“Is God real?” “Is Satan real?” Those questions and more recently appeared on the world history homework of high school sophomores in Oklahoma, igniting a firestorm of controversy when a concerned parent posted the homework online.
Does God have a place in public schools, or is this just thinly-veiled Christian nationalism?
“Is God Real?”
Skiatook High School sophomore Nettie Gray was shocked when she received her world history homework, which seemingly promotes a Christian worldview of creation and morality. Nettie, a “straight-A student” according to her mother Olivia, showed her the homework because “she didn’t know how to answer the questions using [research] sources.”
With questions like, “How did the world start?”, “Who started it?”, and “What does it mean to be Christian?”, Olivia Gray says that the assignment seemingly promotes a Christian worldview.
Outraged, she posted the assignment to her Facebook page, where it went viral, receiving hundreds of comments and shares.
“If you are Jewish sitting in that class, if you are a Muslim student sitting in that class, how are you going to relate to being asked what Christianity means to you?” she pondered. She says that the open-ended nature of the questions is leading students to a particular answer.
Asking how the world started, and who started it, “would imply that it wasn't the Big Bang Theory or any other kind of scientific explanation,” she explained. “So that I felt was a bit leaning.”
A Bible in Every Classroom
Despite Oklahoma Education Superintendent Ryan Walters’ recent mandate that every public school teacher in Oklahoma should carry and teach from the Bible, Gray believes that religion shouldn't be a topic in the classroom.
"I really feel that these are things that should be taught at home however parents choose to handle that,” she says. Gray also argues that the assignment is offensive and recalls a colonial past where Native Americans like her and her daughter were forcibly ‘re-educated’ by white settlers.
"[Nettie] has descended from several people who were forced into residential schools,” Olivia explained. “I feel that this is culturally insensitive for a school that is literally sitting on the Osage Nation.”
Nettie backs that up. “I feel like [the teacher] expected people to be Christian or whatever but like I am not Christian and there are probably other students in that class who are not Christian. They are probably not going to be comfortable answering those questions either.”
Consequences and Reactions
Outrage quickly spread over social media following posts online by both Nettie’s mother and sister.
“I thought there was separation of church and state in the US Constitution?” wrote one social media user. “As a father, I hope I never EVER see something like that come home with my kid from a public school” wrote another. Many called for the teacher to be let go from the school entirely.
In a statement, the school acknowledged the assignment may have overstepped, but seemingly stopped short of punishing the teacher:
"Skiatook Public Schools became aware of the history assignment in question through a social media post. Once administration reviewed the assignment, it was determined that the presentation of the material was not conducive to our instructional plan. Administration and staff will continue to collaborate on best practices to meet the Oklahoma Academic Standards.”
Because of the state's recently announced policies, when it comes to faith, the Bible, and public school, Oklahoma is in uncharted legal territory.
And until the state education superintendent, school boards, parents, and instructors can all get on the same page about how faith should be handled in the classroom, this school assignment could be just the first of many to make headlines.
What do you make of the assignment? Is it appropriate material for the classroom, or an unbalanced endorsement of a specific faith?
86 comments
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Asa William Sprague, II
Unless the class was doing a study on Christianity for a Comparative Religion curriculum, this assignment would obviously seem to be an unbalanced endorsement of a specific faith. As a result, it should not be considered appropriate material for a teacher in a public school system to assign to their students.
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Rev. BH
That crazy assignment "How Did the World Start" is leading and indoctrinating. Let's say the student answers thus: 1. the big bang. 2. no-one. Unless the "correct", expected answers are offered, I'll wager this would get the kid an F. Or a "see me".
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Melinda Fulk
Faith should not be handled in school classrooms, unless it's allowing a student time to pray quietly should their beliefs require it. The only role religion should have in a classroom would be it's context and affect on history, because various religious beliefs HAVE had quite the impact throughout time. Anything more than that, however, is purely an attempt at indoctrinating students into a particular set of beliefs - and that really doesn't belong in a public school.
