Religion in the Public Schools: Negotiating the New Commons
Since September 11, 2001, the profile of religion's role in our global society has increased significantly. Religion has long been a force in people's lives as numerous studies and polls show, yet we continue to struggle with understanding differing religious traditions and what they mean for our common life. There are few places where Americans can meet together to learn about each other and to share in the common construction of our futures. One such place for many is public education.The purpose of this book is to illustrate the complexity of the social, cultural, and legal milieu of schooling in the United States in which the improvement of religious literacy and understanding must take place. Public education is the new commons.We must negotiate this commons in two meanings of that term: first, we must come to mutual understandings and agreement about how to proceed toward a common horizon of a religiously plural America; second, we must work our way through the obstacles in these settings in practical ways to achieve results that work.
1113981564
Religion in the Public Schools: Negotiating the New Commons
Since September 11, 2001, the profile of religion's role in our global society has increased significantly. Religion has long been a force in people's lives as numerous studies and polls show, yet we continue to struggle with understanding differing religious traditions and what they mean for our common life. There are few places where Americans can meet together to learn about each other and to share in the common construction of our futures. One such place for many is public education.The purpose of this book is to illustrate the complexity of the social, cultural, and legal milieu of schooling in the United States in which the improvement of religious literacy and understanding must take place. Public education is the new commons.We must negotiate this commons in two meanings of that term: first, we must come to mutual understandings and agreement about how to proceed toward a common horizon of a religiously plural America; second, we must work our way through the obstacles in these settings in practical ways to achieve results that work.
51.0
In Stock
51
Religion in the Public Schools: Negotiating the New Commons
Since September 11, 2001, the profile of religion's role in our global society has increased significantly. Religion has long been a force in people's lives as numerous studies and polls show, yet we continue to struggle with understanding differing religious traditions and what they mean for our common life. There are few places where Americans can meet together to learn about each other and to share in the common construction of our futures. One such place for many is public education.The purpose of this book is to illustrate the complexity of the social, cultural, and legal milieu of schooling in the United States in which the improvement of religious literacy and understanding must take place. Public education is the new commons.We must negotiate this commons in two meanings of that term: first, we must come to mutual understandings and agreement about how to proceed toward a common horizon of a religiously plural America; second, we must work our way through the obstacles in these settings in practical ways to achieve results that work.
Michael D. Waggoner is professor of education at the University of Northern Iowa and Editor of the journal, Religion & Education. His previous book Sacred and Secular Tensions in Higher Education: Connecting Parallel Universities was published in 2011.
Table of Contents
PrefaceIntroductionI. Challenges of Free Expression1. Negotiating the New Commons in Religion and EducationMichael D. Waggoner2. Tolerance, Civility, and Cognitive DevelopmentAndrew Fiala3. Prayer and Student-Initiated Religious Activities in Public SchoolsCharles J. Russo4. The Day of Truth and the Golden Rule Pledge: Public Discourse, Religious Belief, and Mutual RespectBrendan RandallII. Selected Approaches to Religion in the Schools5. Released Time Programs in Religion EducationJames Swezey and Katherine Schultz6. Promoting Civic and Religious Literacy in Public Schools: The California 3 Rs ProjectBruce Grelle7. To Change Society or Reflect It? Comparing the Cultural Studies and Community Consensus Approaches to Teaching About ReligionEmile Lester8. Religion Knows No Boundaries: The Face-to-Faith Initiative of the Tony Blair FoundationJanet E. Bordelon9. An Emerging ‘Middle Way’ in Public and Private Education?Bruce Cooper and Arthur Plaza10. Integrating Religion into Teacher EducationKimberly WhiteAfterwordMichael D. WaggonerAcknowledgmentsContributorsIndex
Finally, here is a book that not only presents a compelling case for teaching about religion in the public schools, but also offers concrete methods for doing so. Michael D. Waggoner has edited a volume that speaks both to the challenges of free expression in public education as well to actual classroom approaches for furthering the ideal of religious literacy. No issue is too controversial for this volume. The contributors are clear, practical, and pluralistic in their prescriptions for “negotiating the New Commons.” As someone who, for a number of years, has been teaching a graduate-level course for public school teachers and administrators on the whys, whats, and hows of religious pluralism, I most certainly will make this book a required reading.
Charles C. Haynes
Informed by the best of scholarship, the essays in this timely and provocative book make a strong case for taking religious literacy seriously in public education. This is an important book for understanding how to get religion right in 21st century public schools.
Diane L. Moore
Religion in the Public Schools is an excellent resource for educators, researchers, and citizens who wish to learn more about the complex intersections regarding religion and public education in our contemporary age. The volume responsibly represents diverse issues and perspectives and thus can serve as an introductory overview for novices or a foundational reference for professionals.