Peter Levine on Church in Schools

He writes:

In the United States, however, we have pervasively secular public schools that aim for value-neutrality (sometimes with bad consequences); and we have religious schools without any access to state money whose curricula are completely unregulated. The religious schools may draw religiously zealous parents who are hostile to the mainstream culture. When this happens, their students become a homogeneous group, deprived of diverse influences.

My own feeling is that religion(s) may be taught in schools, but there should be no limits to subjecting it to intellectual critique.   

 

Comments

[Sun Warrior]

If anyone sees a need for the reform of education, it must be in the re-introductin of at least religous teaching as a cultural foundation. It is the basis of our culture, whether the secular like it or not. And it is hard to critique one's assumptions if you don't know the Bible from whence it came.

Literature professors now have to teach the Bible first before they can teach the great books. Students have no automatic reference. It seems only mathematics has survived traditional learning, now that even history is optional. But then math is the basis of our culture now. For some reason this is not made obvious to students. Every mind must bow to the 'ratio' in rationalism.

[Heidi]

Antone concerned with this issue might want to read Thomas Groom's 'Educating for Life.'

One of his themes concerns justice. He says "Justice permeates education when its anthropology values and helps to develop the whole person, treats people with respect and dignity, and teaches them to respect the dignity, rights and responsibilities of others." Alson, "To allow spirituality to permeate education may lend people the most powerful inspiration for living justly."

I believe I was 'educated for life,' but I have 17 years of Catholic education and a few years of Baptist education. I don't really think my children were, although they all attended the no. 1 public schools in AL. My son's call to priesthood had nothing to do with his formal education, it was through the influence of his church. Something does not seem right about that to me.

Heidi

[IT]

Sun W wrote,
It seems only mathematics has survived traditional learning, now that even history is optional.
Actually, that's not true. Math has NOT survived, has been as dumbed down as anything else, and many students are functionally innumerate.

ONe of my students asked me to write a rec. for Pharmacy School. He can't even do powers of ten in his head. Can you imagine....?

(I''m a biologist teaching at the University level)