Ben Taylor

Education 2500

March 17, 2016

Issues Reflection-Religion in Schools

After watching the religion in schools presentation, three main issues
with the involvement of practiced religion in school were brought to my
attention. The first issue was whether or not any practiced religion should be
included in schools, the second is whether or not involvement in school
religion should be mandatory, and the third was how religion in schools
effects the students.
The issue of whether or not practiced religion should be included in
school has been a recurring issue for many years. Personally I do not have a
problem having religion in school, and believe that when religion is
incorporated correctly into school, can be helpful for student learning. I find
the arguments against religion in school to be odd and I believe that if the
community has multiple schools, parents that take issue with their child
being taught religion can simply send their child to a different school as a
solution. This may not always be an option such as in a rural communities
with limited schools, but as I will discuss later I dont believe that children
should be forced into participation, which would solve this problem. I believe
that religion can be helpful in teaching good morals, creating a sense of
community, and establishing routines in school.
For the topic of whether or not a student should be forced into
participation, I believe that students should be given the choice to
participate. For example a student may not believe in the religion being
taught, but may like the other students or sports programs, or may learn
better from a certain set of teachers. Should this student be punished for not
believing in a certain religion? I dont believe that would be fair, and I dont
think it would bother many people if a student was quiet and respectful while
remaining on the outside of religious practices.
Finally the topic of how practiced religion in school effects kids was one
that stood out too me. The positive effects that religion could have on
students is that it creates routine and order in the classroom, provides the
students with good morals, teaches the children culture, connects students
and teachers through a commonality, and often makes students think.
Possible negative effects of religion practicing schools could be assimilation
like what occurred in Native American residential schools, and it also takes
time away from other school studies.