GATEWAY PORTFOLIO[Document subtitle]

LIBERTY UNIVERSITYPAMELA K. NOBLE, MBA

Dr. Mark Wood

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Session 1 Notes

Legally Supported

Abington School District v. Schempp

June 17th 1963 Bible reading was allowed at the beginning of each class Schempp countered by saying that it violated his civil rights Court declared it to be unconstitutional and they can not Can study comparative religion

Florey v. Sioux Falls School District

Federal court case dealing with religious holidays Sued by the ACLU but they lost 8th circuit court said that the policy was appropriate and the quality of the student’s education

should not be sacrificed

Stone v. Graham

Kentucky law Posting of the Ten Commandments in the classroom Can be used in a comparative way as a source of studying history, ethics, understanding

civilization

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Lynch v. Donnelly

Public display of a nativity scene “Wall of Separation of Church and State” issue Establishment Clause

Separation of Church & State

State academic standards expect it Courts allow it It’s part of our history Freedom of speech is protected 1995 the ACLU agrees supports teaching appropriate history of religion

Two views of fairness

False assumptions: Fairness means proportional and not equal Sometimes fairness means proportional Ex. Teachers pay is proportional to service

Conversation with Attorney David Cortman

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Can I tell my students that I am a Christian?

Answer is yes, but in context

As an educational purpose but cannot be used to convert someone

Can I have a Bible on my desk?

Answer is yes but for educational or personal reasons

Can I play Christian music in my classroom?

Have to mix secular music with religious

Can I have a religious poster in my classroom?

Has to relate to educational purpose. Has to be relatable

Can I post a religious pamphlets, posters etc...? In the Teacher’s lounge?

The answer is yes

Can call Christmas Holiday or Easter Holidays?

The answer is yes

Can I wear a religious tee shirt to school?

The answer is no. Exceptions: FCCA or club shirt

Can I wear Religious jewelry?

The answer is yes.

Can “intelligent design” be taught in the classroom?

The answer is you can’t favor “evolution” over “intelligent design” or vice versa

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Guidelines for attending religious functions:

Cannot be there as a representative for your school

School talent school

Can a religious song be sung at a school program?

The answer is yes as long as other songs are performed as well

Can the Bible be donated for classroom use?

No, but a private organization or student can

Can a bible be in the library?

The answer is yes

Can I be a sponsor of a religious club?

As long as it is after school community group and are not on contract time

34 States have a” moment of silence”

Reflection Time (Requirement: at least 5 minutes while online course is running)

Reflections:

Schools can teach about religion as long as it is contextual

“Intelligent design” can be taught as long as evolution is being taught as well

That religious posters can be posted in the teacher’s lounge

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Session 2 Notes

Academically ExpectedContains:

1. The Bible and State Academic Standards of All 50 States and the District of Columbia2. State Constitutional Preambles3. Laws relevant to Religious Liberties to Download State Academic Standards (230 pages)

(1a.)Bible Reference (4) times(1b.)Read Pages 5-12(1c.)Social Studies/History Standards(1d.)Common Core English Language Arts

8th Grade Standard-Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible.

9th -10th Grade Standards-Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material of a particular work (e.g. Shakespeare, Bible)

California Standards

a. Students are expected to learn the Ten Commandments (6th Grade World History)-b. Students are supposed to know Paul’s description of the Gospel.

Massachusetts Standards

7th Graders are expected to know how to describe the origins of Christianity and its central features.a. Monotheismb. The belief that Jesus is the Messiahc. The concept of salvationd. Belief in the Old and New Testament

Tennessee Standards

6th Graders are:a. Expected to know the Ten Commandments.b. Describe Monotheism.

New Hampshire Academic Standards High School

Analyze how religious ideas of morality have impacted social change

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Expected to understand the sanctity of human life.New Jersey Academic Standards High School History

a. Biblical worldview teachings.b. Similar to New Hampshire.c. Determine the impact of religion and social movements in the U.S. d. Evaluate the role of religion on social and cultural mores.

