A few comments here Walt. First of all it is not an either-or choice. So not between
either parent controlled or teacher controlled, but between a a number of paradigms.
Secondly, no system is perfect, but what is needed is system where all parties,
parents, teachers, and the larger community work together towards children's
education. I have no idea how things work in the US and have no intention of
criticising, but I know in the various schools my children have attended there have
been ample opportunities for parental involvement in school boards, class room
activities, camps etc. These were government schools.
Finally, here in Oz the Christian school lobby does tend, in my experience tends to
take advantage of several things, parental fears for their children being one ("Do you
really want non-Christians teaching YOUR children?"), and a general
anti-intellectualism ("One godly parent knows more about how his children should be
educated than any number of university graduates") for another.
But then I am prejudiced. I have deliberately chosen to educate my children though
the state system for a whole range of reasons.
Jon
Walter Hicks wrote:
> Jonathan Clarke wrote:
> >
> > I set this to only Don, in error. Here it is for everyone.
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Subject: Christian education (was ASA Perspective)
> > Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 08:08:34 +1100
> > From: Jonathan Clarke <jdac@alphalink.com.au>
> > To: Don Perrett <don.perrett@verizon.net>
> > CC: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu
> > References: <LPBBIPIHCJCPOEJFNJBAIEKACBAA.don.perrett@verizon.net>
> >
> > Hi Don
> >
> > "as a parent one has the right and responsibility for the education of their own
> > children" is the catch phrase (one of them at least) of the parent controlled
> > school movement. It is a truism, although it ignores some issues. What if the
> > parent wants their child taught that one racial group is superior to another?
> > What if the parent wants to teach the child that all nations other than their
> > own are to be treated as the enemy? What if the parent wants the child taught
> > that the earth is the centre of the universe. The upbringing of children is
> > also a community responsibility, and the community has an obligation to make
> > sure that parents to do abuse their responsibility. The there is the
> > responsibilities of teachers to teach the truth. Even in a parent controlled
> > school, teachers would (I hope) have a commitment to teach what is true, not
> > just what the parents want. But I have many friends who have taught in such
> > schools and know the struggles they have had with narrow minded parents.
> >
> > Jon
>
> The alternative to the Parent Controlled School is the Teacher
> Controlled School. That is what exists in the local communities near me.
> Massachusetts is notoriously ultra-liberal and much of the school system
> is controlled by teachers with a humanist background. While they wave
> the banner of religious freedom, their writings betray the fact that
> their goal is to eliminate Christian thought, not to coexist with it.
>
> For a nice discussion of the science-religion "war", an interesting web
> site is
> http://www.americanhumanist.org/humanism/war-science-religion.html
> Additional good reading are the humanist manifestos on that same
> web-site. There may not be a science-religion war in our minds, but
> their are people out there waging such a war --- like it or not.
>
> No system will be perfect, but I would sure like to see more parent
> controlled schools around here.
>
> Walt
>
> ===================================
> Walt Hicks <wallyshoes@mindspring.com>
>
> In any consistent theory, there must
> exist true but not provable statements.
> (Godel's Theorem)
>
> You can only find the truth with logic
> If you have already found the truth
> without it. (G.K. Chesterton)
> ===================================
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