Gov. Bush touts Christian-based program for schools [FL ACLU criticizes All-Pro Dad program]

Palm Beach Post ^ | July 06, 2005 | Dara Kam

[summer]

TALLAHASSEE — Just before Father's Day, Gov. Jeb Bush announced that he wanted every public school in Florida to host a Christian-based program designed to increase fathers' participation in their children's lives.

The program, All Pro Dad, combines a biblical foundation with the draw of popular professional athletes to promote the belief that "the father is the head of the household" and that men should rely on God to help them be better parents and keep their marriages intact. It also encourages Bible reading.

"This is a really great program," Bush said at a news conference last month, though he did not make any reference to the project's Christian foundation. "The response of this program has been a success, and I hope it expands throughout the entire state to every school in every school district."

But critics say the program, which has a direct link on the Florida Department of Education Web site, clearly has Christian overtones and is part of a national effort by evangelicals who view public schools as recruiting fields.

An official state Web site should not be linked to such an organization, said Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Lynn said the link violates the First Amendment, which prohibits government from establishing a state religion and at the same time prohibits government from interfering with religious practices.

"This has a very clear religious message, so that's wrong and that should be stopped immediately," Lynn said from his office in Washington. "This is an overtly fundamentalist Christian worldview that's being promoted."

Program popular in Tampa area

The All Pro Dad program is used in about 60 locations in 20 states, including a dozen Tampa Bay-area public schools. Monthly breakfast meetings are held in school cafeterias or nearby Chick-fil-A restaurants. There are no active chapters in Palm Beach, Martin or St. Lucie counties.

Last month, however, Florida K-12 public schools Chancellor Jim Warford touted the program to the state's 67 school superintendents.

"I encourage you to go to:

www.allprodad.com

to get a free introductory DVD about the program and how you can get fathers more involved in your schools," Warford wrote in a June 17 memo. The memo does not include information about the program's religious orientation.

Department of Education officials defended the state's endorsement of the Christian-based program, but otherwise referred queries about All Pro Dad to Volunteer Florida, a Bush-appointed nonprofit agency charged with faith and community outreach.

"It's appropriate for the Department of Education to endorse programs that encourage parents to be involved in their children's lives. We would support any program that would encourage that," department spokeswoman Melanie Etters said. "The fact is that a lot of the people that participate in the All Pro Dads are NFL stars and they reach out to some populations that the Department of Education wouldn't attract."

Etters said the department "welcomes other programs" that would promote parental involvement in their children's lives.

But Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, said Bush and the department's endorsement of the program is indicative of the governor's disregard for the state constitution, which prohibits spending state money, directly or indirectly, on religious programs.

"It may be a wonderful program, but a program that encourages Bible reading and strengthening your relationship with God is not the kind of program that should be sponsored by the public schools, nor should it be the kind of program that is organized and facilitated by the public schools," Simon said.

"From vouchers, from faith-based initiatives, to the nation's first faith-based prisons, this governor has a blind spot when it comes to the constitutional requirement on separation of church and state. He's completely uncritical. He doesn't believe that reading the Bible and strengthening your relationship with God is a faith-based message."

The Florida Supreme Court is now considering whether Bush's 6-year-old Opportunity Scholarship Program is constitutional. The program gives vouchers for students at failing schools to attend private schools, including religious schools.

Two lower courts have struck down the voucher program, declaring it violated the constitutional provision barring state tax dollars from being spent on religious institutions.

The All Pro Dad curriculum was created by Family First, a Tampa-based nonprofit "research and educational organization," according to founder and President Mark Merrill. It is being promoted throughout the nation, in part with the help of fast-food chain Chick-fil-A, whose founder, S. Truett Cathy, is a Southern Baptist. Merrill was tapped by Bush, a Catholic, to serve on Volunteer Florida's 25-member board.

Mulrennan Middle School in Valrico, east of Tampa, promotes All Pro Dad on its school marquee and in newsletters. The school also advertises the program on its radio and television stations, said assistant principal Matthew Diprima, who organizes the monthly meetings.

"This is something the school supports, and this is something that's fostered by the school," Diprima said.

He said the Mulrennan group meets at a neighborhood Chick-fil-A, which donates materials to the children who participate. The group uses the All Pro Dad Web site to choose topics for discussion.

Included on the Web site are tips for fathers, including "Ten Ways to be a Better Dad" and "How to Save Your Marriage."

Father called 'head coach' of family

One of the marriage-saving lessons, written by All Pro Dad Director Bryan Davis, coaches men to pray with their wives.

