Aiming for Neutrality

Note:  There is much more to the concept of government neutrality regarding religion than can be presented here in Lesson 1.  In a later lesson, you will have opportunity to delve further into the background in law (e.g., key court rulings and consequences for public school classrooms) that forms the basis for this concept.

Reading [ Lesson 1]
New glossary terms at end of reading

Role of the School

For most youngsters, it is the nonsectarian public schools that mold their conceptions of citizenship. It is perhaps through their schooling and the conduct of their classroom teachers that budding citizens can learn best what it means to live in a country where the notion of citizens’ “equality under the law” is so fundamental and has been stated so clearly.

Liberty of conscience (religious liberty) is a right bestowed on all Americans. Through its laws, our nation acknowledges for every citizen the important human rights bestowed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. For over 50 years the U. S. Supreme Court has taken neutrality as its touchstone in settling court cases related to the relationship of religion to government and to the public schools.  This governmental neutrality is what best enables protection of each citizen's "liberty of conscience."  

As government institutions, public schools must be neutral in two senses: they must be neutral among religions (they cannot privilege one religion over another), and they must be neutral between religion and nonreligion (they cannot privilege religion generally over nonreligion). To give preference to any religion's outlook through policy or practice would be an "establishment of religion" that violates the first of the two religious liberty clauses in the First Amendment. Public schools are to be places where people of every faith and none are treated with fairness and respect.

Neutrality and fairness is possible, however, only when teachers clearly understand their roles and their mandate to act on behalf of all citizens. As a public school teacher, you owe to all the children you teach equitable consideration, acknowledging each as an individual who is fully free to hold to his or her individual faith position. Schools uphold the First Amendment when teachers act impartially and protect the religious liberty rights of students of all faiths or none.

It is important that those responsible for and involved in public education be fully cognizant of the broad spectrum of religious and nonreligious perspectives that may be present in any American classroom.  It is the school's job--their job--to ensure that each child’s freedom of conscience is duly valued.

Responding to Diversity

In public school, there must be recognition of the rights of people living in a free society to choose between the various faith systems or secular philosophies as well as their right to reject any one or all of such faith systems or philosophies. All students are deserving of commensurate regard whether they hold to a familiar religion, to an unfamiliar or minority one, or reject religion entirely.  Each budding citizen has a freedom of conscience and belief deserving of respect and safeguarding.

Impartiality regarding religion is a watchword for those teaching in the public schools, but it is easier said than done.  Most teachers know that it is not appropriate for any one child’s religious or nonreligious beliefs to be given favor over another’s.  Just as public school teachers may neither advance nor inhibit any religious doctrine, neither should they promote religion over nonreligion.  When interacting with your students regarding the religion realm, you will continuously strive to meet the challenge of regarding evenhandedly the varied worldviews and outlooks you will encounter.

As a professional, you will attempt to respond to these various outlooks in an impartial and academic sense. This stance accords to those children who abide by unusual or unfamiliar faith systems, and to those who may reject all faiths, the same respect and consideration you give to the youngsters who affirm your own worldview or who adhere to conventional belief systems that are more familiar to you.

There is an oft-stated maxim known as the “golden rule.” It appears in some form in almost all religions. It is present in most secular philosophies as well. And, in complying with its edict, you will be granting to those who have contrasting beliefs on matters linked to conscience (e.g., philosophy, ethics, cosmology) the same regard you would wish to be given persons who share your own outlook.

To any student’s question, you will respond as sensitively and factually as you can. Whether the questioner follows a majority faith, or a minority faith, or no faith at all will not matter. This is not to say that, in doing so, you are bestowing on the worldviews themselves equivalent cultural legitimacy. Nor are you deeming them equally valid. Rather, by your conduct, you are upholding the right of each student you are teaching to have and adhere to his or her faith (or non-faith) convictions. All the students in your classroom can be at ease and free of apprehension on this count.

As the classroom teacher, you impart an image to students of how America looks upon its citizen’s religious freedom. In a civil classroom, no students need ever feel distress of teacher condescension or classmate derision for having their religious (or skeptical/unbelieving) ideology.

Teachers who aim for the neutrality ideal and model it in their classrooms will help the students (proto-citizens all) to look upon one another with similar fairness. The respectful acknowledgment of each person’s individual liberty of conscience will carry forward to the future.

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Corrections and comments invited. [last modified: 8/18/01]  
Author: Mynga Futrell, Ph.D.

GLOSSARY TERMS: belief system  \  cosmology  \  ethics  \  faith position  \  faith(s)  \  faith system  \  no faith/none  \  nonsectarian  \  philosophy  \  public school  \  religion  \  secular philosophy

End of Reading.  Return to Guide Sheet.