Forgiveness cont.

Nelson Mandela, an activist and leader who was imprisoned from 1964-1990 for his opposition to South African apartheid: "If you want to make peace with your enemy you have to work with your enemy. Thus he becomes your partner." Mandela stressed the importance of healing a nation through reconciliation and forgiveness instead of retaliation for the injustices that had been done. He himself was equipped to do this because he had learned to hate apartheid without hating South Africans.

Amish, a community in Nickel Mines, PA that in October 2006 after a horrific shooting in an Amish schoolhouse: Goshen College Professor of History, Steve Nolt, describes the forgiveness of the Amish people: "It's not pretending that nothing happened or that the offense wasn't so bad. It's not a pardon or saying that there should be no consequences for actions. It is about giving up: giving up the right to revenge and giving up feelings of resentment, bitterness and hatred...and treating the offender as a fellow human being." Nolt goes onto explain, "Although the Amish never anticipated the horror of Nickel Mines, they were prepared to respond long before they needed to.....Amish forgiveness is not an easily transferable technique because it grows out of a collective life and culture."

Jesus Christ, the innocent and perfect Son of God while dying on a cross pled, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

Paul Boese sums it all up quite well with his words, "Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future."

Tomorrow we'll see what we can glean from these noble individuals that can benefit our diverse learners.

Responding to "Man's Inhumanity to Man" with Forgiveness

"Man's inhumanity to man," --the unthinkable--has been witnessed and/or experienced by many human souls throughout the world's history. United States history has not been left untouched by unimaginable atrocities.

There are a variety of ways we can respond. We can seek revenge. We can allow ourselves to live in a state of denial. Or we can choose a different path based on the words and examples of those who have experienced the unspeakable:

Anne Frank, a teenage Jewish girl who died in a Nazi concentration camp: "Despite everything I believe that people are really good at heart."

Corrie Ten Boom, a Nazi concentration camp survivor who had to make a choice when coming face to face with one of her tormentors as to whether to forgive him or not has said: "Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart."

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a South African cleric, activist, and opponent of apartheid: "When I talk of forgiveness, I mean the belief that you can come out the other side a better person-- A better person than the one being consumed by anger and hatred. Remaining in that state locks you in a state of victimhood, making you almost dependent on the perpetrator. If you can find it in yourself to forgive then you are no longer chained to the perpetrator. You can move on, and you can help the perpetrator to become a better person too."

Ishmael Beah, a young man who at 13 was forced to be a boy soldier in Sierra Leone: "A lot of people, when they say, 'forgive and forget,' they think you completely wash your brain out and forget everything. That is not the concept. What I think is you forgive and you forget so that you can transform your experiences, not necessarily forget them but transform them, so that they don't haunt you or handicap you or kill you. Rather, you transform them so they can remind you, so that this doesn't happen again. They can prevent this kind of thing from happening to other people. You must do things positive with your experience rather than dwell on the negativity of it."

Coretta Scott King, the wife of Martin Luther King, Jr., the man who braved threats, jail and beatings and who ultimately paid the highest price to make democracy a reality for all Americans: "...Every King holiday has been a national 'teach-in' on the values of nonviolence, including unconditional love, tolerance, forgiveness and reconciliation, which are so desperately needed to unify America.....The Holiday provides a unique opportunity to teach young people to fight evil, not people, to get in the habit of asking themselves, 'What is the most loving way I can resolve this conflict?' "

Mahatma Gandhi, the non-violent activist for India's independence who was able to forgive his assassin as he was dying had said: "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." and "An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind."

Spiritual Message to America from 1700 elders from 108 tribes across America at a conference in Duluth, Minnesota in the year 2000: "As we stand before the dawn of a new millennium, we pray for America's survival, our survival. We pray that we will be given strength by the Creator to follow the footsteps of our forefathers to share our love, respect and compassion for one another.....We pray for forgiveness for the pain and suffering we have caused one another. We pray that our children will not repeat our mistakes. We pray that we can respect the diversity of America, all life is sacred. Every child born is a precious gift of our Creator...We are all equal, each having our own special gift to contribute."

Continued tomorrow......

2008 Resolution

A group of 5-8 people (regardless of title or position) committed to improving the academic achievement and life success of Hispanic learners identifies principles as well as research findings as to what works for Hispanic learners and then develops and implements a strategic plan, based on these findings, to:

• 
  Educate educators at all levels, policy makers, parents, the community, and other identified stakeholders on what works for Hispanic learners and why it is critical that the issue be addressed.
• 
  Advocate for policies, procedures (processes), places, persons, programs that will improve the academic achievement and life success of Hispanic learners.
• 
  Execute a method by which policy makers and educators are held accountable to design, implement, evaluate, and refine a plan based on principles and research to specifically improve the academic achievement and life success of Hispanic learners

Talking About God

"Our society has developed a misplaced politeness which says we shouldn't talk about God because it might offend someone. Heaven save the society that's too polite to speak about God," are former Utah Governor Mike Leavitt's words spoken at his Second Inaugural Address on January 6.1997.

Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney emphasized in his Faith In America speech, "The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square." In the same speech Romney issued a call for greater religious thought in daily civic life and apposed any ideas of removing the acknowledgements of God from the public square. "We are a nation 'Under God'," insisted Romney, and "We should acknowledge the Creator as did the Founders--in ceremony and word."

I reread the speech by Former Governor Leavitt when it recently came to public light that the speech as well as decisions about policy was influenced by"early morning seminary" classes Leavitt held with his top advisors. These meetings were opened with prayer before delving into the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants to learn lessons and principles that could be applied to modern government.

The courage of these two political leaders is admirable and encouraging. They understand that there is wisdom greater than their own. How wonderful it would be if educational leaders chose to follow their example.

Let Your Work Speak: Tom Brady

Last night we watched the New England Patriots make history as Tom Brady, the quarterback for the Patriots, lead the team to a 16-0 winning season.

This triumph is even more noteworthy when we learn a little more about Tom Brady. Brady sat on the bench his first two years at the University of Michigan. He was seventh on the depth chart and struggled to get some playing time. At one point, he hired a sports psychologist to help him cope with frustration and anxiety caused by a lack of opportunity.

Brady was selected by the New England Patriots in the 6th round (199th overall), a compensatory pick of the 2000 NFL Draft. Brady served as the backup quarterback for Drew Bledsoe. In the September 23, 2001 game against the New York Jets, Bledsoe suffered internal bleeding from a collision with a Jets player. Soon after, Brady was named the starting quarterback. Although his beginnings as starting quarterback were unspectacular, it would be hard even for those who aren't sports enthusiasts not to have heard of Brady's record breaking victories as well as those of the New England Patriots.

How did Brady go from being virtually unknown to being recognized as the most talented and best NFL quarterback? He kept on learning and improving so that when his opportunity did come he was prepared. Then he did what Festus Obiakor would describe as, "Let your work speak," and how his work has spoken to all of us.

When we get discouraged in our efforts to make a difference for diverse learners, it might be helpful to remember the example of Tom Brady.

"For vs. For"

You would think they would learn. It's always disappointing when political candidates or those advocating for a political issue resort to attacking opponents rather than sticking to one's own platform. It's a sign of weakness. Keeping one's composure and calmly explaining the rationale for one's own platform can win the confidence of American people.

This is extremely difficult to do, especially when recommending change, because most people tend to choose the status quo rather than risk change, even if that change could have positive results.

The voucher debate in Utah is a good example of what can happen when sides resort to an attack tactic. More often than not in a situation such as this, the status quo wins.

There are some lessons to be learned from the Utah voucher debate:

Lesson #1: Rather than making vouchers the focus, it may have been more constructive to focus on the education of diverse learners, parental rights, teacher shortage, improving public schools, saving money, and/or some other issue.

Lesson #2: Rather than having a "for vs against" stance, a "for vs for" stance has a greater chance of a win-win. In other words, all sides of an issue present a solution platform to improve the education of diverse learners. This way, status quo is not an option. People will have to make a decision and not just vote against something because the proposed change is still fuzzy in their minds. Voting against something without having to offer an alternative solution is an easy out and doesn't take much thought.

Lesson #3: Sticking to one's own platform on how to address the issue explaining the rationale rather than attacking the other platform shows respect not only for the opposite side, but also for the American people.

Lesson #4: Trusting the American people to make a wise decision is a respectful manner that appeals to their mind as well as their heart.

These are lessons that all political candidates and those advocating for political issues might want to consider learning if we as American people are to be well served. We as the American people have a responsibility to continue to encourage that these lessons be learned through our example of words and actions.

The Price of Democracy

The words "These are the times that try men's souls," are as applicable today as they were when Thomas Paine wrote them in his day. Lives are still being sacrificed in behalf of democracy as we were so poignantly reminded yesterday with the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan.

The price of democracy has always been high. All fifty-six men, men of means and well-educated, who signed the Declaration of Independence knew full well that the penalty for doing so could be death. Yet, they were willing to pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor because of the value they placed on liberty and democracy. Their individual stories during the Revolutionary War reveal the ultimate sacrifices they were called upon to endure because of their commitment to this cause far beyond themselves. 1

This fight for democracy in the U. S., "a nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal," must continue as Abraham Lincoln admonishes in the Gettysburg Address during the Civil War. Lincoln continues to say in the Address, "...it is rather for us [the living] to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

We who are reaping the benefits of the sacrifices that have been made in our behalf can only pay the debt we owe by doing all in our power to preserve the freedoms we enjoy. We can do this by living the American Creed which was written by William Tyler Paige in 1917 and accepted by the United States House of Representatives on April 9, 1918:

I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people, whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support the Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.

