A new ethnic studies curriculum proposed in the state of California would have children across the state chanting the name of an Aztec god as part of their studies. The controversial curriculum was designed to help students “challenge racist, bigoted, discriminatory, imperialist/colonial beliefs" by celebrating indigenous cultures.
That includes teachers leading students in chants to Tezcatlipoca, an Aztec god known as the Creator god, who was honored by human sacrifice, complete with heart removal.
While California’s goal is ultimately to lift up underrepresented groups and help share their history and traditions, many say educators are going too far. The most outspoken critics even call the lessons unconstitutional and “evil, retrograde cultural vandalism.”
Chanting to Tezcatlipoca
The chants included in the curriculum call on students to be “warriors” for “social justice”, as well as calls for “transformation, liberation, education, emancipation, imagination, revitalization, [and] decolonization.”
Advocates say the activity is designed to bring students together, with declarations that "you are my other me" and "if I do harm to you, I do harm to myself.”
Proposed text released by the state includes more content, with lines such as: “Seeking the roots of the truth, seeking the truth of the roots, elders and us youth, (youth), critical thinking through.”
There is also specific mention of the Aztec god Tezkatlipoka. Students are instructed to chant: “Tezkatlipoka, Tezkatlipoka, x2 smoking mirror, self-reflection Tezkatlipoka.”
Other Aztec gods are invoked in the chants as well, including Quetzalcoatl, Huizilopochtli and Xipe Totec, all siblings to Tezcatlipoca.
According to Aztec myth, Tezcatlipoca had many manifestations, and would intervene in the lives of humans to bring about both happiness and despair. He was worshipped in ceremonies, where a man - often, a prisoner of war - was dressed to impersonate Tezcatlipoca, honored with a ceremony filled with dance, married to four women, then taken to a temple where his heart was torn out.
Building Unity Through Learning
The proposed ethnic studies curriculum “helps students see themselves and each other as part of the narrative of the United States," and “helps students see themselves as active agents in the interethnic bridge-building process we call American life."
The chants are, simply, a unity-builder for students, and will help reinvigorate students after a long or emotionally taxing lesson. According to California, they’re simply harmless ways to engage students.
Not everyone sees it that way.
The God of Controversy
“The idea that a tax-supported public school system would, or could, be used to unleash this vicious cultural and spiritual poison into our young people’s consciousness is both extremely offensive and quite possibly illegal,” stated Christian Post Executive Editor Richard D. Land in an op-ed that also called the curriculum “retrograde vandalism.”
He compared the situation to teachers not being allowed to lead students in prayer, pondering, “if public schools are not allowed to sponsor Christian prayers, why would they be allowed to sponsor prayers to an Aztec pagan idol to whom human sacrifices were offered routinely?”
Land wasn’t the only one frustrated by chants to Aztec gods being proposed, when a prayer to Jesus Christ would, obviously, not be allowed in public school. The reporter who first broke the story, Christopher F. Rufo at City-Journal, had similar concerns.
“Public schools are prohibited from leading state-sanctioned Christian prayers, he writes. “They would presumably be similarly prohibited from leading state-sanctioned chants to the Aztec god of human sacrifice.”
He views the chants as a wholesale displacement of Christianity, stating that “the chants have a clear implication: the displacement of the Christian god, which is said to be an extension of white supremacist oppression, and the restoration of the indigenous gods to their rightful place in the social justice cosmology.”
Is all this simply a move to erase Christianity from American culture?
Education or Double Standard?
We’re yet to see how the state’s Board of Education will vote on the proposed Aztec chants, but should they approve them, the fight will undoubtedly continue in the court system. Even with approval, it could be a long time yet before California schoolchildren are singing songs to Tezcatlipoca.
Still, it’s an interesting situation. Many critics say that the lesson, particularly the chanting, is unconstitutional. They point out that other faiths prayers or chants are not welcome in public schools. Does it matter that there are very few genuine believers of the Aztec faith in North America, compared to some 200+ million Christians in the U.S. alone?
Advocates also say that the curriculum isn’t endorsing ancient Aztec religion, it’s using it as a framework to unite children, celebrate indigenous cultures and make BIPOC students feel seen.
