Disclaimer: This post is not meant as legal advice. It is purely my thoughts and opinions. Experts disagree as what exactly your rights as a teacher are. Please seek a legal professional for help.
Update: Check out this post here for a more in-depth analysis of what is & isn’t legally allowed.
When I shared the post “Should Teachers Leave Their Faith at Home?” I got some interesting responses. We all know that the secular world does not want Christians to share their faith, but I was somewhat saddened that so many Christian public school teachers seemed to agree, maintaining that religion has no place in the classroom.
Others, however, wanted to know how exactly they could share their faith in the public school. And, wow, this is a tough question, one I didn’t really feel qualified to answer as I’ve only taught in Christian schools, not public. But as I thought about it and discussed the question with some public school teachers, I realized that the answer is not quite as difficult as I thought.
Our Faith Must Impact Every Aspect of our Lives
Before I get to that, though, we as Christians have to realize something very important. It’s what I was trying to say in the “Should Teachers Leave Their Faith at Home” post, but I’m not so sure people really got it. As Christians, we cannot compartmentalize our faith. If we truly believe in Christ and desire to follow Him, then our faith should impact every aspect of our lives, no matter what our vocation is.
As Christians, we cannot compartmentalize our faith.
We shouldn’t be turning our faith on for Sunday morning and back off for the rest of the week. As teachers, God has given us an important area of influence, and we have the awesome responsibility and privilege to be a light in this dark world.
Yes, there are legal issues. Yes, there are restrictions. No, I’m not telling you to stand up in the middle of your class and proclaim, “Thus saith the Lord!” But the point is that if you’re a Christian then you shouldn’t be able to turn that on and off. Your faith should influence what you say and what you do. It should permeate your life.
And it should mean that you are looking for opportunities to share the truth.
So how exactly do you do that? I’m glad you asked……
How to Share Christ as a Public School Teacher
- Show Christ through your actions. If our students are ever going to be open to what we have to say, they need to see Christ in who we are and what we do. So love your students, and be an example of a believer, showing Him through your conduct and daily interactions. Check out our post “10 Ways to Show Christ to Your Students” for some specific idea of how exactly to do this.
- Embrace the truth. Every single teacher has preconceived philosophies and ideas that they bring with them to the classroom. The difference is that ours are the truth. So if others are going to spread their false philosophies, we certainly shouldn’t muzzle our true ones. Yes, there are restrictions. So once again, I’m not saying to stand in the hallway and start preaching the gospel. But God’s truths – His universal truths that apply to every aspect of our lives – should be such a part of you that they impact everything you do and naturally weave themselves into your teachings and interactions. If they aren’t, then you need to get into the Word and really start to embrace its truths, allowing them to impact every part of you. To help you get started, check out our posts on Thinking Biblically.
God’s truths are not just for Sunday mornings; they are still true the rest of the week.
- Objectively discuss faith when it applies to the curriculum. According to the Liberty Counsel, you are absolutely free to discuss faith as it applies to your curriculum. For example, if you are discussing ancient Egypt, it is appropriate to discuss their religious beliefs and how they differ from the beliefs people commonly hold today. The goal of such discussions should be to get the students thinking and to prompt them to ask questions. Because if they ask questions, you are then free to answer them. [For more information about your rights as a public school teacher, check out the whole report from the Liberty Counsel, courtesy of CEAI.]
- Honestly answer questions about your faith. You have great freedom to answer questions that students ask of you, whether in the classroom or one-on-one. So when students ask you a question that relates to your faith, answer it as openly and honestly as you can. If you feel it’s necessary, you can preface your response by letting them know that this is your personal belief or opinion.
- Pray for your students and for opportunities to speak. Spend time praying for your students as well as their parents and your fellow teachers. And ask specifically that God would not only give you opportunities to speak truth into their lives but that He would help you recognize and take advantage of them.
How else do you share your faith in the public school? Share your experience with a comment below.
Resources:
- Additional information about Christian Educators Association Int’l, a wonderful group that helps teachers understand their rights and how to share their faith.
- 10 Ways to show Christ to Our Students
- When Is Faith and Religion Allowed in Public Schools?
Honestly, sharing your faith in a public school doesn’t have to be as difficult as it seems. You don’t have to stand up and give a sermon. Just let His light shine through everything you do, and find opportunities to mention it when you can.
For example: “Did everyone have a nice weekend? Did anyone do anything fun?…Well, we went to church like always and then did some gardening. It was really nice.” Easy peasy.
Precisely…well said.
I received these great thoughts from Ally in an email. Thanks for sharing!
My name is Ally and this past year was my first year teaching. I taught 5th grade in a public school. Here are a few things I did to share Jesus with my students this year.
1) Using Gospel language in every day situations: I would use words like grace, redemption, joy, love, etc. to constantly be weaving the Gospel into our classroom even if the students had no idea that’s what I was doing.
2) Playing worship music/praying in my classroom before and after the students come in: I wanted the Kingdom to be present in my classroom, and I know that starts with me. I wanted my heart to be in a state of constant worship before, during, and after school. I found these songs were stuck in my head all day and were shaping my attitude and patience with my students.
3) Golden Rule: I only had one rule and it was the Golden rule. I loved secretly have Scripture present all over my classroom. It’s a simple rule that encompasses so many different situations in the classroom.
Good Points :)!
Awesome!
These are great suggestions. As a school nurse, I am seeing an epidemic of unmanageable anxiety in students–from grades K-12! It is heartbreaking and I just wish that I could openly share the gospel and pray with these students. For the older kids in the throes of anxiety, I do sometimes ask if they belong to a church and if there is a pastor or someone there that they could share their problems with. The one thing that we all can do, all the time, is pray.
