Originally Posted by AdvisorGuy

If public school is to cater to the public then fine, offer the class because religious and non-religious people make up the "public". I don't think it should be a mandatory part of the curriculum but as an option for those that want their children to attend it. The only problem I foresee with it is that it opens up a whole other can of worms. The "public" in our society is also made up of muslim,christian,hindus,buddhists,etc, that have beliefs as well. Does that mean the public school must cater to all those beliefs as well ? Is it public domain to teach/preach to religious beliefs or is that better handled in "Sunday School" ?

I'm the son of non-practicing muslims (Soviet Georgian) and I went to a catholic high school. "Religion" was a mandatory class all 4 years therefore I had to take it. My mother and my brother (who paid the tuition), knew I'd be taking those "religion" classes as did I, but since it was the best high school in the area, I attended the school and those classes. Granted we weren't religious to begin with but if taking classes about another religion were at issue, there was a choice of other schools in the area....