Posted on 07/08/2005 6:49:24 AM PDT by 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."
These creeps and Barry Lynn should be among the liberals who should be swept under the earth in a very large earthquake with the land closing in over them. I would not feel one bit of loss. God did it once and sometimes I wish he'd do it again.
"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."
I wish the Islamic Nazis would do the world a favor and target Barry Lynn. I would doubt that the Devil would have any problems with his goal to eliminate religion in the public place.
Is this coming from a person who accused other posters of hearing little voices in their heads and idol worshiping. I just love when people instigate insults then get mad when the favor is returned.
I get po'd by the misuse of their and there. Even school officials get that wrong and that ticks me off even more.
Protagoras is a libertarian, which is not the opposite of a liberal. A conservative is the opposite of a liberal. Libertarians tend to agree with conservatives about 75% of the time, and liberals about 25% of the time.
I just explained the sarcasm. Perhaps you didn't read that part.
I once read that about 98% of men in prisons were fatherless or had fathers in the home that never paid attention to them. The father is extremely important in the life of a child and I would be 100% for this type of programming, especially in inner-city schools. I hope it works.
True.
which is not the opposite of a liberal.
True, it is the opposite of an authoritarian.
A conservative is the opposite of a liberal.
Actually, on many issues, they are kindred spirits.
Libertarians tend to agree with conservatives about 75% of the time,
Actually it could be stated the opposite way, conservatives agree with libertarians quite a bit. Mostly on economic issues.
and liberals about 25% of the time.
Actually, libertarians are consistent. They value and advocate individual liberty and personal responsibility on all issues, no matter who happens to agree with them.
I'm not mad. I'm quite stoical about things.
But many men don't. Those are the ones we're concerned about. Teaching men to be the heads of their homes and good fathers is a good thing and sorely needed. Many men don't have a clue as to how to be a good father or husband. I'm all for this program.
Sarcasm implying something that isn't true. An election will take place in 2008.
ME TOO!!! My first graders get that one right too. I see there and they're get misused a lot too or they're and their as well. It's enough to drive you bonkers! Another one that drives me crazy is using 's on plural words.
I hope you realize that many people don't have strong fathers or father figures. These are the folks programs like this are trying to reach. They probably wouldn't come to a church to learn it either. My husband was not a good father figure. I had to take over and the kids have turned out just fine, but all have been married twice. They had no example of what a husband should be. They've had to learn things the hard way. I would LOVE to have seen a program like this in public school, even if it's an after-school activity.
Don't confuse Republicans with conservatives. Conservatives are a minority subset of Republicans.
Actually, libertarians are consistent. They value and advocate individual liberty and personal responsibility on all issues
And conservatives are consistant. They value God, family, and liberty. A different priority of values with some overlap.
I agree.
especially in inner-city schools.
Private schools in the inner city perhaps.
I hope it works.
It will not work better than it already does (or doesn't) by government force being added to the equation.
Government involvement in religious and civil society is counterproductive and potentially harmful to the organizations it seeks to help.
"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters." --Daniel Webster (1782-1852)
That is one diffinition of mad.
I have seen almost every example you can think of over the years and have had to deal with them too. That's too bad that your husband was not a good father figure. Next to being a good father, being a good mother is just as important. Fortunately, your children had at least one of them. I admire those women who have had scumbag husbands (I'm not saying this applies to you) leave them in dire situations, yet who have risen above it to raise their children successfully.
One lady I knew was left with raising 8 kids by herself by her husband who left her to go shack up with a secretary. She did NOT go on welfare, though she did have some help from supportive neighbors (e.g. watching kids to give her a break). Her kids are turning out wonderful and are well-behaved, successful in school, etc.
I haven't.
Conservatives are a minority subset of Republicans
Actually, true conservatives are quite separate from any political party and are only interested in them in as much as they advance conservative principles. A real conservative will work for the election of any conservative person irrespective of affiliation.
And conservatives are consistant.
Ummm, not in the way you suggest.
They value God,
Many conservatives on this forum are atheists. So, that seems to be incorrect as stated.
family,
Many liberals value families as well.
and liberty.
I have met many on this forum who are uninterested in liberty. They value order more. They value "group interests" more when it comes to many subjects.
A different priority of values with some overlap.
I'm not sure what that means.
I think I do understand your viewpoint and hope you can understand mine. Children who can afford private schools probably have fathers who support them. It's the inner-city schools who most often have fathers who don't. That's why young men need to be trained to be good fathers. It's not going to come naturally to them because of their own fathers' example or lack of it. You must know there's no such thing as separation of church and state in the Constitution. That theory was written by Thomas Jefferson to a pastor in a letter. Our earliest schools were formed by Christians, colleges as well. The early schoolbooks were full of references to God. We've come a long way from that, sadly.
Conservatives usually don't favor government programs. They usually favor civil society address social problems.
Government caused this problem, they will not solve it by more government programs. They should concentrate on stopping the damage they have caused, by repealing their programs.
We citizens should address this problem ourselves while insisting government stop causing the problem with it's programs.
"Goverment is the problem, not the solution.".... Ronald Reagan.
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