"God has joined you and your wife together. He is the Author of love and marital harmony. Deepening your relationship with Him is the key and foundation of a successful marriage. If you haven't cracked open a Bible in a while, start. Find I Corinthians 13 and give it a read. It's the perfect blueprint for your marriage," Davis advises.

A video introduction by Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, All Pro Dad's national spokesman, lays the groundwork for good parenting by establishing the father as the "head coach" of the family.

"That's the biblical way it's set up. Mom and Dad directing the family together, with the dad being the head of the household," Dungy instructs participants. "Now that doesn't always happen... but that's the ideal way and the best way, and that's the way we're going to function the best."

But the group's president last week did not directly answer several questions about the Bible's role in the All Pro Dad resources.

"Isn't that self-evident?" Merrill said. "A lot of the principles contained in the Old and New Testaments really are superior principles for raising children and for living."

[summer]

Below is another interesting article about this topic.

And, keep in mind what I mentioned in my post #108 -- this "All Pro Dad" program is actually NOT government funded. It is non-profit from an outside organiztion, supported by private business, and government ENDORSED, meaning: Gov Bush doesn't mind mentioning it at a press conference (since the media publishes every word he speaks). FL is also encouraging FL school superintendents to consider it, abnd FL is linking it on the FL Dept of Ed web site along with OTHER programs.

But, again -- check out what black leaders are saying about black youth in Milwaukee:

 Milwaukee's black leaders say the enemy is within
-- July 4, 2005, Reuters via myway news. Excerpt:

MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - Two days before the oldest and best-known U.S. civil rights group holds its yearly convention in Milwaukee, black leaders in the city say their community is being torn apart from the inside.

"Back then, the enemy was clear, it was white racists, and racist police officers," said McKinney, who was a black teen-age "commando" in the 1960s and now runs a tavern once frequented by fellow activists.

Civil rights leaders like 57-year-old Prentice McKinney, who fought to free Milwaukee's blacks from the ghetto, say gangs, drugs and violence have left those who still live in the nation's urban cores in fear of the next generation. "It was a legalized system of segregation. And so, the challenge was between the white establishment and the African-American population. Today, the African-American population is being destroyed by its own youth ... an enemy from within."

"You have a population of older African-Americans ... who are now afraid of the children in their neighborhoods," McKinney said.

Milwaukee, with 583,624 residents, 37 percent of whom are black, is the country's 22nd-largest city.

[summer]

Re your post #97 -- They had no example of what a husband should be.

I have seen almost every example you can think of over the years and have had to deal with them too.

There is also an absentee father problem that exists at the OTHER end of the economic spectrum, as you both may realize.

I know someone in a very wealthy neighborhood, and he and his wife go to every PTO meeting at their kids' public school. (A lot of rich people send their kids to public schools in this particular suburban area.)

And, he was telling me how shocked he was to see so few fathers ever attend these PTO meetings or go to any other school functions, as he goes to all of them. And, he a very busy financial hot shot; however, he makes the time for his kids in this way and other ways. Not all upper class, working fathers do that.

[summer]

FYI -- More free resources from All Pro Dad available HERE.

[moog]

I don't know what I would do without Christ and my church family and, of course, my beloved husband/nurturer (the second one, that is). I've had a tough few years healthwise but they've all kept me going. Love, Mxxx

A reminder of when I have faced my darkest hours of where I've had to go (and I need to stay). Thanks.

[moog]

And, he was telling me how shocked he was to see so few fathers ever attend these PTO meetings or go to any other school functions, as he goes to all of them. And, he a very busy financial hot shot; however, he makes the time for his kids in this way and other ways. Not all upper class, working fathers do that.

Yes, there are few husbands who do. And sometimes in my neighborhood, there are some who have to work a little extra so that mom can stay home. There are different ways that dads do make time for kids. Not all can be there all the time (as was the case with my dad at different times), but if they make the most of the time they have with their kids, then that is what makes them admirable to me. If you want to solve some problems, become a good father.

[summer]

If you want to solve some problems, become a good father.

I think anyone who also wants to PREVENT problems can do so by being a good father to his kids. When I was growing up and faced various peer pressures, I always asked myself: "Hmmm...what would my DAD say if he found out I did this?" And the answer to that question always helped me make the right decision. Because with my MOM I could probably talk her out of some punishment against me as a kid -- but, not my dad. If my dad thought something was wrong, he let his kids know, in a firm and fair way. But, you knew! (Mom was always the softee.)

[summer]

I agree with your post #73 -- and, I think, so does Gov Bush, as this program is NOT paid for with taxpayer dollars. See my post #108.

[summer]

Thanks for pinging people to this thread, little jeremiah.

[summer]

I think Bush is one of the best governors in the nation

I agree. Also, see my post #108, as this program is NOT taxpayer funded.

[little jeremiah]

If you see articles you think might be relevant to the Moral Absolutes pinglist, go ahead and alert me!

[moog]

what would my DAD say if he found out I did this?" And the answer to that question always helped me make the right decision.

I agree with your statements. I would change one thing though. Instead of "what would my dad say if he found out I did this," I always thought about "what would my dad do if he found out about this." Remembering several times with a sore back end helped keep me on the straight and narrow.

[summer]

That. too! :)

[summer]

"what would my dad do if he found out about this."

I don't know that my dad would have done the same thing as your dad, but, my dad would have done something!

Also, here is something my dad did, and I'm not making this up: when I was still in GRADE school, I remember him giving me a big packet of free consumer information from some govt agency, showing photos and explaining what each illegal drup looked like, and what harmful effects the drug could have on your body and brain.

I was so shocked to read about this stuff, and then my dad explained to me, this is why you should never do drugs, because look at these terrible things it can do to your body.

Having learned that at such a young age, long before I encountered drug offers -- as all teens do -- I just had more to fall back on, in terms of information and facts than other kids. And I knew I could talk to my dad about it. Kids rarely consider the "legality" of drugs or other illegal influences, but the reality at home is something that figures into a kid's brain.

[moog]

don't know that my dad would have done the same thing as your dad, but, my dad would have done something! Also, here is something my dad did, and I'm not making this up: when I was still in GRADE school, I remember him giving me a big packet of free consumer information from some govt agency, showing photos and explaining what each illegal drup looked like, and what harmful effects the drug could have on your body and brain. I was so shocked to read about this stuff, and then my dad explained to me, this is why you should never do drugs, because look at these terrible things it can do to your body. Having learned that at such a young age, long before I encountered drug offers -- as all teens do -- I just had more to fall back on, in terms of information and facts than other kids. And I knew I could talk to my dad about it. Kids rarely consider the "legality" of drugs or other illegal influences, but the reality at home is something that figures into a kid's brain.

That approach was very effective. My dad EXPECTED us not to use drugs. We didn't learn about each drug, but from the time we were young, we knew that the abuse of them was not good (still did you ever notice that some of the stoners were some of the most interesting people to talk to?--I wasn't real friends with them much, but talked with them once in a while if I got bored). I only got offered them once when I was a sophomore and it was easy to say no and I never got asked again. I think as I alluded to before, one thing that my dad did NOT stand for was for one of us kids to sass my mom or show her any disrespect. I had many a sore behind on that one too before I learned my lesson.

[moog]

My mom emphasized the "frying egg" commercial too in regards to drugs. One of my adopted cousins became a vegetable because of an overdose on drugs and I used to get scared thinking that a brain could really get like that.

[traviskicks]

What you say is all true, but I think there is a deeper underlying reason that effects all of those. Why did 30% of all black children live in a single mother household in 1968, but 50% in 1984?

The answer is government assistance (see graphs).

[traviskicks]

I agree. Also, see my post #108, as this program is NOT taxpayer funded.
---

That is good. But is it voluntary? I had thought participation was mandatory, which was why I was opposed to it. I don't want Jeb Bush, or anyone for that matter deciding what programs my kid is exposed to. I'd like to pick the school my kid goes to school at, and have a choice. In the vast majority of America there is no choice and our money is stolen and given to the bloated and failing and union infested public schools.

[Marysecretary]

I was given a sheet of paper that a friend had typed after reading it to our church body. It was a word of prophecy written by Barbara Davis in Rome, GA. In it God is saying to pray for STAYING POWER to go through the trials and tribulations that we're going through as Christians and as just plain human beings. It was such an encouragement. If you want me to send it to you via e-mail (I have to type it up myself.) freepmail me and give me your e-mail address. Love, Mxxx

[Marysecretary]

That's true. Parents often think money and a boarding school is the answer to having kids. Rich kids get into drugs, drinking, illicit sex, etc. just like anyone else. Look at the van der sloot snot in Aruba. His DAD was taking this 17-year old boy out gambling all hours of the night. Joran needs a father, not a buddy.

[Marysecretary]

Thanks for the information, summer. This sounds like a great program.