As part of world culture and history. Stress how bad it is for humankind.

Religious knowledge should be as long as it includes lessons about secular humanist philosophy and its ethics.

Fuck no! Seperation between church and state much?

Children should not be taught religion. They should be taught ABOUT religions.

Absolutely religion should be taught in schools, not as an indoctrination, but as a way of teaching kids to think critically and avoid magical thought.

It can be taught to demonstrate where it's caused war and changed the course of history.

Yes the history of religion is a valid subject. The history of why societies needed a belief system that cannot be proven for comfort.

People know when they go to a magic show that they are being fooled. Most people like magic for entertainment purposes they don't believe magic is real. I think you get my point. Religion is a cult belief in magic based on Stockholm syndrome.
At this point in human development just like flat earth we have not reached the intelligence that other life on other planets may have achieved. When we find out how a particles can travel faster than the speed of light we can produce a big bang in another multiverse's thus becoming a God to that evolving universe. In essence man is God.

i think it should be talked about but not taught

Yes, but as a block course, with multiple world religions. And only postulate as theories or something...

Yes but all religions should be taught in a religion/culture class as mythology of the time and region.

I live near Swainsboro, GA, which runs public schools where, just a few years ago, a teacher tried to ostracize a 2nd grader for refusing to participate in her daily Christian prayer. When the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FRFF) sued, the district settled by paying FFRF’s attorney fees and agreeing not to permit any more teacher-led prayer (a constitutional line drawn long ago).

I just attended a wedding nearby, where a woman about my age disclosed that she used to be a Beatles fan but stopped listening to them “after they claimed that they were better than Jesus.”

Put another way, I live deep in the Bible Belt and therefore crave people who think analytically, incisively, and critically.

If only my neighbors knew about my (pen-named) pro-atheist novels on Amazon.

Anyway, the BEST way to teach about religion (and teaching about the fact that it exists is fine) is to first educate about the mind’s "emotional circuit."

You know. That part of the mind that welcomes the sort of magical thinking that vigs up tribalism (us and them-ism), as manifested in the act of rooting for sports teams, joining clubs, and creating "them" verus "us."

Religion simply primes that emotional circuit, narrowing one's focus so that all "non-believers" get "left behind," while "we" feel special getting to heaven ahead of those. The "we” note is repeatedly tapped, and young minds are molded by it, because that’s the core emotional dynamic driving tribalism and fantasism, of which religion is a subset.

Once this simple explanation sinks in, schools should then teach the history of religion, showing how many thousands were created over time, and how Christianity, for example, plagiarized many a predecessor.

By that point at least SOME of the students will figure out that religion was started when the first con man met his first victim, then spend the rest of his/her life laughing at the bullfuckery daily spouted by Reverend Billy Bob while he accepts 10% his suckers' paychecks.

I observed my son attended a lot to Church. I was Divorced already. I never questioned his mother why so much... the Truth and Reason... Because that was where all the Girls were and him and his buddy will always be invited to the coolest girls birthday parties for that reason... Warmed my heart to know my son attended church on a Mission. I don't mind the exposure as part of a rounded education. The strong mind will not be brainwashed. I don't mind the offering for the sake of a Full Formation. Even if later in life will be considered a waste of time... Can help in the formation of a Good Citizen. My Humble Opinion.

All diverse faiths should be taught to give children the understanding of what religion means.

I studied religions in 10th grade English class and thought it was a good introduction to it but they didn’t teach me about the history of the religions. No adult taught me about the genocides done in the name of different religions.
If I had been taught all the killing it is still doing today I would have been atheist younger.

Only if the teach all religions

Depends. The history and politics of religion, certainly. But the Bible, et. al.

Yes, but only in the context of history and sociology and teach them all by highlighting the differences in the different religions.

As part a of history and culture, I believe so, but this should include all religions.

Things such as religious dogma, intelligent design or biblical history as being factual and accurate, no. Religion should never be enforced or pushed on students in any way and should remain completely secular. I went to High School in the 90's and had more than one teacher impose their religious beliefs on me. I wasn't very happy about it.

Private religious schools are a different issue.

In theory, absolutely. But all religions and the history. In practice, my guess is that in many parts of the US, it will degenerate into trying to focus on preaching one religion.

I have no problem with religion being taught from a historical perspective, including how various religions have been (and continue to be) drivers of history, both positively and negatively. What should not happen is any sort of indoctrination regarding the tenents of a particular religious view.

Only if they are taught about ALL religions.

no religion in specific but the concepts, world image of all religions should be shown to children then at least they may have a better understanding about how this world works

I believe all religions should be taught about in school, religion has played a large role in human history. I don't care for Christianity, but I do see the value of teaching about the religion.

NO