Poll shows many want religious history in public school textbooks

Published: 2006-03-24

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (CNS) -- Religious history and traditions should not be kept out of public school classrooms or textbooks, according to a national poll conducted by the Sacred Heart University Polling Institute. According to results released March 7, more than 79 percent of respondents said religious traditions should be included in public school textbooks and the same percentage also said it was important to teach religious history in public schools. But some respondents indicated they were not always happy with the way their religious traditions are portrayed in textbooks. Thirty-six percent said public school textbooks frequently misrepresent their religious history. Twenty-six percent said misrepresentation does not happen or seldom occurs, and 36 percent were unsure. Among Catholics, 34 percent believe textbooks misrepresent their religion, while 35 percent of Protestants believe their faith is misrepresented.

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