Judge rules public schools have right to teach charges whatever they deem appropriate

Jewish World Review ^ | 3-5-07 | Jeff Jacoby

[SJackson]

Judge rules public schools have right to teach charges whatever they deem appropriate — parents and morality be damned

Whatever else might be said about it, US District Judge Mark Wolf's decision in Parker v. Hurley is a model of clear English prose.

"The constitutional right of parents to raise their children does not include the right to restrict what a public school may teach their children," Wolf unambiguously wrote in dismissing a suit by two Lexington, Mass. couples who objected to lessons the local elementary school was teaching their children. "Under the Constitution public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy."

Entitled to teach anything. That means, the judge ruled, that parents have no authority to veto elements of a public-school curriculum they dislike. They have no right to be notified before those elements are presented in class. And the Constitution does not entitle them to opt their children out of such classes when the subject comes up.

As Wolf's straightforward language makes plain, it doesn't much matter what that subject might be. The parents in the Lexington case objected to "diversity" instruction that presented same-sex marriage and homosexual attraction as unobjectionable. That message, the judge noted, contradicted the parents' "sincerely held religious beliefs that homosexuality is immoral and that marriage is necessarily . . . between a man and a woman."

[Dustbunny]

Proof of the need of home schooling.

[stm]

Parents damn sure DO have a say in what their children are taught, especially when it comes to queers.

[SamuraiScot]

Under the Constitution

Your Honor, under the Constitution, there is no compulsory education and there are no public schools.

[L98Fiero]

Well, according to The Simpsons episode last night, home schoolers are ignorant yokels who name one of their kids "W" and a child from town could do a better job teaching them.

Sorry, I've been wanting to gripe about that episode. :)

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

The constitutional right of parents to raise their children does not include the right to restrict what a public school may teach their children. Under the Constitution public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy.

So this is why Montgomery County Schools are now teaching 8th graders about the joys of anal sex.

This judge is a moron - and obviously a liberal (they so often go hand-in-hand).

Teach the Ten Commandments - something VERY useful in life and in becoming "productive citizens" (don't murder, no adultery, etc.) - no doubt this judge would strike the program down.

[David Isaac]

I believe that I read on a thread, a while back, that Judge Wolf is supposedly one of ours.

[metmom]

ANOTHER REASON TO HOMESCHOOL

This ping list is for the "other" articles of interest to homeschoolers about education and public school. If you want on/off this list, please freepmail me. The main Homeschool Ping List by DaveLoneRanger handles the homeschool-specific articles.

[metmom]

"The constitutional right of parents to raise their children does not include the right to restrict what a public school may teach their children," Wolf unambiguously wrote in dismissing a suit by two Lexington, Mass.

Taxation without representation.

The parents sure do have a say. It's their tax money that's funding the schools and it's their children who are being educated there.

There's so much wrong with his ruling that it would take pages to refute it.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

I believe that I read on a thread, a while back, that Judge Wolf is supposedly one of ours.

I won't believe that until I see proof. And if he was conservative at one time he has gone over to the dark side based on this ruling alone. No conservative would EVER rule that government run schools may teach whatever they want to kids.

[metmom]

ping

[Little Ray]

Okay, so we MUST send our children to school, and that school can teach anything it pleases?

I think that judge is a good candidate for superglue and foam rubber.

[Chewie84]

Hear, hear.

[cgk]

So more judges than those on the 9th Circuit think and rule this way: nice wake-up call!

[Arrowhead1952]

Parents damn sure DO have a say in what their children are taught, especially when it comes to queers.

Rehab for you!!!!

[I still care]

That's what I did (homeschooling) but I can tell you catagorically that the aim of these types is to indoctrinate the children.

If parents withdraw their kids to homeschool, they will simply come after homeschooling, like the Germans did.

[stm]

Maybe I should have said faggots!!!

Bwahahahahahahahahaaaaa!!!

[stentorian conservative]

A few years back, I saw a T-shirt (either at Penny's or Sears--can't remember which) that had a hillbilly sort of character complete with ratty clothes and rotten teeth. It read, "I am Home Skooled (with the K backwards.) At the time, all of my kiddos were Home Educated and we got a pretty good chuckle out of it.
My three oldest are now in public HS and they are not only ahead of their public educated classmates, more importantly they have the ability to think for themselves and take responsibility for their education and actions. Not to mention that little thing called morals.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

"Under the Constitution public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy"

And where in the constitution does it even say that the state is responsible for educating children?

Idiot. We are, or were, a republic, not a democracy.

[mdmathis6]

It seems to me that a constitutional appeal may be made based on the the lack of a constitutional mandate for compulsory schooling!