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I am both an atheist and a regular follower of the author's blog the "Friendly Atheist", so I eagerly purchased this book when I first learnt of its publication, and I was not disappointed.
In a fast moving and well written manner the book discusses the problems, and solutions to these problems, encountered by young American atheists in the public school system. These problems centre around discrimination by their religious school mates, and school officials. One telling example from the book was a pastor who asked his students to draw a picture of both a christian and an atheist. The students drew the christian as a happy and good man, while the atheist was depicted as a drinker, a smoker, and a bad person.
In response to this, and more generally, to meet like minded people and to discuss issues, atheist students are now forming atheist clubs across the USA. It would be warming to be able to say that school teachers and administrators unreservedly performed their job and duty and helped and encouraged these students to do so, but this is not the case. Atheist students were confronted with opposition and outright vilification by their teachers and their school bureaucracy. More so, from their fellow students and parents, some students received physical threats. No sign of "love thy neighbour". In response many students successfully called upon the USA constitution, which separates church from state, in a bid for equal recognition and acceptance.
In the USA, it is illegal for public schools to promote religion, and schools must deal equally with students of all and no faiths. More so, atheist clubs are legal entities, and must be granted the same rights and privileges as other student groups. Interestingly, students can legally chose to remain seated and not recite the oath of allegiance, as it refers to god.
The book concentrates on examples from the lives of the students concerned. Interwoven with this is the wider world, parents (there's and others), the media, lawyers, the school, the community, priests and pastors, and how these affected the struggle by the student's to form their own groups and participate in their school life. It is very sad to say that some parents disowned their children when their atheism was revealed. Happily, the book does conclude with a realistic and optimistic view of the future.
The book is both a summary of the situation to date, and a primer on how to form and foster an atheist group at school. It contains examples, contact details, and text that will help any student interested in pursuing this worthy goal.
If you are a student, the parent of a student, either in or not in the USA, or you work or have dealings with a school or students, or if you have an interest in human rights, then read this book.
Our child is now feeling better about the intolerant society at her high school. Life has been hard and books like this about just being different when it comes to religion are few and far between. Whether your child is set in his/her beliefs for life or not, it's important to not only TEACH tolerance to agnostics, secular humanists and atheists but also to teach them that they deserve respect and equality as well. We're hoping a much more balanced sense of life will come from this book, and that our child will not feel so alone in our small community.
This book, written by a high school teacher, explores difficulties experienced by high school students who do not believe in any god or who are wrestling with that issue. It is a very valuable guide for them, for their peers, for teachers, for parents, for school administrators, and for everyone who is willing to face this growing phenomenon among our nation's teens. It held my attention from beginning to end. I highly recommend it.
This was a fantastic, well-researched book. There are many stories about young atheists (and theists) who have strived for separation of church and state at their public school, as well as useful recommendations on what EVERYONE can do to help. I wish I had read this in high school; there is so much valuable information on what is or is not allowed in public schools (legally,) how many people try to blur the line, how to proceed if your school or government is mixing religion and politics, etc. I would strongly recommend this to everyone; it applies to atheists, theists, young people in school, older people who have graduated, etc. It has so much valuable information. Even if you are a theist, you can get a better idea for how some atheists are ostracized in schools, and the extraordinary measures they have to take for equality. An easy read that I highly recommend.
Hemant Mehta, known as the Friendly Atheist via Patheos has always been a role model to me regarding advocacy with the separation of church and state. Especially now in these times where religious groups clamor to influence America's future via legislators and children. His stories and advice are true in fact regarding events and also the law mandated by the Constitution. I hope that The Young Atheist's Survival Guide finds its way to many more whether students, teachers, administrators and parents. This is our next generation and we have a paramount responsibility to ensure they are given education that is true to fact, not dogma. Let there be a day where mankind realizes that every member's blood is the same, and nothing divides us and nothing casts one superior to the other in the universal community.
I realize now how much illegal unconstitutional religiosity was pushed upon us at my public schools. Had I known it was illegal and that there was help out there I might have done a small part to put a stop to it. I was one of the ones who didn't want to "ruffle feathers" and thought it was something I was forced to accept. Sad.
Thanks Hemant Metha for writing this. Thanks Ellery Shempp and all the activists since the 1950s who have risked torment and abuse by doing what is right.
I love the author and read his blog every day. His videos are great, but for this book I was hoping for more of a simple how-to type of guide to help a young atheist to respond to society's attacks on atheism. For example, if a bigoted person says such-and-such, a good response would be "X." He could have followed that up with more background and detail after each example, but young people need immediate suggestions on how to respond.
I sure could have used this book some 20 years ago, when I was first fumbling my way through my nascent atheism. Even so, I'm happy TYASG exists now, and pleased to report that even this not-so-young atheist still learned much in the reading of it. Highly recommended.
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This item: The Young Atheist's Survival Guide: Helping Secular Students Thrive
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