Do not share your faith in school. Focus on teaching your students. I think it is unfair to try and subliminally push religion on students. ask yourself, Would it be okay if I an atheist did the same? what if a satanist teacher followed these tactics? would it be okay? if your answer is know you need to rethink! This is wrong and you should be ashamed. this is america!
I could NOT separate my faith in God from what I do and who I am. I share my life with my students, who are my “family” for the nine months I have them. They know what I believe because of that. Period.
Amen.
Why should anyone who shares love be ashamed? You are correct we live in America and we has the freedom to express just as the students I teach have the freedom to express. My students come from all backgrounds and most of the are abused or living in poverty so please tells me what is wrong with sharing hope? I see satan everyday in the news and in the fights in the hallway so peace in my classroom I will take it every day!
If you know they are being abused it would be better to seek real help for them, like getting them out of the abusive home…instead of “sharing hope”…hope of what exactly? That God will decide someday the child has had enough abuse and strike down the abuser with a thunderbolt from heaven? When has that ever happened?
Exactly, this is America where a variety of views and opinions are held. Children need to learn how to live with people of other views and how to express there own rather than hold only to their own perspective as you do. This article is a great piece about how someone can incorporate their faith into action and not about surreptitious “indoctrination”.
It’s not wrong to share God because he stated “I am the way, the truth, and the life”. No other religion states that.
It is wrong to share other religions that do not speak the truth .
How do u know that his word is truth and that other God’s are not? What makes ur religion better? Jesus himself said… He is no better than anyone else. He has done everything imaginable that we will ever do or try. Do not preach what u do not understand for god can never be understood. Ones beliefs is not better than anothers. No one has the right to tell a child that their religion is truth and only the truth.. you will never and can never know that..
Ignorant response as well as grammatically wrong! She did NOT say that she was preaching in class. She was being herself. Her faith is a part of her every day being. Same as it would be for an “atheist” or “Satanist” as you put it. She is not forcing anything on these children. That starts at home. And you are right on one thing! This is America, free to be who we want to be and believe what we want to believe. And free to make OUR OWN CHOICES. Meaning, these students are free to believe whatever it is that they want to believe. Just because a teacher is implementing their faith into the classroom in small ways, does not mean they are making you convert yourself or your beliefs.
It depends on how the teacher is implement in their beliefs within the classroom. If a teacher is playing Christian music all day or reading a Christian based book allowed in class, then yes,, they are wrong. I can say this and stand a firm ground on the issue as well. I believe in God and went to law school as well. I strongly support both of them.
It actually depends on whether or not the teacher could be seen as “establishing” a religion. You can find out more about what is & isn’t legally allowed here: https://teach4theheart.com/how-to-legally-share-your-faith-in-public-schools/
Is it fair for cartoons, movies, and music to send messages that sex, drugs and violence are okay? A lot of cartoons have subliminal messages, made for adult and children entertainment sulmitaneously, yet the children are still receiving the messages. Christian faith is about love and a God that loves them and wants to redeem them for a life of hope, joy and faith. Eternal life and hope after this life is gone. Faith is also a choice, a choice the student would have to receive for themselves, and sending( speaking) messages that encourage morals, values, and ways to treat other humans( classmates, friends, family) is not pushy, rather absolutely needed in a generation slipping further in destruction. This country was founded on religion, and it was discussed in schools without any condemnation. Everyone is absolutely able to have their own opinion. The great thing about faith as well, there is no need for SHAME. So in my personal opinion and belief, this is an encouragement to teachers and there is no need to be ashamed.
I feel like it is not pushing “religion”. I believe most of us are pushing goodness, loving kindness, compassion and understanding. Nothing wrong with this!!
Anonymous, I totally understand what you are saying. I do not know if you are a christian or not. I will just explain what I believe and how I try to live in harmony with everyone else. Everybody has the choice and freedom to choose what they believe in. God even promotes that. He gives us free will to believe in whatever we believe in. However, as a christian we have the purpose of loving our God. He gives us so much, so we overflow. He encourages us to share our faith and the good news. A classroom does not stand in the way of God. Nothing should stop our faith, because it is given to us by God. He can not be stoped by anything. We must speak the truth in love. We also shouldn’t spread the word for personal gain. We should trust God to change the hearts and souls of children. So, it shouldn’t matter too much to us if students choose not to believe in what we believe in. It is all up to God. We are just vessels. I would never give a bad grade to an athiest student. If I were ever to do that, I HOPE they would fire me. I like your question, “Would it be okay if a satanist teacher followed these tactics?” It really challanged me. At first I thought, of course not! However, I understand why and how it is fair if I am able to share my faith. My argument is that as a christian, I believe in the ONE true faith. I believe with all my heart, mind, and soul that the Bible is true and God is so real. I understand that sneekily showing christian values in the class is not fair to the students. So, I would be open and clear. I would be kind and loving and claim that this comes from the Lord for me. I would not keep that hidden. I understand that other people can be kind and loving too even if they are not a christian and I would explain that to my students. If my students then ask why I chose to be a christian instead of another religion, then I would explain. That way the students does not feel tricked. I don’t even mind being taught atheistic theories such as evolution. I believe they are scientific. However, I just wish they would teach the other side and not claim that it is just unscientific. There is evidence for both sides of the argument. I believe that is being fair. I plan on teaching both evolution and creationism in my furture classroom. And I will not just say evolution is from the devil or that it is unscientific. I will provide and lead students to credible information about both sides. Then, they can make their informed decision. I hope you believe this is fair. As a christian, I strive to be fair and loving, just as I can see that you strive to be. I totally understand your side of the argument and I appreciate your concern, because I wish to be conciderate and thoughtful of everybody. However, I cannot say that I will keep my faith out of school. If it becomes a problem and the school threatens to fire me, I will respectfully leave.
