American Schools vs. Melting Pot
English 15 Section 008 Argument paper American Schools vs. Melting Pot In the American schools today one may walk down a hallway and be able to see numerous students from many diverse backgrounds. It some schools these ethnicities might have formed into clicks according to their country or religion, while in other schools the children may freely interact and befriend each other no matter what race or creed. While some schools freely allow children to outwardly display their nationality in the form of flags, posters, clubs, crosses etc, there are many schools that forbid display of student’s religion or nationalism. This rule affects a student’s freedom of speech, which in turn affects this melting pot of cultures that America has come to become. In the American constitution, the first amendment states that all men and women are endowed with the freedom of speech. It also in part says that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" (Establishment Clause) "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" (Free Exercise Clause) (McCarthy 2). According to the government public schools can neither force upon or takeaway the students right to practice religion in school. This includes religious organizations and clubs as well as wearing crosses and traditional religious garments. Martha McCarthy a Chancellor's Professor and chair of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the University of Indiana believes that Church-state disputes involving schools often divide communities, and there are no signs of these controversies dissipating in the near future.” Schools all over the country are becoming more divided over religion and nationality. Teachers are not even allowed to teach their students the different views of the word. A high school in Minnesota was prohibited from teaching their science classes the catholic view how the world came to life even though it was just for information purposes. These restrictions can leave students