Bridge building or indoctrination, what do you think?
74 comments
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Linda weeks
Off the bat I want to say that all classroom history books are Eurocentric and need to be changed to tell the truth about all peoples. The Bible is mentioned in school both in a historical sense and as literature, so is the Torah and the Talmud. It would be appropriate to mention indigenous beliefs in the same way. Chanting a prayer to any God, even as role-play in a lesson would be inappropriate. A child cannot properly understand the meaning without experiencing the culture from which it came. This would be more properly addressed in a setting where indigenous people were presenting this particular lesson at a cultural center to people who understood the context. Presenting a lesson like this without proper sanction by both the indigenous descendants of the people being portrayed and parents of students involved leaves the content available to misinterpretation and stereotyping of indigenous people.
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Brien
That would be a hard no. Spiritual teachings of ANY kind do not belong in a classroom. Trying to hide it behind some cultural lessons or any such nonsense just opens the door for everything else that does not belong in a classroom. Here is what belongs in school: Reading, writing, math, science, history. Exploring options and all the other fluff belongs in college, where a student has matured enough to start understanding the choices they have. Part of the trouble with the education system now is what I call a way to much, way to early approach, forcing young children to advance beyond their years and experience. Peace☮
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Tim Baker
Last I knew, historically speaking, there were no Aztecs in California...or North America for that matter. If their goal actually is to "call on students to be “warriors” for “social justice”, as well as calls for “transformation, liberation, education, emancipation, imagination, revitalization, [and] decolonization." Why not base this song on something from any of the Indigenous peoples that once inhabited California, of which there are well over 20 tribes, or if that is not enough, how about the 100s of other tribes Indigenous peoples of the United states
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Peggy L Ake
Well said.🙂
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Jack A Mabry
I see that California is back to it's lonney time antics again. Why anyone still lives there escapes my ability to comprehend. So glad I left 11 years ago, and I've never regretted the move.
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Randy Slemmer
We are all God's creation... BUT we are NOT all GOD'S CHILDREN!!! You must be born again, by the baptism of water. Jesus says; I am the way the truth and the life NO ONE CAN COME TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THREW ME!...
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flugo
Dandy, Randy! Excellent observation. Bible says that those rejecting Jesus, enjoying sinning, and in gross denying and unbelief are children of the Devil, NOT God!
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Minister Mike
Freedom from religion.
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Alexander Clarke
We need freedom from religion.
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Ilmenheru Terikson
While I am all for the preservation and education of the ancient cultures that existed I also do not feel any form of faith tradition should be taught in that fashion in a public school. I do not see any issue with them teaching the chants content and context, but having them actually chant it or practice any form a faith tradition while in the classroom I can not support.
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Marcus Currie
I think our country is in such a flux that has gripped us tighter than perhaps ever before. It does not seem to be and end or a sensible way to work within, around or through a host of issues that we are continually facing. This one falls right in there with so many others.
Perhaps the best response to this and so many other issues would be to take a few deep breaths and truly seek the spirit of the divine. It's time to take politics off the table it has assisted in dividing us all.
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Dean Allen White
Enough already! Does everyone have their very own religious axe to grind here? The fact is, a school is a place for a child to be "educated". Reading, writing, and arithmetic! History and science are good too. Children do not "NEED" to be "indoctrinated" in "Wokeness", "Liberalism, "Conservatism", "Socialism", "Religion", or any number of other things at school, that should be taught to them AT HOME. Americas' children would likely be best served by an education in the useful skills that they will need later in life, without the inclusion of an education in things that special interest groups wish for. The use of Americas' schools for indoctrination into ANY "Beliefs" (not just religious, but also social, or political) needs to be banned.
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Eduardo O. López García
I couldn't agree more brother.
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Eduardo O. López García
For starters this is only white washing of a death cult, another prong in the effort to divide us by race and to indoctrinate children into stuff they shouldn't be indoctrinated to.
Separation of church and state, where is the Atheists of America protesting this?
And I'm a mexican of Maya descent, I would say the same if it was the Maya religion they would be trying to indoctrinate children into.
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Alma Gloria Torres
I highly doubt this, they can’t make anyone make praises or chants to something they don’t know or understand. I’m sure they are going to speak on this in the historical sense but not religious indoctrination.
