Defending Religious Diversity in Public Schools: A Practical Guide for Building Our Democracy and Deepening Our Education

(Hardback)

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Description

This volume shows how and why our public schools should prepare to understand and deal with religious diversity in the United States and the world. Defending Religious Diversity in Public Schools: A Practical Guide for Building Our Democracy and Deepening Our Education makes a powerful case for exposing students to the multiplicity of faiths practiced in the United States and around the worldthen offers a range of practical solutions for promoting religious understanding and tolerance in the school environment. Nathan Kollar's timely volume centers on the common issues associated with respecting religion in people's lives, including religious identities, the religious rights of students, bullying and other acts of intolerance, and legal perspectives on what should and should not happen in the classroom. It then focuses on the skills teachers, counselors, and administrators need to master to address those issues, including forming an advocacy coalition, listening, cultural analysis, conflict resolution, institutional development, choosing a leader, and keeping up to date with all the latest research developments from both the legal and educational communities.

Reviews

A carefully considered approach will contribute to the creation of an educated, pluralistic population where individuals are attentive, respectful, and hospitable to everyone, regardless of individuals' religious practices, and will help students develop the skills to listen to those who differ religiously from themselves. Kollar offers teachers, counselors, administrators, parents and other interested citizens a discussion of the issues and suggests a number of practical solutions for promoting religious understanding and tolerance in the school environment. * Reference & Research Book News *

Author Bio

Nathan R. Kollar is professor emeritus of religious studies at St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY, adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Education, University of Rochester, NY, and cofounder and chair of the Board of the Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue at Nazareth College, Rochester, NY.