Two S.C. Parents Say No To Students’ Choice In Bible Course Elective
Two South Carolina high school parents and members of Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) are suing a Spartanburg County school district regarding religious course offerings for high school credit.
Robert Moss, a parent of a high school student, filed the lawsuit on Wednesday against Spartanburg School District 7 because of his claims that a religious education course offered to Spartanburg High School students for the past two years is unconstitutional.
Students have a choice to take the elective, which is administered by instructors with the Spartanburg County Bible Education In School-Time Curriculum group. The class is held at the nearby Saint Christopher’s Episcopal Church.
Moss and the FFRF wants the courts to deny the rights of students who choose an elective to learn about a Christian world-view, but has no problem when students are forced to learn the theory of evolution as the origin of life, even when it goes against their beliefs.
Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said the students’ choice to take the class “is an invasion of proselytizers in our school system.”
Spartanburg District Superintendent Dr. Thomas White released the following statement: “The program has been in existence in Spartanburg District 7 since 2007. I am disappointed these litigants chose to pursue litigation in these circumstances, rather than to first seek discourse and understanding on the matter.”
One wonders if these parents and FFRF would remain silent if the Superintendent would completely do away with teaching on the origin of life — removing all references to evolution — in the public school and require teachers to focus on reading, writing and arithmetic.
When the topic of origin is left out of school curriculum in public school as a requirement, completely, and the teaching is left to families, churches, mosques and synagogues — it will be only then when people of differing faiths and world-views will be respected in the public school forum. Until then, there will always be disagreement on the subject and litigation will be expected.
Related posts:
- Petition Seeks to Include The Bible As A Historical And Literary Textbook For Students
- Attorney: Classes Will Begin With Bible As Part Of Its Curriculum
- Charter School Commission Reviews Bible For History Curriculum
- Confidence Builds As Supreme Court Will Hear School-Choice Case
- Idaho Public Charter School Commission Gets Legal Memo Saying Bible Is Valid For Education
Short URL: http://www.christianlawjournal.com/?p=2601
You can not believe how long ive been looking for something like this. Went through 5 pages of Google results without finding anything. Very first page on Bing. There you are!…. Really have to start using it more often!
interesting material, where such topics do you find? I will often go
Evolution is not the origin of life, its the diversity of life by genetic changes in populations over generations due to environmental factors and occasional random mutations.
As for the people who are “forced” to learn the truth about evolution when it goes against their beliefs, they should actually learn what evolution is and realise it is nothing like what they had previously believed.
Plus the reason that the FFRF are trying to remove RE from courses is because it is unconstitutional (something few christians actually follow) and it gives unfair advantage to those who are religious and can take the course for an easy ride and less work.
“students are forced to learn the theory of evolution as the origin of life, even when it goes against their beliefs.” This guy really needs to view this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVRsWAjvQSg
Scientific theories explain observable facts. Scientific theories are held to a higher degree of speculation and scrutiny than science facts. Scientists aren’t trying to prove facts but theories. Every scientist would love to disprove or prove a theory. Evolution is not just a theory but also an observable fact because it was based upon observation of testable facts.
Allowing religious theories to compete on equal ground with scientific theory would rewrite the meaning of science. Theories taught would no longer require testable observation to be acceptable. Chemistry could be taught as magic tricks or spells. Astronomy could be taught as astrology. Gravity could be considered “Satan pulling us down”. Medicine would require witch doctors. Cars would run on angel tears. etc.
As soon as there is a testable scientific alternative to evolution, scientist will be happy to teach it in school.
Also, evolution does not discuss the ‘origins’ of life, it discuss changes in life over time.
Abiogenesis is the study of the origins of life. And there are detailed amino acid/protein explanations of early cellular structures.
I guess religious education isn’t all that its cracked up to be, especially if you only have to read one Book.