"Jeff Strickland" <spamcatcher@yahoo.net> wrote:
:|
:|"Maverick" <justgopub...@nomail.com> wrote in message
:|news:E0T2e.2959447$Zm5.478569@news.easynews.com...
:|> ODESSA, Texas, March 30 (UPI) -- A West Texas school
:|> district is considering a Bible-based class as an elective in high
:|> school.
:|> A presentation on the proposed class received a standing
:|> ovation Tuesday at the Ector County school board meeting, the Odessa
:|> American reported.
:|> Board President Randy Rives said the board would study the
:|> proposal, but the decision may not be made anytime soon.
:|> "It would be beneath us to not ever address this again," he
:|> said. "But, we want to take our time and ask some questions."
:|> The board heard a presentation by Mike Johnson who
:|> represents the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public
:|> Schools. He said the course designed by his group is not about
:|> proselytizing or preaching.
:|> "Our course is done in a very objective fashion," he said.
:|> "We understand that you can teach the students, but not preach to
:|> them."
:|> Johnson said the course would include the Bible's impact on
:|> America's founding fathers, the geography of Middle Eastern
:|> countries and the influence of the Bible in art and culture.
:|>
:|>
:|
:|
:|An elective class would not necessarily be a bad thing.
For you side, huh?
This is nothing more than a another back door scheme to get religion back
into public schools. A back door effort to get around Abington v. Schemmp,
374 U.S. 203 (1963) just as moment of silence have been back door attempts
to get around Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962)
(1) What value does the Bible have as a text book in public schools?
It is not a valid history book, it has been shown to be be inaccurate.
(2) What is unique about Bible that would qualify it as a better text book
for language, for art, for history, and so on than other books?
(3) In todays climate, i.e. that the inmates running the asylums (far too
many government institutions, from Congress, courts legislatures down to
local school bds. are using every chance, every excuse to try and get
religion into public schools who is going to monitor what goes on in those
classes?
(4) The modern day Bible, that which we call the Bible (Old and New
testaments) serves one major function and that one major function is to
promote Christianity, now you tell me, what function does it have as a
study in public schools that a number of other books would no serve just
as well and for accuracy in some areas even better?
:|The class should
:|look at the impact of all religion on art and culture, not just Christian
:|religion's impact.
What other religions does the Bible represent?
Do the various forms of the Jewish religion use a Bible that contains What
we call a New and Old Testament? How well does the modern Bible resemble
that which is used in Jewish schools, Jewish classes, etc?
What about Moslem schools and studies. Is the Bible you are referring to
resemble that which they use to teach about their religion?
Are you beginning to understand yet why the religious right wants these
Bible classes? Silly question to ask you, you are too blinded by your own
religious right bias.
:|I think that high school students would be well served to
:|study the affect of religon on culture and tradition. This might help kids
:|understand how other people "tick."
Fine along with studying free thought movements and the effects they have
had on culture and tradition as well.
However, those pushing these programs have no intention of including such
things as free thought movements or any other religion beyond their idea of
the Christian religion.
This is what was permitted as late as the mid to late 90s
Religion in the Public Schools: A Joint Statement of Current Law
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/jnt-sta.htm
Teaching About Religion
5. Students may be taught about religion, but public schools may
not teach religion. As the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly
said, "[i]t might well be said that one's education is not complete
without a study of comparative religion, or the history of religion
and its relationship to the advancement of civilization." It would
be difficult to teach art, music, literature and most social studies
without considering religious influences.
The history of religion, comparative religion, the Bible (or other
scripture)-as-literature (either as a separate course or within
some other existing course), are all permissible public school
subjects. It is both permissible and desirable to teach objectively
about the role of religion in the history of the United States and
other countries. One can teach that the Pilgrims came to this
country with a particular religious vision, that Catholics and
others have been subject to persecution or that many of those
participating in the abolitionist, women's suffrage and civil rights
movements had religious motivations.
6. These same rules apply to the recurring controversy surrounding
theories of evolution. Schools may teach about explanations of
life on earth, including religious ones (such as "creationism"), in
comparative religion or social studies classes. In science class,
however, they may present only genuinely scientific critiques of,
or evidence for, any explanation of life on earth, but not religious
critiques (beliefs unverifiable by scientific methodology). Schools
may not refuse to teach evolutionary theory in order to avoid
giving offense to religion nor may they circumvent these rules by
labeling as science an article of religious faith. Public schools
must not teach as scientific fact or theory any religious doctrine,
including "creationism," although any genuinely scientific
evidence for or against any explanation of life may be taught.
Just as they may neither advance nor inhibit any religious
doctrine, teachers should not ridicule, for example, a student's
religious explanation for life on earth.
*********************************************************************************
You can bet your bottom dollar that it would only be a matter of time
before the above rules would be violated in most if not all of these
classes.
***************************************************************************
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
HRSepCnS · Hampton Roads SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
.
|
