Adopted: MSBA/MASA Model
Policy 609
Revised: Rev. 2022
609 RELIGION
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of
this policy is to identify the status of religion as it pertains to the
programs of the school district.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
A. The school district shall neither
promote nor disparage any religious belief or nonbelief. Instead, the school district encourages all
students and employees to have appreciation for and tolerance of each other’s
views.
B. The school district also recognizes that
religion has had and is having a significant role in the social, cultural,
political, and historical development of civilization.
C. The school district recognizes that one
of its educational objectives is to increase its students’ knowledge and
appreciation of music, art, drama, and literature which may have had a
religious basis or origin as well as a secular importance.
D. The school district supports the
inclusion of religious music, art, drama, and literature
in the curriculum and in school activities provided it is intrinsic to the
learning experience and is presented in an objective manner without sectarian
indoctrination.
E. The historical and contemporary values
and the origin of various religions, holidays, customs, and beliefs may be
explained in an unbiased and nonsectarian manner.
III. RESPONSIBILITY
A. The superintendent shall be responsible
for ensuring that the study of religious materials, customs, beliefs, and
holidays in the school district is in keeping with the following guidelines:
1. The proposed activity must have a
secular purpose.
2. The primary objective of the activity
must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion.
3. The activity must not foster excessive
governmental relationships with religion.
4. Notwithstanding the foregoing
guidelines, reasonable efforts must be made to accommodate any student who
wishes to be excused from a curricular activity for a religious observance. The school district must provide annual notice
to parents of this policy.
B. The superintendent is granted authority
to develop and present for school board review and approval directives and
guidelines for the purpose of providing further guidance relative to the
teaching of materials related to religion.
Approved directives and guidelines shall be attached as an addendum to
this policy.
Legal References:
Good News Club v.
Tangipahoa Parish
Bd. of Educ. v. Freiler, 530
Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S.602, 91 S.Ct. 2105, 29 L.Ed.2d 745 (1971)
Child Evangelism Fellowship v. Minneapolis
Special Sch. Dist. No. 1, 690 F.3d 996 (8th Cir. 2012)
Wigg v.
Doe v. School
Dist. of City of
Stark v.
Independent Sch. Dist. No. 640, 123 F.3d 1068 (8th Cir. 1997)
Florey v.
Roark v. South
Iron R-1 Sch. Dist., 573 F.3d 556 (8th Cir. 2009)
Child Evangelism
Fellowship v. Elk River Area Sch. Dist. No. 728, 599 F.Supp.2d 1136
(D. Minn. 2009)
LeVake v. Independent
Sch. Dist. No. 656,
625 N.W.2d 502 (
Minn. Op. Atty.
Gen. 169-J (Feb. 14, 1968)
Minn. Op. Atty.
Gen. 169-K (Oct. 21, 1949)
Minn. Op. Atty.
Gen. 63 (1940)
Minn. Op. Atty.
Gen. 120 (1924)
Minn. Op. Atty.
Gen. 121 (1924)
Cross References: MSBA/MASA
Model Policy 801 (Equal Access to School Facilities)