Anyone who gets scared by this is fooling themselves. Simply talk with your kids and have them choose to participate in class as they see fit.
If the kids are uncomfortable they can ask to sit out or do a paper on the subject. I believe we do need common sense here and to take this news with a grain of salt.
When the Spanish arrived in Mexico, Cortez did away with a lot of their culture. Destroyed the infrastructure of the tribes and murdered their leaders, installed their religious beliefs and conquered. Between biological warfare, the plunder of indigenous land and the rape of it’s people, I don’t see a chant restoring an ancient dead god or dead civilization to anything more then a footnote of memory.
Furthermore I do see this as a way to allow kids to understand that these used to be a people who had their own civilization, culture and set of beliefs.
As well intended as this article maybe, it’s written in a manner to incite feelings of fear rather then genuine debate. I mean it’s vague at best, what all of California? Or what district? What schools? Where can I log in to read the curriculum and if that’s the case, would we need to check in with our city council? State Representatives? Board(s) of education?
Look. Let me explain, If a cat was pooping in your yard, do you kill it? No that’s a horrible idea and people would be angry and hate you. But did you know if you put a bowl of food out where they poop, they will stop. Cats don’t poop where they eat. I bet you are asking where I’m going with this? Did it ever occur to anyone to make a program that illuminates other religious beliefs without adding chants or controversy into the curriculum?
Yes it sounds bad to say ah yes the Christian is teaching me about my culture, but wouldn’t it be better to bring a person of said culture to give a short lecture on said topic. Or make a video and leave the class open to discuss it?
People especially kids are naturally curious about other peoples and that too includes their cultures, but I think scaring people about it is only going to create more problems then solving things in a diplomatic way.
I remember in High School Christian kids handing out religious pamphlets and trying to bring students to join into their church which immediately upset other students of other beliefs.
Then everyone was trying to bring pamphlets- even the Satanists. When the Christians protested the Satanists what then happened was a big fight that led to a School wide ban on all religious everything, because the Church would rather step off campus then honestly step back and allow people to come to them. No presence was better some. And I still think to this day, it was a cowardly move. Rather then hold ground, debate and keep a door open, they shut it indefinitely.
Now this was years and years ago. Times have changed drastically but, the need to hold the door open is far more imperative then before.
People don’t need to be shoved through. The times, the horrors of the world have made our kids weary, burnt out and yes, hopeless. Where can they go if the door is closed?
Part of the problem with Christianity today is the Hubris of its leadership and its flawed belief that a shoe can “satanize” a kid. If a shoe has that much power today, or a silly LIKELY mispronounced chant- we’re in trouble- because we are not looking at the things that came before the choice to buy the shoe.
There are family issues, behavioral, genetic/ hormonal- so many things that come before a kid starts rebelling.
If a dead god or shoe is really the deciding factor in saving souls, then we would have destroyed the devil a long long time ago.
Be open. Speak from a genuine place. If you cannot build the strength in your child to speak frankly and say, I’m here to learn, not practice a chant. Then what are we doing? Their autonomy in the classroom should be respected. Just as we wish for respect, we need to give it as well. Let them teach, but speak up on how you wish to participate.
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Peggy L Ake
Beautifully stated! Thank you! 🙏🙂
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Karen M Butler
I study ancient cultures and civilizations. I am currently taking a class on Biblical Archeology. I think studying other cultures is a good idea for kids but I don't care for the chanting. I don't believe it's beneficial. I'd rather see them learn about how the people made their own pottery, clothing, grew their own foods, and were involved in their communities much as we are today. Life will be hard enough as they grow up and there will be time for learning the negative aspects of those cultures and why they chanted. Lets have them enjoy being children and concentrate on the positive things.
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Dan Velez
Absolutely not!! This is insanity!! There must be a better way to unite our children then to teach them how to worship a pagan god whose followers practiced human sacrifice. It’s completely and totally unbelievable that someone came up with this idea?? It does however makes sense that the agenda behind this is to completely do away with any religious belief system in public schools.
