Running head: Portfolio 6 Religion and Public Schools 1

Religion and Public Schools

Portfolio 6

Genevieve Weems

Dr. Isbell

EDU 210

December 1, 2017
Religion and Public Schools 2

Karen White is a kindergarten teacher who recently converted to Jehovah’s Witnesses.

She informed the parents that because of this she could not decorate for the holidays, stand for

the Pledge, or sing “Happy Birthday”. The parents protested to the Principal, and he

recommended her dismissal based on her ineffectively meeting the needs of her students.

In the case Wisconsin v. Yonder 1972, the school district tried to enforce compulsory

attendance law on Amish children. In the Amish religion, children are home schooled as they are

not allowed to use unnecessary advancements, things that they would certainly run into at a

school. Because of their religion, they choose not to send their children to public schools, and the

court found that this was a viable reason. The children are not uneducated entirely, they are

homeschooled. Similarly, Karen White can choose not to participate in activities that go against

her religion, such as decorating for the holidays. It is her right to do so according to her religion.

In West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette 1943, a student who practiced

Jehovah’s Witness refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. When the school tried to act

against the student the parents filed the court case. The court found that because the child was

doing so for a religious purpose he could miss the Pledge of Allegiance, the same could be said

for Karen White. Karen practices the same religion and is missing the Pledge for the same

reasons. For this part of the case, the court would also rule in Karen’s favor. Everyone has the

right to practice their religion freely, and making Karen stand for the pledge would be taking that

away.

In Clever v. Cherry Hill Tp. Bd. Of Educ. 1993, courts found that schools could display

calendars with religious events on them, so long as it did not discriminate. Discriminating being

the key here. By not allowing her students to decorate or participate in gift exchanges Karen

might be discriminating against the other religions in her classroom. It is also the students’ rights
Religion and Public Schools 3

to practice their religions and what comes with those religions. To make fair ground for all those

who want to practice their religions, everyone should be allowed a little lenience so long as it

does not force someone of another religion to do the same.

In Florey v. Sioux Falls School District, parents complained about religious songs in the

winter chorus performance. Some of these songs included Christmas carols and things of that

nature. The court found that if the songs purpose was to advance the student’s knowledge of that

culture and religious heritage, then they could be sung. If the activity Karen is choosing not to do

would be advancing the knowledge of her students, then she should not refrain herself from

them. It is the teachers job to teach what the school sees fit to teach, if this includes religious

material for background then Karen should teach it.

I feel that in this case Karen’s dismissal was not justifiable. In fact, I feel that it is

borderline discrimination. The court would find that Karen can miss certain activities due to her

religious practice. Nothing in the overview says that Karen is not going to teach about the

historical properties of the religions, or that she is stopping her students from enjoying the

holidays. Karen is simply not decorating for the holidays and not doing a Christmas gift

exchange as far as religious allowances go. Which I feel is more inclusive of the students who

are not Christian. As for the happy birthday song, there is no curriculum that says she must do

so. So long as the students are being educated properly, there is no ground to dismiss Karen

White.
Religion and Public Schools 4

References

Clever v Cherry Hill Tp. Bd. of Educ., 838 F. Supp. 929 (D. N.J. 1993).

Florey v Sioux Falls School District 49-5, 619 F.2d 1311 (8th Cir. 1980).

West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943).

Wisconsin v Yoder, 406 U.S. 205 (1972).