Parents End Mosque Field Trips Because "Pushing Tolerance" Is Bad

[onehandle]

Thanks to the watchful stepfather of a Henderson High School student in Hendersonville, Tennessee, teachers will no longer be “pushing Islamic tolerance” on the students in the form of religious field trips.

Mike Conner, concerned his stepdaughter would be exposed to knowledge in a 36-week world studies course, got angry at back-to-school night when he heard of a planned Sept. 4 field trip to a mosque and a Hindu temple. So he spoke up because, you know, “If we as parents don’t begin speaking up, no one will.”

Oh, it gets better.

The honors course – which is an elective – has been offered by Hendersonville High for a decade. The curriculum includes world religions, and students spend three weeks on that topic, learning about Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, said school system spokesman Jeremy Johnson. In the past, the students have typically visited a Jewish synagogue, a Hindu temple and a Muslim mosque without parental complaints.

http://gawker.com/parents-end-mosque-field-trips-because-pushing-toleran-1374513673

[xfundy]

1. Can't have a repig voter without ignorance.

Comparative religion should be taught everywhere. As should Bible as literature.

Actually reading the bible has created more atheists than anything imaginable.

[SheilaT]

2. How about the parent gets to let his kid opt out?

Why should the rest of the kids in this class have to wallow in ignorance?

[Ms. Toad]

3. Or better yet - just don't take the elective class

if you don't like the course curriculum.

[Fawke Em]

4. My son is in the same class (not in Hendersonville, but in Knoxville, TN).

I can attest that this class does study world religions and we have to sign off on it when we get the course syllabus at the beginning of the year.

I don't think they do the field trips, but, if they do and some yahoo tries to do this, he'll have to deal with me - and that won't be pretty. They either go to all house of worship available (some smaller cities might not have mosques or temples) or they don't go to ANY.

[alp227]

5. Should a public school even be having such field trips at all?

I've got no problem with public schools offering electives with an anthropological review of religion in the world, but a field trip to a house of worship just is not worth the trouble not just controversy in the community but potential lawsuits. School districts shouldn't risk getting sued in an era of austerity and reduced funding of education.

[Fawke Em]

6. In the course of the class, I see no problem with it.

The class doesn't "show favorites," so to speak.

They don't attend worship services, from what I understand - the just meet with the pastor/imam/rabbit, etc. and learn the origins of religion, which I guess is what you mean by anthropological. And, considering how much religion has influenced - rightly or wrongly - politics, civilizations, cultures and policy - I see no problem with students being exposed to things they normally wouldn't. In this state's case, that would be most any religion outside of Southern Baptist or Methodist.

[alp227]

7. Then the religious leader can guest speak on campus. N/t

[Jesus Malverde]

8. Where to draw the line and who chooses the groups.

Agree with you this is a slippery slope.

[Orsino]

9. "And if you're not careful you might learn something before it's done." n/t