The Voice of the Religion Education Teacher in the Context of Religious Diversity Janet Jarvis Abstract In the domain of Religion Education the voice of the Religion Education (RE) teacher is crucial. This voice can either entrench religious discrimination or promote religious tolerance and dialogue. The findings of a recent empirical research project in selected KwaZulu-Natal primary schools provided evidence that the RE teacher’s understanding of religious freedom is influenced by his/her biography and school context. This understanding finds expression in the RE teacher’s voice which can choose to act in a way which is emancipatory and transformatory or not. It is important that a dialogical space is created for RE teacher’s concerns to be voiced and heard. Keywords: Religion Education, voice, religious freedom, agency and structure, transformation.
Introduction South African teachers find themselves in religiously diverse classroom contexts. Inclusivity in a school context of religious diversity underpins the country’s Religion and Education Policy (2003) which is informed by, and supportive of, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (CRSA) (1996). Legislators have made the assumption that teachers will unproblematically adopt a multi religious approach to Religion Education (RE). The findings of a recent empirical study (Jarvis 2008) demonstrated that this is not the case as teaching RE in religiously diverse contexts can be complex. The teacher’s understanding of religious freedom needs to be taken
Alternation Special Edition 3 (2009) 138 - 156 ISSN 1023-1757
138