Job Discussion Forums

[Trinley]

Sometimes I see ads for ESL teachers in Christian schools. I'm looking at an ad right now in Asheville, North Carolina, where I am moving next week. They want a full time 'English and Foreign Language Teacher'. I teach English and French, and the school is a 20 minute walk from my house! It would be perfect, but they said they want a teacher 'with a heart for ministry'. I wouldn't mind working in a Christian Academy, but I'm not a Christian. Do they have any right to ask my religion or to hire teachers based on their personal faith?

I don't see why a language teacher's religion matters anyway. It doesn't pertain to the teaching material at all.

[Mr. Kalgukshi]

Postings must be on topic.

As a reminder, the following is found in the JOB DISCUSSION FORUMS RULES OF CONDUCT at the top of this forum:

"This is also not a forum for the discussion of general philosophical or religious topics. Such threads and postings are not permitted and will be removed."

[spiral78]

If it's a private, Christian academy, not funded by public monies, I believe they can require someone who is openly in line with their core values, which in this case are obvious....

I interviewed for a position in a Ba'hai school once. They weren't requiring a teacher who shared their faith, but definitly one who was at least sympathetic to it.

Mimi's right - the pay was also very low, and I believe this is common at privately-funded religiously based schools in general.

[mimi_intheworld]

In addition, the pay scale will likely be lower to far lower than you might earn teaching in a public school. I speak from personal knowledge.

That said, the job market in the US is tight, so I guess you go where you can.

Yes, they do have the right to ask you about your religion, being that they are a privately-funded religious institution.

[fladude]

Congress shall make no law....

Yep as long as they don't take government money, they can tell you to take a hike unless you pray to the god or goddess of their choice. While that's not the rule for most businesses, churches, religious schools, religious ran hospitals and that sort of thing can require all employees to belong to and express the core values of its religion.

[Trinley]

Well, darn.

[1st Sgt Welsh]

I've seen some Christian school advertisements that go so far as to request a reference or the contact details of your current priest/minister; presumably so they can check that you are active in your church and attend services regularly etc.

Officially I am a Roman Catholic as I have been baptised and confirmed. Although I have been non-practicising for a number of years [and actually non-believing as well] I would personally have no moral qualms about working at a religious school or ticking a box on an employment application form stating that my religious affiliation is "Christian." Ditto if I was applying for a visa to work in a country like Saudi Arabia, where I've heard (don't know if it is true), that you need to be a "person of the Book" if you want to teach there. If I got quizzed further I would probably just say that my religious beliefs are a private matter between God and myself and try and change the subject. Doubt that would work though

Anyway if I was working at a Christian school I would be respectful during school prayers (bow my head, kneel, recite the prayers etc), teach my subject area to the best of my ability and try and keep my own personal religious beliefs to myself. However, I would draw the line at 'witnessing' to students, leading prayers, doing Bible Camps etc. But, as others have said, religious schools are private institutions so they have a lot of flexibility to operate and employ as they see fit. If you are not totally 'on board' with the religious aspects of a school than I guess the thing to do would be to find out exactly what would be expected of you prior to taking the job and, if this makes you too uncomfortable, look for a position elsewhere.

[wangdaning]

Religion as well as race are protected under equal employment laws. They can ask and use it to exclude you (if you wont answer them they will know you are not a Christian), but they cannot admit that is why they did it.

It is not a law related to federal funding. It is the law.

[Kiwi303]

[wangdaning]

[Kiwi303]

[Kiwi303]

I think this thread could get quite interesting, but it also has a lot of potential to head off on sidetracks and end up in mod-nuke topics of philosophical or religious areas.

Lets try and keep this focussed on legalities. Stay off philosophical areas (does god exist) or religious areas (my god is bigger than your god) but rather stay firmly on the on the legal ramifications (can they REALLY do this legally?)

[wangdaning]

I definitely do not want to take this into a philosophical arena, I am simply saying that until the Supreme Court invalidates it this is the law, under the constitution.

[johnslat]

"The commonly used phrase, �Title VII,� refers to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

"In addition to the threshold limitation of 15 employees, Congress enacted several other provisions that prevent blanket application of Title VII. Two of these exceptions benefit religious institutions. The first, Section 703, permits discrimination in hiring when the nature of a particular job is such that the employer legitimately requires a person of a particular religion. If a �bona fide occupational requirement� of a position includes certain religious beliefs, an employer can refuse to hire anyone other than a person who holds the required beliefs (42 U.S.C. �2000e - 2(e)).
The second exception, Section 702, creates a blanket exception for religious organizations. Specifically, Section 702 states that:
This subchapter shall not apply to . . . a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society with respect to the employment of individuals of a particular religion to perform work connected with the carrying on by such corporation, association, educational institution, or society of its activities (42 U.S.C. �2000e - 1(a)).
This language protects the ability of a religious organization to hire employees who are members of its religious organization or who share its beliefs. This exception has been considered and upheld by a unanimous vote of the U. S. Supreme Court in Corporation of Presiding Bishop v. Amos 483 U.S.327 (1987).
In this case, the Supreme Court held that Section 702 gives religious organizations the right to make employment decisions based on religious criteria for all of their employees (including administrative staff). According to the Court, Section 702 permits religious discrimination even if the particular job is not strictly �religious� in nature. That is, Section 702 gives a church or religious school the right to use religious criteria in making hiring and employment decisions for every position in the church or school from the pastor to hourly support workers. Congress designed Section 702 in this manner to prevent courts from getting into the thorny question of what is a religious activity and what is not. In Amos, the Supreme Court recognized this goal of Congress."

http://www.acsi.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=WCfyo0TmkXk%3D&tabid=585&language=en-US

Regards,
John

[wangdaning]

Point taken.