Do you want public schools to teach religion?

Absolutely not. If someone ever handed my kids a bible for science class, it would be time for an ACLU lawsuit.

I think they should teach children about religion, although time limitations mean you can only teach the basics of a few major world religions. But still, teaching them about what different people believe is good. I just don't think state schools should encourage a particular belief over another.

I live in England and technically we have a state religion- we only ever heard from Christians even though my secondary school headmaster was Jewish. And they tried to make me pray. I just sat quietly and minded my own business. Just seems a little weird to me when hardly anyone here is actually religious. I can't imagine what it must be like in some parts of America.

There are so many different religions that it would take up the whole school period to teach all of them. So it wouldn't work out and the parents who do want it they send them to private school like Catholic school or Sunday school. If a particular public school was located in a neighborhood where let's say everyone was the same faith I wouldn't mind if it was taught in the public school and would be in favor of it. I think religious people are less violent and rude and make our society better so it would be a good investment for my tax dollars. I wouldn't mind if the dominant religion of the student body was taught as an elective in high school (so that those not of that religion could choose not to take it).

YES -- I want them to teach about ALL religions. They should give equal time to Islam and Judaism and Christianity and Hinduism and Buddhism, etc., etc.

And then they can spend some time discussing the merits of Atheism and Scientology, too.

And then a lesson or two on critical thinking would be nice...

Then children can make informed decisions about religion for themselves, not what is dictated by their parents.

And if there is going to be prayer in schools, then they should have to pray in all the different ways, too. Five times a day toward Mecca; wearing a yamulke, praying like a Mormon and a Catholic and a Baptist and a Hindu and meditate like a Buddhist.

I'm going to bet Christians wouldn't want prayer and religion in schools, if it meant other religions besides theirs.

Public schools already teach about religion in the subjects of Society and Culture and Religious Studies.

I wouldn't want public schools to teach any religion, regardless of it was my personal religion or not.

Religion is based on personal beliefs, and personal beliefs cannot be taught. Therefore teaching a set religion would be nothing short of brainwashing.

Nothing wrong with objective teaching ABOUT religion in the historical and sociological context. That helps children understand the world around us. But to push any particular one as being right is, as Richard Dawkins writes, child abuse.

I'm currently in an Anthropology class that studies various cultures and their religions; it's really opened up our minds and helps us understand why certain religions are still used in society today and how they work in a specific area. It's my favorite class.

Religious history should be taught to encourage understanding, however, I believe education should be above politics and religiously neutral, religious education should be the job of churches, mosques, temples etc.

Absolutely not! If religion were to be taught in public schools, it would just be watered down and "politically correct" to appease all people. I would fear that false doctrine would be taught. Children need to learn about God in Church, with family, or in a private school.

Some sort of comparative religions section of a social studies class is fine by me.