Religion in High Schools

Sheryl Odum

English IV- A4 Mrs. Jones 28 March 201

Odum I Outline I. Thesis: Based on laws and statistics it is cleared that religion can impact a persons life positively and therefore, it's beneficial to high school students. II. Explanation on how religion takes place in history and how it influences the country. A. how religion influences the united states laws. Which laws and what comparisons can we make to religion. B. Explanation of the elimination of prayers in schools and why was it taken away from public schools. C. A brief explanation of kids in the past. III. Change in students behavior over time and causes and effects of religion in schools. A. Personal opinions of what school means to the students and how they feel about school. B. What influences high school students to act the way they do. C. Consequences of the teaching of religion in schools. IV. Difference between private and public schools does the money make a difference in education. A. Private schools and public school, what makes them different. B. Should schools pay for the religious teachings.

Odum II V. Who should decide whether to teach religion in schools, students, teachers, parents or the government. A. Whose decision should it be to teach students religious values. B. Parents point of view of teaching religion in high schools. C. What are the bad consequences of making the wrong decisions towards religious teaching and values.

Odum 1 Religion in High schools What is the first thing that comes to mind when one hears the word religion? Everyone ultimately believes in something regardless of gender or race. A very interesting question was asked once; is religion meant to help people be better human beings in the world just like education is? The world has changed throughout time, more violence, more crime, and easier access for adolescents to choose what people so call The bad lifestyle. Based on laws and statistics it is cleared that religion can impact a persons life positively and therefore, it's beneficial to high school students. History Just as the education system has changed over the years, religion has evolved not only in schools but also in the world. The United States was a country which relied and made decisions according to faith and the bible. For example, the pledge of alliance expresses how the United States is a nation that relies on God and also how it gives liberty and justice. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. (ushistory) The United States Bill of rights also talks about these things. If a person focuses on the First Amendment one would uncover several religious terms or keys. The First Amendment allows citizens to have the freedom to choose and select what they wish to be or do (ushistory). Just like in the bible with God giving free will to everyone to decide and choose what they wish to.

Odum 2 The Bill of rights in the US Constitution also states everyone has freedom of religion, why can not that apply to high school students? The first amendment states that the government can't ground religion neither the exercise of any other religion with liberty (Publishers weekly pg1). It feels as this law didn't apply to schools because students don't have the freedom to pray for their schools or do other religious activities. According to case studies Kent Greenwalt went through, teachers were allowed to teach subjects with religious backgrounds without becoming critical on the religious subjects (Publishers weekly pg1). Teachers do not feel free to talk about the religion in their lessons even though the courses have some leading to religion at some point. For example in history, some teacher have to talk about religious values or decisions historical leaders made at some point in time by the influence of the church or who they believed in. Theres a bond between religion and schools as if it could influence kids to do things they shouldnt, even though they already are doing these things. In a period of time students had a moment of silence everyday and had the opportunity to pray for themselves or volunteer to do so. In other words this allowed students to have meditation and freedom to worship. After some time these prayers were taken away. The government stated that organized prayer in schools was a violation of the separation of the church and state (Americans United). Did this change in all public schools impact in some way the live and beliefs of many students? If people were to compare students then and now what would they say? Students loved school so much, they strived for college and becoming doctors, lawyers, and teacher. They made their families proud by going to college and becoming an example for other people . For

Odum 3 example, African Americans during and after slavery wished they could have some education, they wished to go to college or at least learn how to read and write. Education was very important to students in the past. Behavior Now it is all different. A yahoo user asked a question to the public once, Teens: How do you feel about school?. One comment said Im a senior. I cant wait to leave. I dont like school that much, another comment said I don't like anything about my school. If it burned down tomorrow I would do a happy dance the teens who said they did specified that it was only because they get to see their friends, they expressed things such as Its cool i'm just motivated to go every day because of my friends (yahoo answers). High school students now strive to just survive by getting a job or low education. Some don't finish college, some don't even get the chance to finish high school. Not only that, violence in schools has increased tremendously. Metal detectors in schools, having that prison feeling. Narcotic agents coming to schools once in a while to do drug check ups. This is the usual type of behavior and situations in high schools now and days. However, majority of kids in the past strived for great things such as a degree, having a successful business, etc; there are still kids now who strive for the same things. What influences these students to be like this? Religion influence people to be better, to be different. It can help a person be respectful, be calm, maintain peace and strive to be better. It influences not only personality but also with other people. For example, it suggest that you should fix problems that you have with your neighbor to maintain peace with them. Although

