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How To Write A Summary Of Where Schools Sometimes Go Wrong About By Susan Black

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Teaching about Religion
Where Schools Sometimes Go Wrong is Ignoring That Little Word ‘About’
Susan Black
Susan Black’s clearest points suggest it is not the responsibility of the teacher in a public educational institution to offer anything more than strictly adhering to the governmental guidelines regarding teaching about religion. Black’s initial statement in her title demonstrates this viewpoint. The law states teachers can teach about religion, but do not use any language that would support one religion over another. According to the current mandates by the Department of Education, her points are valid and compliant.
Black mentions the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First Amendment is that the government should be neutral toward religion. In Everson vs. Board of Education, the court’s …show more content…

Risinger suggests in order to uphold constitutional teaching of the subject, schools need to “ (1) adopt an approach that is academic, not devotional; (2) strive for students’ awareness of religions without pressuring students to accept any one favored religion; (3) expose students to a diversity of religious views without imposing viewpoints on students; and (4) educate students about all religions.” (page 2)
The author also references a study, “Teaching About Religion in National and State Social Studies Standards,” that found religion definitely had a place in curriculum. The study also shows “uneven” and “superficial” approaches to the subject. Susan Douglass, the principal researcher, concludes this is due to teacher training. Douglass says teachers lack the knowledge to effectively teach the subject to a deeper level than snapshots. She reports many teachers are “very uncomfortable” with the topic of religion and choose to either ignore it, or just skim over the highlights. (page

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