New Report: Angels & Aliens in Texas Schools

[cbayer]

http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/culture/6802/new_report__angels___aliens_in_texas_schools/

February 3, 2013
By MARK A. CHANCEY
Mark A. Chancey is a Professor of Religious Studies in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. His most recent book is Alexander to Constantine: Archaeology and the Land of the Bible, co-authored with Eric M. Meyers for Yale University Press (2012).



What would Supreme Court Justice Tom Clark think of public school Bible courses that taught that Jewish festivals are actually typological predictions of Jesus, that the “African races” are descendants of Noah’s cursed son Ham, that biblical stories about angels may have referred to extraterrestrial visitors, or that Genesis’s six-day creation story is scientifically accurate if interpreted correctly?

Clark is the justice who penned the Court’s majority opinion in the 1963 case of Abington Township School District v. Schempp, known primarily for prohibiting public school officials from reading Bible verses to captive student audiences, though it also hinted at the possibility of constitutionally appropriate study of religion in public education:

It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities. Nothing we have said here indicates that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be effected consistently with the First Amendment.

However, the above examples from the state of Texas—where fifty-seven school districts and three charter school systems offered high school Bible courses in 2011-2012—suggest that 50 years after the gavel dropped in Schempp, some schools are still struggling when it comes to discussing the Good Book “objectively.”

Recently, citing the Texas Public Information Act, Texas Freedom Network contacted those schools and asked that they provide it with their course materials. TFN then asked me to examine the accumulated boxes of syllabi, tests, handouts, lecture notes, and PowerPoint presentations for academic quality and evenhandedness toward diverse religious sensibilities (full disclosure: I was compensated for my efforts, though I’m otherwise unaffiliated with TFN).

more at link

[longship]

1. So much overt first amendment abuse.

To challenge such excesses takes resources. It's difficult to see the few organizations which are taking up the battle, like FFRF, have enough to stop these practices.

It's bad. To use their religious freedom as a tool to convert others' children is despicable.

[cbayer]

2. Well, the silver lining is that they are attracting a lot more attention.

Clearly, the religious right's determination to put their focus more on the local and state level, with particular emphasis on school board, was successful. We can hope, though, that as the electorate becomes more aware of what they have and are doing, they will exercise their vote to change it.

One of our regular poster here who has first hand knowledge of the TX situation says there have already been major changes in the school board during the last election. That's what has to happen, imo.

[longship]

3. And we still have to challenge the laws that fail Constitutional muster.

It takes attacking this on multiple fronts. The GOP has great power at the state and local levels. I worry very much that the Dems are not addressing this sufficiently.

It cannot just be about the presidency and US Congress. If we lose the states, we lose too much. All it would take is a constitutional convention orchestrated by GOP state legislatures and things could change drastically and quickly.

I know this comes close to conspiracy theory, and maybe even is, but such a thing is constitutional and could be in reach if the GOP can take 3/4 of the state legislatures. I cannot think of a more insidious and dangerous thing. They already have blue states, including my home blue state of Michigan, and our blue neighbor, Wisconsin.

This something worth fighting, and not only for the constitutional option I cited. I wish Howard Dean was still DNC chair.

[cbayer]

4. Unfortunately, the right figured out that stuff about local and state elections

about 4 years ago and we are again behind the curve.

Even in blue states, I don't think there is enough support for this kind of extremism to get much going and I think we are already seeing a backlash.

[Adsos Letter]

5. !

From the Religion Dispatches article:

One district’s slideshow on archaeology’s verification of the Exodus story concluded with this observation:

Sad to say mainstream anti-God media do not portray these true facts in the light of faith But prefer to sceptically [sic] doubt such archaeological proofs of the veracity & historicity of the Biblical account one of the most accurate history books in the world[.] “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” (Psalm 37:5)
http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/culture/6802/new_report__angels___aliens_in_texas_schools/

That seems to me to be about as blatant an abrogation of Church/State separation as it gets. I suppose they reject Incorporation doctrine.