I’m sure if a Muslim were a teacher and discussing how they ‘weave’ their faith into the classroom to subtly influence their students you would be up in arms. This is why you do need to ‘turn off your faith’ when you step in a classroom. School is not about you and your faith, it’s about teaching kids. You want to ‘weave’ your beliefs into the classroom? Be careful what you wish for, because that means any one of ANY religion gets to do the same.
Even if the faithful people do it or not, the other ones like atheists, satanic worshipers, and Muslims do it for sure.. so why not promoting the good as much as you can?
I doubt anyone would have a problem with a Muslim living her faith and being a teacher. It’s healthy for children to be interested in other views and opinions which includes faith and have questions about it. It doesn’t mean that they will become a Muslim just because they have questions. Your response shows how little you understand the article. The author was talking about how to practice your faith while being a tacher not how to be a part of a secret conspiracy.
I agree completely. Work is work
Maybe instead of indoctrinating children when they are vulnerable by feeding them sugar coated biblical stories and disguising ignorance under the veil of “God’s plan,” you could teach them science, history, math, English, love and compassion, fairness, and honesty without any religious ties and then let THEM decide what they WANT to believe when they are old enough to make an informed decision. Talk about caring for your students.
Considering the story of Samson, Sodom and Gomorrah, And the story right before the Crucifixion and how dark they were, Its saccharin coated at best. It’s really just a happier story-line than us taking forever and a day to evolve into the degraded society we are.
Under that line of reasoning, we shouldn’t teach them any secular ideas for much the same reason. After all, you wouldn’t want to unduly influence young minds. Although, as most secular education is biased, you’re basically declaring that you’re against public education.
Just wanted to give a couple thoughts in response to some of these comments. I certainly don’t except unbelievers to understand, but for any Christian teachers out there who are wondering about some of these things, here’s a few thoughts….
1) Lots of people ask if we would want atheists etc. talking about their view in the classroom – The problem is, they are. In fact, the entire public school system (no, not every teacher but the system in general) is designed to indoctrinate students into secular humanism. So, yes, we should be pushing back against this.
2) We have the truth. We are not the same as another religion or an atheist or another worldview. I know everyone thinks they have the truth, but we actually do. And thus we have a responsibility to share it when we can.
3) Yes, this is America. This is America where our Founding Fathers believed that Biblical truths were so integral to our survival as a nation that they built our Constitution on them, that they engraved them on our government buildings, that they fashioned their lives after them, and – yes – that they wanted them to be taught in our schools. And for the first 150 years in this country the schools did just that – taught Christianity outright. It’s only been a relatively recent development that Christianity has been banned – and, really, do we honestly think it’s made the schools better than they used to be?
The founders and those after have consistently stated that this is NOT a Christian nation. Christianity is NOT referred to in the Constitution. Look more closely at the beliefs of the founders and realize that many were deists at best. Do not confuse out of context quotes by a few with the majority opinions of the whole group. It is a nation where everyone has freedom to practice their religion, but this also means freedom FROM religion. As a public school teacher you work for the department of education, an extension of the government and as such should not be promoting any religion.
Christianity is not banned, it is not to be taught by teachers. It can be discussed in a religions of the world course in conjunction with all other faiths. It can be embraced and lead by students. If students want to form a Christianity based group you can be the adviser, that’s fine.
You can feel you “have the truth” but which denominations version of the truth? Students who are curious and want to know more about Christianity have no shortage of resources in any area, there are churches in abundance they can go to for spiritual guidance, they don’t need you to do anything but share your academic expertise.
In God We Trust is the United States official motto so obviously we are a christian nation :). If its wrong then it shouldn’t be on the thing we use most, MONEY!
In God We Trust wasn’t added onto money until the 1950’s to indoctrinate the nation against “Atheistic Communism”. The earliest instance of In God We Trust on money was in the 1860’s, almost a hundred years after the founding of our nation. Ratified by the United States Senate the Treaty of Tripoli in 1797 and signed by President John Adams stated in Article 11
“As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion, — as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen [A term for Muslims at the time I believe], — and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religion opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.”
And Under God wasn’t added to the pledge of allegiance until 1954.
I realize this is many years ago but I can’t stand this misinformation.
You proclaiming that you have the only truth only shows your ignorance. You should not be teaching anyone.
Remain Anonymous
Your comment is a truth claim in itself!
And all other faiths believe they have the truth too.You have to admit that all the thousands sects of Christianity believe their version is the “truth”. How can you proclaim you’re not the same? What objective knowledge do you possess of other religions?
You also lack substantial knowledge of The Constitution and the Founders. These were people of The Enlightenment. Their influences were the writings of Locke and the Ancient Greeks. You might want to read the writings of James Madison, the writer of the Bill of Rights instead of getting your kooky knowledge of history from Wallbuilders. Additionally, The Founders deliberately wrote the Constitution as an amendable document for good and rational reasons. Do you believe women’s right to vote should be rescinded??
Though it is very difficult to compare the schools of today than the schools of over 100 years ago, I believe the education kids receive today far surpasses how children were taught then. All was rote learning then and not to mention the subjects taught. It’s also true that most children didn’t graduate high school as most people lived on farms. Children generally didn’t go to school beyond 8th grade and sometimes less.
You have some good ideas in regards to classroom management, but you have revealed yourself to be an “indoctrinator” of a belief system that is your right to have but it is NOT your right to indoctrinate our children in public schools.
Peace.
