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Teaching Christianity in the Public Schools...

-Carlos-

-Carlos-

New Member
I heard the the other day on CNN that Texas has allow for public schools to teach Chrstianity. What are your feeling about that?
 
AquaBlue said:
I heard the the other day on CNN that Texas has allow for public schools to teach Chrstianity. What are your feeling about that?
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My feelings are that if you're going to start a thread like this that you actually participate and not play the victim card.

Now, that being said, it all depends on what they mean by "teaching Christianity". If I recall correctly, in world history we learned about Christianity and Judaism and Islam too so if it's in that context, I have no hard spot with it. Also, I can't help but feel that the whole story isn't being told.
 
I wonder how 'they' will construct the curricula for such a class. There are so many flavors within the Christian faith, it would be difficult to teach much more than basic beliefs. Just as with any other course, parents will need to pay attention and be ready to discuss their own beliefs and values with their kids. This course cannot replace good parenting practices.
 
Does someone have a link to a reputable news source, so those of us not in Texas can find out what it's about?
 
As long as it's in Social Studies or English, and it is indeed kept objective, why not? I don't think anyone would deny that the Bible is an important work of literature, and I've often gotten the impression that Americans don't learn much about different religions in school and only know their own brand very well, so any attempt to give a more fully-rounded view sounds like a good idea.

Though the fact that it's only the Bible that's being taught, and that most of the previous classes have been found wanting in objectivity, sounds a bit iffy...
 
sparkchaser said:
My feelings are that if you're going to start a thread like this that you actually participate and not play the victim card.

Now, that being said, it all depends on what they mean by "teaching Christianity". If I recall correctly, in world history we learned about Christianity and Judaism and Islam too so if it's in that context, I have no hard spot with it. Also, I can't help but feel that the whole story isn't being told.
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Okay spark. I feel (strongly) that they are going to teach a certain faith in the pulic classroom that they should (must) make room for other religions and philisophies like athiestism (sp?). That way the pupil has many options to choose from. I would chooce all the subjects myself.

It's totally wrong to just have one religion taugh in the Texas (or any other public school that is considering this option) schools.

spark: the other desaster (for me) will not happen again. Not the way I phrased the opening post. No personal opinion.
 
beer good said:
Does someone have a link to a reputable news source, so those of us not in Texas can find out what it's about?
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I heard on the TV- CNN broadcast. There were to panalist debating both sides of the issue. Trust me beer this subject is genuine...believe it or not.
 
beer good said:
As long as it's in Social Studies or English, and it is indeed kept objective, why not? I don't think anyone would deny that the Bible is an important work of literature, and I've often gotten the impression that Americans don't learn much about different religions in school and only know their own brand very well, so any attempt to give a more fully-rounded view sounds like a good idea.

Though the fact that it's only the Bible that's being taught, and that most of the previous classes have been found wanting in objectivity, sounds a bit iffy...
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That's very true beer. If the bible is going to be taught as a work of lit, then that'll fine with me as long as other like books are taught as well like the Koran (sp?). But in this case it is Christianity that is being taught. That's not a good thing is it is only one religion and not many.
 
AquaBlue said:
Okay spark. I feel (strongly) that they are going to teach a certain faith in the pulic classroom that they should (must) make room for other religions and philisophies like athiestism (sp?). That way the pupil has many options to choose from. I would chooce all the subjects myself.

It's totally wrong to just have one religion taugh in the Texas (or any other public school that is considering this option) schools.
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For the last 30+ years, many evangelical Christians have felt beaten up by the public school system. In many schools, the modern interpretation of 'separation of church and state' has made teachers and prinicples fearful of any mention of Christianity at all..to the point of making policies(written or unwritten) that forbids students and faculty from reading the Bible on their own time on school grounds. I can remember teachers telling students they should not be reading their Bibles during recess or lunch break.
I personally would be leery of a public school class teaching a course in Christianity to my kids. Are they meaning to teach doctrine? If so, which doctrinal statement do they mean to teach by? Are they planning to teach Church History? How would that be slanted? If my kids were in the local public school, I would want to have my finger on what is actually being taught. There are so many good books available that I find acceptable, it just makes sense to me for us to cover this at home.
Texas has a large number of home schooling families and I wonder if this is not an attempt to lur them back to the public school fold. Will be interesting to watch.
 
Impartial comparative religion has a place in the class room, a bias towards one religion over all others does not. You can teach religion as a subject, much like history, without turning the classroom into a church.
 
Litany said:
Impartial comparative religion has a place in the class room, a bias towards one religion over all others does not. You can teach religion as a subject, much like history, without turning the classroom into a church.
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Exactly.
 
Litany said:
Impartial comparative religion has a place in the class room, a bias towards one religion over all others does not. You can teach religion as a subject, much like history, without turning the classroom into a church.
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When I started high school, I was given a booklet with all kinds of courses offered, including comparative religion. What a joke...Like creative writing and numerous other interesting courses, there was no such class in real life. Whoever wrote the booklet was the only one who'd had a creative writing course at dear old Wichita High School South:rolleyes:
 
Litany said:
Impartial comparative religion has a place in the class room, a bias towards one religion over all others does not. You can teach religion as a subject, much like history, without turning the classroom into a church.
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Bingo!
 
Litany said:
Impartial comparative religion has a place in the class room, a bias towards one religion over all others does not. You can teach religion as a subject, much like history, without turning the classroom into a church.
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Well said. I would have loved to have a class like that in high school.
 
And just think, all those terrorists drive up and down the I-35 corridor. Daily. :eek:



Sorry AB...didn't mean to derail your thread!
 
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