Religious groups and public schools: Your thoughts
The Oklahoma Education Association for the first time hosted a conference this week about the role of faith communities in public schools. Today, The Oklahoman published a package of stories telling you what was discussed.
And now we want to know, what do you think?
Post your comments here to get a discussion going about whether and how faith communities should – or shouldn’t – get involved in their neighborhood schools.
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Comments
A place of learning cannot function as it should if restricted in any way due to religious affiliation. It may still provide an education, but to what degree is debatable. The function of a place of learning, whether a school or library, is to provide the largest amount of information and oppurtunity to the largest amount of the population possible. This means providing access to information that may not be welcome in a private residence or segmented denomination. It is imperative we allow a child’s mind access to learning. If censure must take place, let it be in the home. Do not punish the intelligence, understanding, or expanded compassion provided through education to retain what may, or may not be, a virtue. There were 40 some children in my graduating class. If one child necessitates the loss of a fuller education, there are 39 other children who have lost something that, if nothing else, would have broadened their understanding of the world around them.
I believe these quotes from our country’s founding fathers sums it all up. ———-
“Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise, every expanded prospect.” (James Madison)———-
“History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes.” (Thomas Jefferson)———-
Religion and government intersecting would be the ruin of our great country.
Hey, found your site by accident doing a search on Google but I’ll definitely be coming back. – Basically my wife was immature. I’d be at home in the bath and she’d come in and sink my boats. – Woody Allen Born 1935
If there were an agreement and a clear system of checks and balances for any religeous organization offering assistance to a public school to ensure that the organization or any individual acting on behalf of the organization were not preching dogma or engaging in religous instruction or indoctrination, than there would be no problem. Unfortunately, while many religeous organizations would be able to operate under those guidelines, there are some who would not. Those bad apples would spoil the whole bunch and one must conclude that religeous organizations should tread carefully in public schools lest they violate the First Amendment.