"To ensure his "spiritual safety," they demanded the right to pull him out of class whenever homosexuality was discussed. To deny them that right, they say, would be intolerant of their faith."
We can argue that the material is not age appropriate.
We can argue that schools shouldn't be teaching non-academic subject. ( I personally would support this one)
But we can't ban things from public schools because of religious beliefs..the list of things that various religions object to would cripple schools and violate the constitution. Some people would want pork banned. Others might want boys and girls taught separately or to have female teachers wear veils or to have toilets face a certain way. Some people would demand that schools teach that the earth is only 10,000 years old.
Other would object to a positive view of American history arguing on "religious grounds" that all war is evil... Others might claim capitalism is irreligious or that Satan should have equal footing with Christmas.
What these parents are asking for is not something we can reasonably accommodate in the public school system. If they want a school consistent with their religion, they need to send their kids to a religious school.
True, no matter what, someone can get offended about something. I haven't had much problem with the parents of my students though. They know they can talk to me. We ususally find a solution in five minutes or less. They give me a little slack and I give them a little too. I am grateful that they have patience with such a bumbling teachers as myself.
Amen!
Bunk! How about just teaching kids to read and write and let parents deal with morality. It is NOT a schools job to teach kids "diversity" in kindergarten.
I rather guess that if the parents had been Muslim their beliefs would be honored. And the architects of new schools in many areas just might consider whether the toilets face Mecca.
That's not the issue.
This is about actively trying to undermine religious beliefs, which is not something that the government schools have any business doing.
How would it violate the Constitution? Would Congress be establishing a religion? What do you think the Constitution actually says about teaching in public schools? Why not let local boards control?
They can CERTAINLY be accomodated. The child can be sent on an errand, or sent to the library, or sent to the computer area when/if homosexuality is brought up. Nobody is being asked to "ban" anything. They want their child removed, and this is absolutely lawful.
Balderdash. The public schools in America did quite well, until recently, by not promoting homosexuality as normal and, even, admirable. They had no trouble 'accomodating' to a don't ask don't tell approach to the subject until recently.
Now, the schools have decided to promote homosexuality as as a good thing and so they are. Promoting homosexuality is a deliberate choice the schools have made. It's not something forced upon them by reality or morality. It's a conscious, cultural choice they have made.
The question here is, was it a good choice and should parents have to just grin and bear it if they believe the schools have made a bad choice? You are in the parents should bend over and accept it crowd. I am not.
Your entire argument is predicated upon a set of moral suppositions (and judgements) every one of which begins with: "Thou shall not..." Not only that, but implicit within your 'secular' argument is a supposition of moral superiority.
That is quite a broad brush statement. What if the religious teaching makes sense or is infact the true best option? Does one throw ot the baby with the bath water -the innocence of the child with the religious teaching?
I thought you were Catholic so was surprised to see your position on this -maybe I am confusued as to your religion -regardless, -in this discussion (not quite a debate since I do not think one side of this issue is even debatable on FR) is much assumption and innuendo and very little specifics put forth regarding this issue -ideaology seeking utopia is one thing, reality executing a plan is another. My position on this topic is the same as the Catholic Church teaches. If you would like to get specific read what I post and comment as to points you agree or disagree:
Catholic teaching on the subject:The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality - Guidelines for Education within the Family
Four Principles Regarding Information about Sexuality65. 1. Each child is a unique and unrepeatable person and must receive individualized formation. Since parents know, understand and love each of their children in their uniqueness, they are in the best position to decide what the appropriate time is for providing a variety of information, according to their children's physical and spiritual growth. No one can take this capacity for discernment away from conscientious parents.
66. Each child's process of maturation as a person is different. Therefore, the most intimate aspects, whether biological or emotional, should be communicated in a personalized dialogue. In their dialogue with each child, with love and trust, parents communicate something about their own self-giving which makes them capable of giving witness to aspects of the emotional dimension of sexuality that could not be transmitted in other ways.
67. Experience shows that this dialogue works out better when the parent who communicates the biological, emotional, moral and spiritual information is of the same sex as the child or young person. Being aware of the role, emotions and problems of their own sex, mothers have a special bond with their daughters, and fathers with their sons. This natural bond should be respected. Therefore, parents who are alone will have to act with great sensitivity when speaking with a child of the opposite sex, and they may choose to entrust communicating the most intimate details to a trustworthy person of the same sex as the child. Through this collaboration of a subsidiary nature, parents can take advantage of expert, well-formed educators in the school or parish community, or from Catholic associations.
68. 2. The moral dimension must always be part of their explanations. Parents should stress that Christians are called to live the gift of sexuality according to the plan of God who is Love, i.e., in the context of marriage or of consecrated virginity and also celibacy. They must insist on the positive value of chastity and its capacity to generate true love for other persons. This is the most radical and important moral aspect of chastity. Only a person who knows how to be chaste will know how to love in marriage or in virginity.
