Document Type
Issue Area Four
Abstract
Religion in the public schools is a topic that appears to have two sides-those in favor and those against. Placing a line down the middle and dividing people interested in an issue into two segments lends itself to stereotyping and creating perceptions of the members of each side as being exactly the same as every other member of that side. In fact, the persons interested in the issue of religion in the public schools fall along a continuum ranging from those fully in favor to those adamantly against. It is important for public school officials, students, parents, and citizens with an interest in the issue of religion in the public schools to relate to each person they meet as an individual rather than a stereotypical member of a "side" that may or may not exist. In other words, not every person in favor of teaching values or teaching about religion in the public schools is a member of the "religious right" (whatever that is), and not every person in favor of the separation of Church and State is a "secular humanist" (whatever that is). Rather, each person is an individual with personally held beliefs that should be shared and listened to politely and sincerely by others to gain a better understanding of each individual's viewpoints. Each person's opinion has been developed based on the information received regarding the issue of Church and State. In many cases, the information received is incomplete, from a second-hand source, and often inaccurate.
Journal Title
Institute for Educational Leadership Monograph Series
Volume
5
Issue
2
First Page
147
Last Page
152
Publisher
Institute for Educational Leadership, University of Northern Iowa
City
Cedar Falls, IA
Copyright
©1994 Institute for Educational Leadership, College of Education, and the University of Northern Iowa
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Dolan, M. J.
(1994)
"Issue Area Four: Separation of Church and State: What Are the Legal Issues?,"
Institute for Educational Leadership Monograph Series: Vol. 5:
No.
2, Article 36.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/iel_monographs/vol5/iss2/36