In God We Trust- research that one and let us know what you find. Good Day 🙂
Comment #1 is exactly what’s happening. Well put Linda 🙂
” In fact, the entire public school system (no, not every teacher but the system in general) is designed to indoctrinate students into secular humanism. So, yes, we should be pushing back against this.
2) We have the truth. We are not the same as another religion or an atheist or another worldview. ”
These are two extremely dubious propositions, and suggest that you see your Christian mission as attacking on the Constitutional prohibition of advancing any particular religious view through public schools or other activities funded by all taxpayers.
There is no constitutional prohibition against advancing religious views in school. Indeed the Congress specifically authorized the Bible to be used in public schools and the founders firmly believed it should be an integral part of the curriculum. The first amendment guarantees religious freedom and was intended to keep the government from establishing a state church. It was never intended to keep the bible or Christianity out of schools, the government, or public life. That’s what a court ruling said but it is never what the Constitution said or intended.
I would have your job if your were teaching at my child’s school. In no way are you to implement your gospel sayings into my child’s life. Her preacher and I do that. She prays in her spare time and reads as well, but no one has the right to tell her or influence her beliefs, not even I. Further, no other religions are to be implemented into my child’s life unless strictly educational. She and only she gets to decide who and what religion she will worship.
Hi Angel,
I think you misunderstand what I am recommending. Check out this article here for a more in-depth analysis of what is & isn’t legally alllowed: https://teach4theheart.com/how-to-legally-share-your-faith-in-public-schools/
Amen, Linda!
Should God and the bible be discussed in public schools? Really, that is the question. I ask, “Why not?”
By the way, I live in Canada. When I was growing up as a student in public schools, every morning we sang “God saves the Queen” and our national anthem “Oh, Canada”. Both of these anthems recognize and acknowledge God. And yet today, we do not sing the former and rarely the latter. Why?
In addition, when opened each week with the “Lord’s Prayer”. Today, Canada does not. Why not?
Today, I am a public school teacher. I have been teaching for over twenty years. Along with other religions, I routinely talk about God, Christianity and the gospel. Why wouldn’t I? I talk about other religions.
U only know what u read in a book and what u feel.. if that is truth to you then more power to u. I guarantee u have never seen god, never seen Jesus either. U couldn’t have. Truth is factual, something u can prove. U can’t prove god existed or still does. U only have a book. I was raised Baptist from birth. Let me tell u, I do not shun anyone’s belief, but don’t think mine is higher or more truthful than anothers either. I am me and I am a kind honest open minded hopeful and praying person who wishes all children and adults the best. Only time will tell. Only then will we ever know the truth. Keep religion out of work and work on religion during after work hours all day everyday. The law is the law. You wouldn’t question his law, don’t question Americas law.. church and state are separate.
I completely disagree that truth is what can be proved. Truth is what is true, whether it can be proven scientifically or not. God either is or He isn’t. Both cannot possibly be true. He is either loving or He isn’t. He is either holy or He isn’t. Not all religions can possibly be true – they are mutually exclusive.
My faith is based on the Bible, which, while it is a book, is a quite remarkable book. The claims made by the Bible, while they may not be able to be proven scientifically, have a host of empirical evidence that support them. And they have certainly never been disproven. In short, it does take a step of faith to believe the Bible, but it is a reasonable step of faith that is backed by both personal & empirical evidence.
Of course everyone is free to believe what they choose to. But to say that all beliefs are equally valid or equally true is utter nonsense. That’s what our society tries to tell us, but think it out – it makes no sense. It cannot possibly be true.
Well said! Christians need to stop bowing the knee to Baal, take up their cross and follow Jesus, where in America mandates are constantly prohibiting us to hold onto and practice our God given freedom.
Thank you, Linda, for such a well-written blog. I am a fellow Christian educator and I am grateful for any opportunity to share my faith — whether it be in or out of the classroom. You are right. We cannot expect unbelievers to understand (yet), but ONE DAY EVERY KNEE WILL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.
Amen!
I am a teacher in a public school classroom. A couple of comments or reactions I give my students are: I only tolerate loving Christ-like behavior and try to be an example. I will mention it was good to see a student in church or ask what church they attend if any after I comment how I like a Christian related shirt or jewelry. I thank a student for “praying” when they say “God” out loud. When the kids ask I tell them my favorite books are Christian romance or my favorite music is Christian. In my classroom I let all know that we respect all cultures and religions and share without judgment for even though I know Christianity I is true and Christ is The Way, The Truth, and The Life….a true Christian tries to love all. Just some thoughts. Thank you for sharing u our thoughts.
I’m sure the Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and secular students in your classes appreciate the special attention you give to Christian students.
Great thoughts! Love the emphasis on loving others, being real, and just letting your students see how much your faith is a part of who you are.
I am a Christian and have taught in public schools my whole professional life and #3 is very questionable. The bottom line is that whether or not we Christians like it, people are allowed to not believe in Jesus. They did during Bible times and they can now.
Christians can live their faith without using words and in the public school they should. Being sneaky Christians shows no integrity and there is no Biblical example of going to someone’s children to sneakily preach the Gospel because they happen to be in your classroom.
You may wear a cross necklace and you may answer direct questions. If students ask you what you did over the weekend you can tell them you went to church or about a church picnic in the same way they can tell you what they did. You don’t have to hide it (neither do your students) but you may not be overt about it. Students should NEVER feel they need to agree with your beliefs in order to be successful in your class.
Seriously, Christian or not, who tells people to be subversive with children? That’s just not okay.
Thank you Linda for standing up for the faith. Don’t let unbelievers get you down, live the faith and reach out in love to everyone as I see you already do. God bless in Jesus’ name.
