Religion, Curriculum Issues

U.S. historic religious diversity has become even more manifest in recent decades, as more and more different religious communities are growing and flourishing in the nation's “public square.” As a result, classrooms are as religiously diverse as they have ever been, and that diversity will increase in the future. An inclusive approach to the 21st-century student body will require curricula and teacher resources that represent and respond to these realities.

This entry discusses the role of religion in the classroom as it relates to the development of curricula, selection of textbooks, teacher evaluation, and school management. Effective education practices require sensitivity to a variety of considerations, including legal, social, and pedagogical concerns.