Queen Bee had a busy day yesterday so I (Honey) am going to take over for one day. Something bothered me this week. PA state representative Stephen Bloom is working on a bill to allow students in PA public schools to raise questions about science. The editors of our local newspaper, the Carlisle Sentinel, wrote an editorial on Thursday criticizing Mr. Bloom's bill by saying it would "open a can of worms." For the record, as an educator in a public school I applaud Mr. Bloom's attempt at allowing students to ask questions. My oh my that sounds like a funny concept! Students asking questions!?!? Isn't that what learning is all about?
There are two issues here that I find confusing and frustrating:
1. Discussions about religion in school: Discussions about any religion in the world can be discussed in public schools, but not Christianity. Schools can teach students about Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, etc., but as soon as the term "Christianity" comes up, all of a sudden, peoples rights are being infringed upon because Christianity is being "forced" on them. Tolerance. It is a funny word. What makes someone tolerant of others? If you look up the word tolerance, it actually means to have an objective attitude toward opinions that are different from your own. The very organizations that are promoting tolerance are actually restricting it. Do you know who else weighed in on this issue? The ACLU. They believe that there is no room for religion in education. They do not want public school students to have the liberty to ask questions about religion. Do you know what the "L" stands for in ACLU? Liberty!!! Am I the only one that can't stop laughing at the irony there?!?!
2. Controlling a students' thinking/learning process: The Sentinel article suggested that if students can question the science curriculum, then students will begin questioning other subjects as well. They used an example that a student might feel entitled to question the concept of long division thus taking time away from the curriculum for the teacher to answer that question. If students are told they can only ask a certain type of question, how long will it be until the entire educational system is questioned? If a student feels that their own personal feelings and opinions don't matter because it doesn't mesh with the media's or the teacher's, do you think that student might lose interest in the subject because their voice can't be heard? Does it matter that students can't have their voice heard?
Mr. Bloom's bill appears to be very simple and straightforward. The bill is intended to give a platform for discussion within the schools. He is not suggesting that Christianity become a part of the curriculum. What is society so afraid of that a simple suggestion like this faces such criticism? What is the underlying reason for squashing student's questions about religion? Are they afraid that other students in the class will understand more about the opinions and view points of a Christian? Wouldn't that lead to a more tolerant society?
I am confused by this bill by Steve Bloom because I didn't think there was a law forbidding the kind of discussion he is proposing. Furthermore what if a teacher reacts to a question the way the journalists are reacting now with scorn and mockery. Will we charge them with a hate crime? Where does he propose that we find teachers that are open-minded enough to have the good manners to be engaged by a student on this issue?
ReplyDeleteI find the whole proposal very naïve. (mom B)