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Anisahoni
Dan, You have been manipulated to believe the lie of human sacrifice among the Mexcia That has been disproven over and over again. The lie was perpetrated by Spaniards who wanted more money from the Queen back home to have more time to extract gold. The only way to get extra funding was to convince her that the Mexica (Azteca) needed to be converted to Christianity and to "demonstrate " their "savagery." Problem is the document which was sent to her has been reseached and examined to discover that the "witenss" was too far away to observe any such acts of human sacrifice. Also. the Codeces were misinterpreted by the Spaniards. I invite you to learn more and read and study Dr Peter Hassler's research. I have been in touch with him mulitple times to discuss his research. He is in Germany. https://www.oocities.org/yankuikanahuak/aztec_sacrifice_index.html
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John D. Partin
Dan Velez, the Catholic and Protestant churches also practiced human sacrifice, known as the Inquisition, Crusades, witch trials and burnings, Conquistadors' actions against natives in the New World, and Catholics against Protestants in Northern Ireland, elsewhere in Europe, and in America. "Let him who is without sin among you cast the first stone". When this country becomes exclusively a Christian theocracy, the same as Iran is a Muslim theocracy, then only Christianity could be taught or allowed in schools, if you really think that we should follow Iran's example and that is the way to go. Until then and as long as there are Jews, Muslims, native American Pagans, and other religionists in this country and they deserve something for themselves, too, then their beliefs must be taught and allowed in our schools, and this doesn't "do away with Christian or any religious belief in our schools", if we practice Live and Let Live and Do unto others as you would have others do unto you
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Krystina S.
- It's only a pagan god if you do not yourself believe in it. Funny that so many of us are forced to worship what many consider a pagan god within the framework of the US and its education system. Example: Pledging to a flag "under god." Ludicrous that the supreme, supposedly Christian deity, would care about this infant country. 2. Someone did come up with the idea, so it is not unbelievable, but fact. 3. If a fallout from this is that we Completely Do Away With Any religious Belief System in Public Schools, then YAY.
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Clay Serenbetz
Worship of any deity in any public forum, including schools, violates the Constitutional restraint against Establishment of Religion.
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Anisahoni
No surprise that some Christians are going off the deep end. They are easily threatened by those who do not fall in line with their beliefs. What they don't realize is that Mexica "gods" were teachers way before their Jesus was ever invented by Constantine and his scribes and who produced stories for the historical bible. The Mexica (Azteca) cultural icons mentioned in the article are special to the Mexica people and those who ware gnashing their teeth, calling them "pagan" are truly ignorant of Mexica culture and spritual beliefs of those who originated in California. Do christians think their mythical god and Jesus is any different? I say it is about time that other peoples' spiritual/cultural beliefs are taught. This is not about a "church" as the "church" for the Mexica is the natural and supernatural worlds. It is time to lift the veil of ignorance and arrogance.
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Catherine
Interesting. After listening to discussion among much younger college students, I developed an interest in social engineering. A show called "The History Channel" has, for some time, implyied ancestors, the ancients, aliens, or some combination of those, used the energy of sound to make all kinds of things happen. Chanting has been mentioned, as well as the 'aum' or 'om' sound often associated with meditation; or perhaps 'ohm' - an electrical unit.
It's anyone's guess how that might relate to current events and oddities developing in educating curriculums. Only saying it seems interesting from a social engineering perspective. Why chanting? Hmm.
An aside. Some years ago while attending a northern Wisconsin college, our art class was upended when a visiting art professor was asked to leave after conducting a 'pagan' sunrise worship service on Easter.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
What a wonderful idea. I remember going to public school and being forced to sing Christian hymns at in December and in the spring dancing around the May Pole. And then at school football games yelling Native American, Greek and Roman God war chants. Kids should learn Aztec God war chants. All of this will teach kids just how silly chanting, singing and praying to a God is.
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Juan Rolón Rosario
I don't agree, why do they have to do that? Come on, it would have to include chants to other Divinities to be fair, perhaps to Odin, Zeus or anyone else. Why a violent and bloodthirsty god? Definitely not and it will certainly bring problems between parents who will not accept that. Not at school, yes at home, and that is something very personal, for each one of them, sing to the divinities they wish. To end hate and racism there are many other ways to do it.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
The name of a god doesn't matter, but only what we believe about it, and what is in our hearts when we pray.