Pennsylvania Academic Standards Third Graders

a. Explain meaning of the preamble.b. God is invoked in the U.S, Constitution and the Pennsylvania Constitution by giving thanks.

Note: Founding Fathers said that our rights ultimately come from God.

Florida Academic Standards 5th Grade

a. Explain the definition and origins of rights.b. John Locke-State of Nature (Has a law of Nature to govern it, which obliges everyone and

reason, which is that law, teaches all men who would but consult in it that being equal all independent etc…)

Virginia Academic Standards High School Students

Essential Questions:What were the essential beliefs of the early Christian faith?

Essential Knowledge:a. Monotheism.b. Life after death.c. Jesus as both son and incarnation of God.d. New Testament (Teachings of Jesus)e. Christian doctrines established by the early Church.

Kansas Academic Standards 6th Graders World History

Examines the different religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam etc…

Mississippi Academic Standards Eight Grade History

Expected to describe and explain the roll of our Founding Fathers and their impact on our society.

Alexander Hamilton said that “Civil liberty is only natural history modified and secured by the sanctions of civil society.”

The book “Notes on Virginia”, written in 1784 by Thomas Jefferson states that: Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of

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the people that they are of the gifts of God?

John Adams wrote: “One great advantage of the Christian religion is that it brings the great principle of the Law of Nature and nations.”

Missouri Academic Standards 3rd Graders

a. Describe the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. b. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is required reading.

Arizona Health Education Standards 6th-12th Graders

a. Analyze the influence of personal values and beliefs on individual health practices and behaviors.

Music Standards (MENC):

Stated that: “religious music within an educational context is a vital and appropriate part of a comprehensive education.”

NEA Resolution:

States that “educational materials should accurately portray the influence of religion in our nation and throughout the world”.

Reflection Time (Requirement: At least 5 minutes while online course is running

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Session 3 Notes

Culturally Accurate

Christianity in American Culture

Question: Is it appropriate to teach about religion when a country has a dominate religion?

Answer: Yes

Syria

Islam is the dominate religious faith 90%

India

Hinduism is the dominate faith is 80%

Israel

Judaism is the dominate religious faith 76%

Laos

Buddhism is the dominate religious faith 65% America

Christianity is the dominate religious faith 76% 92% of religious Americans

Frank Newport

Gallup Editor-in-Chief“Said God is alive and well’Nearly 80% of all Americans can be classified within one of two groups:

1. Catholics and Protestant/or other non-Catholic Christians2. Or other non-Catholic Christians

16% have no religious identitySo 95% of Americans who have a religion are ChristiansAmerica is a very Christian nation

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Another indicator of our culture and our Judeo-Christian heritage is: -We say the pledge allegiance-We put in “God We Trust” on our money-2013 Gallop published a finding on church attendance which is comparable to the 1930s and 40s- People who go to church once a week is 39% -Gallup Chart shows 41% church attendance-England 10%-15% attend church regularly-Germany below 10% attend church regularly-Sweden 5% attend church regularly

Christian Music Sales -188 million sold in 1990- 700 million sold in 2006-2012 Cristian/Gospel music outsold every other genre of music

Radio Stations-#1 Radio Format is: Country (2078 Stations)-#2 Radio Music Format is: Contemporary Christian (1105 Stations)-Other Christian Formats such as Black Gospel, Southern Gospel (1632 in total)-Religious teachings (3281)

Bible Literacy and College Readiness

Study done at Eng. Departments across the country and the question was: Is the Bible important to know in order for them to be successful?

Steven Goldsmith-Professor English Department at UC Berkeley stated that:

“The idea of Genesis to the New Jerusalem these are really key ideas for how writers of my period think about history. So there’s a lot that students benefit from if they have some access to this material coming into the classroom.”

Robert Polhemus-Professor at Stanford stated that:

“I’d like to think that an educated person knows the Bible because I believe in the liberal arts. I believe and educated person should know Shakespeare, should know something about the Bible also. This is the cultural heritage of the nation we live in. And it is also the heritage of the creation of literature in English.”

