Board Grows Cool to Religion Guidelines

Simi Valley school officials have backed away from issuing a resolution to clarify what teachers can say about religion in the classroom, saying they see no need for the guidelines.

The Rev. Norman Walker, a trustee on the Simi Valley Unified School District board, had proposed that the district adopt a resolution specifying that teachers can discuss religion during regular lessons.

But other board members said in a meeting Tuesday night that the issue is already addressed in the California Education Code.

The proposed resolution brought no new principles to the district and was based on existing law, court cases and the U.S. Constitution, Deputy Supt. Susan Parks said.

Some parents urged the district to approve the measure.

“We cannot continue to produce generations born into despair,” said Gary Morrison. “Our children need to learn what motivated the men in our history, most of whom believed there is a power in the universe greater than ours.”

But Michael Shapiro, an Ojai resident and member of the board of directors of the American Jewish Congress, told the board that the Constitution already allows discussions of religion in schools.

“Busy public school officials are perhaps not as fully aware [of the Constitution] as they should be,” he said.

Teachers already instruct students about religion in Simi Valley schools, often using texts as guides for appropriate material, district officials said.

The board decided to study and revise the resolution for discussion at a future meeting.