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flugo
'carbee': ' . . . in our hearts.' you say. According to the God, our hearts are desperately wicked, depraved, and rebellious. So, it's folly to use our hearts as determiners when we pray. We need to use God's Word as a reliable guide when praying.
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Krystina S.
Juan, have you never read any "mythology," perhaps the Old Testament? Violent and Bloodthirsty is the way of most gods. Including the JudeoChristian. Odin, Zeus, et. al. were also violent, perhaps bloodthirsty... certainly others in their pantheons were/are. He who points fingers...
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
The god of Christianity is violent and bloodthirsty, but look at how long they prayed to him in schools.
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Stefano Di Stefano
Un Dio Azteco e poi sembra un elemento di un Astronauta Alieno come la piattaforma Maya di pietra trovata in Centro America Ormai si è arrivati alla frutta Stavolta lo scrivo Sorry non mi piace per niente sviante e non educativo , in particolare ai bambini Lo insegnassero a casa loro
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John P Maher
HOW ABOUT WE TEACH KIDs WHAT they NEED to GET AHEAD in LIFE and LEAVE the B S for BREAK TIME and NOT the CLASSROOM, ALSO SEPARATION of CHURCH / STATE YOU KNOW LIKE the POLITICIANS DO........
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Edgar D Bitner
As if the christian God is any less violent.The christian god may not have demanded human sacrifice but the bible is full of death and murder either by "his" command or by those who believed they were/ are doing "his" work and christian beliefs are an amalgamation of all the pagan rituals.I too believe in separation of church and state and NO religion sound be thought in public schools.
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Dean Paul Webster
Wow! Edgar....You have definitely highlighted yourself to be very opinionated on a subject that you have no idea about. It is very clear that you have not read any of the books in the Bible. Jesus is our Savior and Salvation. I suggest you open your heart and mind...
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Edgar D Bitner
Dean Paul Webster. I actually have read the bible and since you are the scholar what part of what I said was not true?The bible is full of violence and of the many instances my personal favorite is the one where God himself kills all but 8 people on the planet with a "flood." because HIS CREATION had grown wicked and sinful or did you miss that part?Further more all civilizations and religions co-opt the beliefs and rituals of the ones they conquer the christian religion was just especially good at it.The thing about separation of church and state should be obvious.And finally if God had not made man with original sin there would have been no need for a savior or salvation.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
We'll, atleast they aren't praying to Jesus in schools anymore. A god today, a goddess tomorrow. They're all aspects of the divine couple; the masculine and femenine forces of the universe. It takes two to create. Pagan principles embrace both. It's a start in the right direction. There are many truths to everything, depending on one's point of view. However, let's do try to see the picture as a whole. Blessed be! And chanting is only good for the soul. It doesn't matter what you chant. You might start out with something simple like"Om".
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flugo
'seeby': 'Many truths', you say?! Jesus said. "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.'
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Ofcourse, it isn't legal for public schools to require students to pray to anything, but chanting isn't exactly the same as praying, and I bet it won't conjure up anything, so what is it hurting. They probably aren't even taking it seriously, but perceive it as a fun group activity. Some people are truly stupid enough to think such things. Regardless of that, it surely won't be a vexation of the soul, or contribute to karmic debt. It doesn't even sound like a case for Mulder and Scully.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Another good article for The National Enquirer.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Chanting to Aztec gods might not be a problem in Central America, but this isn't Central America, and most Americans weren't raised that way, so they can't conceive of such notions.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Has anyone seen Sybil?
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Did Sybil run away with Stanley Marchand, to Trumpville? They make quite a couple (of)... And I bet flugo would perform their wedding ceremony.
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Gerardo Salazar
Actually, like in many religions, there was a duality, namely Good vs Bad and in this case Tezcatlipoca represents the god of night and material things, the instigator of bad deeds and the one who tempted men to do evil things whereas Quetzalcoatl, his brother, represented spiritual things, light, fertility and enlightenment so, in my opinion, if children will honor a mythical figure it should be the one that represents everything that is good. It was Quetzalcoatl the one who forbid human sacrifice while Tezcatlipoca demanded the spill of human blood to honor him.
