If for no other reason than teach the difference between Sunni and Shia.
In order to produce kids able to understand the modern world and compete in it, the American School System will very soon need to say* something*.
How do you think that should/ will work out?
It’s going to work out just fine, because most schools already teach it as part of a world history type course. But I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary, even though it’s a good thing. I’m sure we would get along just fine if some fraction of schools never taught it, because Islam is very removed from day to day life in some parts of America, and because people can learn things outside of school.
Information on world religions should be incorporated into the curriculum. An excellent essay on the subject by Diane Moore of Harvard Divinity School talks about the need for this:
[QUOTE=Diane Moore]
The premises of this essay are threefold: First, there exists a widespread illiteracy about religion that spans the globe; second, one of the most troubling and urgent consequences of this illiteracy is that it often fuels prejudice and antagonism, thereby hindering efforts aimed at promoting respect for pluralism, peaceful coexistence and cooperative endeavors in local, national and global arenas; and third, it is possible to diminish religious illiteracy by teaching about religion from a nonsectarian perspective in primary and secondary schools.
By religious illiteracy, I mean the lack of understanding about 1) the basic tenets of the world's religious traditions; 2) the diversity of expressions and beliefs within traditions that emerge and evolve in relation to differing social/historical contexts; and 3) the profound role that religion plays in human social, cultural, and political life in both contemporary and historical contexts. Conversely, I define religious literacy in the following way:
Religious literacy entails the ability to discern and analyze the fundamental intersections of religion and social/political/cultural life through multiple lenses. Specifically, a religiously literate person will possess 1) a basic understanding of the history, central texts (where applicable), beliefs, practices and contemporary manifestations of several of the world’s religious traditions as they arose out of and continue to be shaped by particular social, historical and cultural contexts; and 2) the ability to discern and explore the religious dimensions of political, social and cultural expressions across time and place.
These definitions presume that religion is a social/cultural phenomenon that is embedded in human political, social and cultural life. They also presume that religion shapes and is shaped by the social/historical contexts out of which particular religious expressions and influences emerge. Finally, these definitions presume that there is a difference between religion understood through the lens of personal devotional practice and the academic study of religion. One way to characterize this distinction is to recognize the difference between religious learning (or learning religion) through a devotional lens and learning about religion from an academic one. Both are legitimate enterprises that can serve complementary but distinctive ends.
In the following pages I offer a brief explanation of the three premises articulated above and then make a case for the importance of teaching about religion in schools from a nonsectarian perspective. I then offer an outline of both a theory and a method for how to teach about religion that can be incorporated in and adapted to diverse global contexts. I close with brief remarks summarizing a method for educating teachers about how to enhance their own religious literacy.
[/QUOTE]
Why need somebody know the fundamental difference between Sunni and Shia? How can somebody compete any better by knowing any of this?
Does Bill Gates? How about Donald Trump? Stephen Hawking?
Nobody that I know who is successful can tell me any difference between them. Engineers, Pharmacists, Doctors, teachers, etc…nope, none of my acquaintances.
I learned the difference 10 years ago. Didn’t help me a bit. Still can’t see a need, unless you’re actively involved in Islamic religious situations.
Other nations don’t know the difference between US religions, which most certainly influence much of the world, since there are some 20-plus million evangelical voters in the US. (No cite, off the top of my head) Their lack of this knowledge hasn’t hurt them any. Any who know the difference can’t really benefit by it.
Your assertion is grievously flawed.
I just would like a few to introduce the Salat so Facebook Christians would stop posting that “Like if you aren’t afraid of offending people for promoting the pledge of allegiance in public schools” messages.
The world is out there regardless of whether we pay attention to it or not. If we try to ignore it, the problems of the world eventually just show up here. So it behooves us to be informed about world issues so we can make intelligent decisions about our policies.
Education isn’t just about job formation. It’s also (and has always been - in fact originally it was its only goal) about building good citizens able to participate meaningfully in democracy. In today’s world, that means being able to understand the problems faced by people halfway around the globe, because those problems will wind up having an affect on you.
At the very least understanding very basic facts about them.
Um, yeah we do ?
Maybe not the more esoteric ones (I doubt the average Jean fully grasps just how kooky the LDS beliefs are) and granted the finer points of theology separating the Northern Baptists from the Episcopal Methodists might be lost on us heretics ; but the basic Protestant/Catholic split, along with the lakes of blood it spilt, is fairly well covered in school around these parts.
That naturally includes talking about the various strains of Protestantism some.
It gets a lot hazier when you get to the more exotic religions (Shinto/Buddhist/Hindu/Tao/Sikh/Jain/Tengri…), admittedly.
I was taught about world religions in my religious education class in my British school. I can’t see the big deal about it. Learning about other cultures can only ever be a positive thing.
Might have been nice if Bush, Cheney, and Rummy had known.
The conservative Christians will never allow it; the only religious education they will even consider tolerating is one that teaches their religion as a fact. They’d never allow schools to speak of other religions save to demonize them. Given their political power the best we can hope for is to keep American schools from being turned into Christian indoctrination centers by having them ignore religion essentially entirely; you can forget about a real World Religions course.
And from their viewpoint they do have a point in a twisted sort of way; an honest education on world religion (or even a general familiarity with it) is poison to monotheism.
Well, yes. [To OP; I will stop short of quite agreeing with Der Trihs’s post.] And they’ll keep getting it wrong for a while.
Who here can name a one of the sects/traditions of Sunni other than Wahhabi/Salafi? Or the difference between fiqh, sunnah, and bid‘ah?
Gesundheit.
.
Except for the tiny little detail that’s already been raised - that students are already being taught about world religions. But don’t let facts get in the way of the imaginary World O’ Prejudice in your head.
If that is true, it’s the first I’ve heard of it happening in public schools. Generally I hear complaints that they aren’t being taught it.
I’d be okay with a total illiteracy about religion that spans the globe.
The public high school where my kids attend offers an elective in Religion and Phylosophy. It’s a very popular class and fills up fast. Most kids who want to take it, don’t get in. Fortunately for them, they get bumped to the Film Study class.
So, there are at least some schools that offer it and it would behoove the school board to make it more widely available to more students. But then nobody will learn about Film History and that would be a real shame. :smack:
Major religions were covered in my world history class. Not in detail, mind you.
Yep. I don’t remember much about elementary school in this respect, but High School World History was a requirement for everyone, and of course we learned about Budhism, Judaism, Islam. We did not study the theology, of course, but we studied the history.
Now… why would anyone expect adults to remember that 25 years later as opposed to everything else they forgot from school? You can teach it, but you can’t make folks remember it.
My 6th grader learns about world religions as part of his Social Studies class. They study the history of a region and learn all about it, including the dominant religions and their beliefs. Public school, non-elective class.
Didn’t you grow up in CA? DId you attend public schools? Did you not take a World History class in HS (usually freshman or sophomore year)?
Here is the course description for LA Schools World History Class: