Posted: January 3rd, 2024

First Amendment: Religion and Education

Education
Title:
First Amendment: Religion and Education

Paper instructions:
You have a standard practice of displaying all student work in your classroom. Recently, you assigned students to write any essay and submit a pictorial depiction on the person they considered to be their hero. One of your students submitted an essay on Jesus and a drawing of the Last Supper.

Write a 500-750-word essay in which you discuss:

Any legal issues regarding the grading of your student’s essay and whether you could display the student’s work.
How does the First Amendment apply to this situation?
Include at least five references in your essay. At least three of the five references should cite U.S. Supreme Court cases.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

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First Amendment: Religion and Education

 
The First Amendment and Student Religious Expression in Public Schools
Public schools face complex issues when addressing students’ religious expression and beliefs in scholastic assignments and classroom displays. On one hand, the First Amendment protects freedom of religious expression; on the other, public schools must avoid endorsing or favoring any particular religion to maintain religious neutrality (Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe, 2000). In the case of one student’s assignment on Jesus and a drawing of the Last Supper, there are several factors to consider under the First Amendment.
Legal Issues Surrounding Grading and Display
The First Amendment serves as the cornerstone of protecting freedom of religious expression while preventing public schools from endorsing or favoring any particular religion. However, legal precedents such as Lamb’s Chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School District (1993) caution against schools potentially establishing religion through the grading or public display of overtly religious student work.
On one hand, students enjoy the freedom of religious expression, and stifling this expression could be perceived as suppressing the free exercise of religion, as emphasized in Rosenberger v. Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia (1995). On the other hand, public schools must steer clear of appearing to endorse or promote any religious viewpoint to maintain religious neutrality, as established in Lee v. Weisman (1992).
First Amendment Application
In this scenario, the First Amendment demands a delicate balance between respecting students’ free exercise rights and upholding the school’s duty to remain religiously neutral. To navigate this terrain, the school must apply religiously neutral criteria in grading the assignment, ensuring that the assessment is based on the merit of the content rather than the religious nature of the topic.
The key is to avoid creating an environment where a reasonable observer could perceive the school as endorsing or inhibiting religion, as underscored in Board of Education of Westside Community Schools v. Mergens (1990). The grade level, subject matter, and context of display are crucial factors influencing this perception, as highlighted in Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe (2000). For instance, a world religions course might provide a more academically contextualized platform for such religious content than a general history course.
References and Legal Precedents
To figure out these legal intricacies, it is essential to draw on relevant legal precedents and scholarly references. Lamb’s Chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School District (1993) underscores the risk of establishing religion through grading and displaying student work. Rosenberger v. Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia (1995) emphasizes the need to avoid suppressing free exercise of religion.
In addition to these, Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe (2000) guides the consideration of factors such as grade level and context in evaluating whether the school might be perceived as endorsing religion. The Board of Education of Westside Community Schools v. Mergens (1990) sets the standard for maintaining religious neutrality in educational institutions.
Ultimately, the First Amendment demands a nuanced approach to the grading and display of a student’s essay on Jesus and the Last Supper. Through applying religiously neutral criteria, considering contextual factors, and drawing on legal precedents, public schools can navigate the delicate balance between respecting students’ religious expression and upholding the constitutional mandate of religious neutrality. This approach ensures that education remains a space where diverse viewpoints are acknowledged and respected, without compromising the foundational principles of the First Amendment.

 
References
Board of Education of Westside Community Schools v. Mergens, 496 U.S. 226 (1990).
Lamb’s Chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School District, 508 U.S. 384 (1993).
Lee v. Weisman, 505 U.S. 577 (1992).
Rosenberger v. Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, 515 U.S. 819 (1995).
Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe, 530 U.S. 290 (2000).

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