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Edgar D Bitner
This issue of teaching any religion in schools is becoming very wide spread and dangerous in this country and unfortunately it looks to be getting support from republicans in several states.Check out The Humanist Association web site to see just how far this has gone in the U.S.
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Edgar D Bitner
Most religions are based on "Pagan" beliefs and rituals of good and bad light or dark its all superstition.Religion of any kind does not belong in the PUBLIC school system and should not be paid for with taxpayer money.Check out The Humanist Association web site to see just how far religion has wormed its way into public schools across this country.Like Schools in Tennessee and North Carolina endorsing official school prayers.Or a Round Rock Texas Kindergarten teacher promoting prayer and church attendance to her "captive" 5 year old students.Or the laws being considered for taxpayer money to support private religious school.This story is just one of many happening across this country.
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Kirk England
This curriculum was passed unanimously on the 18th. It is part of their bs critical race theory initiative known officially as “Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum.” It indoctrinates children in leftist propaganda. I.E., Capitalism bad, white men worst, white women 2nd worst, US evil and so on. Look it up yourself!
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Joel Foxx
Whatever happened to teaching actual history, science, math, etc. Why indoctern our youth with subjects outside the realm of classroom education.
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Christian
For any family with the ability to place their children in home school networks or Faith based networks, they should do so right now. People of all faiths should avoid the atheist schools as a godless curriculum is harmful to families raising their children's souls as well as their minds.
Families that are unable to send their children to faith based schools or home school, should take steps to guide their children's faith development through weekend and summer studies.
All families and all children in USA must memorize the Bill of Rights, and understand each of the pre-existing natural god given rights of individuals. All belief systems, free speech, free press, and rights of assembly are protected by the first amendment. How can you enjoy your faith if unconstitutional mandates violate your Bill of Rights 1st amendment rights ? How can you protect your first amendment rights if you do not know the first amendment nor understand your rights, and the rights of your faith's freedom and liberty ?
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Joel Foxx
If teaching christianity is off limits then pagan gods being taught most definitely should be off limits. You really can't have your cake and eat it too in this case.
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Amber Fry
I think as long as they can teach it in context of cultural spirituality and not that they must also believe it then I have no qualms. Teaching someone about other religions that exist is much different from forcing someone to participate in one specific religion.
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Carol Leona Wattenbarger
This about teaching children about Aztec god.Is demonic .We as Christians better stand up..The is absolutely insane,devilish behavior. I pray their eyes are open before it's too late..
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Robert A Stiff
Nothing more 'devilish' than the hypocrisy and violence found in the bible.
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Lisa Ann OBrien
I am okay with chanting. It is lovely. The idea of respect for each other, I am you and you are me, if I harm you I am hurting me--all fine. The children should maybe be allowed to interject and chant words that make them feel happy or loved. No religion or deity or spiritism need be involved here. A non denominational approach or Source or Creator or HU Mans maybe?? All of us have an inner call to believe in something greater than ourselves, but we must unite in love and appreciation for that ONE.
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Carol Leona Wattenbarger
This about teaching children about Aztec god.Is demonic .We as Christians better stand up..The is absolutely insane,devilish behavior. I pray their eyes are open before it's too late..
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Michael Blackwood
Sounds like a new substitute for tongue twisters. Of course it has the added benefit of triggering the wacky Christians to put on their show.
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Eduardo O. López García
Would you think the same if it was Christian religion being thaught at public schools?
Separation of church and state, it's the law.
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Ronaldo
If we are going to teach various cultures and the impact of religion upon them, then we should be studying American culture in this country, starting with the various indigenous native cultures, including their religious practices, and move on to how settlers from other countries brought their own cultures with them. Our students don't really need to know the cultures and religions of other peoples in other parts of the world in order to become successful in this country. if they want to learn such things, offer elective courses on them, including religious beliefs. The required subjects should be limited to English, the STEM subjects, and a comprehensive study of law and government. We should throw in gym and health classes in elementary school to teach children the importance of taking care of themselves physically, and then eliminate them as a required class in middle and high schools. I see no good reason for my tax dollars to support someone playing sports in school instead of studying for his or her future.
