As I have stated in
previous posts on this blog, I was educated in a Catholic school board from
kindergarten to grade 12, and my family and I identify as Roman Catholic. I
once worked at a school with a heavily religious influence. Despite my
religious background, I felt very uncomfortable. Instead of feeling at home in
this situation, I couldn’t help but think of students in the classroom who
perhaps didn’t identify with the same religious context as the administration. I
have studied World Religions courses in grade 11 as well as at Queen’s, as I feel
it’s essential for a future educator to have at least some knowledge of multiple
religious backgrounds. Just as each student is unique, their background and
belief system is also individualized, and it’s very important for teachers to
be aware of religious and spiritual differences in their classroom.
The “Equity and
Inclusive Education in Ontario Schools” document states:
A school board
is expected to provide religious accommodation for students and employees who
want to practice a faith . . . Individuals who do not belong to a religion or practice
any specific faith are also protected by the Code. Therefore, a board has to
facilitate the practice of religious observances and allow its employees and
students freedom to practice their religion [or lack thereof] while at school
(25).
The section that struck
me in this passage is the part about non-religious students. Just as a student
of a religious background has the right to feel a sense of safety and belonging
in their school system, a child of a non-religious background also has the right
to not be ostracized or pushed to participate or share in other religious
traditions. Another section I found extremely important was a passage that
stated “The commission . . . exclude[es] . . . religions that “incite hatred or
violence against other individuals or groups” or that “contravene international
human rights standards or criminal law” (25). I believe it is the teacher’s
duty above all else to ensure the safety of a child’s physical, intellectual,
and emotional state while in their care.
Religion is one of the
many topics that will always be controversial in a classroom setting, as we saw
in our class discussions in PROF 310 this year. It can be a difficult
conversation to have in a religious setting or otherwise, but it doesn’t have
to be. What we can take away from these discussions is that
tolerance and
acceptance of each other’s’ differences is key in developing a sense of
community in the classroom at the university level or elementary. As a part of
Multiculturalism celebrations, I think it would be a great idea to incorporate
religious education. I like the idea of using different festivals and holidays
as a way of teaching children about other cultures, as I learned a lot from our
classroom activity.
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