Reading : Student Attendance, Instructional Program and Separation of Church & State
Student Attendance and Instructional Programing
When looking at student attendance requirements it is important to remember that once a child enrolls in public school parents are responsible for following all attendance requirements. Students that start a pre-K program must follow student attendance rules although enrollment in the program was optional. Many parents get confused in relation to specific attendance requirements because they believe that they do not have to bring their child to school for an optional program.
When it comes to instructional programing, there are also specific guidelines. Many of those guidelines come from NCLB (discussed in week two); however, there are also state specific guidelines that you need to be aware of. What state guidelines are provided for you? Some guidelines, like the Common Core Standards were optional in the past but are now required. And most states provide a specific standard for curriculum.
Outside curriculum issues, your readings also deal with important issues regarding instructional programing and are full of a variety of information that really crosses the entire school program. Make sure that when you are thinking globally when reading this information, not from the classroom perspective but from the campus leadership perspective. Think about how you would monitor each one of these specific issues in day-to-day campus activities.
Religion in Schools
It is important to recognize that the organization of our government was specifically set up with respect to having no established religion and no prohibition of the free exercise of religion. Since this is part of the First Amendment making it apparent that this was a very strong feeling on the part of the founding fathers. When looking at religion in the schools it has been a very sensitive subject focusing on how to not establish a religion is a governmental entity and how to avoid prohibiting religion.
It is very important that you understand the Lemon guidelines which were formulated after the Lemon v. Kurtzman decision in 1971. Three guidelines that help us resolve church state issues the guidelines: the purpose of the challenge law or practice must be secular as opposed to sectarian; the primary effect of the law practice must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion and that does not impair the practice of one's religious beliefs; and the law or practice must not involve excessive entanglement between church and state. Those three guidelines are what judges' measure against the perceived injustice in order to decide whether or not the government is inappropriately conductning or creating religion in public school system. We're talking about religion in the schools.
Schools cannot restrict access to a campus based on the fact that an organization is religious. Open access and freedom to use the building is given regardless of the religious or nonreligious connection that he activity has. You cannot allow Boy Scouts but restrict the Good News Club. Situations such as that are not legal.
You also have to make sure that students are given the freedom to exercise their religious beliefs in a non-disruptive way, as long as they are not proselytizing or interfering with the educational process. Teachers are not afforded the same freedom as they are seen as being in a position of authority; therefore, in any way indicating their personal belief systems could be considered coercive on the part of the teacher.
There is a very fine line between teachers being allowed to have their own religious preferences and not pushing those preferences on students.
There are some guidelines for teaching about religion in the public school. Courts have decided that there is no problem with teaching religion as long as you follow six guidelines. The first guideline is that the school's approach to religion must the academic not devotional. Second, the school may strive for student awareness of religion but should not press for seen acceptance of a new religion.
The school can only sponsor study about religion but may not sponsor the practice of religion and the school may expose students to a diversity of religious views but may not impose any one view. The school may educate about all religions but not promote or denigrate anyone religion and the school may inform the student about various beliefs but should not seek to confine him or her to any particular belief. If you follow these guidelines the potential for lawsuit is minimized.
There are also some very specific guidelines as far as restricting students from writing papers on religious figures, choir programs, and holiday observances. These things are all very sticky. There is a personal right to the practice of religion and you cannot restrict students from having that right in a public facility, as long as they are not pushing it on other people.
Assignment
Let Us Pray(350 words) Scenario: A small high school has generally begun graduation ceremonies with prayer. The valedictorian is typically the student who delivers the prayer; however, this year's valedictorian has announced that she finds the custom offensive and opposes any prayer at graduation.
The members of the senior class met and voted (by a majority of 65 to 27) to continue the prayer tradition and elected a class chaplain to deliver the prayer.
The principal has noted that students, not the school, are in charge of graduation ceremonies. You are now the principal. While some parents support the students' actions, some are very upset, and, in fact, the ACLU has contacted the district threatening a suit saying there was a violation of church and state.
Prepare a response from the point of view of the principal. Be sure to consider the Lemon test, the students' rights to free speech as protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution, and any other legal or cultural issues that apply.