Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Muslim Charter Schools: Specific issue, or piece of a broader problem?

Several days ago my friend Tim Hayes sent me a link to an article about a public school for Muslim students.

Katherine Kersten, April 9: Wall of silence broken at state's Muslim public school:
http://www.startribune.com/local/17406054.html

The problem is that it would be hypocritical of us as a nation to single out this particular school largely because it is Islamic. The primary reason it is highlighted is of course due to the current world climate. The average Christian, Jewish, and Secular American may see it as a potential for a vehicle to spread anti-American sentiment. (There is probably legitimacy to that claim but that isn't what I want to highlight here).

OF COURSE... many fiercely opposed to this may do so not because of the breach of separation of church and state, but because of an obvious double standard. Islamic communities are sort of benefiting from unofficial special treatment. If a Christian school was set up in a major urban environment, it would likely never get funding, or get shut down quickly. The government and the people are so petrified of being labeled culturally insensitive or of offending a group that has proven to be hypersensitive, that they are allowing laws to be broken to prevent civil unrest. Ironically, these measures may create an immigrant community that will remain un-assimilated from fellow Americans. As a consequence, much greater, and potentially more damaging civil unrest could eventually arise.

But I digress.... the hypocrisy:

Religion, the U.S. Constitution, and Public Schools in Utah

from article: Missionary Week: "LDS students were encouraged to proselytize non-Mormons during lunchtime."

First Jewish charter school in U.S. approved

Also: Prayers are still widespread at high school graduations, especially in the south. The pledge of Allegiance still says "Under God".

While I had difficulty finding information on it, I have read that many rural public schools may still be engaging in staff sponsored prayer. I've read articles about this previously, but Google was not rewarding me.

Kansas school board redefines science
And of course we can't forget an entire state that dismisses natural history, genomes, fossils, natural selection (which is a primary component of evolution that is routinely observed in action) for the faith based "intelligent design" which is quite simply a lie and a systematic brainwashing of children endorsed by their blindly religious parents who apparently aren't confident enough in their own beliefs (fundamentalism). Just because portions of the Bible are allegories, does not take away their message. Nor does it negate the existence of God, or the potential for the power of Christ. If this was the way things went, then the entire Christian faith probably would have collapsed after it was discovered the Earth revolved around the Sun and not vice-versa. (That from a self described agnostic... impressive eh?)

Once again...... getting back on track:
As long as these (and many more) examples of religion in schools exist, outside of what can, and should be a purely educational and secular exploration of cultures and faith..... any argument to remove one breach of the 1st amendment and contradiction of prior court rulings, becomes weaker.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is ridiculous ... why are my tax dollars paying for this?? I'm a big believer in Catholic education, but I don't want the State supporting Catholic schools ... or Muslim, Jewish, Mormon, etc. either.

Let me ask you this - does this truly surprise you?

This will be more fuel for those who think this is another case for abolishing the Department of Education. I don't think I would go that far - the Department of Education has an important role to play, but it needs to be more limited/focused ... i.e. get religion (and sex ed, for that matter) out of the schools and leave it to the parents. And don't preach to the kids about why Bush is the devil, or why you hate the Clintons, or why Obama is a fraud, or why you agree with Christopher Hitchens' opinion that Reagan was a complete bafoon. Why can't we focus on the three R's and just leave it at that? Many of our public schools have lost their focus, and instead of being places for learning basic educational skills, have instead become focused on engineering students to have extreme liberal or conservative social views.

- Tim

George N. Parks said...

The teacher's Union is the reason that most public schools suck and are left leaning and complacent.

I disagree with you on one point. Sex ed is necessary because honestly many families don't adequately have those discussions with their children. As a society we all suffer when people aren't taught responsibility... and sex ed is a part of that, but parents should have to approve whether or not their kids attend (which is the case in most districts). If nothing else perhaps it will light a fire under the ass of parents who are too uptight or lazy to do the job expected of them.

Religion needs to be completely separate from publically sponsored schools unless it is being studied in an ethics/ cultural studies course.

I doubt we will ever be able to entirely separate political opinion and influence from education. When it comes to history they tend to go hand in hand, becaue History itself is in many cases speculative, and owes a certain amount of what we know to interpretation and the way stories have been passed on.

It doesn't surprise me, and if fact similar Muslim charter schools have fallen under scrutiny in NYC going further back than this particular case.

The irony here is that 30 years ago as a country we had the idea that we should integrate, in some cases forcibly, students of different background. While it was flawed to bus students etc... I do believe the idea of teaching children to coexist with others who are different is more important now than ever.

Charter schools for people of a certain ethnicity or faith flies in the face of rational thinking. It will only create more division and more ignorance.