You have a standard practice of displaying all student work in your classroom. Recently, you assigned students to write any word assignment and submit a pictorial depiction on the person they considered to be their hero. One of your students submitted a word assignment on Jesus and a drawing of the Last Supper.
Write a 500 word in which you discuss:
Any legal issues regarding the grading of your student’s word assignment and whether you could display the student’s work.
How does the First Amendment apply to this situation?
Include at least five references. At least three of the five references should cite U.S. Supreme Court cases.
Sample Answer
In this scenario, displaying the student's work on Jesus and the Last Supper presents potential legal issues rooted in the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Grading the assignment, however, is unlikely to raise legal concerns as long as the evaluation is based on academic criteria and not the religious content itself.
Legal Issues and the First Amendment
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." This creates a dual protection: the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. In a public school setting, the Establishment Clause is the primary concern when displaying religious content. The core issue is whether the school's action could be interpreted as endorsing or promoting a particular religion.