Sectarian schools are associated with a specific faith or religion and teach academic subjects in light of faith values. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have associated sectarian schools, which differ in how they incorporate faith-based concepts into their instruction. These schools can be recognized by their names and offer courses in religious studies and foreign languages not typically found in secular schools.
A school associated with a specific faith or religion and/or integrated into life in a faith community is one of the so-called sectarian schools. Schools that do not meet this criterion are sometimes called secular schools. All public schools in the United States are secular schools, but there are also many sectarian schools.
Sectarian schools promulgate the faith tradition or a belief system with which they are associated, in addition to teaching academic subjects in light of faith values. There are three major religions in the United States that have associated sectarian schools: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
Sectarian schools can sometimes be recognized by their names. Christian schools often have a saint’s name as part of their name, although beware of schools like St. Lawrence River, named for its proximity to the St. Lawrence. Jewish schools can be called yeshivas. And Islamic schools can be called madrasahs, of which there are many English transliterations.
Sectarian schools differ in the way they incorporate faith-based concepts and values into their instruction. Christian school departments and the titles they offer courses often look a lot like a secular school when it comes to math, science, English, social studies, and a foreign language. But there is usually an extra religion department and an annual course in that area added to the usual course load. Bible study is also often provided.
Jewish schools can integrate Jewish studies with English, math, science and history, sometimes called general studies. Alternatively, they can focus entirely on Jewish studies, which includes courses focused on Talmud, Tanakh, Hebrew and Jewish history.
Islamic schools can be attached to a mosque, but this is not always the case. While non-denominational Islamic schools exist, there are also schools identified with specific Islamic sects, including traditional Sunni and Salafi, Shia or Jafari, and Sufi. Islamic sectarian schools generally offer the same subjects as secular schools, with the addition of courses in the Qur’an, Islamic studies and foreign languages not characteristically found in secular schools, for example a choice of Arabic or Persian.
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