Odum 4 some people don't believe in God and feel that the bible its just a book written by another man, The authors don't change the fact that this book can help you be a better person and it gives you tips on how to handle things in our everyday life. If students were taught religious values in schools it would be different. It could have positive consequences. One main religious value is Faith, not only in God but also in themselves. Faith helps believe that one can do things that people can't usually see done. Lets see this in students and schools. If teachers teach their students about faith, these students no matter what people tell them or how hard it looks to pursue their dreams, they will have faith in themselves and believe they will do it even if it looks impossible. Another religious value is to honor your parents and authorities to receive compensation from God and not only that but also give a long lifetime. This would influence them to listen to teachers, parents, and other authorities and be respectful because God will give them compensations and will help them live for a long time. The consequences for the teaching of religious values could be positive to these young kids lives. Schools If a question were to ask to students in religious schools and public schools about their future would they have the same mentality or would it be different? Whats the difference between private religious schools and public? Private schools select certain students, these students have to pay a fee to attend the school. Private school students and students in public schools have the opportunity to go to any college together, therefore, in this case they both have

Odum 5 the same education. The only difference is that these schools teach religion or religious values. They have religious courses where students can learn about the bible or certain religions. Why should students pay for a religious education if education should be the same as the rest of the schools? What if students wish to study in a school like this but didn't have the resources to? Many believe they should have public religious high school. Or maybe have a choice of courses to pick each semester that deals with religion or religious values. Maybe even have an extra curriculum activity after school where they teach students these values and pray for the school to protect them but not during school hours. So, who should decide whether religion should be bond: parents, teacher, or the actual students? Decisions Should parents decide whether to teach religion in schools, after all their kids depend from them right? Or should the teacher decide, they are teaching it aren't they? Maybe its better if the student do, they are the ones who are learning and after all, everything that their being taught is to prepare them for the real world? What about the government; they are the ones who have the most authority over the country, since everyone that lives there is under their protection? If the school had religious courses that students could pick, then this will actually show them that they are really free to start making positive decisions in their life. Teachers can also decide whether to teach course that has a lot of religious background to it. These people are the best decision makers according to this predicament because it revolves around them. Many parents will be proud if their sons and daughters are an example to the rest of the people in their communities. They feel that as long as the environment is good and can make their kids

Odum 6 good human beings in the future they will agree to it and support them. Every parent wants their child to be successful. It is every parents dream to see their kids walk across that stage and going to college and knowing there are better than what they were. So if we were to ask these parents, would you agree with the teaching of religion values in schools so they can be better people and cause a positive impact in the world, It is sure that they will agree. The government should be allowed to intervene in the decision that students, teachers or parents were to make pertaining religion or religious values. The reason for this matter is because sometimes religion is not always great. People can get to the point to use it to their advantage. For example teachers or parents can make students do things by using phrases such as If you do not give me what i ask for your going to hell because you're being disobedient and God does not like that and comment like this can cause damage physiologically. This shows that people can interpret things in certain ways and can use it wrongfully. So, teachers who would teach these values should be tested before teaching it. However, it is the students decision to pick these courses and they should have the liberty to drop them at any moment with justification. Therefore, it would not affect them or the government because it is what they want to learn and it is not being forced. Just like everyone has the rights to choose and do things pertaining religion, it would allow students to think for themselves on what's good or bad and allow them to make their own decision; this will train them for life, after all the life is full of them. Although religious teaching can not affect a persons life unless it is practice, it can be a positive influence in ones life to be a better person. Education teach kids about specific topics such as math, reading, english etc. Religion teach human being about life decisions, values, and

Odum 7 things that can help them be better and do whats right. In other words they tie together in some way. The best thing one can do is educating children not only in knowledge but also for life because the world is changing negatively every minute with more crime more violence and sadly the youth is a part of it. Based on laws and statistics it is cleared that religion can impact a person s life positively and therefore, it's beneficial to high school students . They are the future. They are the new generation.

Work cited Bill of rights and later amendments Ushistory . Copyright 1995-2013 by the Independence hall of Association

http://www.ushistory.org/documents/amendments.htm#amend01 Does God belong in Public Schools? Publishers weekly 4 Oct. 2004 : 76 Educator Reference Complete. Web 11 Mar. 2014 <http://go.galegroup.com/psli.do?id=GALE%7CA123455541&v=2.1&u=lap36warren&i t=r&p=PROF&sw=w&asid=dd596344bd3851a88fbdfodad1fs>

"The Pledge of Allegiance." American Eras Primary Sources. Ed. Rebecca Parks. Vol. 1: Development of the Industrial United States, 1878-1899. Detroit: Gale, 2013. 225-227. U.S. History in Context. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/uhic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?failOverType =&query=&prodId=UHIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGrou pName=Reference&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy= &search_within_results=&p=UHIC%3AWHIC&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&do cumentId=GALE%7CCX2737200082&source=Bookmark&u=lap36warren&jsid=78fedba6ec2a 8e6933d0d7ee26534a46>