xandermac Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 You know the handbooks your kids get on the first day of school with all the rules and crap you have to sign? This is in my kid's handbook... "The Marshall County School System holds the following beliefs: 1. God gives purpose and meaning to life..." Not much I can do about it, I was just wondering if anyone else has anything like this at their kid's public school or is this just a bible belt thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted August 17, 2011 Super Moderator Share Posted August 17, 2011 I would at the very least ask the school board, "Which god?" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yrth Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 uhhh email the aclu 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandermac Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 I would love to be vocal about this but I don't want to put a target on my 10th grade kids back. This is Alabama. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flockoff Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 ^ That was how my thought process went; you could get the ACLU involved but then you're welcoming trouble for your kids. There's got to be something you can do anonymously or semi-anonymously, though … What happens if you just don't sign it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser01 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 thats pretty suckish your kid has to hear that crap, i wouldent make a big fuss over it becuase it could bring unwated atention to your kids. just goes to show how intense fundy lands blatent disregard for laws and just common taboos in the rest of society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScifiChick Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 They certainly aren't shy about breaking the First Amendment: http://uniongrove.marshallk12.org/?PageName=%27AboutTheSchool%27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RankStranger Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I would love to be vocal about this but I don't want to put a target on my 10th grade kids back. This is Alabama. I think that's a wise decision- got to pick your battles. Having grown up in Tennessee, I KNOW that this would not go well for the kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpheliaGinger Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I would love to be vocal about this but I don't want to put a target on my 10th grade kids back. This is Alabama. I think that's a wise decision- got to pick your battles. Having grown up in Tennessee, I KNOW that this would not go well for the kid. If there is someway you can insure anonymity while persuing a lawsuit, I would go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBob Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I would love to be vocal about this but I don't want to put a target on my 10th grade kids back. This is Alabama. It seems to me that this is just a teachable moment with your 10th grader. Have a conversation with your child about it. Don't make a big deal about it; at that age, your child certainly won't want to anyway. You have to be able to laugh about this kind of thing as it just is what it is. That is in the handbook only because the fundies still have tremendous sway on the school board. Theirs is ultimately a lost cause, which does you no good in the here and now, but it helps to understand that the story arc of history is on your side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I would confront the School Board that it has no authority to teach religious doctrine to my children and that I thought a jury and a judge would agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 In my experience with the school system, it always pays to bitch! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 The reason christians appear to influence public officials such as a School Board is that no one tells them to shut their pie-hole and sit down. Fight back. School is not just for the religious elite in society. We are FORCED by law to send our children to school, and in my state it's until they are 19 and 10th grade, at least. We are FORCED to pay school taxes as home owners that goes to pay teacher salaries and those who are on the School Board. We are not forced to pay tithes to the school district which is what our taxes become when the church is allowed to teach in our schools. Do you like paying thousands of dollars a year in tithings to your local school district instead of taxes? I sure as Hell do NOT! I voice my opinion to the school if I am unsatisfied with the instruction my kid receives. Teachers, the janitor, the Superintendent, can all keep their religious opinions, including whether or not they believe in a god, to themselves or go find another job that gives a shit what they believe. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExFundiDCLawyer Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 The reason christians appear to influence public officials such as a School Board is that no one tells them to shut their pie-hole and sit down. Fight back. School is not just for the religious elite in society. We are FORCED by law to send our children to school, and in my state it's until they are 19 and 10th grade, at least. We are FORCED to pay school taxes as home owners that goes to pay teacher salaries and those who are on the School Board. We are not forced to pay tithes to the school district which is what our taxes become when the church is allowed to teach in our schools. Do you like paying thousands of dollars a year in tithings to your local school district instead of taxes? I sure as Hell do NOT! I voice my opinion to the school if I am unsatisfied with the instruction my kid receives. Teachers, the janitor, the Superintendent, can all keep their religious opinions, including whether or not they believe in a god, to themselves or go find another job that gives a shit what they believe. I couldn't agree more. They have no right to force those beliefs on your children. I would definitely call the ACLU. Obviously if it went to court, then you would not be able to remain anonymus, but in the initial stages maybe you could just have the ACLU send them a strongly worded letter to cease and desist. