In my last post of yesterday, I shared an outrageous case of censorship perpetrated by a board of commissioners in Citrus County, Florida against free digital access to the NewYork Times to library users. My friend Larry lives in Citrus County and has written this excellent post on a bill filed by a state senator which would mandate the study of the Old and New Testaments in public schools. All funded by taxpayers of course.
Living as a Democrat in rural, Republican Florida challenges one’s sense of inclusiveness and social propriety. A recent controversy in local politics regarding funding our library’s request to make the New York Times available online to library cardholders is a case in point. My friend at BY HOOK OR BY BOOK has shared a great post regarding this issue. It is indicative of a population which refuses to leave the 1950s.
On Florida’s horizon is a bill filed by a State Senator which would require courses be made available in our public schools at taxpayers’ expense providing studies of the Bible. The following is the letter which I have submitted to our local newspaper.
State Senator Dennis Baxley, a Republican representing the Ocala region, has filed SB 746 to be considered during the 2020 legislative session. The bill would require courses providing studies of the Bible’s Old and New Testaments…
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By Hook Or By Book 
I am a lifelong atheist, so naturally think of this as so much archaic nonsense!
Best wishes, Pete.
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While I believe in some sort of higher power, there’s supposed to be a separation of church from state for a reason. If parents want their kids to learn the Bible there are plenty of religious based schools for that.
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I’m a pastor of relatively conservative persuasion, and I cringe at fellow Christians trying to pass laws requiring Christianity to be taught/practiced in school…especially since most of these same people would freak out should there be a law requiring classes on Islam, Hinduism, Wicca, or any other non-Christian religion.
I think that “separation of church and state” language is sometimes abused, but having the government actively engage in promoting one religion is most certainly a violation of the first amendment.
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Of course, I grew up in another country, so a lot of the American Evangelical obsession with politics bemuses me
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Well, I’m American and as a whole, Evangelicals puzzle me.🤷🏻♀️
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At one time I would have easily used the term of myself, but am pretty hesitant in recent years as it now seems to identify political allegiance more than a specific set of biblical beliefs and spiritual priorities.
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I was raised a Catholic, but I’ve veered away from organized religion most of my adult life. I’m pro-choice and pro-LGBTQ rights so I suppose the closest religion I relate to is Episcopalian. The irony is that due to the rising cost of living in the Northeast, my husband and I recently moved to Alabama which is about as deep into the Bible Belt as you can get. So, I’m having to bite my tongue frequently nowadays.
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My core beliefs are probably pretty similar to those professed by a lot of Bible Belt folks, but when I lived in Southern IN (basically KY) I found that how we thought those beliefs should translate into action could be vastly different. I now live just north of Detroit and have found a church family that is more diverse and more willing to show grace, compassion, and a helping hand to those in need.
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In my first two churches I regularly wanted to preach this sermon: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6mcXtontujA
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As someone who worked over 30 years in education, first as a teacher, then as a children’s librarian, I feel very strongly that religion should be kept out of public schools.
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I surely believe in separation of church and stare. But would also like to see more separation of worldview and politics which is also so much archaic nonsense!
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Are you referring to what’s being taught in schools?
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To schools and our society in general.
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Hmm. I do believe in classes like political science and other courses that teach not only world history but current events.
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Researched, objective world events or subjective world events interpreted to suit a particular worldview or political bent!?
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I had some pretty fantastic political science and history teachers in high school so I like to believe that the majority of teachers cover a range of views.
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If only … I would hope so!
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I continue to have great faith in this country’s public educational system.
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The U.S. ranks 17th in educational performance: ( this varies from year to year)
According to the report, The Learning Curve, developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the United States ranks seventeenth out of forty countries ranked in overall educational performance. Finland ranks first.
Yet we have probably the most funded and highest paid teachers.
No child left behind was initiated to teach to the tests. Last year our scores against the other nations fell 7%. The only group that improved were Orientals!
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Many teacher’s hands are tied due to being forced to teach to thing like state tests like Massachusetts’ MCAS. Perhaps I should have stated that as a whole I have faith in teachers.
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👍👍👍
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