If president would you let students be able to talk about their religion openly?
550413
If I was president, I would let students talk about their religion openly because there is something called freedom of speech. If we didn't allow students to talk about their religion, then we would be taking their right of freedom of speech away from them.
133404
Wow, that'd be the day. I might like to see Ron Reagan as president. However, as a bright young atheist, even his considerable political legacy could not overcome his non-belief. \n\nI'm not too keen on this idea, though. Saying only X can do Y sets a dangerous precedent.\n\nIdeally, I'd like to see the people of this country, and the world, put their myths aside and embrace reason. If this happened on a large enough scale, I think we might see a world full of things like peace and tolerance.
31635
Absolutely. In nearly every country, there are still people who face challenges, whether it's finding a job, or not getting laughed at, or even arrested, because of their religion.\n\nFor example, in France, Muslims are forbidden from wearing headscarves in school. Is this a reasonable safety measure against gangs or a violation of religious freedom?\n\nAnother example, in the US, is the "intelligent design" controversy. Can schools tell kids, whose parents may be fundamentalist Christians, that they evolved from apes? Can they tell everyone that religion is an "alternative", or would this violate the separation of church and state?\n\nQuite a few questions still remain, and I'm sure you can think of many more conflicts based on religion, or lack thereof.
897884
The answer is they should be allowed to talk about their faith.\nThe word of caution is that the speech should be about personal experiences and how faith has helped the person talking.\nThe reason religion is sometimes banned from speeches is that it inevitably leads to some sort of weird comparisons to people with other faiths (or no religious affiliation) in a negative connotation. \nI have no problem when someone says something like: "I am so happy to be here, and I thank God for helping me through the tough times and guiding me."\nBut not something that sounds: "I am a better person because I have my God on my side, and you don't"
9746
No. You have misinterpreted the situation.\n\nNo one, not even we die-hard atheists believe that the discussion of god or gods should be taken out of the schools. These myths are of historic importance and some of them continue to shape policy in the world today.\n\nWhat we take umbrage with is prayer or sanctioned religious observance in *public* schools. \n\nFrankly, though, taking your question at face value, I think that almost everyone would have a problem with a school administration that asked or forced students into taking part in sacrifices to Zeus. To step back, that is pretty much how we feel about Jehovah.
580255
Yes, and it's a great idea.  A huge part of the problem is that there aren't a lot of places that people can go to ask open questions.  Unfortunately schools talk very .smugly about sex and really only focus on abstenance.  Parents are often reluctant to talk about sex or get uncomfortable when the subject comes up.\n\nEducation and comfort is the key
110293
They obviously need to have a high degree of oversight, but to leave it totally to the community can do a great disservice to its students.  All you need is enough short-sighted individuals determined to "fix" schools and the next thing you know they're burning books and teaching religion.  Censorship never taught anyone anything, expcept that the suppression of ideas is dangerous.\n\nMaintaining high academic standards and an unbiased curriculum is everyone's responsibility.
1032822
Excellent question and I bet that you will not get an intelligent answer.  If liberals were truly open minded you would have balanced political representation at all Colleges & Universities, instead of the typical 80 - 20% split that currently exisits.  If liberal were truly open minded they would not attack Christianity and defend it like they do other religions.  Liberals are the epitome of doulble standards.
226127
The discussion of all facts (including the embarrassing ones) concerning religious founders should be not only allowed, but encouraged.
872716
nothing but your own belief. see what you think is right another person might not, thats why it not allowed in school. But i think they should change that rule because in literature it has secret and hidden religious perposes. but any way i think that its just how much faith you have in your own religion.
665073
I think that Kathryn is right in that if parents want their children to have a religious education, they should have that right in a private school.  After all, if it's okay to homeschool kids, why can't you have schools that teach the same values there?  It's not state supported, and the parents pay for the privelage.  Of course, it's harder on poor students, but I don't see too much way around that.\n\nPublic schools, however, should not be a place for teaching religion, unless perhaps as a neutral 'World Religions' class.  This is because we want to promote the idea that everyone has the right to their own personal beliefs.  Furthermore, if one specific religion is taught in a public school, the state is promoting that one over any other - not only through speach, but also with money.  By promoting one, it is essentially repressing the others, possibly even promoting prejudice towards the followers of that religion.  Schools should not repress religion - it should be okay to write a paper on a religion topic if you should so choose and have it treated as any other, for example - but neither should it be promoted.  \n\nNon-believing, i.e. atheism, is not neutral.  Choosing to definitively NOT believe in God is just as much a personal, unprovable belief as definitively choosing TO believe in God.  Teaching atheism is therefore also unacceptable.  Schools should try to avoid the topic entirely, and leave it to the private sphere.
764474
Safety of the children takes precedence.  This is not a question of religious freedom, but a question of child safety.\n\nNOBODY goes to an elementary school, where parents trust that "strangers" will be kept at bay, without an appointment.  All else shall be escorted.\n\nThis guy, though his intentions may be good, should learn and back down.  Want to preach to the teachers?  Make an appointment. Want to preach to the kids?  Become a guest speaker, if the school will allow it.  Else that, stay away.
97427
Yes, i think it should be talked about, but from an objective viewpoint that is impartial to any particular faith. Teachers should teach, not preach.
361138
There is no such thing as separation of Church and State.  The President makes decisions based on his beliefs.  That is the Church deciding what the State should implement.  Whether the Church is directly influencing or indirectly in this case.
903215
No, because it's not right for teachers to influence students to believe what they believe.  Also, if a teacher was, say, Buddhist, and a student was say, Christian, or if the teacher was, say Democratic, and she talked about how she felt about the President, it might upset the student that the teacher is so different and that might be what they focus on instead of learning from the teacher.  We tend to look down on people who's religions are different, and if a student looks down at a teacher, how's he or she going to learn anything?  If the student is mad at what the teacher said to attack the President, wouldn't that take away from the concentration on the lesson?\n\nMy social studies teacher said that his goal was to not let anyone find out what he believes, if anything, or his political party, if he has one.That way, we will only judge him as an intelligent teacher instead of what he believes.
179983
Call it a Christmas tree every chance you get and say Merry Christmas and tell all fellow Christians to do the same and let a school which prides itself on freedom of ideas and expressions try and discipline everyone involved.  Enough PC BS And GOD Bless You for speaking the truth when many go silent.
297549
Yes, they can say it would invoke controvery and therefore it shouldn't be allowed. Some schools have crosses and jewish stars banned, because it could start religious controversy. But shouldn't schools be teaching these kids to be more tolerant, instead of pretending these problems don't exist?