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Gwendolyn Siobhan Patton
Smoking Mirror is not a kind God. He's a horror. Next, we'll see kids praying to the Sleeper in the Pyramid, to Nyarlathotep, to Azathoth and Yog-Sothoth, Shub-Niggurath, and even to Cthulhu.
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Joanna Whitney
all schooling is indoctrination ever since America adopted the Prussian Education Method and removed critical thinking.
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Peggy L Ake
As a former teacher, studying an Aztec or Incan god is one thing, but chanting and/or taking it further than history should only be taken on as a history research project that a student initiates for extra credit.
Christian prayer is not allowed in public schools in most states and the government wants to remove, "In God We Trust" from money and monuments/statues and they are removing, "One nation under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. Where does it end? Does it allow alternate religious experiences to be held instead. I would hope and pray not.
There needs to be a separation of Church and State in our public schools, but our private schools should not have to adhere to this and vouches for every child a parent wants to move their child to, should be readily available to them.
We have come a long way from the basics of, Reading, English Literature and the structure of sentences, while building a robust vocabulary and having great spelling, Writing and Math. When these are the emphasis and cornerstone of public education, then history, higher math, geography reinstating art, music, physical fitness and learning a foreign language can be added, as long as the basics are kept intact. If your school doesn't concentrate on the basics of education, then demand a voucher for your child to attend a private school.
Our children deserve the best education possible without wasting time on individual gods from other cultures, especially in light of the amount of valuable learning that has been lost due to COVID-19 and the teacher's union (I won't even go there), needs to make sure all teachers are vaccinated and back in classrooms teaching their students in person.
That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. I'm also a Christian, but I try to keep an open opinion.
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Dean Allen White
Well said! Public schools should teach our children the things that they need to succeed in life, and nothing more. The concept of right and wrong, social values, and other beliefs, are best learned at home.
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Christian
Sure thing - also teach the Our Father, Ten Commandmdnts, Bill of Rights, and Good Samaritan story too.
To Not teach children thousands of years of human spirituality, ethics, religious cultures, and wisdom of the ages is a form of neglect and abuse...
Better they learn about right and wrong and Love, Kindness, Grace & repentance very early in life, to help protect them from harmful beliefs or actions
Namaste ! May your Loves Bless you !
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Minister Deidre
I don't believe that any kind of chants or prayers belong in a state sponsored school. It's one thing to learn about a culture or a religion, it's another thing, entirely, for a teacher to lead children in a prayer to any deity. Not only does it go against the teacher's rights, but it goes against the rights of the students and against the separation of church and state.
I remember being led in a prayer in my French class when I was in the fourth or fifth grade. I'm a Christian, but it bothered me, even then, that everyone had to learn the prayer, even my Jewish classmates, and repeat it back in French. We didn't even know what all of it meant. But this was in the early 80s when you trusted authority figures and it didn't occur to you to tell anyone stuff like this.
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Dean Paul Webster
I can't believe some of the comments posed on this page. Very sad to see so many angry people on this page who have turned away from Christ.
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Richard Lee Cornell
These children so far have been shooting each other from a distant. This new way it will be up and personal they can chant as they rip out the heart of their victim.
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Angel
I don't see this as religios, it's no different then telling childrento do unto other's as you would have done to you. It's just an easy way for them to understand what that means. With all the bullying in school, perhaps a little reflection and seeing themselves in other people may be to their moral benefit...
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Henry LeRoy Chandler, II
I have a real problem with the Christian God, who loved us so, giving us his one & only Son (John 3:16) to be a perfect sacrifice so we all can have a personal relationship with him is called the God of white oppression. Prayers to this loving God is called illegal and not allowed, but the California government thinks it's ok to chant to a god that human sacrifices are made to. If they do allow this, then I say let's go all out. Not only allow these chants, but also pick a bully in the class/school (we don't wan to run out of students too fast)to be the human sacrifice and rip out his/her heart as part of this curriculum making the world a better place with one less jerk. Obviously I'm being sarcastic.
