Religious Expression-Let Us Pray
The 14th Amendment’s Impact on Religion and Public Education
The 14th Amendment on religion and public education plays a vital role in protecting the rights of individuals in secondary and public education through the incorporation, equal protection and procedural due process clauses. One of the impacts of the Amendment on religion and education is protecting students from discrimination in their participation in school activities. The Amendment has also increased access to public education for all students despite their religious background by stating that education is a property right that cannot be taken away from an individual without providing due process protections. The protections focus on what a student is accused of doing and the chance to be heard before they are punished. Another impact of the Amendment is allowing students to express themselves. The Amendment requires learning institutions to justify infringing students’ free speech rights.
The Difficulty of Obtaining Balance in School Regarding Religious Holidays
School districts have a diverse population, including students with different religious and cultural backgrounds. Achieving a proper balance between religious holiday activities in some schools may be challenging because specific religious advances and holidays are not universal. According to Derman (2019), the belief in religious holidays differs based on a person’s childhood setting, which is why people from the same religious group may place a different value on their religious observances and holidays. Therefore, schools face a challenge in determining the religious holidays that should be celebrated in the schools without offending minority religious beliefs or those who believe schools should remain neutral. Another reason achieving a proper balance between holiday activities in some schools may be challenging is that commercialized or secularized versions of religious holidays are not religiously or culturally neutral. The religious practices of majority groups are often commercialized or secularized, thus making it hard for schools to determine whether the less popular religious activities should be observed.
Definition of Culture Wars
Cultural wars are the clashes between social groups due to the competition to ensure that their values, practices and beliefs are dominant.
Other Areas That Intertwine Public Education in the Culture Wars
Some areas besides religion that intertwine public education in the cultural wars include multiculturalism and sex education. Multiculturalism creates cultural wars because minority and majority groups in the education framework have different views on how races, cultures and ethnicities should be treated and whether their differences should be acknowledged in the learning environment. Sex education has also created tension among people who feel that everyone should be free to adopt the sexuality they like and those who disagree with that. According to Stader (2013), the Equal Access Act created a platform used by controversial groups such as lesbian and gay support groups to access school facilities. There is a heated debate on whether lesbian and gay students should be allowed to participate in a school’s activities and access the school’s facilities. Sex education has exposed a significant rift in the political realm on matters concerning education. According to Zimmerman (2021), conservative critics feel that school-based sex education violates the spiritual injunctions against sex before marriage, and they condemn discussions on homosexuality, contraception, and abortion in schools. Therefore, there is a need to focus on establishing rules and regulations about the content that should be taught in schools.
Responding To Potential Dilemmas Regarding Religious Expressions: Basic Guidelines I Would Use To Influence My Decision-Making
One of the guidelines I will use to influence my decision-making when responding to potential ethical dilemmas related to religious expressions is identifying the ethical issues creating the dilemmas and whether my decision involves a choice between a bad and a good alternative. The second guideline is determining the causes of the dilemma and alternative actions that can be taken. I will evaluate the alternative by determining whether they infringe any rights, uphold justice, produce the best, serve the majority of the people affected by the dilemma, align with my virtue, and consider the concerns, relationships and feelings of those affected by the dilemma.
References
Derman, L. (2019). Anti-bias education and holidays: Making thoughtful decisions. NAEYC. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/anti-bias-and-holidays.
Stader, D. L. (2013). Law and ethics in educational leadership. Pearson.
Zimmerman, J. (2021). Why the culture wars in schools are worse than ever before? POLITICO. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/09/19/history-culture-wars-schools-america-divided-512614.
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Question
Religious issues tend to elicit strong emotions for all involved in the school system. Educational leaders today need to have at least a basic knowledge of the legal guidelines regarding religious expression in public schools. Additionally, effective communication and appropriate practices are essential for resolving issues around religion and core cultural values.
Religious Expression-Let Us Pray
After completing the required reading, complete the following assignment using examples, the text, and at least one outside source to support your thinking:
Assess the impact of the 14th Amendment on religion and public education.
Explain why it may be difficult for some school districts to find the proper balance between religious holiday activities without offending minority religious beliefs or those who believe schools should remain neutral.
The role of religion in public education is often cited as part of the “culture wars.”
Define culture wars in your own words.
Identify some areas, other than religion, that intertwine public education in the culture wars.
Plan your response to potential dilemmas surrounding religious expressions.
Determine the basic guidelines you will use to influence your decision-making.