Teaching Religion in a California Classroom?

I don’t know about California Education Code, but nationally you may usually teach ABOUT religions usually “comparative religions” as a social studies unit or use religious books to teach literature. You may NOT teach religious doctrine.

I would definitely have someone in the district curriculum office look over my syllabus to be on the safe side. Since you are covering 9 religions, it should be okay. We all need a better understanding of world religions in order to be better citizens of the world and to understand what is happening in the world today.

I’m stunned that you ‘adjusted,’ i.e. changed, your course material without consulting with your administration. Whether or not you are using a book written by a teacher for teachers is irrelevant. All text books must be approved by your school district just to avoid the sort of situation you now describe.

The idea of incorporating something about the world’s religions has merit–unless you intend to use it to proselytize and promote one religion over another. Then you would indeed be in big trouble. Deservedly so.

As for wanting to cite the law, or code, even if the code supports you, it’s the school that decides, approves, what you need to cover in a particular course. The same goes for text books; the school is held liable for course content and material used.

The other answers have given you good leads for researching the codes.

Talk to your building administrator. I’m a little surprised that you can change your teaching assignment without their approval. I would search under federal education law. Try this also.