Religion in public schools? Heavens no
Paying taxes is great. Seriously. I love having things like police officers, firemen, and paved roads. Religion is also great. Seriously. It gives many people here in America a belief system (and something to believe in) in our fractured times.
But the two of them together? No thanks. I like keeping them separate. I like the two of them to know of each other, but to steer clear of each other. I like the two of them to behave like 8th graders at a middle school dance in Oklahoma in 1952 with mean ol’ Mrs. Jones as the chaperone screaming “no touching!” every time Bobby and Sue come within two feet of each other.
To be clear: I don’t want our shared tax dollars going towards anything that resembles religion.
Why? Because that slope is as slippery as an army of frogs dipped in Vaseline.
Let’s start with the most basic, and contentious, item: Christmas trees. Is it such a big deal to have a “Christmas tree” at town hall? Of course it isn’t. But would it be a big deal to have the taxpayer-funded town pastor read Bible verses over a taxpayerfunded loudspeaker while driving around in a taxpayer-funded van? Yes. It would be a big deal. So it’s a lot simpler to just call the “Christmas tree” a “holiday tree” and move on.
Of course, you probably disagree with me. Many of you are Christian, and think people like me — you, know, socially progressive Jewish Buddhist Agnostic Jedis — are being way too persnickety when it comes to this stuff. So let’s flip the script. Let’s say Islam becomes the dominant religion in America one day. Land of the free, home of the brave, and 50 percent Muslim. All of you who are fine with Christmas trees should then also be fine with Muslim decorations at town hall. And, of course, with the town Imam, town loudspeaker, town van, etc.
Which brings us to a story that’s been flying under the radar. Up in Chatham — a wealthy north Jersey town, population of about 10,000 — a pair of moms are causing a bit of an uproar because they don’t want religion being taught to their public school 8th graders.
Why is this story flying under the radar? Well, because it reads as anti-Muslim, and as a result — and I hate putting it in these terms - the mainstream media has been ignoring it. Fox news had it, Breitbart is all over it, WND.com is having a field day.
Basically, these Chatham 8th graders were being taught about the pillars of Islam as part of a social studies class, and these parents did not like it. They claim other religions were not being taught as much. They claim the homework send home was indoctrinating their children into Islam.
Two things here: I think these parents are koo-koo-bananas, but I also think they’re entirely correct. Religion should not be taught in public schools, period, full stop, the end. (As it turns out, it’s part of a state-mandated curriculum, according to NJSpotlight.com.) You want to teach about religion as it pertains to world history? Wonderful. But I see no reason to send homework home — as these parents claim — that has students writing such things as “there is no God but Allah.”
Religion is a nuanced thing. No two people share the same exact views. It’s based on belief, not science. It has zero part of an 8th grade curriculum. I already feel bad for my town’s school board when my kids get to this part of the lesson plan. I might get a little loud.