Professionally Agnostic

I've been mulling over the recent field trip to the American Museum of Natural History, where we watched the IMAX film Galapagos. In class discussions afterward, the conversation turned, of course, to evolution and eventually the religious implications. A small but vocal number of students were quite outspoken in their religious rejection of evolution - God put us here the way we are and how could evolution possibly turn monkeys into humans - the usual objections. I am also fortunate to have some very informed students who may also be religious, but have no trouble being religious and understanding evolution at the same time. They were quick to jump into the discussion and present the scientific point of view as they understand it.

My professional position on religious matters has always been agnostic - I tell students when they ask that I do not discuss my religious beliefs or lack thereof, and they can make any assumptions they wish, but I will neither confirm nor deny any particular belief. The problem is that refusal to discuss religion is always taken as evidence that you are an atheist. I often wonder if I shouldn't just come right out and tell them, but I remain silent as a matter of principle and wish my colleagues would do the same - not just the science teachers, not just the religious ones, or the agnostic ones, or the atheists, but all of them. I have heard many teachers sharing their belief in god with students. They don't proselytize per se, but talk openly of their activities with their church, their religious observances, their faith, etc. On the other hand, I've never heard a teacher discussing his/her atheism with a class. I know that most of my colleagues are silent on the subject most of the time, but wouldn't hesitate to answer if students asked. I think the answer should always be a polite "none of your business."

The only acceptable position for a public school teacher is, in my opinion, professional agnosticism - "there may be a god or gods, there may not be, but as an employee of the state I have no personal position on the matter to discuss with students." This is not a denial of one's god or religion, it is an understanding of our role as public school teachers and our obligation as such to remain neutral on religious matters.