Texas Board of Education at it again Banning textbooks

[SameOldStory]

But my two examples are being practiced.
IRAN: Courts confirm two more stoning sentences on adultery charges - August 31, 2010

Are your two examples being practiced in todays world?

[kennyc]

Doesn't matter, practiced, not practiced, believed, not believed. Teaching is about presenting the facts and teaching the students to learn to think, to determine the "truth" themselves. It's not about indoctrination in any form. That's what 'liberal' means when applied to education -- to allow any and all study of any and all perspectives.

I would like nothing more that to have a required religious studies course in every school curriculum provided it objectively examined, compared and contrasted the major existing (and as many minor would fit) religious beliefs as possible. This could truly be an eye opener for many.

[HarryT]

Well, stoning to death for adultery is part of the same law that says you should do the same thing to your children if they're disrespectful, of course. It might be an interesting subject for discussion in schools - if you do believe that the Bible is the Word of God, should you do everything that it tells you to, even if (as in this case) it seems wrong?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I would like nothing more that to have a required religious studies course in every school curriculum provided it objectively examined, compared and contrasted the major existing (and as many minor would fit) religious beliefs as possible. This could truly be an eye opener for many.

We do have such a requirement in the UK; my brother-in-law is an RE (Religious Education) teacher.

[TGS]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I don't believe so. Do you? Exam syllabuses are not set by politicians, nor textbooks approved by them. Exam boards (which do set the syllabuses) are independent of political control.

I would agree that what schools teach is not narrowly political in the sense that they seek to explicitly promulgate the views of any of the main political parties over the others. However, more broadly they are required to provide for a daily collective worship for example. Another example is in 20th century history - after the 2 world wars the most impactful events on the lives of British people is the history of Ireland - how is that taught? More broadly still, schools are charged with inculcating a set of values in young people - which values are those which resonate with the interests of certain groups. And at its broadest, claiming to be non-political is itself to act politically.

[SameOldStory]

I am old enough, and you may be old enough, to have had classes on world religions.

That was when this country practiced "freedom of religion", not "free from religion.

So maybe I'm wrong, NAMBLA should be taught in the first few years of school. At least that isn't a religion.

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Just as the Bible says that it's perfectly OK to sell your sister into slavery (as long as it's to a foreigner) and stone your children to death if they are disrespectful .

I wasn't aware of that, Harry. Do you know which book says that?

[TGS]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

I am old enough, and you may be old enough, to have had classes on world religions.

That was when this country practiced "freedom of religion", not "free from religion.

So maybe I'm wrong, NAMBLA should be taught in the first few years of school. At least that isn't a religion.

Not sure if the "you" in the above quote refers to "me", but I'm too old to remember that - I'm old enough to remember that Religious Studies amounted to Old Testament and New Testament in alternating years throughout my school career.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by nguirado

You have kids and you want them in a liberal school?

I want them in Summerhill, but it's not available to me. Most self-declared "liberals" (and all media-identified "liberals") are far more reactionary and dogmatic than I am.

So, students in California are more knowledgeable? Going from a conservative emphasis to a liberal emphasis (that's what we're talking about here, not about light versus darkness) makes kids smarter about history?

"More knowledgeable?" Probably not, in the sense of "knows more specific facts." But more able to understand the context of the facts they learn, more able to consider how to apply those facts to different situations, more aware that however many facts they have, they do not have a "complete" education, just a functional one for where and when they are, and if their circumstances change, they may have to learn new things. (And I don't say it's all of CA that's like that; I am, of course, only exposed to a small piece of California.)

I'm aware that teaching tolerance and creativity and love of diversity and pluralism are done more at home than at school--but in this district, the schools don't directly contradict those teachings. In many more conservative districts, I'd be constantly telling my kids to ignore what the teacher told them, which undermines their ability to absorb raw facts and education methods.

[TGS]

Originally Posted by HarryT

We do have such a requirement in the UK; my brother-in-law is an RE (Religious Education) teacher.

We have a requirement that RE is taught, but the choice of syllabus is - within limitations - up to the school, and many do not stray very far from the Abrahamic traditions.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I wasn't aware of that, Harry. Do you know which book says that?

I was slightly wrong: you can sell your daughter, not your sister - Exodus 21:7.

Killing your children is sanctioned in a few places: Exodus 21:15 and 21:17, and Deuteronomy 21:18-21.

This might amuse you .

[Graham]

Originally Posted by mrscoach

Part of the problem was that Islam was mentioned favorably, while Christianity when mentioned was more likely to be referred to negatively (along with the more mentions of Islam over Christianity).

Except that, apparently, that wasn't actually the case:

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/se...n_Brief_LH.pdf

Graham

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

These are the people who wanted to call slave trade "Atlantic triangular trade." They have absolutely no interest in balanced discussion.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Educati...iangular-trade

The new name relating to our peculiar institution of bygone days.

[ardeegee]

http://pandasthumb.org/archives/2010...-mor.html#more

[TGS]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

I want them in Summerhill, but it's not available to me. Most self-declared "liberals" (and all media-identified "liberals") are far more reactionary and dogmatic than I am.

Not sure if you would really want them at Summerhill these days. I was for many years an admirer of A.S Neil and then, a few years ago I was in a job that meant that I had to visit Summerhill two at three times a year. Suffice it to say, it's not like it was in Neil's day.