Perchance

This is a question that I've been asking myself for a few days now, since the 'activism' threads started.

I'm teaching two freshman English classes at my university, as a graduate student TA; I'm also attending two classes as a student. It is a public university, so from what I understand I am technically a government employee.

I know that teachers leading prayers in a classroom violates the separation of church and state- and no one at my school has suggested doing that or done that, to my knowledge. I didn't think that there were many other issues that I had to worry about, as long as no one asked me to lead a prayer.

However, now that the activist ideas have gotten in my brain and started running around, bumping into other ideas and knocking them over, I was wondering: if I put up a sign saying "Celebrate Darwin Day!" or did something similarly activist, does that violate separation of Church and State? Are there special conditions applying to it- for example, if I did it on my own time, when I am not being paid for working, is that allowable? Are certain expressions permissible and others not so? It is just too risky for me to do anything at all?

Any help with this would be appreciated. The idea has gotten in my head and will not stop bothering me.

Thanks.

-Perchance.

tgamble

Why would it? It has nothing to do with religion.

Perchance

But if I'm a government employee, and the government is supposed to be neutral towards religion, would that mean that I am violating church and state separation by doing something that could be seen as promoting atheism?

That's what I'm asking.

-Perchance.

Toto

You should not use your position of authority as a teacher to try to indoctrinate your students with an anti-religious point of view. But I think that's the limit. You can do whatever you want on your own time.

I don't think that Darwin Day is anti-religious in any case.

Alonzo Fyfe

It depends on what you are doing.

If you are doing something that says, "atheists are right and everybody else is wrong," -- that is, you are promoting something that only an atheist can accept as true -- this may be an issue.

But, if you are saying, "Respect the first amendment" (which even people who believe in God can still accept), then your activism is neutral with respect to religion. It advances nothing.

"Atheists have rights, too" is not a religious issue -- and it does not violate the separation of church and state to say it.

Perchance

Thanks for the input, guys. I emphatically will not attempt to indoctrinate my students with my point of view; in fact, several times I've found myself arguing against my own point of view when someone brings it up in a class, simply because the entire class seems to agree with that person without thinking it through further! .

Anything I did decide to do would be outside class. I just wondered if that counted "as on my own time" or not.

-Perchance.

4th Generation Atheist

As far as signs go, the usual guideline is that you can put up what you like in your own space, provided it isn't posted in any sort of "prominent" way that could be interpreted as pressure by students visiting your office hours.

Don't use class time to discuss this issue, unless it's what you're being paid to discuss (unlikely, since you asked this question!) Your own time is your own. Attend whatever events you like as a private citizen, but don't do anything that would imply you're there as a representative of your school or government. If you have a work badge, lab coat or uniform, don't wear it during these activites, and of course don't do them "on the clock". When you sign letters, use your name, any "letters after your name", and a profession description, but not your official work title or the organization you work for. You can certainly hold positions in any private citizens' groups you wish, and if you write somewhere on their behalf, use that organization name and not your work one.

One thing that a TA is often expressly allowed to do is be a safe listening-ear for students who have their own concerns; for this purpose, arm yourself with the appropriate phone numbers for campus groups and agencies (Mental Health, Gay Support Group, CFA &c.) You sure don't want to become such a sounding board you can't do your job (which will be the primary concern in any case) so be sure to be able to refer students to the correct others.

[ September 10, 2002: Message edited by: 4th Generation Atheist ]</p>

GaryP

Perchance;

If you do it on your own time in your own place you are fine.

If there are common places on campus where signs can be posted, I would guess that is OK too.

I teach in an elementary building.

My principal is a lay Catholic leader. He is a great guy.

I asked for equal time a couple years ago with a Nativity scene display.

When all kinds of people were writing to my local paper questioning my character and intelligence
he was the only one who wrote in telling people what a wonderful person I really am.

Anyhow, he has a crucifix hanging on the wall in his office. It is over the doorway and not visible when the door is open. But kids go in there often for discipline and other reasons.

I asked AU about it and the lawyer said that he is allowed to have it in his office, but since kids go in there often it would be an interesting case.

Of course, I did not pursue it.

As a college instructor, I would think you would be much more free to put religious things in your office, because your students are adults.

Thor Q. Mada

Quite frankly teaching evolution has nothing to do with religion. At least not in Europe.It is just the best scientific theory about the development of life on earth.
Nobody on the old continent in his right mind would even think doing this would violate separation of church and state. The same for Asia by the way. This in Xian schools as well as governement sponsored schools.
This rediculous idea, of taking an old book composed by a series of backward authors presumably sitting around a campfire literally, is outrageous.

4th Generation Atheist

Since you're also a student, there's another "hat" you wear, and academic interests outside your stated vocation are almost customary. I wouldn't worry a bit.

A somewhat interesting story. While I was a TA, a student asked for a make-up quiz b/c she'd be missing one of my discussion sections for a Jewish holiday. Unfortunately, rather than ask me in person, she sent me an email. I'm notorious for not checking that often, and I was even worse then. When she heard no response, she went to my supervisor about it; she feared religious hostility of some sort. We sorted it out just in time for her to get a make-up, it came out all right, and we had a laugh. But things could have been worse---and of course I would have felt terrible if my inaction had affected her grade, whatever her reason for missing the class.

So check your email. Otherwise don't worry.