Student Religious Activity at School
In keeping with the United States and Idaho Constitutions and judicial decisions, RISE Charter School may not support religion or endorse religious activity. At the same time, RISE Charter School may not prohibit private religious expression by students. The purpose of this policy is to provide direction to students and staff members about the application of these principles to student religious activity at school.
Student Prayer and Discussion
Students may pray individually or in groups and discuss their religious views with other students, as long as they are not disruptive or coercive. The right to engage in voluntary prayer does not include the right to have a captive audience listen, to harass other students, or to force them to participate. Students may pray quietly in the classroom, except when they are expected to be involved in classroom instruction or activities.
Staff Members
Staff members are representatives of RISE Charter School and must “navigate the narrow channel between impairing intellectual inquiry and propagating a religious creed.” They may not encourage, discourage, persuade, dissuade, sponsor, participate in, or discriminate against a religious activity or an activity because of its religious content. They must remain officially neutral toward religious expression.
Assemblies and Extracurricular and Athletic Events
Charter School officials may not invite or permit members of the clergy, staff members, or outsiders to give prayers at school-sponsored assemblies or extracurricular or athletic events. School officials also may not organize or agree to student requests for prayer at assemblies and other school-sponsored events. Furthermore, prayer may not be broadcast over the school public address system, even if the prayer is nonsectarian, nonproselytizing, and initiated by students.
Student Religious Expression and Assignments
Students may express their individual religious beliefs in reports, tests, homework, and projects. Staff members should judge their work by ordinary academic standards, including substance, relevance, appearance, composition, and grammar. Student religious expression should neither be favored nor penalized.
Religion in the Curriculum
Staff members may teach students about religion in history, art, music, literature, and other subjects in which religious influence has been and continues to be felt. However, staff members may not teach religion or advocate religious doctrine or practice. The prohibition against teaching religion extends to curricular decisions that promote religion or religious beliefs.
School programs, performances, and celebrations must serve an educational purpose. The inclusion of religious music, symbols, art, or writings is permitted if the religious content has an historical and/or independent educational purpose that contributes to the objectives of the approved curriculum. School programs, performances, and celebrations cannot promote, encourage, discourage, persuade, dissuade, or discriminate against a religion or religious activity and cannot be religious or religious-holiday oriented.
Student Religious Clubs
Students may organize clubs to discuss or promote religion, subject to the same constitutionally acceptable restrictions that RISE Charter School imposes on other student-organized clubs.
Distribution of Religious Literature
Students may distribute religious literature to their classmates, subject to the same constitutionally acceptable restrictions that RISE Charter School imposes on the distribution of other non-school literature. Outsiders may not distribute religious or other literature to students on school property, consistent with and pursuant to the School’s policy on solicitations
Religious Holidays
Staff members may teach objectively about religious holidays and about the religious symbols, music, art, literature, and drama that accompany the holidays. They may celebrate the historical aspects of the holidays, but may not observe them as religious events.
Cross-Reference: § 3250 Distribution and Posting of Materials
Policy History:
Adopted on: June 14, 2021
Revised on:
Reviewed on: