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Your mistake is assuming that there can be any neutral ground on God. There isn't any. One's belief on God is the basis FOR ALL SCIENTIFIC BELIEFS. It is the basis for ALL MORAL BELIEF. It is the basis for everything one believes in life and dictates one's lifestyle and behavior even.

No mistake about it, I DO NOT WANT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHING ABOUT GOD!! Period.

Why you would want them to is beyond me, but it is NONE of the schools business. The schools job is to instill knowledge and thinking skills. NOT to teach religion.

Why in the world would you want the public schools teaching your children about religion? I don't want them to go near that. I will teach my children what my beliefs are, thank you very much, just as you should teach your own children your beliefs.

The schools are not there to teach about god, morality, or anything else, your children are supposed to know that already, from YOU!! Otherewise, you are NOT doing your job as a parent.

It is NOT the schools job to instill those into your children, it is your job. The school has a very basic function, to TEACH knowledge and thinking skills, that's it, that's all, there ain't no more.

Too bad that they aren't even doing that, but imagine if they taught religion as badly as they are teaching what they already are.

Come on, you CANNOT seriously think that the school would do a better job of instilling morality and the belief in YOUR god then you can. Can you?

Then let's NOT even go there.

Fact is that a lot of the textbooks are outdated, the schools and the states have wasted SO much money, that there is hardly any money left to teach. I would rather just shut the damn things down, I think that they are useless, except for making sheeple, they quit instilling knowledge a long time ago, now they just indoctrinate with a bunch of silly nonsense, and in order to pass the tests now, they are dumbing down the tests, instead of bringing the knowledge of the children up.

No, they are screwed up enough, I don't want them involved in anything else. Teach the facts, stay religious neutral and cross our fingers and hope to god that the kids that come out have some marketable skill, or can at least think a little bit.

No mistake about it, I DO NOT WANT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHING ABOUT GOD!! Period.

Dear Wendy,

As you know, We've been working real hard in our town to get prayer back in our schools. Finally, the school board approved a plan of teacher-led prayer with the children participating at their own option. Children not wishing to participate were to be allowed to stand out in the hallway during prayer time. We hoped someone would sue us so we could go all the way to the Supreme Court and get the old devil-inspired ruling reversed.

Naturally, we were all excited by the school board action. As you know, our own little Billy (not so little, any more though) is now in the second grade. Of course, Frank and I explained to him no matter what the other kids did, he was going to stay in the classroom and participate.

After the first day of school, I asked him "how did the prayer time go?"
"Fine.
"Did many kids go out into the hallway?"
"Two.
"Excellent. How did you like your teachers prayer?"
"It was different. Real different from the way you and Dad pray."
"Oh? Like how?"
"She said,'Hail Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners...'"

The next day I talked with the principal. I politely explained that I wasn't prejudiced against Catholics but I would appreciate Billy being transferred to a non-Catholic teacher. The principal said it would be done right away.

At supper that evening I asked Billy to say the blessings. He slipped out of his chair, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, raised his hand palms up in the air and began to hum.

You'd better believe I was at the principal's office at eight o'clock the next morning. "Look," I said. 'I don't really know much about these Transcendental Meditationists, but I would feel a lot more comfortable If you could move Billy to a room where the teacher practices an older, more established religion.

That afternoon I met Billy as soon as he walked in the door after school.

"I don't think you're going to like Mrs. Nakasone's prayer, either, Mom."
"Out with it."
"She kept calling O Great Buddha..."

The following morning I was waiting for the principal in the school parking lot.

"Look, I don't want my son praying to the Eternal Spirit or whatever to Buddha. I want him to have a teacher who prays in Jesus' name!"
"What about Bertha Smith?"
"Excellent."

I could hardly wait to hear about Mrs. Smith's prayer. I was standing on the front steps of the school when the final bell rang.

"Well?" I asked Billy as we walked towards the car.
"Okay."
"Okay what?"
"Mrs. Smith asked God to bless us and ended her prayer in Jesus' name, amen just like you and Dad do."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Now we're getting some place."
"She even taught us a verse of scripture about prayer," said Billy.

I beamed. "Wonderful. What was the verse?"
"Lets see..." he mused for a moment. "And behold, they began to pray; and they did pray unto Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God."
We had reached the car. "Fantastic," I said reaching for the door handle. Then paused. I couldn't place the scripture.
"Billy, did Mrs. Smith say what book that verse was from?"

"Third Nephi, chapter 19, verse 18."
"Nephi what?"
"Nephi," he said. "It's in the Book of Mormon.

The school board doesn't meet for a month. I've given Billy very definite instructions that at prayer time each day he's to go out into the hallway. I plan to be at that board meeting. If they don't do something about this situation, I'LL sue. I'LL take it all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to. I don't need schools or anybody else teaching my son about religion. We can take care of that ourselves at home and at church, thank you very much.

Your sister,
Elizabeth