Comments on: Iowa ‘academic freedom’ bill dies a quiet death http://www.computernewbie.info/wheatdogg/2009/03/14/iowa-academic-freedom-bill-dies-a-quiet-death/ Ramblings by a former physics teacher teaching ESL in China Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:54:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: eljefe http://www.computernewbie.info/wheatdogg/2009/03/14/iowa-academic-freedom-bill-dies-a-quiet-death/comment-page-1/#comment-48658 eljefe Sun, 15 Mar 2009 13:30:04 +0000 http://www.computernewbie.info/wheatdogg/?p=748#comment-48658 Teaching religion in the U.S. public schools is a dicey situation. In some schools, like in metro New York, there is such a multiplicity of beliefs that a comparative religion class might actually work. In some parts of Kentucky, for example, it might be hard to find a teacher who could teach such a course well and without bias. As a lit major, I discovered I had to read the Bible so I could catch the allusions to it in the novels I was reading. I grew up "unchurched," so my Bible study was self-inflicted. Teaching religion in the U.S. public schools is a dicey situation. In some schools, like in metro New York, there is such a multiplicity of beliefs that a comparative religion class might actually work. In some parts of Kentucky, for example, it might be hard to find a teacher who could teach such a course well and without bias.

As a lit major, I discovered I had to read the Bible so I could catch the allusions to it in the novels I was reading. I grew up “unchurched,” so my Bible study was self-inflicted.

]]> By: Darcy http://www.computernewbie.info/wheatdogg/2009/03/14/iowa-academic-freedom-bill-dies-a-quiet-death/comment-page-1/#comment-48655 Darcy Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:45:36 +0000 http://www.computernewbie.info/wheatdogg/?p=748#comment-48655 That's scary stuff. Glad it didn't pass, or even get far off the first desk! I don't mind people teaching religion in a religion class, but I really don't like mixing it as fact with science. I'm not much for religion classes in public schools either. If your kids need religious education that badly, do it at home as a family, or go to church..or both. I'm not sure if I really would want it as an optional course in a public school...UNLESS it was a World Religions class and gave equal weight to all religions. There's no way in hell that'd happen in an American public school, though. That’s scary stuff. Glad it didn’t pass, or even get far off the first desk! I don’t mind people teaching religion in a religion class, but I really don’t like mixing it as fact with science. I’m not much for religion classes in public schools either. If your kids need religious education that badly, do it at home as a family, or go to church..or both. I’m not sure if I really would want it as an optional course in a public school…UNLESS it was a World Religions class and gave equal weight to all religions. There’s no way in hell that’d happen in an American public school, though.

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