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CB Cuff
The whole concept of school children needing to pray all the time is the thinking of very disturbed minds. I thought we are all trying to educate our children to be kind, and not become bullies. The hypocrisy is shameful.
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John P Maher
FORCING ANYTHING on ANYONE is THAT YOUR GODs WAY? SOUNDS LIKE A BAD GOD to ME !
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Robert Hauck, MD, FAAP
Certain commentators here reveal their uneducated self when they don't know the meaning of "woke," which was hijacked by politicos who gave the word a new pejorative meaning. By the way, wasn't the world created on the back of an enormous turtle?
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Lionheart
I’m obviously uneducated, please can you tell me what woke is?
Thank you.
🦁❤️
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James Riggle-Johnson
woke verb (PAST TENSE)
aware, especially of social problems such as racism and inequality: She urged young black people to stay woke. Today, however it is... past of wake1. adjectivesometimes derogatory adjective: woke; comparative adjective: woker; superlative adjective: wokest alert to and concerned about social injustice and discrimination. "he's an activist and very woke"
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Russel A. Kester
politically liberal or progressive (as in matters of racial and social justice) especially in a way that is considered unreasonable or extreme The national conservatives view today's liberals as woke cultural warriors who pose an existential threat to the nation and its traditions. —Shadi Hamid He's built a social media brand on the right railing against "woke liberals" and supporting former President Donald Trump. —Marissa Martinez The military is struggling to find new recruits to fill its ranks. … While the official reasons given by the military—including fewer face-to-face recruitments during the pandemic, and fewer young people who meet the physical standards required—likely play a role, some say it's because the military is too "woke," turning off its normal constituency of young, conservative recruits. —Suzanne Bates If there is any hope, it's that voters are rejecting woke green goals. Already this has occurred in Sweden and Italy, where voters threw out left-wing governments … —Michael Shellenberger
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James Riggle-Johnson
“The national conservatives view today's liberals as woke cultural warriors who pose an existential threat to the nation and its traditions.”
There is so much there to unpack that it gives me a headache. Change is frightening but it doesn’t make it bad. Some of our traditions have painted people like me pedophiles. It’s the same old BS that’s been said for 80 years. It wasn’t true then and it’s not true now. Saying a thing doesn’t make it real. Far-right evangelicals want to go back to the 50’s when people knew their place in society. Challenging the norms is not a bad thing. People are saying we are pushing homosexuality on there children because we want to hold hands or kiss in public. Something heterosexuals have been doing for more than 100 years.
And what does “GREEN” have to do with it? What is wrong with wanting to cure the environment? We live here and the earth has to be able to continue supporting life. Ultimately, if teaching the bible in schools is going to lead to more conservative attitudes then that is reason enough to stop it from happening.
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Russel A. Kester
James, you wrote that, "Some of our traditions have painted people like me pedophiles." What traditions do you speak of that would describe you as a pedophile?
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
he could be a cathaholic priest...that pretty much says pedophile any way you cut it
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Russel A. Kester
JJ, James wrote about a topic we all think we know about but we might not know as much as we think. After reading his comment, I read a little about it and found that there is disagreement even today as to whom the label of pedophile should be used or what is means. So there's a lack of definitional clarity. Has society been misusing the term? Are there better or clearer terms to use? And when? And no, someone's being a Catholic priest is not equivalent to being a pedophile. That's juvenile and insincere to say such a thing.
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James Riggle-Johnson
The paragraph in quotation marks is taken from your response. I was trying to say that some of those traditions the “woke cultural worriers” pose a threat to… those same traditions referred to gay people as pedophiles.
The point is we should NOT be teaching God in school. God belongs in the church. Stop asking high school students leading questions about the Creation myth. The earth was created over billions of years.
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Russel A. Kester
I now understand your reference. Thanks for the clarification.
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Cheryl Pettijohn
Of course, with 4 elephants on the turtle holding up the flat earth.
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ServantOfJudgement
Our school has avoided woke indoctrination until this fall. Last evening my my 16 year old said she was asked by her math teacher what her pronouns are.
