Religion in the Curriculum: A Report from the ASCD Panel on Religion in the Curriculum
- ISBN-10
- 0871201496
- ISBN-13
- 9780871201492
- Pages
- 36
- Language
- English
- Published
- 1987
- Publisher
- Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
- Authors
- Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ASCD Panel on Religion in the Curriculum
Description
Religion's place in the curriculum and how school administrators can avoid litigation while discharging the obligation to educate are discussed in this report. It is designed to give school policymakers guidance in arriving at informed decisions about religion's place in the curriculum. Chapter one examines the dilemma of adequately educating students who lack an understanding of religion's influence in history. Chapter two analyzes how classroom practices are based on a series of defacto policies that encourage educators to avoid explicit reference to religion. Chapter three is an examination of the religious, historical, sociological, educational, legal, and political assumptions that undergrid present curricular policies. Chapter four explores the legal basis for teaching about religion. Chapter five describes how public protest has hindered thoughtful treatment of religion in textbooks. Chapter six emphasizes that the proper role of religion in the school is the study of religion for its educational value and presents suggestions for proper inclusion of religion in schools. Chapter seven points out that commonly stated educational goals cannot be achieved without proper integration of religion into the curriculum. The concluding chapter contains a list of recommendations for ending public education's silence on religion. (SM)