Both those who were born here and those who come here to reap the benefits of this great land have a responsibility to learn what has made this nation what it is, including the sacrifices that have been made, and what is required of them to repay the debt. The road will always be uphill because the ideals of this nation will always be beyond our grasp, but the journey is worth it for us and for those who will follow.

Reference
l. www.bethlehempaonline.com/signers.html

Responding to Persecution

For Christmas my husband gave me the book Presidents and Prophets by Michael K. Winder. I finished reading it yesterday. It was obviously a book that couldn't be put down!

The word presidents in the title refers to the presidents of the United States and the word prophets refers to the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Winder devotes a chapter to each U.S. president starting with George Washington and ending with George W. Bush revealing through correspondence, diary entries, newspaper articles, speeches, anecdotes, interviews, etc. the relationship between each president and the LDS Church.


Anyone who is familiar with Mormon history will be aware of the horrific persecution Mormons suffered. By mentioning this I am in no way diminishing the persecution others have faced whether religious or racial or any other. Nor am I discounting the argument that Mormons have been guilty of persecuting others. But this is not my point.


With the help of Winder's book I would like to focus on how the Mormon Church and its people responded to the persecution they suffered and how that response allowed the Church to move from persecution to political clout.

Appeals made to U. S. presidents by early LDS Church leaders for help in dealing with the persecution heaped upon them didn't bear much fruit. So how did the Church respond through the years to this lack of concern and support from the government?

• The Church remained loyal to the U. S. and continued to believe in the principles upon which this country was founded.
• The Church showed respect for government leaders, even those with whom it did not agree.
• The Church shared its resources.
• Most members of the church followed the counsel of church leaders to live their religion, to become educated, to excel in their work, to serve the country, to become exemplary citizens, and to be involved in civic affairs.

Employing this approach rather than wallowing in self-pity and focusing on all the ways they had been wronged, led to LDS people being appointed and elected to federal government positions, having U.S. presidents seek counsel and blessings from LDS church leaders, and even having bestowed upon the current LDS prophet and leader, Gordon B. Hinckley, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Needless to say, there is still work to be done on both sides of the aisle. The fact that presidential candidate Mitt Romney is having his LDS faith attacked rather than focusing on the fruits of his life should sadden all of us whether we agree with his political views or not. On the other side of the aisle we have LDS members who still need to learn to follow the counsel of Church leaders on how to be true neighbors to all people.

Use Words to Unite

"Democracy is at its best when its practitioners use language to unite and explain rather than to divide and attack," advises Frank Luntz, author of Words That Work.

There is nothing quite so tempting for people on opposite sides of an issue to do than start attacking the opponent with word darts. Yet, this ineffective tactic needs to be avoided at all costs. First, it divides. Second, it inhibits the possibility of an intelligent debate about the issue. Third, it keeps people from working together and coming to a workable agreement. Fourth, the general public will eventually see this pettiness for what it is and withdraw their support.

When using this tactic one must not be deceived by the heads nodding in agreement. Those nodding heads already agree with you. They aren't the ones who need to be convinced.

It's true that the other side may never be convinced, but what is it that we want to achieve? --A win-lose situation or a win-win situation? And we need to ask ourselves, "Who do we want to win?" An example would be bilingual education. After the dust settles, who wins or loses from the debate? The answer is a child and his/her education.

If all debate can start from a bottom line premise, then it is a whole lot easier to arrive at that THIRD SPACE which is a win-win situation for everyone. When we run into problems is when the different sides have different bottom lines. Even in these scenarios it is critical to start the debate from a place of agreement.

More later about "words"

It's A Wonderful Life"

We have a Christmas tradition at our house, as do many others, to watch It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve or Christmas day each year. I'm always touched by its simple message about the importance of each of us being here and that without us, the world would not be the same.


Not only does the movie itself touch me every time I watch, but its message impacts me even more when I listen to why Frank Capra wrote it as it is reflective of Capra's confirmed belief in the essential goodness of life and the importance of the individual, as well as his importance to the lives of all he touches.


He said that he wrote it "to the weary, the disheartened, the winos, the junkies, the prostitutes, those behind prison walls, and those behind the iron curtain. No man is a failure who is born slow of foot or slow of mind, those older sisters condemned to spinsterhood, and those oldest sons condemned to unschooled toil."


He goes on to say, "Each man's life touches so many other lives and that if he isn't around it would leave an awful hole. It's a film that expresses love to the homeless and the loveless, for the Mary Magdalenes stoned by hypocrites, and the afflicted Lazaruses with only dogs to lick their shoes. I want to shout to all that you are the salt of the earth. It is my memorial to you."

