by Amy Joy Hess

When a fellow student sneezed, High School senior Kendra Turner said, “Bless you” across the keyboarding classroom and earned herself an in-school suspension for it. According to Turner, her teacher at Dyer County High School said “We will not have Godly speaking in my class.” The incident hit the news in Tennessee in late August and raised controversy over religious freedom in public schools. The district superintendent has not commented, but the school system has said it has a strict policy against outbursts that distract other students.

The keyboarding classroom teacher had listed words that students were not to say in class, including, “stupid” and “boring” and expressions like “my bad.” The phrase “bless you” was also included on the list. According to the school, the phrase distracts students, while according to Turner and other students, the teacher banned it specifically because it belonged in church.

“There were several students that were talking about this particular faculty member there that was very demeaning to them in regards to their faith,” said Rev. Becky Winegardner, Turner’s youth pastor.

Incidents like this bring up the question of religious freedom in public school and what rights students and teachers do and don’t have.

The role of religion in public schools continues to be a hotly debated issue. Some public school teachers avoid the mere mention of religion in their classrooms, while others wonder how much they can say without “crossing the line.” Students and parents wonder what they are free to do and say.

A publication by the First Amendment Center called “Finding Common Ground: A Guide to Religious Liberty in Public Schools” can be downloaded for free (click on the link below). “Finding Common Ground” is a guidebook that explains teachers’ and students’ religious rights. It gives information concerning a wide variety of subjects such as equal access, judicial court rulings, and religious holidays. Below you will also find a link to the United States Department of Education guidelines on religious expression in public schools.

Freedom of Speech

The Supreme Court has ruled that students retain their freedom of speech and expression when at school. According to the 1969 Supreme Court decision inTinker v. Des Moines Independent School District, a school may only silence students if they are actually disrupting school discipline. That is, a student’s freedom of expression does not give him or her the right to interrupt class. However, during free time, students are free to:

• Read their Bibles
• Talk to peers about religion and pray with their peers
• Wear clothing with Christian symbols and messages
• Pass out religious tracts

Equal Access

If a secondary public school receives any federal funding and if it allows any other non-curriculum clubs (like the chess club or the glee club) to form, then it must allow students to form Bible clubs or other religiously oriented organizations on campus with the same rights to the facilities as other clubs. Religious clubs are guaranteed the right to official recognition, which means the school must offer them access to the school newspaper, bulletin boards, and the public announcement system et al. Religious clubs, however, must be student-initiated and student-led. The students may invite outside speakers, but the club must be organized and led by the students themselves.

Educational Opportunities

Because religion is such an integral part of history and politics and the human experience in general, it is a relevant topic in the classroom setting. Teachers and students are free to discuss different religions and the impact religion has on society. While teachers must maintain a neutral position with the students, students are free to offer their own personal opinions on religious matters. [Teachers are free to discuss religious issues with their own peers outside of the classroom.]

Students may write papers on religious subjects, including the Bible. The Bible has had an enormous impact on history and literature and is an important book to know, even from a secular viewpoint. Literature from Shakespeare to Faulkner is full of allusions to the Bible, which can only be fully appreciated with a working knowledge of the Scriptures.

Teachers

Teachers also retain their First Amendment rights at school, but they represent the school while in the classroom and at school events. Therefore, public school teachers are not permitted to “force their religion” on students. However, teachers do have a lot of freedom to teach about religion for educational purposes. They may teach on comparative religions, including Christianity. They may discuss the impact religion has had on history and science and literature. They may even discuss religion with students one-on-one, if the student initiates and maintains the conversation and is not compelled to agree with the teacher’s position.

As school starts up again, continue to pray for those faithful teachers who are striving to teach students according to righteousness in the face of a liberal education establishment—and for those students who are willing to stand up for their faith and be a light to their peers rather than just going along with the crowd.

Notes

• 2012 Victories: Schools Cannot Ban the Bible
  — ACLJ
• Finding Common Ground: A Guide to Religious Liberty in Public Schools
  — First Amendment Center
• Shoop, Robert J., “Religious Expression in Public Schools”, A Iegal Memorandum
  — National Secondary School Principals Association
• Religion and Public Schools
  — U.S. Dept. of Education
• Train Up a Child: Home Schooling
  — Koinonia House

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