A student asks a teacher if she believes in God. What is the right response?

washingtonpost.com ^ | 3-14-2016 | Emma Brown

[Citizen Zed]

It's not uncommon for curious elementary, middle and high school students to ask questions about their teachers’ lives — including their religious beliefs.

Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Do you worship Allah? Are you Jewish?

Such questions can be challenging for teachers, especially those working in public schools, where the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits officials from from establishing or promoting religion. But public school teachers do have the right to answer direct questions about their faith, according to experts and advocates. And some groups, like the Christian Educators Association International, encourage teachers to take the opportunity to explain how religion guides their lives.

[Citizen Zed]

I heard part of a Trump rally online. I like how he said he was bringing back Christmas.

[Mr. K]

The correct response is “I am here to teach Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic- not religion- go discuss that with your parents”

[FlingWingFlyer]

I would say, “Yes, I do”. Now, can you write that in cursive?

[JoeDetweiler]

Zarathustrian. They won’t believe you, but maybe they’ll learn a thing or two looking it up ;-)

[20yearsofinternet]

If you’re working in a godless public school, then yep, I agree. A friendly form of “I’m not here to discuss my personal life” is probably the best approach.

[MichaelCorleone]

How about this question from the young ‘uns:

“Teacher, if my mother wanted to kill me before I came to term, would you have fought tooth and nail to allow her to do that to me, or would you have fought for my right to live?”

[precisionshootist]

"First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits officials from from establishing or promoting religion"

"Congress shall pass no law" -- Says nothing about congress, teachers or anyone one else "promoting" religion.

[needmorePaine]

where the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits officials from from establishing or promoting religion

It does?

[Sgt_Schultze]

At the time of the adoption of the Constitution, several states had their own established churches. At that time, no court ever adjudicated that those churches were unconstitutional. I read an interesting article by Stanton Evans in Imprimis Magazine - which I kept from that time. Here is a link to the archive at Hillsdale College, which lays out his case that the current widely-held position on church/state is made up and wrong.

[marron]

“Of course”.

[SkyDancer]

None of the kids’ business what the teacher’s personal life is.

[struggle]

I teach in public schools and I tell them I’m a servant of Jesus Christ.

[Phlap]

The right response is the truth.

[DiogenesLamp]

A student asks a teacher if she believes in God. What is the right response?

The correct response is "Yes."

[DiogenesLamp]

At the time of the adoption of the Constitution, several states had their own established churches. At that time, no court ever adjudicated that those churches were unconstitutional. I read an interesting article by Stanton Evans in Imprimis Magazine - which I kept from that time. Here is a link to the archive at Hillsdale College, which lays out his case that the current widely-held position on church/state is made up and wrong.

I've been blowing that same trumpet since the 1990s. Yes, official state religions existed before and after 1787. The constitution itself ends with a reference to "Our Lord" and exempts the President from working on Sundays.

What people believe nowadays is just crap made up by legal activists and kook judges.

Here is a piece of historical evidence I like to share when this topic comes up.

[Bigg Red]

Good answer!

[Bigg Red]

+1

[Nifster]

Nicely played

[Bigg Red]

Yep.

Fortunately, during almost all of my teaching career, I was in Catholic schools, so I brought up religion regularly, and we said a prayer for the start of each class period.

[MarDav]

Not a challenge for me. If a student asks me that question I give them my answer. If the follow up with more, as they invariably do, I answer those, as well.