Religion and Education
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Grand Canyon University *
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Course
500
Subject
Philosophy
Date
May 24, 2024
Type
Pages
5
Uploaded by AdmiralSeaLion1207
First Amendment: Religion and Education
Heather Hendricks
College of Education, Grand Canyon University
U.S. and Arizona Constitutions for Teacher Candidates POS-500
John Breugger
April 7, 2024
First Amendment: Religion and Education
Religious beliefs can have a significant impact on many facets of a person’s life,
including educational decisions. Students may choose to submit written assignments which
express their personal religious beliefs or create artwork that includes religious symbols. Under
the First Amendment, students’ right to freedom of religious expression is protected, however
the Establishment Clause prohibits the government from establishing a religion. (United States
Courts, n.d.) Since public schools are government funded entities, legal challenges may arise
when grading and displaying student work that depicts religious beliefs or symbols.
Grading Student Work
When grading student assignments, credit is given as deemed fit by the educator as to
whether the student’s submitted work meets the assignment’s requirements. In Settle v. Dickson,
a student claimed her First Amendment right to freedom of speech was violated when she
received a zero grade on a research assignment based on the allegation that the grade was due to
her choice of religious topic, however the court ruled in favor of the teacher. (1995) In this
instance, the student failed multiple times to meet the requirements set by the teacher for the
research assignment, resulting in the zero. Had the student’s topic been approved, requirements
for the assignment met and the student received zero credit, then a violation of constitutional
rights could be determined. In the example of a personal narrative essay with illustration, the
topic being a person the student considers their hero, a student may submit their assignment on
any heroic figure they choose - be that policeman, firefighter, parent, or religious figure. The
student’s grade reflects the quality of work completed as per the outlined requirements.
Displaying Student Work
In many public schools, it is standard practice to display student work either in the
classroom or in the school’s hallways. The Establishment Clause and the Exercise Clause of the
First Amendment require educators to find a balance between respecting students’ rights to free
expression while avoiding favoring or implying endorsement of one religion over another when
displaying student work in common areas. (Wicht, 2014) While permanent displays of religious
symbols can be a violation of the First Amendment, temporary student work displays are not. If a
student’s work is religious in nature, an essay on Jesus as their hero and a drawing of the Last
Supper for example, it may be displayed alongside the work of their peers. However, according
to Wicht (2014), such displays must be temporary and clearly labeled as student work and not the
views of the school. This action allows for educators to honor students’ religious identities and
remain compliant with the Establishment Clause.
Many court cases have addressed religion and education challenges under the First
Amendment in various forms. When school resources are used for religious displays or activities,
it may be implied that the school endorses specific religions. In the case of Santa Fe Independent
School District v. Doe, the public announcement system used to deliver prayer was ruled as
unconstitutional as school equipment was utilized leading to the assumption of the school’s
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