Linda,
You have struck a cord in your readers and for that, kudos. Continue to follow God’s calling in supporting educators. As a Christian science teacher, I too have struggled to find balance in what I am allowed to teach/do inside and outside the classroom. I have settled on this; that I can love each student who walks into my classroom, knowing they come from different backgrounds, struggles and religions. God has called me to Love. Period. That is what makes us, Christians, different. Our hope comes from the Lord. He shows us His handy work all around us, so when facts are presented for tests that disagree with the Biblical account of creation, I make it a point to state that not all scientists agree on this, but you need to know it for your test. (Ex. age of the earth is 4.6 billion years opposed to approximately 6000 years old). Daily, science is discovering new things, putting into question evolutionary bias that permeates public school science classrooms today.
As you said in an earlier post, evolutionists are indoctrinating our youth and rather than teaching discovery, inquiry and seeking of truth, the rose colored glasses of atheism has hamstrung the thinking of future generations. I do pray for my kiddos, accept them and let them know they matter to me. Kindness and firm when need be. They do not know by my words of my personal faith in Jesus Christ, but I pray they see Jesus through me.
Sorry every day evolution is gaining ground.
Where do you get your facts?
Chapter and verse please
Hi Steve,
If you would like Bible verses that relate to sharing the Christian faith you can find many but a few to look into are, Mark 16: 15-16, Philemon 1:6 and 1 Peter 3: 15-16. In regards to the legalities of addressing secular beliefs in public schools as a Christian you can look into Christian Educators Association International https://www.ceai.org/. I hope this helps!
I am a Christian and have taught in public schools my whole professional life and #3 is very questionable. The bottom line is that whether or not we Christians like it, people are allowed to not believe in Jesus. They did during Bible times and they can now.
Christians can live their faith without using words and in the public school they should. Being sneaky Christians shows no integrity and there is no Biblical example of going to someone’s children to sneakily preach the Gospel because they happen to be in your classroom.
You may wear a cross necklace and you may answer direct questions. If students ask you what you did over the weekend you can tell them you went to church or about a church picnic in the same way they can tell you what they did. You don’t have to hide it (neither do your students) but you may not be overt about it. Students should NEVER feel they need to agree with your beliefs in order to be successful in your class.
Seriously, Christian or not, who tells people to be subversive with children? That’s just not okay.
I am a Christian and have taught in public schools my whole professional life and #3 is very questionable. The bottom line is that whether or not we Christians like it, people are allowed to not believe in Jesus. They did during Bible times and they can now.
Christians can live their faith without using words and in the public school they should. Being sneaky Christians shows no integrity and there is no Biblical example of going to someone’s children to sneakily preach the Gospel because they happen to be in your classroom.
You may wear a cross necklace and you may answer direct questions. If students ask you what you did over the weekend you can tell them you went to church or about a church picnic in the same way they can tell you what they did. You don’t have to hide it (neither do your students) but you may not be overt about it. Students should NEVER feel they need to agree with your beliefs in order to be successful in your class.
Seriously, Christian or not, who tells people to be subversive with children? That’s just not okay.
I am so thankful to God that I found this website. I am from another country and I knew Jesus back in my country. I am so sad that America now turn to be ashamed of the Gospel and pushing themselves far away from God whom so love the world. On top of that, America is no longer the place that freedom of speech and faith can be practice anymore. I pray for America though because God loves everyone. At one public school that I worked last year, there was many Christian teachers and some of them did the same thing on occasion like singing carolling song during Christmas time with her guitar and it brought wonderful atmostphere into that classroom. I hope when people really open their hearts to Jesus Christ then they will realize that Jesus is not limited by the word “religion” but it is a personal relationship with Him!!! It is very personal and a person will never know him until his heart really wants to open up and know him.
Thank you for creating this website.
May God continue to shine His Love and His Light through your life
I have also been distressed for our country, but a candle is most appreciated in a dark room!
I have taught in an after school program for four years. I have also worked in and out of classrooms for the past four years as well. I just obtained my teaching degree and I am moving on to my own classroom. I am a Christian seeking to know there are others like myself out there and how they approach sharing Jesus in thier classrooms. After reading all of these posts I can say that I am reminded of the scripture in James.
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
I have always believed that teaching is a calling not a job. I believe that the influence that a teacher has over a child is a gift from God. Because that same influence can create something wonderful in that child or can tear them apart. That is why I believe we as teachers will be judged more strictly. Because we hold influence over the lives of others. When I think of having influence over the life of a child for years to come, I want them to look back and see Jesus. I want them to always feel loved and safe knowing that there was something special about me and that special thing was the light of Jesus. After all we as Christians are called to go out into all the world spreading his word.
Christine: Very well said! I feel like the most important thing I can do for my students is love them and show God’s love through me! You said it better than I can!
I have taught for many years, and I know that my students don’t necessarily remember all the curriculum that I have tried to teach, but they do remember how I treated them and the joy of the Lord in me!
I teach in a Catholic school. Recently when talking about what the church believes, what the students believe and what the bible tells us I was happy to see that my students had done their reading – “Does that mean we can sell our daughters?” No, that is part of the Old Testament and was replaced with the New Testament. But the part about not “spilling the seed” – lying with a man was in the Old Testament. Shouldn’t we have to find evidence in the New Testament?
Then finally, “The bible does not say that Jesus was not married, that any of the disciples were not partners with other men, or that Jesus would not love them and accept them as he loves and accepts himself. So, what are we really trying to say? We want to interpret the bible, church doctrine and what we hear in mass as a way to make others less than ourselves? Are we saying we are biblical scholars and have the moral responsibility to call out behavior that we deem not biblically sound when we have not even studied Jesus’ history – when we don’t really know if he was gay himself, or married with children – and if so, where are Jesus’ ancestral children today? Those are the bigger questions?