69. From the earliest age, parents may observe the beginning of instinctive genital activity in their child. It should not be considered repressive to correct such habits gently that could become sinful later, and, when necessary, to teach modesty as the child grows. It is always important to justify the judgement of morally rejecting certain attitudes contrary to the dignity of the person and chastity on adequate, valid and convincing grounds, both at the level of reason and faith, hence in a positive framework with a high concept of personal dignity. Many parental admonitions are merely reproofs or recommendations which the children perceive more as the result of fear of certain social consequences, or related to one's public reputation, rather than arising out of a love that seeks their true good. "I exhort you to correct, with the greatest commitment, the vices and passions that assail us in every age. For if in some stage of our life we sail on, deprecating the values of virtue and thereby suffer continuous shipwreck, we risk arriving in port devoid of all spiritual charge".
70. 3. Formation in chastity and timely information regarding sexuality must be provided in the broadest context of education for love. It is not sufficient, therefore, to provide information about sex together with objective moral principles. Constant help is also required for the growth of children's spiritual life, so that the biological development and impulses they begin to experience will always be accompanied by a growing love of God, the Creator and Redeemer, and an ever greater awareness of the dignity of each human person and his or her body. In the light of the mystery of Christ and the Church, parents can illustrate the positive values of human sexuality in the context of the person's original vocation to love and the universal call to holiness.
71. Therefore, in talks with children, suitable advice should always be given regarding how to grow in the love of God and one's neighbour, and how to overcome any difficulties: "These means are: discipline of the senses and the mind, watchfulness and prudence in avoiding occasions of sin, the observance of modesty, moderation in recreation, wholesome pursuits, assiduous prayer and frequent reception of the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist. Young people especially should foster devotion to the Immaculate Mother of God".
72. To teach children how to evaluate the environments they frequent with a critical sense and true autonomy, as well as to accustom them to detachment in using the mass media, parents should always present positive models and suitable ways of using their vital energies, the meaning of friendship and solidarity in the overall area of society and of the Church.
When deviant tendencies and attitudes are present, which require great prudence and caution so as to recognize and evaluate situations properly, parents should also have recourse to specialists with solid scientific and moral formation in order to identify the causes over and above the symptoms, and help the subjects to overcome difficulties in a serious and clear way. Pedagogic action should be directed more to the causes rather than to directly repressing the phenomenon, and, if necessary, they should seek the help of qualified persons, such as doctors, educational experts and psychologists with an upright Christian sensitivity.
73. The objective of the parents' educational task is to pass on to their children the conviction that chastity in one's state in life is possible and that chastity brings joy. Joy springs from an awareness of maturation and harmony in one's emotional life, a gift of God and a gift of love that makes self-giving possible in the framework of one's vocation. Man is in fact the only creature on earth whom God wanted for its own sake, and "man can fully discover his true self only in a sincere giving of himself". "Christ gave laws for everyone...I do not prohibit you from marrying, nor am I against your enjoying yourself. I only want you to do this with temperance, without indecency, guilt and sin. I do not make a law that you should flee to the mountains and deserts, rather that you should be good, modest and chaste, as you live in the midst of the cities".
74. God's help is never lacking if each person makes the necessary commitment to respond to his grace. In helping, forming and respecting their children's conscience, parents should see that they receive the sacraments with awareness, guiding them by their own example. If children and young people experience the effects of God's grace and mercy in the sacraments, they will be capable of living chastity well, as a gift of God, for his glory and in order to love him and other people. Necessary and supernaturally effective help is provided by the Sacrament of Reconciliation, especially if a regular confessor is available. Although it does not necessarily coincide with the role of confessor, spiritual guidance or direction is a valuable aid in progressively enlightening the stages of growth and as moral support.
Reading well-chosen and recommended books of formation is also of great help both in offering a wider and deeper formation and in providing examples and testimonies of virtue.
75. Once the objectives of the information to be provided have been identified, the time and ways must be specified, starting from childhood.
4. Parents should provide this information with great delicacy, but clearly and at the appropriate time. Parents are well aware that their children must be treated in a personalized way, according to the personal conditions of their physiological and psychological development, and taking into due consideration the cultural environment of life and the adolescent's daily experience. In order to evaluate properly what they should say to each child, it is very important that parents first of all seek light from the Lord in prayer and that they discuss this together so that their words will be neither too explicit nor too vague. Giving too many details to children is counterproductive. But delaying the first information for too long is imprudent, because every human person has natural curiosity in this regard and, sooner or later, everyone begins to ask themselves questions, especially in cultures where too much can be seen, even in public.
76. In general, the first sexual information to be given to a small child does not deal with genital sexuality, but rather with pregnancy and the birth of a brother or sister. The child's natural curiosity is stimulated, for example, when it sees the signs of pregnancy in its mother and experiences waiting for a baby. Parents can take advantage of this happy experience in order to communicate some simple facts about pregnancy, but always in the deepest context of wonder at the creative work of God, who wants the new life he has given to be cared for in the mother's body, near her heart.