Rabbi: How Should Public Schools Teach Religion?

Rabbi Zalman Marcus of the Chabad Jewish Center in Mission Viejo recently shared the following:

"I really do believe in exposing the children of the public schools to the various religions and giving them real time to not just study (religion), but be able to reflect on it themselves.

"So who is teaching this in school? Someone who knows nothing about the religion, reading from a book that knows nothing about the religion and the children walk away with a very flat impression of what that religion is. Bring people in who are immersed in the religion and children will go, 'Ah, this thing has a realness to it.'

"But not in a prosthelytizing way—we're not trying to make people into a specific religion. We're trying to give them a broader perspective on respect, not jumping to conclusions, but being open. Realizing the similarities we have, the differences, the nuances. It just gives (children) a better approach to life. Usually we try to instill in children a great appreciation for our religion and our way of life and for our country—we want them to be Americans, to be whatever religion. But by talking about religion that way they can say, 'Don't judge people, let's try to learn more.'

"That gives (children) perspective on all of life. Don't judge things by their cover, by Wikipedia, by what you're going to read on the Internet. Keep an open mind and engage people. Don't say, 'I know everything about Muslims.' Until you sit down and really talk to people, you don't really know them. You know a little bit, but not very much."

"The public school's job is to—is it there to inspire children? Is it intended to give them opportunities? What is it there to do? Or is it to produce a specific type of person (which is unfortunately what I think the school system is)?"

If your local religious leader would like to be featured on Mission Viejo Patch, contact Editor Pete Schelden: peter.schelden@patch.com.