This was done by sixth grade students for a critical thinking and analysis assignment – using the facts as though the students were scientists.
Romans 1:24-27 is pretty clear as well as the rest of Scripture which always represents a man and a woman as a true marriage and homosexuality as wrong. If an answer is not clear in Scripture then we should be careful, but when the Bible clearly speaks we must stand where it stands.
The first week of school I always ask the students what their favorite book of all time is. I get all sorts of responses. Everything from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games. Then I ask them if they want to know my favorite book. Of course they say yes. I hold up my Bible and tell them that it is my favorite book. You’d be amazed at how this opens doors for me to talk to Christian students off to the side! I love building relationships with all my students, but it is extra special when a fellow believer is discovered!
I would like to express my gratitude .I am so pleased to know it.Im from Nepal but here is very strict.so i would be grateful if i could get the ideas how i can do with Hindu and Budddhist students background.
Holy sugarsnacks, these Christian zealots are scary. This sounds like a collection of people planning the practice of the most backhanded subversive indoctrination I have ever heard of. In no way should you be permitted to teach about your religion in schools in any aspect or manner, EVER. Your religion is a personal choice and has nothing to do with education! Schools have IRP’s for a reason, what is held within them is the only information you should be doling out to students. I could have the opinion that killing anybody who is not white or is a Jew is the RIGHT thing to do because I have a book by a very famous man that tells me how righteous I would be to do so. Does this mean that I should whip it out and tell all the students that Mein Kampf it is MY FAVORITE BOOK as suggested by Clint? “Every year it opens up a doorway to talking to all the local skinhead kids off to the side about all the wonderful things we can learn about this year”. By sneakily suggesting such things though almost subliminal conversation is proportionate to being a psychopath like Manson. This is also all coming from a practicing Jew.
Hello,
I recently wrote two articles that would be helpful in addressing your concerns:
https://teach4theheart.com/why-religion-does-belong-in-public-schools-2-objections-exposed/
https://teach4theheart.com/how-to-legally-share-your-faith-in-public-schools/
I am a Christian math teacher in a Texas school. Before I became a math teacher, I was a Baptist pastor. I am very careful not to “share my faith” as it were. I believe those two spheres should be completely separate. However, because I am concerned for my students, I want them to know God as I do. I have spent much prayer concerning methods for allowing the students to explore issues of faith without compelling them to agree with me. In one class, I have a extra credit assignment in which students are asked to read books by Dawkins, Lennox, Suri, and Krauss (all expert scholars). They are to explore the issues as presented by these authors. Such moments encourage critical thinking, philosophical inquiry, conversations about the role of faith in society, and allow students who are believers (of whatever stripe) to explain why they have come to those conclusions. I am convinced that a Christian teacher can guide discussion and encourage inquiry without using the position of authority to compel students to become Christian.
Christian Educators Association International (ceai.org) is a great resource for Christian educators in public schools. The law does not require educators who are Christians (or Muslims, etc.) to deny their faith to be a teacher. They can answer honestly if asked by their students about their faith. But legally they cannot use their positions as “agents of the state” to favor one religion over another, or favor non-religion over religion. But they can lead their students to ask big questions and discuss worldview issues honestly. Christian educators can also teach bible studies/Good News Clubs/etc. on their campuses after school if they are associated with another outside organization (church, para-church ministry) who requests the room under district guidelines. The Constitution does not require schools to be religion-free zones, and attempts to make them such are just as illegal as a teacher converting students to their faith.
Yes! Thank you for sharing this insight. I’m so excited to share an interview with Finn Laursen, director of CEAI, where we dive into this in much more detail. Watch for it in the next two weeks!
I agree that like a wise person said: “We must preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words. The Gospel is a message to be proclaimed with words. God is pleased through the foolishness of preaching, to save some. I know we must love the students and let the love light of Christ shine through us. We can pray as much as we want for the students in private, no law can stop that. Also, we must be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks us for the reason of the hope we have in Christ. Also, I have seen my students at WalMart. There are no rules on what you can or can’t share with them then. They will not care how much they know until they know how much we car. It sounds cliche ish, but it is so true.
They will know you by your fruits. If you are living a life that is pleasing to God. Students will know you are different and seek out why. Our job as teachers is to teach our job as Christians is to love. Be real, authentic and present in the interactions with your students, and if you are living truly the life that is sold out for God, you won’t need to worry about sharing your faith. You will be living your faith. Jesus was a teacher, follow his example.
Hey guys. There is a pretty cool kids book called “How to be a good kid.” (Search amazon.com with quotes)…. The purpose of the book is to challenge current social ideologies using quotes (advice) from secular historical figures. If you are serious about challenging current ideologies that open the door for you to talk about our faith, then try this book. Yes. i wrote it for this purpose. I get frustrated with teachers who find excuses NOT to share truths… so I hope this tool will help.
The arrogance of someone who says “our beliefs are the truth” – about your version of the historical sun god (including “walking on water”= sun reflecting on water, “turning water to wine” = the sun fermentation, “fighting darkness” = literally the sun, claiming “I am the light of the world” = derp….). The LEVEL of arrogance and delusion you have to have to say this is “the truth” and then turn around and say you should bring this to PUBLIC SCHOOL, in a nation that has STRICT SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE… is
A. Unconstitutional
B. Arrogant
C. Ridiculous
leave your “faith” where it belongs – anywhere YOU WANT IT TO BE.. as long as it is NOT BEING PAID FOR BY PUBLIC DOLLARS (which is what pays your salary if you are a public school teacher).