Linda Peterson-Professor GS. Department at Yale stated that:

“I think the Bible is one of the foundational text of Western and American literature. And so I think if you don’t read it in some religious context, you should read it in some setting.”

Ralph Williams-Professor at U. Michigan stated that:

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“It is disabling not to know the Bible in trying to come to terms with the discourse of the culture. The person who is educated is being educated to a purpose. The purpose is to allow them to be optimally free and enabled participants in cultural discussions. One cannot do that in the fullest sense, and even in a very full sense without a knowledge of the Bible.”

Robert Kiely Professor at Harvard University stated that:

“The Bible has continued to be philosophically, ethically, religiously and politically influential in Western, Eastern, and now African cultures and so not to know it-whether one is a Jew or Christian seems to me not understand world culture. It’s just not western culture.

Ina Lipkowitz Professor at MIT stated that:

I think an educated person needs not only to know about the Bible but to know about the different ways the Bible has been read. It’s difficult for me to think of an educated person who doesn’t know it. I wouldn’t think such as person is educated.”

Quotes:Bibleliteracy.org

In Conclusion: It is reasonable that American schools teach American students about American culture. And religious history is part of the American culture.

Christianity Reflected in Local Culture

Culture:

Approximately twenty churches Very religiousAverage Age is around 50 years oldConservative

Reflection Time (Requirement: At least 5 minutes while online course is running

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Session 4 Notes

Moral Development and Religious Upbringing

Ben Franklin’s observation “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they

have no more need of masters”.

-If people can’t govern themselves there needs to be a law that shows them what to do. The founders believed that if they were going to have personal liberty that would have to have the ability to govern themselves morally and politically we had to be a self -governing people.

-Junior Achievement Survey 2007 on Teen Ethics Findings:

“While most teens (71%) feel fully prepared to make ethical decisions in the workplace, nearly 40% of those young people believe that lying, cheating, plagiarizing, and violence are sometimes necessary to succeed in school.”

So there is a real need to help students in their moral development.

-Dartmouth Medical School 2005 did a report called Hardwire to Connect: The New Scientific Case for Authoritative Communities

“Compared to their less religious peers, religious teenagers are: Safe drivers, more likely to wear seatbelts, less likely to become juvenile delinquents or adult criminals, and less prone to substance abuse.”

“Religiously committed teens are: More likely to volunteer, more likely to participate in sports, and student government, greater self-esteem, and positive attitudes about life.”

Impact of Religion on Youth

-National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse Study, Columbia University (2012) - Correlation between at risk behaviors and church attendance.

Tried Cigarettes*Attends service 0-3 times per month. 11% *Attends services at least 4 times a month. 8%

Findings: Teens that attend church regularly smoke less.

Tried Alcohol*Attends service 0-3 times per month. 33%*Attends service at least 4 times per month. 18%

Findings: Teens that attend church regularly drink less, almost half. Tried Marijuana

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* Attends Service 0-3 times per month. 18%* Attends Service at least 4 times per month. 9%

Findings: Teens that attend Church regularly saw a significant drop in use.

-National Study of Youth and Religion, UNC, Chapel Hill (2002) Studying High School Students found:

Community Service or Volunteer Work {1-2} times a month

*Never Attends. 9%*Rarely Attends. 14%* 4 times a month. 26%

Findings: There was a positive correlation between students who were involved in a place of worship and those who were not.

Self Esteem“I take a positive attitude towards myself”

* Religion is not important. 27%* A little important. 30%*Pretty important. 33%* Very important. 43%

Findings: They found that students with higher church attendance were more likely to feel good about or have a positive attitude about themselves. Also, going to church does not create poor self- esteem it is just the opposite.

Columbia University National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (2007)

“Teens who never attend religious services in a typical month have substance abuse risk scores that are almost double those of teens who attend weekly religious services.”

