Legal Memo: Religious Topics in the Classroom
Dana is a ninth grade student. Ms. Ramsey is one of her teachers. Ms. Ramsey assigned her class a research paper with the following requirements: (1) the paper must cite to at least four sources, (2) the students could choose any topic they wanted before March 22, but after that date any new or changed topics would require Ms. Ramsey's approval, and (3) an outline of the paper was due on March 26.
Dana originally signed up her topic to be "drama," but felt that was too broad and subsequently turned in, without Ms. Ramsey's prior approval, an outline for a paper titled "The Life of Jesus Christ." Ms. Ramsey told Dana she would only accept a religious-based paper if it did not deal solely with Christianity of the life of Jesus Christ. She subsequently rejected Dana's second outline titled "A Scientific and Historical Approach to Jesus Christ." Thereafter, Ms. Ramsey gave Dana a zero for failing to complete the assignment as required. The school principal, district superintendent, and school board all support Ms. Ramsey's position.
(1) Would Ms. Ramsey, and thereby the school, violate either federal or state law by allowing Dana' research paper topic?
(2) Does Ms. Ramsey's decision regarding Dana's project either negatively or positively impact the school's educational obligation to Dana?
(1) The school would not be in violation of the law if it allowed Dana's research topic.
Two of Ms. Ramsey's responses to the school board target the legal context in which issues concerning religion in public schools often arise. First, Ms. Ramsey stated that she believed that "we don't deal with personal religion - personal religious beliefs. It's just not an appropriate thing to do in school." Ms. Ramsey also stated that "the law says that we are not to deal with religious issues in the classroom." Ms. Ramsey's responses appear to be a reference to two clauses in the First Amen...