[Vision2020] Interesting Report by S&P on Michigan's Govt Schools

Thu, 6 Feb 2003 08:36:36 -0800

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Dan Carscallen wrote:=20

> IF I were given a "voucher" to send my kids to the private
> schools, I might look at going that direction.  But then I
> have to worry about religious indoctrination . . .

But you do have religious indoctrination. The primary questions being
addressed by virtually any general form of educating children (past and
present) are profoundly religious. At the very least the list includes =
the
following:

1.	Where did I (the student) come from?
2.	What relationship do I have with all these other people?
3.	How did the world come to be here?
4.	What is authority and who wields it?
5.	How should I respond to the rules of behavior authority presents to
me?
6.	What is my purpose in life?
7.	Is there something, anything "out there" greater than me to which I
must answer?

If those aren't religious questions, then what are they? Any curriculum =
in
any school will necessarily address the above questions, one way or =
another.
Again, it is inescapable.=20

So the question is not if there's religious indoctrination, but whose. =
(I
appreciate Tom Garfield's listing the above).

Finally, you have set yourself up with a false dichotomy: "vouchers" and
religious schools, or "no vouchers" and government schools. You have =
left
out at least two other possibilities in that framework.=20

Dale Courtney
Moscow, Idaho

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<BODY><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff>Dan Carscallen wrote: 
&gt; IF I were given a "voucher" =
to send my=20
kids to the private &gt; schools, I might look at going that =
direction.&nbsp;=20
But then I &gt; have to worry about religious indoctrination . .=20
. But you =
do have=20
religious indoctrination. The primary questions being addressed by =
virtually any=20
general form of educating children (past and present)&nbsp;are =
profoundly=20
religious. At the very least the list includes the =
following:
<OL>
 <LI>Where did I (the student) come=20
from?</LI>
 <LI>What relationship do I have with =
all these=20
 other people?</LI>
 <LI>How did the world come to be =
here?</LI>
 <LI>What is authority and who wields=20
it?</LI>
 <LI>How should I respond to the rules =
of behavior=20
 authority presents to me?</LI>
 <LI>What is my purpose in =
life?</LI>
 <LI>Is there something, anything "out =
there"=20
 greater than me to which I must answer?</LI></OL>
<DIV>
If those aren't religious questions, then what are =
they? Any=20
curriculum in any school will necessarily address the above questions, =
one way=20
or another. Again, it is inescapable. So the question is not =
if=20
there's religious indoctrination, but whose. (I appreciate Tom =
Garfield's=20
listing the&nbsp;above).
Finally, you have set yourself up with a false =
dichotomy:=20
"vouchers" and religious schools, or "no vouchers" and government =
schools. You=20
have left out at least two other possibilities in that framework. =

Dale Courtney Moscow,=20
Idaho</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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