Furthering national values through religion in public school education: comparing the United States, Australia and South Africa

Abstract

Changing support, rejection or indifference to religion has shaped the relationship between government and religion in the United States, Australia and South Africa. The place of religion as moulder of national values in education has been determined by judicial interpretation in the United States, by legislature in Australia and by legislation, administration and constitutional interpretation in South Africa. These countries have faced the challenges of whether and how to permit the propagation of religious values into public education. Having a more accommodationist interpretation, Australia has well nigh furthered Christian values at public schools, which would not be allowed under the United States Constitution. South Africa has evolved its own legislative, judicial and administrative approach to addressing religion at schools from a perspective of impartiality, while aspiring to urge learners to achieve higher levels of moral judgment. The three approaches imply fundamental constitutional, political and judicial differences that allow little commonality. The varied legal mechanisms used by the three countries namely reflect differing historical and legal developments

Veranderende ondersteuning, verwerping of ongeërgdheid teenoor godsdiens het aan die verhouding tussen die regering en godsdiens in die Verenigde State, Australië en Suid-Afrika vorm gegee. Die plek van godsdiens as vormgewer aan nasionale waardes in die onderwys is bepaal deur regsvertolking in die Verenigde State, deur wetgewing in Australië en deur wetgewing, administrasie en grondwetlike vertolking in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie lande het die uitdaging getrotseer van óf en hoé die bevordering van godsdienstige waardes in openbare onderwys toegelaat moet word. Aangesien hulle ’n meer tegemoetkomende vertolking het, het Australië Christelike waardes op openbare skole bykans bevorder, iets wat nie onder die Verenigde State-Grondwet toegelaat sou word nie. Suid-Afrika het sy eie wetgewende, juridiese en administratiewe benadering tot die hantering van godsdiens op skole ontwikkel vanuit ’n perspektief van onpartydigheid, terwyl hulle daarop mik dat leerders hoër vlakke van morele oordeel moet ontwikkel. Die drie benaderinge veronderstel grondwetlike, politieke en juridiese verskille wat min in gemeen het. Die verskillende regsmeganismes wat deur die drie lande benut word, weerspieël naamlik verskillende historiese en regsgeldige ontwikkelinge