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Henry LeRoy Chandler, II
I have a real problem with the Christian God, who loved us so, giving us his one & only Son (John 3:16) to be a perfect sacrifice so we all can have a personal relationship with him is called the God of white oppression. Prayers to this loving God is called illegal and not allowed, but the California government thinks it's ok to chant to a god that human sacrifices are made to. If they do allow this, then I say let's go all out. Not only allow these chants, but also pick a bully in the class/school (we don't wan to run out of students too fast)to be the human sacrifice and rip out his/her heart as part of this curriculum making the world a better place with one less jerk. Obviously I'm being sarcastic.
Separation of church and state. Please.
Absolutely xx
Never going to happen unfortunately but 100% agree.
Meaning not until we have an atheist in power and we do away with the 2 party system and stop pandering to the bible belt for votes.
I'm sorry you feel thst way. That's what many refer to as being Socialist or Communist and really doesn't show respect for any religion. Your comments are really not appropriate for this forum, in my humble opinion. I'm a Christian and I'm also a born and raised in the USA citizen since 1952. I love my Savior and I love America. I won't apologize for defending the innate rights of millions of citizens in our USA that have a right to vote no matter what their religion is and only people who pose a clear and present danger to the very founding principles our country was founded on , like One Nation Under God, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights even think about excluding religious folks' votes or even verbalize doing away with two or more political parties. That's a dictatorship. That's not the USA and if it ever came down to that possibility, I fear that most of America would have another Civil War that so many don't want but are willing to fight to keep our country as a constitutionally respected nation with all our rights under the Constitution and Bill of Rights intact. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. I love my Savior who died on the cross for our sins and I love my country, the good old USA!!
I find it funny how Christian Americans refer to the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights in a religious discussion. Have you even read them? I have and the Constitution doesn't even mention Christianity and the First Amendment refers to religions and not specifically Christianity. Infact 'one nation under god' shows clear favouritism which could be considered against the First Amendment. Infact your Pledge of Allegiance that you are quoting by Francis Bellamy was written 100 years after the Constitution and revised in the 1950s in response to 'The Red Menace'. For such a patriotic nation you really need to learn your history. Be ashamed that an Australian knows more about the foundation of your country than you do. That being said, I believe it is hypocrisy to teach one religion and not another. Whether it's Aztec or Christianity, they are either all taught or non and it can be taught at home by one's family.
Dear Simon, I think I made my point, inaccurate as it may be, I think most people will get the gist of what I was trying to say.
I like your idea of teaching about different religions at home, but don't see that happening in most homes, even those who home school their children. I don't know about families in Australia, but parent here have been under tremendous stress trying to work and then feed, try to keep up with cleaning and repairs, ANĎ be teachers, making sure their kids did their homework and actually watched their lessons via WiFi. Some families are so poor that they have no devices for their children and no money for WiFi. I'm most concerned about these children because they aren't going to be able to catch-up to the rest of the children unless the school districts,, funded by voters in most areas, differ greatly in what they have to offer in terms of being able to afford tutors and to hire and have in place, Chapter One teachers who work with children who have fallen behind their classmates in reading and math. I have my MS Ed degree in Elementary Schools and took courses with an emphasis on teaching reading.
Am I inaccurate at times? Indeed. I'm also idealistic at times and let the words fly as they may. I suspect you'll want to tear about the structure or vocabulary next, but I hope not. I used to have an Australian friend, John, who was a member of an online chat group of people with Fibromyalgia. Both of us were married, but these weren't private chats. There were 5 to 8 people chatting all together and it was as blasted! We enjoyed our chats during my lunchtime at work, but it seems all good things come to an end. Then the county stopped us from being able to chat online and we lost track of each other. He was a wonderful gentleman. But I digress. Someone should give me an honorary PhD degree in being so proficient at digression.😊
Anthropology and/or a class like. History of the World's Religions, offered to Juniors and Seniors in High School, for credits they get to choose, would be appropriate, in my opinion. But with COVID-19 still raging across the globe, I think emphasis of the basics, that I have mentioned in my previous comment, should be
heavily concentrated on to bring kids up to speed, or as close to grade level as possible.
I live in California and am hoping 🙏 and praying for a huge let-up in forest fires in your country and ìn mine. We have way too many families with children in all grades of school living in tents,in the wealthiest state in our country, California.
All The Best To You, Simon,, Peggy Ake