Hello,
You may find this article helpful in understanding what separation of church & state mean and what is and is not legally allowed in public schools: https://teach4theheart.com/how-to-legally-share-your-faith-in-public-schools/
As for your accusation of arrogance, I’m sorry you misunderstand. We believe the Bible to be true – all statements we make about truth are based on what the Bible (God’s Word) says, not what we made up ourselves. If we were to not believe it to be true, we would be very foolish indeed for wasting our time with any of it.
I understand how you feel. She is making a truth claim when she says “this is the truth”. She holds those views because she believes them to be true. Right? Your comment about how she is wrong for making truth claims is a true claim in itself. You believe your position is true, that is the reason you hold it. Right? If you thought your position was wrong, then you would leave it and believe something else. Don’t deceive yourself, you are doing the very thing you are condemning.
I am not sure what your believe is. Perhaps you are an atheist? You are an atheist because you hold that position as True. I am a teacher myself and I know many atheist teachers preach their true to their students without regard for the laws you are referring to. I regards their truths as lies and yet I don’t disagree with them talking to their students about them. It seems you can teach your views but Christians can’t. I don’t agree with teachers preaching I their classroom, however, students should know their positions on the most important questions in life: God, Sexuality, Politics, etc.
Many atheist teachers are very aggressive defending their atheist positions and many Christians do the same. both groups should consider being wise in the way they approach this topic.
Angel, that was a brilliant commentary. Thank you for your perspective!
Why do you hate GOD so much? Could it be because you trusted HIM for something in your life and it didn’t happen the way you wanted it to? GOD is not our geni in a bottle. HE leads, we follow, trusting that if it didn’t go our way, HE has something much better for us if we stay in faith, don’t shake our fist at HIM and trust for a better outcome. The devil causes hate to rise up in us against GOD and it will curse our life with bitterness.
I am a Christian public school teacher and I am struggling! I am teaching Middle school Science for the first time (26th year of teaching ). Earth history and evolution are coming up in our curriculum. PROBLEM #1: I want to teach creationism along with evolution to show both sides of the issue. I have been told that I am NOT allowed to do this. I can’t even mention creationism.
PROBLEM #2: We’re doing some fun science activities before our break. Today we were dissolving candy canes in different liquids.To start the lesson we talked about the legend of the candy cane and I read the book to the class. *I got the book from the school library! We watched a video of how they are made, answered questions and did the experiment. My principal said I wasn’t allowed to read the book. I told him it came from our school library. It doesn’t matter! As a Christian teacher I am becoming frustrated! If I was of any other faith I could do or say whatever I felt and no one would say a word. Please pray that God will show me what I need to do and give me the strength to do it!
Hello,
I’d recommend checking out this article here for help on what’s legal & what’s not: https://teach4theheart.com/how-to-legally-share-your-faith-in-public-schools/
I’d also HIGHLY recommend our free Teach with Faith, not Fear training here: https://academy.teach4theheart.com/p/teach-with-faith-not-fear
Praying for you right now. I’m not a lawyer, but from my understanding, you ARE allowed to bring up religion, the Bible, etc. if it for a legitimate learning purpose and done in an impartial way (i.e. you are not saying that one religion is right but explaining that this is what certain people believe.) However, there is also the Biblical command to be subject to authority… I believe the two resources I mentioned above will help you better understand what is & isn’t allowed – and help you navigate how to handle them in a Christ-honoring manner.
As for evolution, two thoughts.
1) Instead of Creationism, look into Intelligent Design (ID). ID approaches the question from a scientific standpoint as opposed to a religious one, and is a theory held by many renowned and legitimate scientists. Your admin may still not be a fan of this, but you have a much stronger leg to stand on with ID than Creationism.
2) If all else fails, you can’t really go wrong teaching the CONTROVERSY of evolution. In other words, teach evolution. But also teach the reasons why some scientists don’t agree with evolution. This article may be helpful to you in seeing how you could do that: https://ceai.org/2017/11/science-origin-stories/
Praying for you. Keep fighting the good fight 🙂
I am a high school art teacher. A large part of the curriculum covers art history and cultures. When teaching about the earliest art, I often refer to the Bible as “according to the oldest history book…” My students will know that I am a Christian during their first week in my class by my personal introduction regarding my favorite music, things I do outside of school, etc. Depending upon the subject taught, there are ways one can integrate God’s Word, it just takes a little creativity. I was raised on the Golden Rule and although I didn’t always come out on the positive end of the situation, I knew I had tried to treat the other person as Jesus would.
Well said and just what I needed to read. I work for the Lord.????
We have seriously misunderstood what “separation of church and state” means. To the founding fathers, the First Amendment existed to keep the state out of the church, not the church out of the state.
https://www.tvcresources.net/resource-library/articles/what-does-separation-of-church-and-state-really-mean
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians that we have the authority, through God, to tear down strongholds and participates. If we as Christians proclaim Gods word, when opportunities present themselves, then God will great and mighty things in our public education system. Just examine Daniel’s demonstration of faith when he prayed, when it was made illegal to pray to God, and was thrown into the lion’s den. God held the lion at bay and afterwords the king of Babylon decreed all his nation should worship Yahweh.
It really helped when you suggested praying for opportunities to talk about your faith. Like you said, there will be a way given to you without any hindrances and unexpectedly. I will definitely follow your tips, but I also thought of wearing religious jewelry to catch the attention of anyone and start a conversation. Thanks for the tips anyway!
