Jonathan Clarke wrote:
>
> 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.
We live in different worlds, Jon. Over here (Massachusetts, USA) there
is very little opportunity for parents to get involved in the
curriculum. In the South it tends to be the opposite but it has been
changing. The only real alternative is private schools (expensive).
>
> 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.
To view the other extreme (The one that exists in Massachusetts) You can
read the manifesto of the humanist organization. They are given at:
http://www.americanhumanist.org/about/manifesto1.html
and
http://www.americanhumanist.org/about/manifesto2.html
They openly hope for the destruction of "religious" values. If such
people controlled your school system, you would feel differently, I
believe. Thank the Lord that you have the system that you do have.
>
> But then I am prejudiced. I have deliberately chosen to educate my children though
> the state system for a whole range of reasons.
And I am sure that they are valid ones.
>
> 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)
> > ===================================
-- =================================== 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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