Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which public school teachers perceive themselves espousing the beliefs and values which those opposed to Humanism attribute to that value perspective. The opposition to Humanism see it as a human-centered in contrast to a God-centered approach to life. ;The investigation was based on self-reported perceptions of teachers from a school system located in a northeastern metropolitan area. An instrument was constructed from a review of the writings of those opposed to Humanism. The subjects chose between conflicting beliefs and values of Humanists and anti-Humanists and then reported whether the selected beliefs and values were reflected in their teaching. The instrument was validated by a panel of three experts nationally known for their opposition to Humanism. ;The study revealed that 12% of the subjects could be classified as anti-Humanists, 20% as Humanists, and 68% as eclectic. Item analysis indicated that out of the 750 possible responses, anti-Humanist beliefs and values were chosen 346 times while Humanist beliefs and values were chosen for 363 times . The anti-Humanist beliefs and values were reported to be reflected in the subjects' teaching 165 times while the Humanist beliefs and values were reported to be reflected in the subjects' teaching 201 times . ;The study concluded that teachers indicating a world view substantially different from that of anti-Humanists were in a majority. In the areas of theology, axiology, and epistemology, and with regard to the purposes of education, those opposed to Humanism, therefore, do have a basis for their objection to the beliefs and values in the public schools, if subjects' perceptions are a reflection of the beliefs and values being taught in public schools. Additionally, those opposed to Humanism would have greater concern with secondary education since respondents in the secondary schools selected Humanist beliefs more often than respondents in elementary schools