In Jefferson, South Carolina, controversy has ensued over a rapper announcing during a public school assembly that a "relationship with Jesus is what you need more than anything else."
The debate sparked when the rapper posted a video (see url below) on YouTube, where he announced that “324 kids at this school have made a decision for Jesus Christ.” Many have scrutinized this event because of its immense religious advocacy. And, as we all know, there have been Supreme Court cases that have officially banned religion in schools. However, at the same time, the government has had to decide at what point are we repressing a student's religious rights.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OroiFsPhEpk
Other battles over religious similar to this one have occurred recently, especially in southern regions. So my question to you all is do you think that schools should completely ban religious practices in schools. Or, do you think that by doing so, schools will violate a student's right to the first amendment?
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7 comments:
Just thinking about this situation from the perspective of an agnostic, Jewish, Muslim, etc. kid, it sounds like such an uncomfortable and scary experience, basically being told that your religious preferences are wrong and that you're in the minority. So I don't think that a school's administration should get involved in religious advocacy. And that doesn't necessarily mean that the school has to restrict a student's freedom of religion, because kids can form their own religious clubs and use those as a forum for religious discussions.
But back to my point about school administrations taking the reigns in situations like these: a school administration pushing religion onto its students is the opposite of allowing kids their religious freedom; it completely limits all other students' freedom. It would be more liberating for students is there were more regulations on how much schools can deal with religion. And if a parent is adamant that their child be exposed to religion during school hours, they should enroll at a religious school or be homeschooled.
Suzy, you do present some very important and interesting arguments. The situation completely changes when it is a person in power pushing for religion. In response I ask the question to anyone, do you think the principal should be punished? Or do you think a slap on the wrist will suffice?
Public schools are filled with students who have diverse backgrounds. It should be a place where every student will feel comfortable of whom he/she is. Religion is one of those debated and heated issues in schools. I agree with Suzy that administration should not get involved in religious advocacies. Instead, they should create an environment where kids can express their beliefs freely. Children’s religious education should come from their family and community not public schools. However, there are times when religion is proper at school. For example, students have the right to pray voluntarily and choose religious topics. If the students want to hear a speaker/ personality with distinct religious background, then, the school should just allow religious clubs. In those specific clubs, students can invite the speakers they want. In response to Jennifer’s question, I think whoever is responsible for this event should be accountable for what happened whether he/ she is the principal. However, I do not think that they are going to be punished. There’s probably going to be a warning/ notice.
I both agree and disagree with the points that have been made. But I also feel very strongly about not having religion in public schools. Of course the practice should not be inhibited, but it should never get to the point of pushing the ideas on to somebody else or making people uncomfortable with it.
In this specific case the reaction was probably not as severe as it would have been if it had taken place in California, because the south is generally more religious. But either way, the endorsement should still not have been allowed. And as Jennifer said, there have been many other similar cases, therefore the courts have a duty to set a precedent and do their job. I don't think there needs to be a complete ban on religion in schools because that would be totally unfair, but people need to be more mindful of what is said or conveyed and take others into account.
I agree with most of what has already been said. In this case and in other recent cases involving religion in schools, people need to acknowledge the difference between a child expressing his or her own beliefs, and the administration of school advocating for one religion in particular and somehow forcing that religion on the students.
After watching the Youtube video, I think that if I were one of the students being told that"... a relationship with Jesus is what you need more important than anything else…" it would strike me with confusion and a sense of restriction. I believe that the reason we have "public" schools is so that there are no religious affiliations and/or advocacies. I think that if parents wanted their children to be associated with a certain religion, or have their child express that religion during school hours, they would have enrolled their child in a private/religious school. I do not think that schools should completely ban religion from school due to the 1st amendment and their freedom, I just feel as though advocating one religion more than another should be limited and/or discontinued.
Religion is a personal interaction between a person and their beliefs and administrations should not interfere with this. I do not think it is fair to students if they practice a certain religion at home yet are being persuaded to believe in something else; it confuses the students and they are too young to be associated with this. They should have the freedom to express themselves, however I feel as though advocating a particular religion is also not fair to others who do not practice it.
School is just not the place for religion. I'm sorry, its a place of learning, not preaching about how amazing a certain celestial being is. We have churches for a reason. You can talk about what religion you are and you can freely express yourself with that religion, but when you reach the point of pressing it onto other people you need to be slapped. You can believe in anything you want, just don't involve other people. That's why NOBODY likes scientologists because they try to press their "religion" onto everyone. Again school is a place of learning, not worship.
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