Sacred Music in Public Schools: A Historical Consideration of Policy and Practice

A variety of recommendations for teachers, administrators, policy makers, and other stakeholders were offered. The essence of these recommendations follows: (1) Students should have the right (and know they have the right) to participate or to decline to participate when they or their parents feel that a particular activity violates their freedoms of religion or religious beliefs. (2) The music selected for use in public school classrooms must support musical learning objectives. To the greatest extent possible, music should be chosen objectively, for its educational merit, not for its religious significance. (3) Religious music should be presented in an objective way. Teachers can accomplish this by describing the historical, cultural, or musical significance of a work. (4) Selection and presentation of sacred music should be balanced. Selection should not favor (i.e. advance nor inhibit) any religion. Presentation of religious music should be further balanced by inclusion of secular music where appropriate.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Music

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Plummer, Amanda Kathleen

Contributors dc:contributor

• Eve Harwood

• Education, Religious

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3086160

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/85714