The Texas Board of Education's decision to incorporate biblical passages into K–12 classrooms has ignited a fierce debate over faith, history, and the role of religion in public education.
Yay, Texas! It may shock some Americans to know that the first American textbook, the New England Primer, contained Bible verses. Also, widely used readers, such as the McGuffey Readers, were Bible-based. America has fallen far from our Christian roots. God save America!
Mr. Alex Newman, what version of the Holy BIble do they intend on putting in the schools of Texas? Also what version of the Bible are going to be taught else where if they begin to mandate the Holy Bible in schools?
They have to wait 4 years before this kicks in?Are you kidding me? The ruling also doesn't go far enough either. They should be teaching the entire Bible. Did they ban the teaching of the koran? I not why not?
This is not good, gives anti-Christian teachers a chance to deride the bible. In 1997, my son in his 10th grade English Lit class had the Book of Job in it. At the parents' meeting I was thumbing through that book and I suppose I had a questioning look on my face as the teacher came up to me and asked if there was a problem. I said I was surprised that there is a book from the Bible in this text. The teacher quickly said, "It's not what I think"....he continued with, "we just teach the Bible is another book of stories." I was not a professing Christian then but I knew that was wrong.
I would opt my child out of any such lessons. First off...it's my job as their parent to educate...and if desired...indoctrinate the child into the belief systems I support or endorse. That is not the appropriate role of Public Schools....especially when they cannot graduate 60% of their students proficient in math, reading, writing, critical thinking, problem solving and effective communication skills. Why would I want incompetent administrators and teachers who cannot perform up to standard on the education basics to attempt to influence my child's spiritual beliefs? But most importantly....while there may be helpful ideological or philosophical truth in many biblical stories, the fact that those stories are all based upon myth and a rewriting of tales over thousands of years of indoctrination, manipulation and revision makes them useless. Aside from the obvious "equal rights" perspective of other religions getting equal time in the curriculum...all with their own myths and revisionism...why would I want my child's learning time reduced to teach lies and myths...when they should be learning to excel at reading, writing, critical thinking, problem solving and effective commuincation skills? Learning myths such as Jonah & The Whale, Noah's Ark and the alleged flood committed by "God"...or the idea that they stuck a dead Jesus in a cave for three days and he came back to life, or that Mary was a Virgin when she conceived Jesus is just plain myth used to keep the populace in line...and to encourage tithing. This all powerful God seems to be money hungry to the extreme. Better to teach the kids that while religions do give us potentially valuable lessons in behavior and morality...the truth is that No One Knows why we are here, how we got here, why the universe exists as it does for us...or who created it. While there is no proof of anyone's God existing....there is also no proof that various religious beliefs are wrong...because the fact is that no one really knows. So I don't want to deny anyone their faith based upon myths, because the fact that our beautiful world does exist indicates there may be a supreme being. However, that issue is up to me and my child, at the appropriate time in their lives...to discuss and guide them to their own findings or beliefs. It is not the role of a public school.
You are aware that the students in the earliest days of the public schools were taught directly from the Bible? They were also taught from the New England Primer. Not only that many of those students were far more intelligent than what we graduate today. Here is a sampling of some of the material.
...so what? None of what you say counters my argument that it is not the schools role to teach myth and lies to my children. Did you go to public school? Is that why your comprehension skills are so poor?
Actually I understood everything you said. I was just making a point about what the children were taught with back in the day, and how well they turned out. Your children are indoctrinated every time you send them through the doors of public school, just take a look around you and see how our youth have been turned against this country, how they now believe in multiple genders, and boys using girls bathrooms and vice versa etc. Parents send their kids to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic and instead they are being brainwashed by woke ideology.
...yes...that's exactly why I sent my son to a Private Catholic School from 7-12th grade. I wanted a real education for him...and some examples of ethical, intelligent leadership for him to model. I decided his education mattered more than the religious aspect, and that he could figure all that out on his own as he grew up.
With all due respect your view of the Bible as myths is one reason I would not want the Bible taught in public schools. I don’t want teachers who do not believe in the Bible themselves teaching it. One the other hand people seem to be OK with Islam being taught in public schools. But I agree with you that nowadays the focus needs to be on the basics as we are graduating students with low literacy in all subjects and indoctrinated in political ideology.
Shepherdess: you can always go after whatever is taught in schools & correct it while explaining to your children what you think about it...
You can always tell them (as i know a mother who did this) that whatever is taught in school is not necessarily the truth (but what people believe or sometimes merely what are asked to teach for a salary)
... AND that a free spirit will do its own research & find its own answers...
THIS WAY the kid is used to navigate a world where various views are presents (which prevent the emotional crisis that comes with the "they told me that (whatever) and i believed it and I cannot bear the fact that they lied to me) when they realized something they were taught is not true...
