These days, when one hears freedom of religion, they often conflate the concept with “freedom from religion.” This is not unique to the United States. In fact, France is a prime example of what can happen with the radical secularization (laïcité) of culture and society. Article I of the French Constitution reads, “France shall be an indivisible, secular, democratic and social republic.” This is seen with the famous prohibition of all religious symbols in French schools and government buildings.
Today in the United States, we are on a similar and equally dangerous path, especially within our education system. I believe that as a society, we are heading towards secularization and universal suppression of all religious expression. This op-ed is for those who may not know that this is the opposite of what our Constitution intends.
You may be surprised to learn that in 2011, the Catholic University of America (CUA) was sued to remove the crosses from their classrooms, as having them visible was claimed to be a “human rights violation.” One commentator wrote on the website CatholicVote, “Normally I would have confidence that this lawsuit will be deemed without merit, but the way things are going these days, I just can’t be sure anymore. Simply incredible.” Luckily, CUA ultimately did not have to remove them.
Many educators believe that religion cannot be talked about or expressed at all in a classroom setting. In the same way, students often do not know what rights they have when it comes to expressing their religions.
Despite what the culture of today suggests, students have a constitutional right to pray and express their faith during school. This can include studying religious text during non-instructional time, expressing their beliefs on homework assignments and projects, and talking openly to classmates about their faith.
Schools must also accommodate students’ religious beliefs to the extent it does not cause an “undue hardship” on those around them, meaning the accommodations are not overly costly and do not compromise the safety or rights of others. Such accommodations might include providing excused absences, exemptions from policies that infringe on their religious exercise or beliefs (such as a dress code or vaccination), or allowing for alternative assignments.
Educators are also allowed to teach about different religions when students ask questions or if religious discussion is relevant to the curriculum, so long as it is presented objectively and does not advance one particular belief over another. While teachers may not advocate for their personal beliefs, they can encourage students to practice their own faiths and empower them to embrace their rights.
The freedom of religious expression in schools is not only constitutional, but it is also good for society and beneficial to students themselves. Allowing them to express their faith is proven to improve their behavior and largely contributes to helping their mental health. This is especially paramount following the COVID lockdowns, which have directly resulted in an increase of poor behavior and mental health challenges.
North Carolina saw disciplinary incidents hit an all-time high of 507,349 in the 2022-2023 school year (a jump of over 64,000 incidents since before COVID). In 2021, 43% of North Carolina high school students felt sad or hopeless. And while we see a small improvement, with that number currently standing at 39%, it is still too high.
It seems clear that when students are empowered to express and practice their faith at school, their feelings of hopelessness decline, as does their motivation to act out. This is because having belief in something bigger than yourself, and being able to share that with others, helps individuals find peace, manage stress, build community, and live by a structure.
Misconceptions about our religious freedoms often stem from misinformation spread by advocacy groups and legislators who believe that the separation of church and state is defined as active secularization in all areas of public life. On the contrary, the Constitution protects against a given ideology being imposed over another, not against the liberty to express one’s own.
In 2014, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State sent a letter to school districts in response to Senate Bill 370 (“Respect for Student Prayer/Religious Activity”), warning schools “not to comply” to preserve the separation of church and state.
The Alliance Defending Freedom swiftly responded with its own letter, explaining the truth about constitutional protections and maintaining that, “SB 370 properly recognizes the rights of school employees during non-contract time … [and] ensures that when school employees are not on the clock, their right as private citizens to lead and actively participate in religious expression with anyone is fully protected by the First Amendment.”
Educators and staff do not surrender their rights either. According to Carolina Journal, “Staff are allowed to have personal expressions of their faith — like wearing a cross necklace — and they are allowed to pray, so long as it’s not compulsory.” The Supreme Court ruled in favor of this in the 2021 landmark case, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.
North Carolina school districts need more than a casual reminder about the First Amendment — they must also actively work to protect students’ and staffs’ rights. To make this a reality, we must normalize the freedom of religious expression as an avenue towards community, positive mental health, and meaningful human interaction.
Gateways to Better Education, a group which promotes religious freedom in public schools, prioritizes this very idea as the core of their mission. Their website states, “In today’s often-contentious climate, [Gateway’s] approach is unique as it emphasizes camaraderie, not conflict; and reason, not rage.”
As Gateways shows us, this change must come not through forceful advocacy, but through human kindness and patient understanding.