Christian Teachers in Public Schools : A Guide for Teachers, Administrators, and Parents - Softcover

Stronks, Julia K.; Stronks, Gloria Goris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0801058449 ISBN 13: 9780801058448

Publisher: Baker Books, 1999

Synopsis

A guide for Christians teaching in public schools to (1) bring their faith to bear on their work and (2) understand the legal issues governing religion and public schools.

About this title

About the Author:

Julia K. Stronks is a practicing attorney and assistant professor of political and international studies at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington. Gloria Goris Stronks is a scholar in residence at Whitworth University and the author of several books. She previously served as professor of education at Calvin University.

Review:

Christian Teachers in Public Schools does an outstanding job of addressing the key issues confronting Christian teachers and administrators in public schools. This thoughtful and practical book makes it clear that it is possible for Christian teachers to be faithful while upholding the religious-liberty principles of the First Amendment -- Charles Haynes, senior scholar, Religious Freedom Programs, Freedom Forum First Amendment Center

As our society continues to struggle with the role of religion in professional and public life, school teachers work every day on moral and ethical frontiers. Christian Teachers in Public Schools is an engaging, thoughtful, helpful, and very well written guide. It is a welcome gift for teachers who seek responsible ways of living with personal integrity in a pluralistic world and administrators and supervisors who must assess behavior and build policy within complex legal statutes -- Sharon Daloz Parks, coauthor, Common Fire: Leading Lives of Commitment in a Complex World

Christian teachers who have felt intimidated by court rulings against religious expression or silenced by cultures ambivalence toward moral absolutes will find encouraging options in this book. Making legal language accessible and approachable, the authors unpack thorny litigation issues and challenge the assumption that our faith must always be marginalized in the classroom. With increasing demands for the privatization of faith, teachers will find Christian Teachers in Public Schools to be informative, engaging, and inspirational reading -- Ruth Givens, Ed.D., assistant professor of education, Wheaton College

Gloria and Julia Stronks have authored a book I wish I would have written. On behalf of the estimated 650,000 Christian teachers in public schools, I would classify it as a "second Bible." A well-written resource and guide to living out one's faith legally and appropriately in the field of public education. A Christian educator "must read" book -- Forrest L. Turpen, executive director, Christian Educators Association International

This book is exactly what I and many of my students--faithful Christians who are future teachers and principals in public schools--have needed. The combination of legal and educational counsel, offered in an unapologetic way but without any public school bashing, will prove extremely useful. Christian teachers need encouragement to be faithful witnesses (just as some other teachers, consciously or unconsciously, communicate to their students that faith is unimportant) without taking unfair advantage of their public trust; this book will help many to follow that difficult and demanding path. As soon as you can get it into print, I plan to use Christian Teachers in Public Schools as the basis for a discussion group on our very secular campus -- Charles Glenn, professor and chairman of educational policy, Boston University

About this edition

• Publisher: Baker Books
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0801058449
• ISBN 13: 9780801058448
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 190