She laughed and said "Isn't it obvious? I was born a girl, I look like a girl therefore I'm a girl."
Without browbeating and bible thumping, I was able to install a firewall against madness over the years expecting this moment to arrive. Not against gender ideology specifically, rather against folly and social madness.
She was quite puzzled by the question and surprised at how her peers gulped in the Kool aid. I advised her to continue doing the things she feels are right in the matter. That was my only advice.
She now knows that she knows. A fine young woman has emerged.
Thank God for his ultimate wisdom and his Son for saving.
Kids will lean to be dumb or they'll learn they're not animals.
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Robert James Ruhnke
I’ll take a “that never happened for 500, Alex.” Stop lying and making up narratives to fit your propaganda, SOJ. You’re as bad as Kester when it comes to lying and telling tales.
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Rev. BH
RJR, I agree with your comments on our two, rabble rousing, poke the bear contributors. But I would not accuse them of lying. I think (hope?) they sincerely believe their over-the-top, fire and brimstone religiosity. (Otherwise, they are just trolls.)
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Robert James Ruhnke
They are just Trolls Rev. BH. I can spot a troll pretty easily. I spent my 20’s trolling in the golden era of Facebook with other trolls. A decade ago. Since then I’ve made it a habit of calling them out. Trolling has an element of lying in it. They push insane Rightwing propaganda based on bad theology.
I’ve already caught Kester in multiple lies, especially with the Olympics Opening Ceremony. Blog. They make grand sweeping accusations about whole swathes of people. Yet I can’t deny the sincerity of their posts?
If I’m wrong I’m wrong. I’d much rather them be lying trolls than a grand zealot cult leader wannabe.-
Rev. BH
Amen, brother.
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ServantOfJudgement
? Robert. Wow.
I've not met a more accusing and judgemental group in my lifetime than the very inclusive crowd here. I must say, the nasty and judgmental Christians I've encountered pale in comparison.
Nothing can be said, discussed or pondered when one wields the mentality you display.
If it were true and you knew for a fact it were true, would that change your opinion? Would you apologize? No. You would dig your heels in and call me a liar on the next thing I say.
Isn't it strange that you your kind call people liars frequently and I don't? I don't think I've read any of Kesters posts calling people liars either.
My young woman of a daughter knows nothing of your accusations and remains the strong independent woman she's growing in to regardless of what you need to believe.
I wonder what she'll do if her two woke teachers try to force their mantra upon her.
We shall see.
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Reverend Paula Copp
What is your definition of “woke”?
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Rev. BH
And what is the teachers mantra?
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Cheryl Pettijohn
I agree with you, this did not happen. Schools are becoming increasingly conservative. I am no longer allowed to openly support any member of the LGBTQ+ community in Virginia. Our teacher code of conduct also leaves space to terminate for things done off duty under the guise of "interfering with a parents belief if you as a teacher". In the past, when I was younger, I'd be cautious of my out of school behavior. Now that I am older I am comfortable marching in a parade or running a Rainbow Run 5K. If that becomes a problem job-wise I am willing to say "bring it". As a math teacher, I can get a job anywhere.
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Elizabeth Jane Erbe Wilcox
Is it WOKE to tell you I have a transgender daughter? Is it WOKE to tell you she is married to a female? Is it WOKE to tell you she does Drag? Is it WOKE to tell you I and her siblings and their marriage partners offer her full support? Is it WOKE to tell you her niece and nephew call her Auntie? Is it WOKE to tell you she is kind, compassionate, empathetic?
If it is, then YES, I AM WOKE!
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Reverend Paula Copp
I am happily, proudly WOKE!
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Lori Mongillo
That is a wonderful world you've created, through acceptance. It's so good to hear.
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Rev. Fr. Craig Goral D.D.