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandermac Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 I appreciate the advice but I've already had problems with christians in the past at school. My son knows that it's bullshit. I was just curious if anyone else has ever seen this in public school.To be honest I'm afraid. Not just about school but this is rural Alabama. I recently had to squash rumors about me being the atheist cook at the little place I work. I depend on those fat ass baptist eating chicken on Sunday.When Sam is out of high school I just want to move away. Does that make me chicken shit? Maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted August 18, 2011 Super Moderator Share Posted August 18, 2011 It's not chicken shit to protect your child. Still, if the ACLU happened to receive a copy of the booklet from an anonymous source... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandermac Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 It's not chicken shit to protect your child. Still, if the ACLU happened to receive a copy of the booklet from an anonymous source... I could probably make that happen if you think it would do any good. Actually I should get in touch with Blair Scott. He's the head of the Free Thought Society in the city north of me. I think he was the one that recently got death threats over the cross crap at ground zero? I don't know, I'll think on this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandermac Posted August 19, 2011 Author Share Posted August 19, 2011 FWIW, I told this situation to a friend who happens to be Christian, just to see what he would say. He actually agreed with everyone on here...NO KIDDING. He said that if tax dollars are being spent then it is not representative of every tax payer and thus should adhere to a standard that favors no one. He said that if they want to have a Christian school, fine, let it be with private funds. I appreciate your interest, I just don't know how to approach this without stirring up a bunch of shit. I just don't want to hurt my family. But at the same time I feel like I should do something. Bring it up at school board meeting? I don't know.Is how it's worded make it legal? It's kind of sticking in my craw. Sorry for the southern accent.I don't want to make it hard on my kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted August 19, 2011 Super Moderator Share Posted August 19, 2011 I haven't seen a craw in a long time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro-bear Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I would love to be vocal about this but I don't want to put a target on my 10th grade kids back. This is Alabama. I think that's a wise decision- got to pick your battles. Having grown up in Tennessee, I KNOW that this would not go well for the kid. My kids are tough. I would do it for all the kids, myself. There are some things I simply will not put up with, and this sort of thing is one. I'd have the ACLU all over them before they could say "Oh fuck this is going to cost us a bunch of money and we will lose for sure." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro-bear Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 It's not chicken shit to protect your child. Still, if the ACLU happened to receive a copy of the booklet from an anonymous source... They might need someone with legal standing to bring action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 You know the handbooks your kids get on the first day of school with all the rules and crap you have to sign? This is in my kid's handbook... "The Marshall County School System holds the following beliefs: 1. God gives purpose and meaning to life..." Not much I can do about it, I was just wondering if anyone else has anything like this at their kid's public school or is this just a bible belt thing? Make sure you take a picture of the handbook and the text and send it to the Flying Spaghetti Monster website at venganza.org. They will have a ball with it. That school system should definitely be made to felt like asses after some sort of anonymous exposure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 You know the handbooks your kids get on the first day of school with all the rules and crap you have to sign? This is in my kid's handbook... "The Marshall County School System holds the following beliefs: 1. God gives purpose and meaning to life..." Not much I can do about it, I was just wondering if anyone else has anything like this at their kid's public school or is this just a bible belt thing? Their website seems to have a window where you can fill in phony information and send them a nasty-gram. That sounds like fun. You could do if from a public ISP like Starbucks. lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostman42 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 If my highschool pulled that shit I would raise hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryper Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Could contact Freedom From Religion Foundation. www.ffrf.org They have been doing alot to piss of school boards who have a prayer before meetings. They have successfully sued several. I would think that just sending them a copy of the handbook would be enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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