I have taught public school for 27 years, preschool, primary, intermediate, middle school, and high school. I have coached multiple sports, girls and boys. The majority of my teaching career has been at the intermediate, elementary level. 20 of these years, I have been a born-again Christian. There was a time early in my career that I tried to aggressively share God to my students, but my efforts were reckless. God nevertheless protected me. Two principals at different times confronted me. Both times I said hardly anything. I just listened to what they had to say, and I humbly said that I understood. The first principal at the end of our discussion, told me he and his family needed to go back to church. ? I praise God for teaching me not to be so reckless. Now, I simply go about my job and teach the various subjects including Citizenship. In doing this, I try to let my students be aware of different view points, and of course this includes religion. For example, my students read all sorts of nonfiction books, and many of the books use the context of B.C. and A.D. I explain the history of this and draw a numberline on the whiteboard. So many hands go up as their brains start thinking about how far B.C. goes! I explain to the kids the two main view points, 4.5 billion years vs. 6,000 years. When we study planets, I make it very clear the perfection of planet Earth in how it is the only known planet to support life. I go on to explain some scientists believe in the Big Bang Theory and other scientists believe in some sort of creator or God. Again hands go up, and all of the kids that come from religious backgrounds love to share what they know about God. I want my students to know that God is a highly supported viewpoint. I also teach my students to show patience and kindness towards other students. I do not endorse any specific religion. If a student asks me if I believe in God, I say, “Yes I do.” If they ask me what church I attend to, I will tell them. God has taught me how to glorify Him in my classroom, and He has protected me the whole way! Christian brothers and sisters, ask God for His loving wisdom. He put you in these teaching jobs for a reason! God bless you.
Thank you for sharing such an inspiring story and such practical advice!
I’m looking for a movie to help a little girl she went to Christian school and now she’s attending public school and she’s scared so I was hoping to find a movie that would help her so she wouldn’t be so scared is there any movies out there like that little girls leaving Christian schools to attend public schools
Why is it so difficult to simply not discuss religion in public school? I wouldn’t appreciate my children being taught your beliefs because you find it is relevant to your teachings. You can elaborate on the history, certainly, but your wording is teetering towards persuasion. I don’t appreciate it.
If you’re this passionate about your faith, it seems as if it would be more appropriate to teach at a religious based school instead. I’m all well and fine with implementing your morals and way of life into how you conduct yourself, but there is a line…of which you seem to have zero issues crossing.
Also the whole “if others are pushing their beliefs, why shouldn’t we bit?” and the “others sharing their false philosophies…ours is the truth” like geez, lady that’s incredibly rude and condescending. Totally unprofessional. No one should be pushing any beliefs in public schools period. If anyone is then they’re wrong and crossing a personal boundary. Just teach with kindness and leave the religious questions to the parents, thanks.
Hi Michele—I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. It IS difficult not to discuss religion in public schools because kids of all ages, from K-12 ask questions about everything! From why someone is so short/tall/skinny/fat to how we all got here to why the sky is blue. Just like adults, kids are searching for meaning, they are trying to understand their place in the world, etc. And, my faith guides literally EVERYTHING I do in my life. One of the things that I have done while answering these hard questions is share, “some people believe this, others believe this, and I believe this. What do you think?” That does not sound like persuasion to me, but rather sharing facts and encouraging critical thinking. While many teachers that follow Teach 4 the Heart do teach at private schools, there are millions of Christians that work in the public workforce, just like people of other religions/no religion. As humans, we are permitted to share our personal beliefs. That’s simply having a discussion. 🙂 It’s just in our world, the Christian viewpoint has become “offensive” in and of itself, and no longer seems to have a spot at the table. But, we will keep sharing the hope that, yes, we firmly believe is true. But, as you asked, we absolutely will do it with kindness, sharing as much hope as we can.
I recently wrote and illustrated my first children’s book- “Taking God to School” for students, families and educators.It reminds and teaches all how kids can practice their faith in various ways throughout the day- even at school! They can read their Bible, write about God, pray for and with others, and demonstrate the love of Christ through their words and actions. It also provides resources for families and educators in the back. I would love to share more about this book with everyone as school gets ready to begin.
I taught for 28 years in public, private and charter schools and tried in every way to be an image of Christ and support my students, families and other educators in their rights and freedoms of religion. This next chapter of my life I feel has been God continuing to use me to spread His goodness and glory! Smiles and blessings,
Alison Adams
Your book sounds pretty awesome!!
I keep it simple. Stickers of faith on my water bottle. Cross earrings. T-shirts. Students notice these things and ask if I’m a Christian. And if they are Christian they take comfort in knowing they are not alone. When topics come up, they ask how I feel about it “as a Christian”. Note: I work in a public high school.
Please pray for Arizona Christian University…you can look it up as they battle Washington Elementary School district in AZ
Being a follower of Christ in a public school setting is a great honor. Students may not recall much of what they learned, however, we all can remember how certain teachers made us feel. Because I follow Christ, my goal is to show as much love as I can to my students. I do not force my beliefs nor do I try to find topics of discussion each day to share my views. I am grateful to be able to share Christ’s love with everyone. For the atheist or the person who does not have any religious practices, I say that I still want your children to thrive and be the best they can be. My question to any person is how do you receive love from others and how do you show love to others from the heart? Sometimes, I will be silent when others share different opinions about God. Instead I pray for students quietly. I only have 9 months with each class. The Lord has the rest of their li es to bring others alongside.
The Lord took me out of a Christian preschool/school. I was there for 20 years and now I’m in a public preschool. I know that I need to be in the word of God and praying for guidance and wisdom and Direction and putting on my armer of God on every day. It’s so different how the world is so lost. The Lord was preparing me for this. I well
Shine and always do for my Heavenly Father.
❤️❤️❤️