Declaration of Independence Banned at Cali School because of references to God

[Macfistowannabe]

That's a good point. There's a lot of pushing going on either way. I don't think you can entirely kick God out of schools, or that you can entirely bring God into schools. For example, we aren't supposed to have prayer in schools. Yet, I say a prayer before every test I take, and ask for God's guidance. It's up to humanity to stop the pushing and shoving, but I can't say that's much of a possibility.

 

[Irvine511]

I would doubt that the teachers in this forum would consider the matter of selective curriculum review as "frivolous".

you missed my ironic point -- the "frivolous" lawsuits reference was not to the case at hand, but to the phrase so often repeated by right wing pundits who deamonize trial lawyers.

 

[martha]

Many of you have jumped on this bandwagon. I teach fifth grade in California, and no where in the state content standards can you find any justification whatsoever for including W's National Day of Prayer Proclamation. The content standards include extensive discussion of the role of religion in American History.

It will be interesting to hear the principal's side of the story.

 

[martha]

Here they are:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/hstgrade5.asp

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I read it, yes W's prayer proclamation may very well be a political and divisive issue... but The Declaration of Independence? We'd be taking punches from Britain for much longer had this never been written. We might as well burn every hotel down that has a Bible in it too.

 

[pax]

5.5 Students explain the causes of the American Revolution.

Understand how political, religious, and economic ideas and interests brought about the Revolution (e.g., resistance to imperial policy, the Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, taxes on tea, Coercive Acts).
Know the significance of the first and second Continental Congresses and of the Committees of Correspondence.
Understand the people and events associated with the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence and the document's significance, including the key political concepts it embodies, the origins of those concepts, and its role in severing ties with Great Britain.
Describe the views, lives, and impact of key individuals during this period (e.g., King George III, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams).

Hmmmmm. Maybe people are a wee bit paranoid?

 

[martha]

but The Declaration of Independence? We'd be taking punches from Britain for much longer had this never been written. We might as well burn every hotel down that has a Bible in it too.

Hotels are not public education.


And we still don't know the context of the use of the Declaration. And yes, the context does matter. If the teacher used isolated quotes to make his Christian point, then there is a problem.

 

[nbcrusader]

Hotels are not public education.


And we still don't know the context of the use of the Declaration. And yes, the context does matter. If the teacher used isolated quotes to make his Christian point, then there is a problem.

He can't use isolated quotes to make a Christian point and the document does not refer to Jesus Christ.

This is administrative paranoia to the extreme.

 

[martha]

This is administrative paranoia to the extreme.

Possibly. But the only version of the story we have is the lawsuit. We both know that the statements in lawsuits may be quite exaggerated. I'm going to wait until I hear the other side.

I'm sure you see that point.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I can't wait to hear what the principle has to say.

 

[Irvine511]

martha, you rule. your 5th graders are very lucky.

 

[nbcrusader]

Possibly. But the only version of the story we have is the lawsuit. We both know that the statements in lawsuits may be quite exaggerated. I'm going to wait until I hear the other side.

I'm sure you see that point.

You are correct, we should wait to hear both sides of the story.





If we did that consistently, however, FYM would be a very quiet place.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I'd be happy to hear what the principle has to say, I just don't expect to hear anything brilliant.

 

[martha]

If we did that consistently, however, FYM would be a very quiet place.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

That's right, the mods would shut this place down if we thought of it like a communist country, no free speech.

 

[Blacksword]

You know what the biggest irony is? Separation of church and state is a Christian concept, derived from St. Augustine's City of God. The notion of there being separate realms of secular and religious did not exist until the Christian era.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I wouldn't consider it that ironic, the founding fathers were persecuted for religious excuses.