...yes...and perhaps....when public schools start graduating competent students, with real grades that are not manipulated by corrupt school officials and a real curriculum replaces the pablum used today as education...we could squeeze in a Religious Studies Course which reviews and educates those fully developed, informed and mature students about the basis of all religion, their tenents, similarities, origins and inate value. I'd be for that....as soon as these schools start graduating 95 % of their students with real skills in math, reading, writing, geography, science, critical thinking and communication skills. But pushing one specific religion through the use of biblical myths is more akin to political indoctrination...not a part of a well-rounded education.
...the most commonly used words used in all Relgion are "Faith & Belief"....which admits that No One Knows...but people should have Faith & Belief in the words and myths used over thousands of years to control the people and grow Organizational wealth and power?
....but...Faith & Belief are not about "knowing"...so "Faith & Belief" is needed to cover for the fact that No One Knows. That "Faith & Belief" mantra is exactly why they need all the myths, lies, manipulation and in many cases...total BS to justify their stories. I'm supposed to believe that some dude named Jesus, who's Mother was allegedly impregnated by the mythical God in The Sky...that produced a prophet that was allegedly "The Son of God"... who "died on the cross"..."to wipe away men's sin"...only to be "resurrected" after 3 days in a cave? Or that the "The Loving God" created a worldwide flood that wiped out most of humanity? The best one is that "God" created "Heaven" and "Hell" because he loves us...and gave us "free will" to decide between good and bad behaviors...as opposed to knowing that all life has it's natural fight or flight responses, violent behaviors and ability to kill just for the hunt of it...or to eat? That... "I know"...and can see it in the behaviors inherent in nature. But because No One Knows....hustlers have been able to manipulate humanity for thousands of years....by myth and story telling. And I'm supposed to let some sub-par teachers and poorly-performing school administrators use that malarkey to educate my kids? I don't think so. However...I did decide to send my son to private Catholic Schools from Jr. High through High School, as I knew he would get an excellent education and a smattering of good example-setters in the teaching and administration of the schools. The religious stuff...I knew he would reject or accept on his own.
LOVE you Texas for mandating the Bible in schools: this is the beginning of WISDOM...
Yay, Texas! It may shock some Americans to know that the first American textbook, the New England Primer, contained Bible verses. Also, widely used readers, such as the McGuffey Readers, were Bible-based. America has fallen far from our Christian roots. God save America!
Mr. Alex Newman, what version of the Holy BIble do they intend on putting in the schools of Texas? Also what version of the Bible are going to be taught else where if they begin to mandate the Holy Bible in schools?
Lets see them weigh the approval of this over pot. Holy Bible yes, pot replacement shinanigans no.
Plus illegal narco farmers is what I hear is the operation in many of these states.
Used to have Bible reading g and prayer before classes all the time when I went to school…was normal then
Yes ma'am, that's great!! But they must also allow ALL others "Religions" to teach theirs as well 🤔😢 ♥️♥️♥️🙏📖💪⚔️🛡🙌👑♥️♥️♥️♥️
They have to wait 4 years before this kicks in?Are you kidding me? The ruling also doesn't go far enough either. They should be teaching the entire Bible. Did they ban the teaching of the koran? I not why not?
Right. I agree with you Sue Merriner that the whole Bible should ne read but this is a good start that need to be celebrated !
This is not good, gives anti-Christian teachers a chance to deride the bible. In 1997, my son in his 10th grade English Lit class had the Book of Job in it. At the parents' meeting I was thumbing through that book and I suppose I had a questioning look on my face as the teacher came up to me and asked if there was a problem. I said I was surprised that there is a book from the Bible in this text. The teacher quickly said, "It's not what I think"....he continued with, "we just teach the Bible is another book of stories." I was not a professing Christian then but I knew that was wrong.
I would opt my child out of any such lessons. First off...it's my job as their parent to educate...and if desired...indoctrinate the child into the belief systems I support or endorse. That is not the appropriate role of Public Schools....especially when they cannot graduate 60% of their students proficient in math, reading, writing, critical thinking, problem solving and effective communication skills. Why would I want incompetent administrators and teachers who cannot perform up to standard on the education basics to attempt to influence my child's spiritual beliefs? But most importantly....while there may be helpful ideological or philosophical truth in many biblical stories, the fact that those stories are all based upon myth and a rewriting of tales over thousands of years of indoctrination, manipulation and revision makes them useless. Aside from the obvious "equal rights" perspective of other religions getting equal time in the curriculum...all with their own myths and revisionism...why would I want my child's learning time reduced to teach lies and myths...when they should be learning to excel at reading, writing, critical thinking, problem solving and effective commuincation skills? Learning myths such as Jonah & The Whale, Noah's Ark and the alleged flood committed by "God"...or the idea that they stuck a dead Jesus in a cave for three days and he came back to life, or that Mary was a Virgin when she conceived Jesus is just plain myth used to keep the populace in line...and to encourage tithing. This all powerful God seems to be money hungry to the extreme. Better to teach the kids that while religions do give us potentially valuable lessons in behavior and morality...the truth is that No One Knows why we are here, how we got here, why the universe exists as it does for us...or who created it. While there is no proof of anyone's God existing....there is also no proof that various religious beliefs are wrong...because the fact is that no one really knows. So I don't want to deny anyone their faith based upon myths, because the fact that our beautiful world does exist indicates there may be a supreme being. However, that issue is up to me and my child, at the appropriate time in their lives...to discuss and guide them to their own findings or beliefs. It is not the role of a public school.