Columbia University National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (2010)

Church Attendance

*57% of Teens attend religious services at least two times a month and 44% do so weekly.Findings: Because there is such a high percentage of Church attendance amongst are students so how can we then tap into that to educate the whole child.

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Institute of Social Research, University of Michigan, (2009)

64% of high school seniors in the Southern part of the United States indicated that religion is important in their lives, with 35% more than 1 out of 3 of those stated it was “very important”.

Findings: To help the whole child in their development we in public schools need to find a way to address this.

National Survey of Drug Use and Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, (2004)

“In 2002, 69% of teens reported that religious beliefs influence how they make decisions."

Findings: We should encourage our students to seek out Gods answer before they make a decision.

Article called “The Relationship between Family Religious Behaviors and Child Well-Being among Third- Grade Children”

*First appeared in Mental Health, Religion, and Culture, (2007)

“Family Religious service and attendance significantly predicted child’s health and social skills.”

Bible Literacy and Outcomes

Dr. William Jeynes, California State University, Long Beach, Education and Urban Society (2010)

* Reviewed studies of over 50,000 students.*Wrote a report entitled: “The Relationship between Bible Literacy and Behavioral and Academic Outcomes in Urban Areas.”

Findings: “The results indicate that increased Bible knowledge is associated with higher levels of student academic achievement and positive behavioral patterns”

Hardwired to Connect

The New Scientific Case for Authoritative Communities (2005)

SEPARATIONSHIELD

OURSCHOOLS

FROM RELIGION

EVANGELIZATION

WORSHIPDEVOTION

EVANGELISM

INTERGRATION

FREEDOM OF EXPERSSION

WELL

ROUNDED EDUCATION

CULTURAL

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*YMCA of the USA, Dartmouth Medical School, Institute for American Values *Researchers from Harvard, UCLA, Dartmouth, Indiana, Columbia, NYU, Emory, U of Virginia and Yale

Findings: “Denying or ignoring the spiritual needs of adolescents may end up creating a void in their lives that either devolves into depression or is filled by other forms of questing and challenge such as drinking, unbridled consumerism, petty crime, sexual precocity or flirtations with violence.”

Recommendations:

They recommended that youth serving organizations seek to promote the moral and spiritual development of children recognizing that children’s moral and spiritual needs are as genuine, and as integral to their personhood, as their physical and intellectual needs.

For organizations that include a diverse religious backgrounds or no religious background, this task admittedly will be difficult. It need not be impossible and should not be neglected.

“In a society in which pluralism is a fact and freedom birth right finding new ways to strengthen and not ignore or stunt, children’s moral and spiritual selves may be the single most important challenge facing youth service professionals and youth-serving organization’s in the U.S. today.”

Current Thinking

*Public school educators and students must pretend that they do not believe in God… And act accordingly.

*Religion is already part of the curriculum but how do we integrate it into the classroom.

The Spectrum of Views (in boxes) regarding Church, State, and Schools

SPECTRUM OF VIEWS

INTEGRATION

ACADEMIC APPRECIATION

FOR THE IMPACT

RELIGION HAS ON AMERICA

MIDDLE

SEPARATION

CENSORSHIP

CIVIL LIBERTIES VIOLATION

INCOMPLETE EDUCATION

EVANGELIZATION

TEACHERS VIOLATING THE LAW

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Teaching students about the importance of Judeo-Christian history, thought, and values are appropriate and lawful because it is …

C – Culturally Accurate

A –Academically Expected

L –Legally Supported

M –Morally Imperative

Reflection Time (Requirement: At least 5 minutes while online course is running

Session 5 Notes

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Inclusion Strategies

1. Give proper attention to religion in the curriculum and at school.

Instructional not devotional

Explain by attribution- Talk about events in the Bible, religious events attribute it to the source etc. (EXAMPLES)

Christians believe…..

The Bible records that….

In the story….

Test Question: Could a non-Christian say it?

