There is plenty of room for religion in public schools – if it is done well

Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s superintendent of public instruction, and other Christian nationalists like to claim that Americans United and its allies are determined to eradicate all traces of religion from public education. They say we’re ready to call a federal judge if a child bows his head during lunch in the cafeteria.

These offensive depictions stir the enthusiasm of the Christian nationalist base, but they are simply false. Americans United supports the right of students to participate in voluntary prayer and other religious activities in public schools in a non-disruptive manner that does not infringe on the rights of others.

Teaching about religion is perfectly acceptable

We also support objective and factual teaching about Religion in public schools, provided the approach is educational and not devotional. We have a long experience in this area. Check out these highlights:

1988: Americans United led a group of 14 religious and educational organizations in publishing a booklet titled “Religion in the Public School Curriculum: Questions and Answers.” The publication called for an “academic, not devotional” approach and added: “The school can work to help students feel more comfortable in their language.” awareness religions, but should not pressure students to acceptance of any religion. The school may sponsor study on religion, but cannot sponsor the practical of religion. The school can expose students with a diversity of religious views, but cannot impose “A special view.”

1995: Americans United joined dozens of organizations that supported “Religion in Public Schools: A Joint Statement on Current Law.” The publication stated, “It is both permissible and desirable to teach objectively about the role of religion in the history of the United States and other countries. It can be taught that the Pilgrims came to this country with a particular religious vision, that Catholics and others were persecuted, or that many who participated in the abolitionist, women’s suffrage, and civil rights movements had religious motivations.” (This publication served as the basis for the guidelines on religion in schools that were issued by the U.S. Department of Education under President Bill Clinton. Subsequent administrations have updated and reissued them.)

2021: Americans United has published “Know Your Rights” guides for parents, students and teachers for the first time. The guides, which are regularly updated, make clear that objective teaching about religion is permitted in public schools.

The teacher guide states: “Schools may teach factual information about religion, for example by including in a history class the role of religion in the settlement of the American colonies or by teaching in a geography or social studies class the religious makeup of countries. It is generally not wrong to have students learn facts about religion. You can even use some religious materials, such as the Bible, as part of a literature and history lesson, if you present the material objectively and do not try to introduce religious teachings. For example, it would be acceptable to use the Bible to help explain some biblical allegories in an English class, or as a text to compare with others in an ancient history class. But public schools and their teachers should not teach that a particular religion is true (or false) or that religious doctrines or beliefs are factual. Nor should they encourage students to practice a particular religion or reward or punish them for doing so.” » (The guides are available on the AU website.)

What Christian Nationalists Really Want

In reality, we could have solved this problem long ago by following these guidelines. But Christian nationalists do not want that. Despite their rhetoric, they are not really seeking objective teaching of religion in public schools, because that puts all faiths on an equal footing. Christian nationalists want their narrow interpretation of Christianity elevated above other faiths and taught as fact – and they want to use public schools as tools of evangelism.

Christian nationalists seek to be indoctrinated, not educated. And that is something Americans United will never allow.