Should public schools be allowed to teach whatever they deem "appropriate," against wishes of the community?

Question

Recently, a US District Court in Massachusettes ruled that a "Under the Constitution public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy" (Parker v. Hurley). In this particular case, a public school taught that diversity education included acceptance of gay marriage, against the wishes and beliefs of many parents. But what if the school taught that 9/11 was an inside job, or gays should be isolated from general society? According to this court ruling, that would be okay, because, as Judge Mark Wolf said in his ruling, "The constitutional right of parents to raise their children does not include the right to restrict what a public school may teach their children."

Do schools now overrule the community which they serve?

Source: http://jewishworldreview.com/jeff/jacoby030507.php3

Answer 1

The case that was presented to the court concerned tolerance and as such, in a free society, learning tolerance makes one a better citizen not a worse or dangerous citizen.

Your other 2 examples of teaching of "9/11 was an inside job" (which would teach subversiveness and distrust and would not make "better citizens") or the isolation of gays (again would teach discrimination and intolerance, and would not make for a better citizen) wouldn't fly because they specifically would not make a more productive citizen.

And the way you fight the school district is to vote with your feet and move. That is what is happening in Michigan right now by the hundreds of thousands. I can't wait until I get to leave too.

Answer 2

Under the Constitution public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy.
Read what the above says about teaching. Can you tell me how the teaching of inside jobs and discrimination against gays can possibly help a child become engaged, productive citizens. The two areas you include as being on a par with what was meant would only teach 'hate', and 'distrust'. Things that are surely not what was intended by the court...

Answer 3

Well, you see that the schools can get control control of your children as long as it agrees with the liberal agenda. But as soon as conservative values are taught, well, somehow, that goes against the good of society. It's the liberal mentality that you are free to teach and do as I say, as long as it agrees with liberalism.

Don't forget, the ACLU filed a brief of the court that said that once a child goes to public school, the agenda there supersedes the parents for the public good. It wreaks of Stalinist Russia, doesn't it? Back then, Stalin rewarded children that turned in their parents for violations against the state.

It's all part of the liberal mind that claims freedom, as long as the "free" ideas agree with them. They are like sore losers in checkers: when they start to lose they flip the board over and cry foul.

If everyone has a genuine right to public education, then why should one group control what is being taught? The courts said that the parents are free to go to private school, but isn't that discriminatory? Public school is for everyone, so many ideas should be taught. It really boils down to the type of people or majority in the community. Lexington is just another liberal yuppie controlled suburb of Boston. So if the majority rules, then people must form their own communities. Would this kind of thing be a success in the Amish communities? I doubt it, and the ACLU doesn't have the courage to mess with solid people with solid values.

Answer 4

The school board is most likely elected by the community so if you dont like what they are teaching you have an obligation as a citizen to vote them out of office. The people can overrule the school through the political process. Judges should not be telling schools what they can and cant teach. We have a political process that allows you a voice into the matter and this is the proper way of changing a government body. If the community doesnt agree with you and approves of the school boards actions, you have the option of sending your children to private school or teaching them yourself.

If the court was requiring that something be taught, you would have a point.

Answer 5

Yes they should, because most of the community aren't educators. There is a Board that decides what is taught in the classroom..However you people seem to forget that students themselves often ask teachers questions pertaining to social issues. So the teacher answers by saying that in "her personal opinion", not the opinion of the school board.....You people have to remember that your children also hold their teachers as a source of information to everything socially related.

Answer 6

No they do not. The judge was a Liberal wacko and should be removed from he bench for making such decisions. Unfortunately, today public schools are only allowed to teach what the Liberals allow them to teach. Those subjects would be those that fall lock step in line with their agenda and indoctrination plans. Courses such as those on gay lifestyle, free sex, tollerace of what is traditionally bad and evil are all acceptable. Course that teach right from wrong, being responsible, morality, and especially anything to do with religion or its values are all taboo and punishable by persecution by the radicals. The parents are in charge or should be. If schools insist on corrupting impressionable children, the parents need to take them out of the indictrination system and place them in home schooling or private schools.

Answer 7

If we have separation of church and state, fine. But if my children were being taught something that I did not believe in, then I would home school. I do not care how gay people live. They have the right to live together anyway they want to BUT I do not think they should be allowed to marry legally and have all the rights of a male/female union. Our country has made many changes but not all of them have been good and the school is no place for political propaganda.

Answer 8

There need to be federal standards of education.
Without federal standards, you would have areas of the country teaching their children (who have no choice in the matter) that science is a trick of the devil and all sorts of stuff.
You would have schools teaching their children that Jews killed God. Or you would have schools teaching their children that Whites are better than everyone else.

All children deserve a good education that will prepare them for life in the real world, a world that embraces science, rejects bigotry, and requires a certain modicum of intelligence. Small local communities cannot guarantee this.

Answer 9

Schools should be controlled at local level where parents and community members would be allowed to attend school board meetings to help develope curriculum. Unfortunately, so much of the education in this country is now controlled federally and the communities have no say.

Answer 10

Here in Texas when the state took over the School Districts it took them less than five years to start indoctrinating our children in Leftist ideology. Our PTO is powerless to stop the state due to the courts. Since our PTO has lost the war, I pulled my two daughters out of public school and sent them to a private school.