2. Environment for religious expression in your classroom. Moral, Civil, and Ethical Education, Ca. Department of Education stated that: it is not to

instruct in religion. Teaching about religion embraces the study of various religions; information on past and present sources, views, and behavior of religious persons or groups; and the influence of religion and cultures and civilizations. Instruction in religion by contrast, is to seek acceptance of and commitment to a particular religion, including a non-religion, such as secularism.

Teaching about, versus instruction in, religion

ABOUT

IN

Study of appreciation of Seek acceptanceInformation on Seek commitmentInfluence ofExplain by attribution

Inside the box is appropriate vs. Outside the box inappropriate

You should believe…. This is the way…… Christianity is better than other religions….

Christmas is…….This is what happened……This person was motivated

by…….Christianity gave to

America…….The Golden Rule…..

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Pledge of Allegiance- Can be used the Pledge of Allegiance to teach by going through each line and discuss its meaning.EXAMPLES:

Our pledge of Allegiance-a promise to be faithful To the flag-The symbol of our country Of the United States of America And to the Republic for which it stands- Our representative system One nation under God- Thomas Jefferson & Abe Lincoln & Martin Luther King Jr. “we hold

these truths to be self –evident” Indivisible-Staying together even when we may disagree With liberty and justice for all-Freedom and being fair and right

Language Arts

Include Jesus, Moses, Solomon quotes Books that mention biblical characters, values, or allusions Have a Bible in classroom library Include in Accelerated Reading program(www.arbookfind.com) Creation stories (e.g. David and Goliath, Abraham, Adam and Eve, Jesus sayings, Jonah,

Daniel)

Science Explain the limits of Science-seeking naturalistic explanations of our world

Evidence of Intelligent Design in things other than investigations of origins. Example: Cloud formation and Mount Rushmore

Teach about the controversy

Mathematics

Dennis Prager-Author of Still the best hope: Why the world needs American Values to Triumph How math is used to benefit others. (e.g. charity, digging wells, investments, money) Invisible vs. Imaginary √-1=i

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Standard Deviations. To teach tolerance

Economics The purpose of work Just labor practices Attitudes toward money Materialism Charity

Health Dating and marriage Mental health Decision-Making skills

Remember to look for opportunities to teach that religious ideas and values and people in faith are important values in our lives.

Reflection Time (Requirement: At least 5 minutes while online course is running)

Run it through the faith meter

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Session 6 Notes

Students’ Religious Liberties

Department of Education:

USDOE Secretary Richard Riley (1988) stated “I encourage schools to actively take steps to inform parents and students about religious expression in schools using this guidelines.”

USDOE, Ron Paige (2003) stated “I encourage you to distribute this guidance widely in your community and to discuss its contents and its importance with schools administrators, teachers, parents, and students.”

Seven Religious Liberties

For Students:

1. Students can pray, read their Bibles or other religious materials, and talk about their faith at school.

“Students may pray when not engaged in school activities or instructions, subject to the same rules designed to prevent material disruption of the educational program that are applied to other privately initiated expressive activities.”

“Among other things students may read their Bible or other scriptures, say grace before meals, and pray or study religious materials with fellow students during recess, or during the lunch hour, or other non-instructional time to the same extent that they may engage in nonreligious activities.”

"While school authorities may impose rules of order and pedagogical restrictions on school activities, they may not discriminate against student prayer or religious speech in applying such rules and restrictions.”

2. Students can organize prayer groups and religious clubs, and announce their meetings.

“Students may organize prayer groups, religious clubs, and “see you at the pole” before school to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activities groups.”

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“Such groups must be given the same access to school facilities for assembling as is given to other non-curricular groups, without discrimination because of the religious content of their expression.”

School authorities possess substantial discretion concerning whether to permit the use of school media for student advertising or announcements regarding non-curricular activities.”

However, where student groups that meet for nonreligious activities are permitted to advertise or announce their meetings ---for example, by advertising in a school newspaper, making announcements on a student activities bulletin board or public address system, or handing out leaflets- school authorities may not discriminate against groups who meet to pray.”

