Epimethean,
I wonder if you are 'out' to your students regarding your atheism? I'm not but I'm conflicted about it. I've just never wanted to make dealing with my lack of religion a requisite for achieving ones potential in my classroom. On the other hand I think it could help them in other ways to know.
Perhaps if I was a humanities teacher I'd go for it. I have a friend on staff who is lesbian and she runs a GSA chapter which is very popular on campus. That is a confront for some kids but I think it is very important and I support her very much. Of course sexual orientation is about who you are and one shouldn't have to hide that. Atheism, on the other hand, is about what I'm not. It is not central to who I am and requires no effort to hide .. except when I receive a direct question. Then I answer as little as possible: "we don't go to church", etc.
With staff I'm out. A jewish friend once confided how sick she got of Christmas in the winter. I told her how tiring I found it to constantly dance around the tender feelings of theists of all stripes. I tend not to push it politically but I insert it where it fits. Like I say, it isn't a special issue for me really.
How do you handle this?
I wonder if you are 'out' to your students regarding your atheism? I'm not but I'm conflicted about it. I've just never wanted to make dealing with my lack of religion a requisite for achieving ones potential in my classroom. On the other hand I think it could help them in other ways to know.
Perhaps if I was a humanities teacher I'd go for it. I have a friend on staff who is lesbian and she runs a GSA chapter which is very popular on campus. That is a confront for some kids but I think it is very important and I support her very much. Of course sexual orientation is about who you are and one shouldn't have to hide that. Atheism, on the other hand, is about what I'm not. It is not central to who I am and requires no effort to hide .. except when I receive a direct question. Then I answer as little as possible: "we don't go to church", etc.
With staff I'm out. A jewish friend once confided how sick she got of Christmas in the winter. I told her how tiring I found it to constantly dance around the tender feelings of theists of all stripes. I tend not to push it politically but I insert it where it fits. Like I say, it isn't a special issue for me really.
How do you handle this?
