I think some folks think that Christians want religion taught in public schools. Now, I for one, do NOT. However, I think that the school ought to respect the child's right to hold whatever beliefs s/he holds, including but not limited to Christian beliefs.
That is, if a Wiccan child wants to thank her Goddess for her academic success, she ought to be able to do so. If a pagan child wants to wear a pentagram to school, s/he ought to be able to do so. If a kid taking science class is asked a question about the origin of life, and he naively answers that God created man, rather than the stock answer that man evolved from the same ancestor as apes, then s/he ought not to get points taken away from him/her for simply answering what s/he believes to be the truth. Let the teacher take him/her aside and quietly explain that, for the purposes of this class, at least, man evolved, and leave it at that...no debating with the kid or making him/her feel stupid for his/her belief.
It is not necessary to teach Christianity or any other religion to America's kids...that is what church is for.
However, the school system does need to respect each child's religion.
Do you agree?
Why or why not??
Nate, Math is something that can be proven.
The science of evolution is a bit different.
Think of it this way.
When I was a kid in school, we learned about the solar system. We were taught about the nine planets...Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.
If you were asked to name the planets on an exam, you had better name Pluto, or you got points off.
Now, however, we see that those kids were quite correct...Pluto, it seems, is not a planet after all.
Should they sue their former teachers for "mental anguish"?
Now, you think that there are "tons of evidence" for evolution.
Guess what? Back 30 years ago, there were "tons of evidence" that Pluto was a planet. Nobody ever expected that would change...but it did.
What might change tomorrow??
Bookmarks