Christianity in American Public Schools

Christianity in American public schools has probably been around longer than the secular schools we’re all used to. The information below is largely a summary in my own words from “What God Hath Wrought: The Transformation of America 1815-1848.” I am not using the word “Christian Nation” in fear of attracting Christian web site zombies, but that’s where the interest lies. This is one of those places where there Christian argument could be made…. but almost never is.

In the 18th century, a child’s education was largely left up to the family. Reading, however, was important in order to read the Bible. In that light, Sunday Schools were actually schools in many locations – children were taught to read one day a week (but not always to write). In New England, even in the 18th century, literacy rates of over 90% were higher than almost anywhere in Europe. On the frontier, it might only be 60-70%, but that too would be close to European literacy rates.

In the early 19th century, the educational reformer Horace Mann attempted to create “common” schools. He could make these schools cheaply by using female teachers which did not get paid what male teachers were paid. These schools all taught some form of morals and Christian behavior. That was expected. Eventually it was decided that the religious ideas to be taught in schools would be only be the ones most Protestant religions preached.

However, as the Catholic-Irish immigration increased dramatically in the 1830’s and 40’s, the type of Christianity to be taught in mostly free schools became an awkward legal issue. This finally came to a head in New York under Governor Seward. The state courts ruled that actually NO religion should be taught in schools.

That case was not a landmark case. It was addressed only in the state of New York. However, the message was loud and clear. If you start complaining about the TYPE of religion being taught in schools, you will eventually lose the ability to teach religion at all. Therefore states continued to teach largely Protestant values well into the late 19th and early 20th centuries – trying to dodge lawsuits. Catholics would eventually aid their cause by creating their own schools.

It was the 20th century that made the appropriate changes we’re all used to. But for over 200 years, it was common and expected to receive Christian thought into your early education.