Cedar Springs Public School District
Administrative Guidelines
 

2270 - RELIGION IN THE CURRICULUM

The Board of Education has adopted a policy favoring the understanding of religions by the students of this District and the contributions religions have made to the advancement of civilization. The Board has further acknowledged that it may not adopt any policy or rule respecting or promoting an establishment of religion or prohibiting any student from the free, individual, and voluntary exercise or expression of the student’s religious beliefs. When developing or implementing any course of study in which religion is dealt with, the following guidelines should be followed:

 

A.

Course content can neither inhibit nor advance any religion.

   
 

B.

No devotional practices shall be permitted or requested of the students.

   
 

C.

The use of art, literature, and music descriptive of the religion is permitted.

   
 

D.

Students electing to participate may not be excused from selected portions of the course on the grounds that participation therein interferes with the free exercise of their religion. However, it should be noted that if, after careful, personal review of the program lessons and/or materials, a parent indicates to the school that either the content or activities conflicts with his/her religious beliefs or value system, the school will honor a written request for his/her child to be excused from particular class periods for specified reasons. In such cases, the teacher will provide the student with alternate learning activities during the times of such parent requested absences.

   
 

E.

Complaints by students or the public regarding any such course of study will be handled in accordance with Board Policy 9130.

     
 

F.

District staff members may limit a student’s exercise or expression of his/her religious beliefs to lunch periods or other non-instructional time periods when students are free to associate.

Course(s) of study including instruction on religions shall be subject to the same administrative reviews as other course material and may not be implemented without prior Board approval.

© Neola 2013