School authorities may disclaim sponsorship of non-curricular groups and events, provided they administer such disclaimers in a matter that neither favors nor disfavors groups that meet to engage in religious speech or prayer.”

3. Students can express their faith classwork and homework.

“Students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork and other religious written and/or oral assignments free from discrimination based on the religious content of their submissions.”

“Such home and classroom work should be judged by ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance and against other legitimate pedagogical concerns identified by the school.”

“Thus if a teachers assignment involves writing a poem, the work of a student who submits a poem in the form of a prayer (for example, a psalm) should be judged on the basis of academic standards (such as literary quality ) and neither penalized or rewarded on account of its religious context.”

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For Teachers:

4. Teachers can organize prayer groups with other teachers.

When acting in their official capacities as representatives of the state teachers, school administrators and other school employees are prohibited by the Establishment Clause from encouraging or discouraging, prayer, and from actively participating in such activity with students.

“Teachers may, however, take part in religious activities where the overall context makes clear that they are not participating in their official capacities.”

“Before school or during lunch, for example, teachers may meet with other teachers for prayer or Bible study to the same extent that they may engage in other conversation or nonreligious activities.

“Similarly, teachers may participate in their personal capacities in privately sponsored baccalaureate ceremonies.”

5. Students may be able to go off campus to have religious studies during school hours.

It has been long established that schools have the discretion to dismiss students off- campus religious instruction, provided that schools do not encourage or discourage participation in such instruction or penalize students for attending or not attending.” www.releasedtime.org

6. Students can express their faith at a school event.

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“Student speakers at student assemblies and extracurricular activities such as sporting events may not be selected on a basis that either favors or disfavors religious speech.”

“Where student speakers are selected on the basis of genuinely neutral, evenhanded criteria and retain primary control over the content of their expression , that expression is not attributable to the school and therefore, may not be restricted because of its religious (or anti-religious) content.”

“By contrast, where school officials determine or substantially control the content of what is expressed such speech is attributable to the school and may include prayer or other specifically religious or (anti-religious) content.”

“To avoid any mistaken perception that a school endorses student speech that is not in fact attributable to the school , school officials may make appropriate , neutral disclaimers to clarify that such speech (whether religious or non-religious) is the speaker’s and not the school’s”.

7. Students can express their faith at baccalaureate ceremonies.

School officials may not mandate or organize religious ceremonies. However, if a school makes its facilities and related services available to other private groups, it must make its facilities and services available on the same terms to organizers of privately sponsored religious baccalaureate ceremonies.”

“In addition, a school may disclaim official endorsement of events sponsored by private groups, provided it does so in a manner that neither favors nor disfavors groups that meet to engage in prayer or religious speech.”

Tell Students About their Liberties:

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At the beginning of school.

During patriotic observances.

As part of their civic lessons.

During character education.

Planning Time (Requirement: At least 3 minutes while online course is running)

I will introduce to their religious liberties as the opportunity presents itself. Maybe during their first counseling session as part of or an addition to the “informed consent” document.

Religious Freedom Day

January 16th

A day that the President sets aside to celebrate the country’s religious freedoms, Est. 1993 Bush 1 and 2, Clinton, and Obama

www.religiousfreedomday.com

Why Jan. 16th?

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The year that the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom 1786. Influenced by Jefferson and Madison. Dealt with the issue of Taxation. Taxed individuals for state churches. Jefferson and Madison felt it was wrong to tax someone to support someone else’s

religious faith. Jefferson’s assertion states “Whereas Almighty God hath created the mind free…” To

compel a Man to furnish contributions of money for the prorogation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical…”

Be it enacted by the general assembly and it protects a person from being discriminated against and that all men shall profess and be protected in their matters of religion and it does not affect their civil capacities.

1. Tell students about RFD.2. Explain their liberties.3. Tell their parents.4. Pass a school board resolution.5. Tie it in with MLK Day.

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Planning Time (Requirement: At least 3 minutes while online course is running)