Please explain to me simply what is WOKE? Im 62 years old and I have been seeing this in the media and online. Just like yesterday some asked me on the street if i knew somewhere he could get HARD? I asked a policeman what that was and he said is was drugs.(see a simple answer)
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James Riggle-Johnson
SOJ, I’m not sure what woke indoctrination has to do with the assignment given in an Oklahoma high school, but I think your daughter handled it well. The thing is… what’s the big deal? “I don’t use a pronoun. I have a name.” would be very appropriate and non-offensive to the teacher. Maybe the teacher just doesn’t want to insult someone. Maybe she’s trying to be proactive, but in reality is making it awkward.
The word “WOKE” is being misused. It’s about standing up to injustice happening to minorities. It’s been highjacked by a political party trying to scare someone with a new four letter word.
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ServantOfJudgement
James, your advice to use your name was what I said I might have done when I was her age. In that way we think alike.
The Oklahoma issue is opposite in polarity. Extreme right is just as pushy and wrong as extreme left. As I see the two anyway.
You're not the first person to say woke isn't what mainstream says it it or this is the second time you've told me.
Either way I remember that being said and have been thinking on it.
Thanks for your input.
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Lori Mongillo
Well Servant,.....Your daughter was asked what her pronouns were? The teachers are acting in the needs of students, of all kinds, from every walk of life. It was not an attack on you daughter, as you have presented it. Her response was honest and clear. I respect her for that. You, on the other hand, reflect your disapproval of the rights of others, and that gender identity is a problem for you. A fire wall against this madness? What madness are you referring to? Your closed mind has turned what the teachers asked into something other than what was intended. They were seeking clarity, which is necessary in addressing the students as they would like to be addressed. You have made it into something dark, which is quite understandable, if you believe in the existence of Satan. You may say you reject Satan in God's name, but in doing so, you're acknowledging his existence, which keeps him thriving through you. People do not recognize this for some reason. They ONLY see God in the people that think like they do, and see Satan in everyone else. I see the spirit of love in everyone. Satan is none existent. You need to reread the teachings of Jesus. He was a free spirit of love. So sorry you don't understand that.
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Russel A. Kester
Lori, you wrote that one should reread the teachings of Jesus, and you also wrote that, in your opinion, Satan is none existent. Yet the scriptures teach that Satan tempted Jesus during his forty days in the desert. You seem to have a problem. Either you accept both that Satan exists and that the teachings of Jesus are valid or you reject both. But it is inconsistent to accept one and not the other.
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Robert James Ruhnke
Nope Kester. Don’t push your idea of faith onto others. I know lots of Christians who reject the idea of Satan because they’re too busy living Christ’s teachings instead of praying about them. They understand the Bible is just loose guidelines not to be taken literally.
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Barbara Harris
My smart mouth, way back when I was in high school, would have gotten me in trouble with that question. The thought that immediately popped in my head was "if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck then it must be a duck". Kudos to your daughter!
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
In all your years of posting here, you've never posted anything sensible. Stop trolling this site please.
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Russel A. Kester
Matthew, why be a jerk?
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Lionheart
Actually, all human beings, Homo sapiens, are animals.
🦁❤️
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Russel A. Kester
All human beings are body and soul which means our bodies are animal in original but our souls are not. Since the human part is the soul, we are not just animals; hence, the term you used, human beings.
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Lionheart
Thank you for your thoughts. Our “soul”, as you call it, is of course a human construct. It’s an interesting thought, or concept, isn’t it?
🦁❤️
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Russel A. Kester
It is more than a mere concept. It the "part" of us that leaves at the moment of what we call death. How do you explain life and death? What changes from the one to the other and why according to your theory?
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Brian Scott Hoff
I can prove we have a body. I can prove we are alive. I can prove when we are dead. I can prove what happens to every single cell in our body when we are dead. That's all there is. You cannot show me the soul nor prove it is there. Therefore.. you are the on with a hypothesis that requires evidence to make it true.
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Rev. Michelle Love
Servant of Judgment, Assuming that your story is true, maybe the answer may not have been so obvious. Is your daughter a tomboy? Does she have short hair and wear gender neutral clothing? In any event, she did not answer the question because the word "girl" is a noun, not a pronoun.
