Artifact 6: Religion and Public Schools 1

Artifact 6: Religion and Public Schools

Lauren Hawthorne

EDU 210

College of Southern Nevada

Artifact 6: Religion and Public Schools 2

A kindergarten teacher, named Karen White, told her students and their parents that she

could not continue to lead activities or do projects that she deemed religious in nature. This is

due to her new association with Jehovahs Witnesses. She could no longer decorate the

classroom for holidays, plan for gift exchanges during Christmas, sing Happy Birthday, or say

the Pledge of Allegiance. Parents were unhappy so the principal recommended she be dismissed

because she could not meet the needs of the students.

Helland v. South Bend Community School Corp. (1996) supports the principals

dismissal of the teacher. In this case a teacher was removed from a substitute teacher list for

projecting his religious beliefs in elementary schools. He was justly removed in order to avoid

establishment clause problems. Similarly, the teacher from the scenario would also be projecting

her beliefs by refusing to do certain activities and duties. Based on this case, Whites dismissal

would be justified. The students would miss out on some activities because of the projection of

their teachers religious beliefs.

I believe the court would rule in favor of the principal. Although it may seem like

discrimination based on religion, the teacher is projecting her own religious beliefs in the

classroom from her refusal to participate in certain activities. This could result in establishment

clause issues. The students would also be unable to partake in certain curricular activities due to

the religious beliefs of their teacher rather than their own beliefs.
Artifact 6: Religion and Public Schools 3

References

Helland v. South Bend Community School Corp., 93 F.3d 327 (7th Cir. 1996)