Are Public Schools Unconstitutional?

[Annie]

http://www.extremewisdom.com/archives/2005/12/are_public_scho.php

Just something a little non-controversial to get a bit of discussion going:

Are Public Schools Unconstitutional?

That is the question we should be asking.

One of the books I'm working my way through right now is Samuel L. Blumenfeld's "NEA - Trojan Horse in American Education."

The opening chapters lay out how, even in our nation's infancy, two battling world views were competing for control of which direction our nation's "education system" would take.

With out going into the details, the history of American Education makes it very clear that these competing worldviews were religious in nature.

As one reads about the people who shaped American education, from Horace Mann to John Dewey, one gets a very clear understanding that their goal was to establish a civic religion designed to trancend the family, American institutions, as well as other religions.

It is my view that America's Compulsory Public Education system is a publicly-funded campaign to Establish a Religion. Though this is an aggressive statement, it is worthy of discussion and debate, for, if I'm right, then public education is clearly unconstitional.

Here are some questions that need to be answered. (not necessarily in the order below)

Do our Public Schools actively promote a "worldview?"

Is this "worldview" a religion?

If not, is the worldview promoted in public schools actively hostile to other Religions?

If it is actively hostile, why should it not be considered "religious teaching" under the Constitution?
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The above questions should precipitate many more questions, all of which need to be answered.

The upshot is that if our schools are engaged in ANY religious education whatsoever, (whether promoting one worldview or attacking others) they are clearly violating the Constitution. One of the reasons I'm starting this new 'Category' on this blog is to start fleshing out these concepts.

If I'm right, it is time to start aggressively attacking every example of "religious instruction" taking place in the schools, with the long term goal being a Supreme Court decision finding them unconstitutional (using the left's favorite decisions as precedent)

You can guess where all this leads. If we are to have a publicly funded education system, then vouchers/scholarships are the only method that passes Constitutional Muster. If even these don't pass such muster, then the entire system must be dismantled and all education must become a private matter.

Of course, you may either;

a) believe that public schools are not engaged in religious instruction, or

b) believe that it is the role of schools to establish a "civic religion" that openly undermines other religions.

If you are one of the former (a), then you need to read more about the history of public schooling as well as what is going on in schools today.

If you are the latter (b), you are probably one of America's certified priesthood specifically ordained as a "change agent" or one of those already converted to America's Established Religion.
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Regardless, it is time to wield the courts as a weapon (as the left has done) to bring America's schooling back to a Constitutional status.

Posted by Bruno Behrend at December 26, 2005 10:55 AM

 

[musicman]

That's a hell of a piece! Talk about thought-provoking...

I hope some liberals get to read it. Talk about panic - one of their dearest institutions, melting under their feet.


Have you seen the cover art on Michelle Malkin's "Unhinged"? THAT'S the look!

 

[insein]

Between Teacher strikes, dumber kids, and lack of morality that is going on in Public schools, i think the public is begining to get fed up with the whole thing. Hopefully within my lifetime, public school becomes a relic of the past and children can goto the school of their choosing or at a certain age, decide to goto a trade school or simply work when its obvious that they are not going to go to college or even pass High School.

This argument presents a new angle. It is an interesting one too because when you think about it that way, its true. However, so many people will shrug it off as nonsense because "You cant say that about school. Think of the Children." Hitler rose to power through the "think of the children" mantra and brainwashing a generation of young germans into believing his lies so that when they grew up, he'd be their leader.

 

[5stringJeff]

Frankly, the Constitution does not allow for the federal government to use appropriated funds to pay for public education. Therefore, the Dept. of Education should be disbanded, and ALL federal money should be taken out of public education. And it should all come back to us in the form of tax cuts.

In the meantime, state governments can fund public education all they want, as it is not forbidden by the Constitution. If they want to raise taxes to make up for the lost federal money, great, go for it.