Here are some common issues that most teachers in public schools face- whether they consider themselves religious or not.  Click on the question to follow the link to the source of my paraphrased answer.  All responses come directly from the U.S. Department of Education, or sites which quote the Department of Education specifically.

Is it okay to display holiday decorations with religious symbols in the classroom?

No- religious decorations are not allowed in public school classrooms under federal law in the United States.  The Christmas tree and Hanukah menorah have been declared ‘secularized’ by the Supreme Court, but have not been specifically sanctioned for display in the public school setting.  Be very careful with this (see the next question for guidelines about using holiday symbols in lessons).  Most teachers assume that as long as they represent all the major religions, it's okay to display the symbols, but if a parent were ever to challenge them, there would be no legal backing.  I stay away from holiday symbols completely, although I used to play a game called 'Math Tree' with students on the last day of school before winter break.  It’s an evergreen drawn with little circles on it.  Each student gets a copy and writes a number within a set range I give.  Then I called out math facts; if students have the answers to the fact given, they get to color in the circle with the corresponding number.  After 20 facts are called, the person with the most circles colored wins.  I was careful to call this a MATH tree with CIRCLES, not Christmas decorations.  Because the Christmas tree has been declared secularized and I don’t call it a Christmas tree, anyway, it's technically okay.  (And, it’s a great way to get some math practice in on a day when the kids are bouncing off the walls!).

Can I teach students about Christmas and Hanukah?

Yes.  You may even display symbols of religious holidays as part of your lesson, provided you teach about multiple religious traditions and do not endorse any particular one. This can be difficult to do fairly and sensitively, especially when we have so much other content to teach as is it- that’s why so many teachers just tape some snowflakes up on the window and pretend like December is any other month.  (Those look ridiculous, by the way, when displayed on a window overlooking palm trees on an 80 degree day, so I don't hang anything :-). 

Can I wear religious symbols or clothing?

This is a gray area that is largely decided by individual states.  However, you can wear something discreet such as a necklace that indicates your faith.  This is very rocky territory and not a good place to be bold.  And it makes a lot of sense- how would you feel if everyday your child’s teacher wore t-shirts and jewelry with religious messages that you disagreed with?  

Can I share my religious views with students?

No.  And the law really isn't clear about how you can explain any religious symbols you wear.  You certainly can't bring it up, but if a child asks, you should say it’s an important part of your religion.  Some sources say it's okay to then discuss more if the child asks; others say you can’t even give a one-sentence explanation of what it symbolizes.  This makes sense, too, because children are curious and impressionable; we can’t have them being indoctrinated at every turn, especially within a public school setting.  If a child asked me about my bracelet with the fruit of the Spirit on it (which hasn’t happened so far), I would repeat the line mentioned above, and if they asked any more questions, I would direct them to ask their parents about it if they had any other questions.  Ideally, I would then contact the parents by phone and tell them their child had asked questions about what my jewelry stood for and what my reply was. 

Can I participate in a prayer group at my school?

Yes, you can participate in after-hours activities as long as it is clear that you are there as an individual and not as a school representative, and that your school is not endorsing the activity.

Can I teach about creationism, too, or just evolution?

In most school districts, the answer here is NO, and that saddens me greatly.  The majority of Americans- and the majority of people internationally, across time and culture- believe that the universe was created by a higher being of some sort, yet this concept cannot be brought up in a public school classroom.  What’s more, evolution MUST be taught- it’s not like religious holidays that we can just avoid- we HAVE to teach the origin of life if it's in our curriculum!  I have found this very, very difficult, especially since my students have asked extremely intelligent questions regarding how the world has began (the origin of the universe is not a required topic in third grade, but it is the portion that I would disagree with and unfortunately the one the kids really want to talk about.   How species have adapted and evolved is not the issue for me).   These topics keep coming up as we read fables and study both space and landforms.  Creationism can be mentioned in comparative religion classes when analyzing how religious groups believe the world began, but it can’t be presented as fact.  “Creation Science” is said not to fit the definition of basic scientific tenets and therefore should not be brought up in science classes.  When my students ask questions about creationism, I say, “I’m sorry, I would love to tell you what I believe about that, but I’m not allowed to because I'm your teacher.  You’ll have to ask your parents about it”.  Believe it or not the kids are very insistent and I have to repeat that line more than once.  That really disturbs me because I can tell the story of Passover and of how Jesus was born and the life of Mohammed, but I'm on thin ice if I tell the kids that some people believe that God created the earth and some people don’t. 

Personally I think it's important to expose children to different belief systems, just like we do with the holidays and teaching about religion, but the powers that be say we must treat science differently.  Several states are fighting this right now.  And there are some sources which say it’s okay to discuss creation science as part of an objective overview in any public school in America- but I see this as extremely dangerous territory. 

(By the way, if the concept of intelligent design seems completely irrational to you, or if you believe in it but want to know more about how to defend your beliefs, here are some websites worth checking out: scientists who believe the Bible and science can be fully integrated, answers to the question, Where's the proof for Creationism?, and explanations for specific Creationist claims.  You can find many more resources by doing a simple search engine run with the keyword 'creationism').

Why do we have a ‘moment of silence’?  Can students pray in school?

Schools can have moments of silence if they wish, but can’t encourage or discourage students to use the time to pray.  Personally I have never seen this ‘moment’ used effectively- primary students have no idea why they are standing there and it’s a complete waste of time.  Students can always pray on their own- never with teacher or administrative guidance- whenever regular conversation would be appropriate. I have taught in a school that used the moment of silence, and I talked with my kids about using the time to pray if you believe in God, or meditate (think about good things), or to repeat an affirmation to yourself, such as, "I'm going to try my best in everything I do today".

What do I do if a child writes or draws about going to synagogue or praying?

It’s fine!  Grade it based on academic content, with no penalty or award based upon the religious content.

More resources about religion in public schools:

-An easy-to-read summary with a list of rights at the end

-A more in-depth reading from the Rutherford Organization

-How America's history has been 'reinvented' in curriculum: The Gateways to Better Education article "Keep the Faith: Integrating Faith and the Public School Without Mixing Church and State" (Thank you, Virda Shirk, for sending me this link!)

-"Tolerance" with Discernment (also from The Gateways to Better Education)

-Schools and religion in the news: latest articles outlining recent lawsuits and outcomes

IN SUMMARY:  Students have more religious freedom than we as teachers do.  Our job is to make sure that all of our students feel comfortable, respected, and accepted in our classrooms.  The best and only truly legal way to express our religious beliefs in school is through the witness of how we live our lives; striving to be modest in appearance and attitude, honest and full of integrity, avoiding gossip, helping others whenever we can, showing patience and respect to our students, and sharing the joy and peace that we have found in God through a positive attitude.