teaching about different cultures and religions, but I think that instruction in any religion should be optional at most.

Lyzzla:

Um...question.
If teaching religion in schools became mandatory--even for those who think it should be an elective--how would they tackle that issue in private religious schools?

If we're talking about public schools, then private schools wouldn't really be involved. I guess they would just go on doing as they've always done...

I'm not understanding the difference between ChemicallyImbalanced and Scarecrow Angel's points...

It sounds to me like you guys are arguing the same point? Or did i miss something and you guys aren't even arguing?

I think they should be a non-required elective that does not attempt to convert the student. If schools aren't forced to teach trombone or pottery, they shouldn't be forced to teach religion, and students shouldn't be forced to believe.

^^ Agreed. That's what I say. =] It would be good for people, I think... to know more about the world around them.

Elwood.:

I think they should be a non-required elective that does not attempt to convert the student. If schools aren't forced to teach trombone or pottery, they shouldn't be forced to teach religion, and students shouldn't be forced to believe.

Add to that that they should try to make different religions available by student demand, and I think we have a decent solution. :)