Religious Education in Public Schools
CNN.com - Parents challenge weekly Bible classes - Feb 12, 2005
As my daughter approaches grammar school, I am increasingly worried about having religious thought imposed upon her at such a young age. This article from CNN talks about a school district in Virginia that takes students to "optional" bible study classes at local churches during the school day. I find the fact that they are "optional" totally laughable. What kid is going to opt-out of going to this when his or her friends are going? That kid would be treated as an outsider for not going along with the group. Is this really what we need to be encouraging for our children? Besides that, I don't believe children this age can properly grasp the ideas of religious thought. Ethics and wright and wrong can be taught without religion and definitely without Bible studies. One person in the article summed it up beautifully: "Christians don't have a monopoly on morality." I am just afraid that my daughter will be encounter this in her future, considering the religious Christian community where the school district is located.