Week 9
Welcome! Please Read the Handouts While You Wait for Class to Begin! Please help yourself to coffee and snacks Please make a name tag for yourself Please consider serving: Sign-up to bring refreshments to a class
Consider the two sources from the New England Primer and McGuffey Reader. Should readings like this be used to teach reading in the public schools today?
By culture I mean a special thing. It is not transcendentalism; it is not erudition; it is not necessarily cultivated. It is a special kind of ability: the ability to visualize a happier state of affairs than the average humdrum of the regulation world.
It being one chief project of that old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures....to the end that learning may not be buried in the grave of our forefathers, in church and commonwealth... It is therefore ordered that every township [with] fifty households shall forthwith appoint one within their town to teach all such children as shall resort to him to write and read, whose wages shall be paid either by the parents or masters of such children, or by the inhabitants in general.. And it is further ordered, that when any town shall increase to the number of one hundred families or householders, they shall set up a grammar school...
Our Public Schools are not Theological Seminaries" and t they were "debarred by law from inculcating the peculiar and distinctive doctrines of any one religious denomination amongst us... or all that is essential to religion or to salvation. Our system earnestly inculcates all Christian morals; it founds its morals on the basis of religion; it welcomes the religion of the Bible; and it allows [the Bible] to speak for itself. But here it stops, not because it claims to have compassed all truth; but because it disclaims to act as an umpire between hostile religious opinions."
New Educational Institutions Vast expansion of public schools, especially High Schools - expected to solve democracy s problems uneven success, especially in the South Growth of Parochial (Catholic) Schools in the cities Art Museums and Libraries - designed to instruct the masses Growth of Universities Transformation from religious colleges to secular universities with power taken from churches given to boards of directors Emphasis on German ideas such as higher criticism and greater study of the sciences. Introduction of professional schools for medicine, then law
Revealed truth does not exist Truth must be proven experimentally. Nothing is inherently good or inherently evil: Morality is situational Change in belief is inevitable and desirable. Man is not naturally depraved and selfish Behavior is determined by his environment.
Changing Court Interpretations 1948 - religious instruction in Public Schools banned 1962 - school prayer banned Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country. Amen. (NY Regents Prayer 1963 - compulsory Bible reading banned. 1967 - Supreme Court struck down a similar Arkansas law based on a violation of the establishment clause
When you think about the current culture of public education, do you think change is necessary? And if so, from where and how do you envision change being implemented?
28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, What commandment is the foremost of all? 29 Jesus answered, The foremost is, HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. 31 The second is this, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:28-31 (NASB)
43 You have heard that it was said, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy. 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Thereforeyou are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48 (NASB)
en e my: noun: a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Mark 5:48 Τέλειος: téleios: of full age, coming to fullness, mature, complete, to its full end We are to love maturely as our heavenly Father loves us
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But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44 Life Community Moms In Prayer Grace Chapel Staff: Prayer Line and Prayer Teams
Are there ways that your assumptions about public education culture has precluded you from being a culture-maker in that particular sphere? What areas of public education culture might you have a loving opportunity to invest in with the skills and talents God has give you? How might you be praying for public education culture in a way that loves the people within the system?