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OK and Not OK Basic Guidance for Teachers Do you have questions regarding appropriate conduct of instruction about religion? This section of the site offers basic guidance on teaching about religion (and about religious and nonreligious worldviews) in public school classrooms. The information is in tables with a left-column "Yes, It’s Okay to Do It " and a right column "No, It’s Not Okay to Do It" format. |
Teaching About Religion |
in support of civic pluralism |
Most statements in these tables derive from recommendations found in published references. The items generally are not direct quotations from individual resources. (For further elucidation, please read our disclaimer and explanation of wording below.) References: - United States Department of Education [USDE] - Anti-Defamation League [ADL] - A Teachers Guide to Religion in the Public Schools [TGRPS] - Finding Common Ground: A Guide to Religious Liberty in Public Schools [FCG] - Objectivity, Accuracy and Balance In Teaching About Religion [OABITAR] - The California Three R’s Project of the First Amendment Center [3Rs] Item Wording: Many sources' recommendations overlap, and amalgamation has minimized some redundancy. Where applicable, items do refer to a specific source reference and may also have a link to a specific legal citation, if available. Some items and some wording adjustments reflect the inclusive concepts of human worldview diversity and civic pluralism apropos to the mission of this web resource. Items without a bracketed reference are attributable to this web site, though such statements are either widely accepted (amalgamations from several of the sources) or are specific illustrations created to exemplify stated generalities. Disclaimer: OABITAR provides these suggestions merely as general classroom guidance and not as legal advice. In the main, these are generally pragmatic suggestions, and many state and local laws and guidelines may supersede them. Also, some situations have never been tested in court and are therefore open to varied opinion. You should check with your local school administration when you think any suggestion may be contrary to your school’s policies. Your professional affiliations (e.g., history, social science, science) can perhaps provide additional information and guidance on classroom conduct. Do you have a predicament regarding your school? You may find yourself in a situation where your school is not in compliance with state and/or federal law and continues to promulgate contradictory policies. If you have serious concerns that your rights and responsibilities as a teacher are being compromised, you may want to get some advice from your national professional organization, a lawyer, or a civil liberties organization. [August, 2002] Corrections and comments on this section are invited. |