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Cheryl Pettijohn
Generally I dislike pedants. (Ex friend who was constantly correcting and criticizing others) In this case however, rock on!
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Robert Gagnon
Unless it's a Christian school, it has no business dropping these questions on students. Although I am sure a Muslim Student could answer them in his own way. Who made the earth? Do Roman, Greek or Egyptian sources apply? From a non-bias point of view and rereading the assignment, a smart kid could correctly complete this assignment and have a total blast with it. Nowhere does it say you can't summarize the conclusions to each question. I think using Lovecraft as a source would also liven up the assignment.
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Colleen McAllister
Completely unacceptable the way these questions are worded. And some of those question are unacceptable to begin with.
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Daniel Todd Kamm
These are questions best answered in College -level courses.
Inappropriate for the age level being instructed here. Or "deconstructed" as the case is.
This is inappropriate in a public school, and the teacher and principal, personally, should be sued, as well as the school district more broadly.
This has caused me to "flash back" to a friend through grade school, elementary school, high school and beyond though we have lost contact now in our 60's... and the flash goes like this:
My friend went to a Roman Catholic University, one of the best iin our area and in the country She had to enroll in a religious studies class her freshman year and was given an assignment addressing a particular Roman Catholic subject, which, being raised a Methodist, she did not feel comfortable commenting on.
So her paper went something like " Not having been raised Catholic, I have no comments on the subject matter at hand whatsoever."
That was it, start to finish... and she earned an "A."
The students at this school would be wise, if old enough to avoid pathetic (or is that pathological?) indoctrination to do the same: disavow all knowledge....
I am always disappointed in OK... Native religions should be the way there...
tk
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John Michael Gentile
Religious themed topics have no business in public schools. If you want your children to study religion and theology as well as ABCs, that's what parochial schools are for. There's nothing wrong with either choice.
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David M Hines
You can quiz my kid on this as soon as you can prove your own answers are factual. The proof needs to be satisfactory to me, not just to you.
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Amber Fry
This is sunday school or possibly private religous school material. This shouldn't be in a public school setting, ever.
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
Our kids graduate without knowing: economics, civics, home economics and in some instances how to read. Leave religion to the churches, temples, etc,.
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Julianna Belle Doerres
As a former teacher for over 25 years I still feel that religion is up to the parent not the school system and teacher. I had students of diverse religions and it would have been really disrespectful to their beliefs to assign such an assignment.
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Rev. Michelle Love
Are these teachers going to be offered free college tuition in order to learn about the Bible? It can take years for someone to truly understand the Bible for what it is meant to be; just ask any Mason that has their 33rd degree.
Once a full understanding of the Bible is obtained, are they going to be given extra time to come up with a curriculum that includes this text? And is the school year going to be extended to include this extra curriculum?
What the school superintendent fails to realize is that the learning from the Bible is not going to help students pass the SAT, ACT or the ASVAB nor any other state mandated testing that determines which schools receive funding and determines how well a teacher instructs.
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Robert Rohr
This is only one assignment that can help students critically consider and analyze new concepts. However, your concerns are real. It is the reason my parents took me out of Bible school and put me in public school.
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Rev. Michelle Love
This was one assignment of many more to come. The Oklahoma school superintendent is mandating that all K-12 educators teach from the Bible regardless of what subject they are teaching. I wonder how the Algebra teacher is going to incorporate the Bible into their lesson plan. Maybe teach from the Book of Numbers? Maybe the Home Economics teacher can teach how to stretch fives loaves of bread and two fish to feed 5,000 people? Or the Science teacher can teach how Jesus was able to turn water into wine? The possibilities are endless...
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Stephen James Oder
In public education no religious information at all should be taught. That is up to each family on their time. Otherwise it's State Religion which is clearly not constitutional.
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Russel A. Kester
Stephen, what counts as religious information? Is teaching that the Pope and Christian kings in Europe engaged in the Crusades against Islamic Caliphate incursions into Spain and then into France included in your understanding of religious information? In other words, should the religions involved be stripped from the history lesson and presented merely as a conflict between European kings and Arab leaders?
