Home » Take Action » Become a Student Activist » Case of the Month Archives » May 2001
Lesson Plan
Is it constitutional for government to give tax dollars to religious-based social service programs?
Purpose
The purpose of this lesson plan is to illustrate how First Amendment protections against the establishment of religion apply to the current debate on whether government-funded religious programs that give public funds to religious institutions are constitutional. These exercises also are designed to encourage critical thinking skills and open-minded thinking as to why our Founding Fathers were determined to protect religion from government interference.
Grade
10-12
Objectives
Students should be able to:
1. Understand the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the government from "establishing" a religion. Students should be able to define the language of this amendment.
2. Understand the repercussions of entangling government with "pervasively sectarian" religious institutions and of allowing religious groups to discriminate on the basis of their beliefs about race, sexual orientation and gender. (Federal civil rights laws that protect Americans from discrimination in the workplace do not apply within religious organizations).
3. Identify five major religions represented in the United States and the basic history and fundamental beliefs of these religions.
4. Identify several constitutional law cases regarding freedom of religion and the government funding of social service programs.
Materials
1. Text of the First Amendment, which states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
2. Opinions in the following cases: Wolman v. Walter, Bowen v. Kendrick and Lemon vs. Kurtzman.
Activities
1. Teacher will give an extensive lecture on the issue of government-funded religious initiatives that give tax dollars to religious-based social service programs based on Case of the Month contents, paying particular attention to the potential for discrimination in employment and services.
2. Class will be assigned into five groups based on different religions: Christian, Jewish, Buddist, Wiccan and Islamic, for instance. Each group must imagine that they are members of that religion and are seeking help from social service programs delivered by members of a majority religion ? Hinduism, Baptism, Catholicism, Judaism, Protestantism, Buddhism (e.g.). They must write down the pros and cons of being forced to or feeling pressured to listen to Hindu prayers while going through drug rehabilitation, or feeling pressured to participate in discussions about adopting certain lifestyles.
3. Class must imagine that they are a teacher employed by a Catholic church that receives public funds for offering literacy programs. The teacher is fired for getting pregnant outside of marriage ? in violation of Roman Catholic religious beliefs. Class members must write letters-to-the-editor advocating one side of the issue.