You are aware that the students in the earliest days of the public schools were taught directly from the Bible? They were also taught from the New England Primer. Not only that many of those students were far more intelligent than what we graduate today. Here is a sampling of some of the material.
https://joannedi.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/are-you-smarter-than-an-8th-grader-in-1895-kansas/
...so what? None of what you say counters my argument that it is not the schools role to teach myth and lies to my children. Did you go to public school? Is that why your comprehension skills are so poor?
Actually I understood everything you said. I was just making a point about what the children were taught with back in the day, and how well they turned out. Your children are indoctrinated every time you send them through the doors of public school, just take a look around you and see how our youth have been turned against this country, how they now believe in multiple genders, and boys using girls bathrooms and vice versa etc. Parents send their kids to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic and instead they are being brainwashed by woke ideology.
...yes...that's exactly why I sent my son to a Private Catholic School from 7-12th grade. I wanted a real education for him...and some examples of ethical, intelligent leadership for him to model. I decided his education mattered more than the religious aspect, and that he could figure all that out on his own as he grew up.
With all due respect your view of the Bible as myths is one reason I would not want the Bible taught in public schools. I don’t want teachers who do not believe in the Bible themselves teaching it. One the other hand people seem to be OK with Islam being taught in public schools. But I agree with you that nowadays the focus needs to be on the basics as we are graduating students with low literacy in all subjects and indoctrinated in political ideology.
Shepherdess: you can always go after whatever is taught in schools & correct it while explaining to your children what you think about it...
You can always tell them (as i know a mother who did this) that whatever is taught in school is not necessarily the truth (but what people believe or sometimes merely what are asked to teach for a salary)
... AND that a free spirit will do its own research & find its own answers...
THIS WAY the kid is used to navigate a world where various views are presents (which prevent the emotional crisis that comes with the "they told me that (whatever) and i believed it and I cannot bear the fact that they lied to me) when they realized something they were taught is not true...
...yes...and perhaps....when public schools start graduating competent students, with real grades that are not manipulated by corrupt school officials and a real curriculum replaces the pablum used today as education...we could squeeze in a Religious Studies Course which reviews and educates those fully developed, informed and mature students about the basis of all religion, their tenents, similarities, origins and inate value. I'd be for that....as soon as these schools start graduating 95 % of their students with real skills in math, reading, writing, geography, science, critical thinking and communication skills. But pushing one specific religion through the use of biblical myths is more akin to political indoctrination...not a part of a well-rounded education.
...the most commonly used words used in all Relgion are "Faith & Belief"....which admits that No One Knows...but people should have Faith & Belief in the words and myths used over thousands of years to control the people and grow Organizational wealth and power?
faith & belief are 2 different things belonging to 2 different levels of human experience.
FAITh is a knowing which is not an intellectual knowing but comes from a deeper source. Its root are deeping than the coginitive apparatus.
A belief is a cognitive construct to which emotional traits are usually attached.
....but...Faith & Belief are not about "knowing"...so "Faith & Belief" is needed to cover for the fact that No One Knows. That "Faith & Belief" mantra is exactly why they need all the myths, lies, manipulation and in many cases...total BS to justify their stories. I'm supposed to believe that some dude named Jesus, who's Mother was allegedly impregnated by the mythical God in The Sky...that produced a prophet that was allegedly "The Son of God"... who "died on the cross"..."to wipe away men's sin"...only to be "resurrected" after 3 days in a cave? Or that the "The Loving God" created a worldwide flood that wiped out most of humanity? The best one is that "God" created "Heaven" and "Hell" because he loves us...and gave us "free will" to decide between good and bad behaviors...as opposed to knowing that all life has it's natural fight or flight responses, violent behaviors and ability to kill just for the hunt of it...or to eat? That... "I know"...and can see it in the behaviors inherent in nature. But because No One Knows....hustlers have been able to manipulate humanity for thousands of years....by myth and story telling. And I'm supposed to let some sub-par teachers and poorly-performing school administrators use that malarkey to educate my kids? I don't think so. However...I did decide to send my son to private Catholic Schools from Jr. High through High School, as I knew he would get an excellent education and a smattering of good example-setters in the teaching and administration of the schools. The religious stuff...I knew he would reject or accept on his own.