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James Riggle-Johnson
Teaching what religion did as a historical fact is different than teaching from the bible. We don’t need religious dogma to teach history. We don’t need to ask how Earth was created so a student can be tested on their religious beliefs.
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James Mounts
The concept of "Church and State" is NOT in the U.S.Constitution, nowhere nohow. What that document does is prohibit the federal government from making a particular church the official church. What it does is prohibit the federal government from prohibiting you to practice your religion. Just because Thomas Jefferson believed in that separation does not make it part of the Constitution. Thank God Jefferson was not our only founding father.
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James Riggle-Johnson
Read The First Amendment!
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Amber Fry
Not with those specific words but if you read it and actually understood it then yes, it is. It's very clear in the first ammendment. The basic idea is to leat all people decide what religion they wish to practice and not having government support or promote any one of them.
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Rev. Carol M Anaski-Figurski
Yes Satan is real too!
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Lionheart
Do you have any demonstrable evidence to support your claim, or is it just another man-made construct?
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
this is the kkkristofascist version of the camel in the tent. notice how two of its members are redirecting the discussion here from the subject of this blog.
questions 7 & 8 ask and answer what this blog is about: another attempt by the kkkristofascist strike teams to try and insert their obscene religious demands into uninterested culture and society.
theirs is a constant effort to sneak in their silly beliefs, over all other's silly beliefs, in their silly belief that theirs is the correct one. it's like arguing whose STD is the better one?
had the question been fair it might have asked students to describe their religious beliefs and what their religion means to them. instead and unsurprisingly the high school limits the question/response only to kkkristofascism and then is disingenuous about what they're trying to do. just like some perma-residents here at ULC, not here for the inclusivity but rather to argue for and promote exclusivity and divisiveness and coyly claim they love all people smfh
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Russel A. Kester
JJ, "some perma-residents here at ULC, not here for the inclusivity but rather to argue for and promote exclusivity and divisiveness and coyly claim they love all people smfh." Could the quoted author be guilty of this crime?
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
about the ULC ministry, why are YOU here? seems disrespectful at the least and blasphemous at the worst that you, as an avid, practicing cathaholic are pretending to be a minister. the RCC doesn't recognize counterfeit 'ministers' so aren't you a hypocrite?
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Russel A. Kester
Your assuming that I'm a practicing Roman Catholic. How did you ever come to that conclusion?
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Robert James Ruhnke
Kester, you wrote, “ some perma-residents here at ULC, not here for the inclusivity but rather to argue for and promote exclusivity and divisiveness” You are once again talking about yourself. I’m here for damage control. I’ve been counter trolling for ten years. You are what the paradox of tolerance speaks on primarily. When people tolerate the intolerable, the intolerable take over.
Kester are you Catholic?
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Russel A. Kester
Robert, I quoted JJ, so you might want to do your damage control with JJ.
No, I am not a Roman Catholic. I do read many books written by the Roman Catholic Church as they are generally well written and hold to a consistent theology. There are spiritual truths to be learned from their publications.
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Robert Rohr
This is a great assignment. There are plenty of research resources out there. This assignment can teach students how to find and analyze resources to learn new concepts. It can also help them understand (but not necessarily agree with) other points of view. My concern is over the grading. Christianity means different things to different people. There should not be a right or wrong answer, but how the student explains it using their references. The Big Bang theory is not incompatible with Genesis. Just need to explain why not and be graded on the analysis.
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Russel A. Kester
I read the questions and they seem like good basic questions. Questions relevant to life. They do seem more appropriate to a science or philosophy class, but it's a world history class and asking how the world got here could be a legitimate question. The questions are open ended so they don't require an answer from any one perspective. Nettie Gray's daughter is free to answer that the earth was created by the great spider woman, or she can say it was created by physical forces from the gases of a large nebula. The questions about religion is very general as are the questions about the reality of God and Satan. Asking what is a Christian is interesting. Since Western civilization has been deeply influenced by Christianity and the Oklahoma State Board of Education wants students to be aware of the Bible and what role Christianity has played in it, the questions are within reason given those state objectives. I simply do not see the issue as this Nettie Gray does.
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James Riggle-Johnson
Russ, what kind of grade do you think to student would have gotten had she answered in the following? Christianity is a myth created by men desperately trying to bring meaning to their existence. It is the same as the Ancient Greeks worshiping Zues, Ares, Athena, and Hermes. The problem is we will never know, but I don’t think it would have been an A.
If they want religion taught in school, then they need to hire people who are qualified to teach it. It should also cover all religions and not just Christian beliefs. This is what I was afraid of... having teachers with no background teaching religion.
Ryan Walters is facing an impeachment if he doesn’t pull himself together. Walters responded to the threat saying the Oklahoma legislature has no right to override the will of the Oklahoma voters. He doesn’t seem to realize he wasn’t elected. He was appointed.
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Russel A. Kester
James, is Ryan Walters dutifully carrying out the directives of the Oklahoma State Board of Education?
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James Riggle-Johnson
I guess that’s up to the Oklahoma legislature to decide.
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Russel A. Kester
James, once again, we agree.
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Robert Louis Rada
Incorporating social, political, & economic ideals design your own Utopian Society. Better open-ended question that might invoke critical thinking skills.
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Edward D Torres
The Jew, The Muslim, and the Christian acknowledge the same God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Jesus, and Mohammad. Creationism and Intelligent Design is 21st Century Science. The Religion of Atheism No God of Creation and the theory of evolution is not science but a religion. Secular Humanism is a religion no need for God in our Society. We make provisions for orher religions by allowing them to home school or open a Religeous School like offered to the Christians and we can turn the tables. Our Pledge of Alliegence to a Flag representing a Nation under God.
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David M Hines
"Under God" was added to the Pledge during the Red Scares of 1950s, along with changing the national motto from "E Pluribus Unum" (out of many, one) to "In God We Trust."
Any claims the country was "founded on" these values are untrue.
This is why history matters and should be taught properly, not turned into indoctrination.
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John Casillo
TYLENOL PLEASE
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Russel A. Kester
LOL
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Russel A. Kester
Well, this is interesting. I responded to John's above comment with "LOL" assuming he was being humorous, and I found it funny as our back and forth here might well lead others to feel the same way. However, my commit was removed. Are we not to respond as I did to a humorous comment?
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Asa William Sprague, II
FYI - I am able to see your "LOL" comment, Russel. Cheers!
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Mark A Regenthal
I view these actions as an opportunity. Want me to teach the Bible? Sure, let's start with there being no record of any woman having authored any part of the Bible. Or the Epistles, pretty articulate from a group that in all probability were not literate. The son of God being born in December? Dead people being brought back to life, see where I'm going here? Instead of "In the beginning", it should start "Once upon a time". The Bible is so full of hogwash that merely teaching it in context undermines its validity, unless it is a fictional lit class. BTW, retired from teaching last month. Never had to worry about this as I live and worked in the northeast.
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Rev Ned
This is something I read, that if out of the thousands of religions only one is true, then logic would dictate that none are true. That said, to hedge my bet, in case the Norse religion is true, I have a pole arm and axe to be buried with me. Then, if the Valkyries carry me across the Rainbow (sorry homophobes) Bridge to Valhalla, I’ll have weapons with which to fight the ice giants.
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Chris Woodward
How does one present an idea of correctness when the very concept is distorted? All these "shoulds" and "should nots" may have originally centered around the pretext of doing right, but the concept of what is 'right' has been obscured and replaced with uneducated knee-jerk responses of significant weight, but no substance. Words and positions are taking priority over the message. The real question is not whether books should be banned, but why should we even be concerned about them. If someone in our tutelage is incapable of making a correct and wise decision, then it is us who has failed them.
Why can’t schools go back to Math, English, sciences, physics and biology, chemistry, geography and world history leaving out religious indoctrination ?
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