It is my hope that watching It's A Wonderful Life not be our only tradition, but that the application of it's message and Frank Capra's reason for writing it become part of who we are as well.

Jacoby With Answers to the Immigration Challenge

I have to admit that I was somewhat surprised to discover that a strong conservative seemed to offer the most reasonable solutions to our immigration challenge. Yet, that is exactly what I found in Tamar Jacoby, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

In a bulletin adapted from a transcript of a Manhattan Institute forum held in New York City on May 15, 2007, Jacoby comments that even more important than resolving the technicalities of immigration is the need to address what happens to immigrants once they come to America.

Jacoby reminds us that there are already about 35 million foreign-born people living permanently in the U. S. and another 1.5 million coming every year to settle. If they aren't allowed to "be all they can be," not only will their economic success and social mobility be in jeopardy, but as Jacoby asks, "...what will happen to the United States?'

Jacoby goes onto explain how both the right and the left are getting it wrong as the right fights for a tow the line stance and the left fears that assimilation will force immigrants to give up their identity. "I feel that the right and the left have failed the immigrants, and failed the nation, by not figuring out a way to talk to each other about this," warns Jacoby.

For more information on Tamar Jacoby's suggestions regarding how to address immigration visit:
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/jacoby.htm

Hispanic Youth Risky Behaviors: Family an Answer

Hispanic adolescents are at higher risk for substance abuse and risky sexual behavior than other ethnic groups, according to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to a study that was published in the December 2007 issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology a family-centered program that improves parent-child dynamics and family functioning is more effective at discouraging Hispanic youth from engaging in risky behaviors than programs that target specific behaviors. The favorable outcomes shown by the findings are even more significant and noteworthy when it is noted that most of the sessions were conducted only with the parents.

One explanation for the success of a program such as this is that a program that involves the family is more consistent with Hispanic culture. The Hispanic culture is a culture that is family-centered and one in which the family is depended upon for emotional support.

Let Mercy Season Justice

The following is a Co-ed that I submitted to the Salt Lake Tribune on December 21, 2007. Even though it's focus is on immigration, the principle is applicable to many education issues.

Someone said, “You can judge the greatness of a country by the number of people trying to get into it compared to the number trying to get out.” If this statement is true, then the United States is truly great when we consider that we not only have about 12 million illegal immigrants living here, but we also add about one million legal immigrants each year.

Our “spirit of hospitality” as Reverend John Webster, the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, would describe it is one contributor to the greatness of the United States. We understand that we have been given much in this land of opportunity, and we have been generous in our willingness to share that bounty.

Another contributor is that in spite of the fact that we have failed miserably throughout our history to live up to our ideals to treat each person with dignity, respect, and equity, the laws of this land still offer the greatest hope to combat the harmful effects of prejudice, discrimination, racism, and every other form of “ism.”

These attributes as well as others that contribute to America’s greatness also make responding to the immigration challenge that much more complex. Many are uncomfortable with proposals such as building longer and higher border fences and/or increasing illegal immigration raids because they are contrary to America’s “spirit of hospitality.”

Yet, this quiet, compassionate “spirit of hospitality”: voice is being drowned out with the deafening shouting words, “We must adhere to the ‘rule of law’.” It has left good and honest United States citizens in a quandary as they question if there is any possible way to reconcile these two conflicting voices. I would argue that not only can the two be reconciled, but they must be if America is to retain its greatness.

For this reconciliation to occur, there are some facts we must understand about the “rule of law.” First, “rule of law” is a principle that subjects the actions of both the government and the citizens to the law. Second, abiding by a “rule of law” prevents the “rule of men” which can lead to tyranny and abuse of power because of capricious whims.

Yet, an understanding of the “rule of law” is not sufficient. It must also be understood that law and justice are not synonyms. Although Abraham Lincoln was a staunch believer in the “rule of law,” it was he who also believed and taught aspiring lawyers that circumstances rather than the letter of the law should dictate the judgments of a case. He expressed this sentiment with the words, “I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”

While law gives a society a set of important laws or rules to which to govern itself, equity and fairness allows for the subjective but necessary qualities of mercy and tolerance. One without the other is inadequate if justice is to occur. The scale of law and mercy must be balanced.

As we go forth to retain America’s greatness as we resolve the immigration issue, it would behoove all of to remember and employ the words Shakespeare uses in the Merchant of Venice, “And earthly power doth then show likest God’s when mercy seasons justice.”

The Civic Knowledge Divide

"We are in danger of losing a generation of citizens schooled in the foundations of democracy--and of producing high school graduates who are not broadly educated human beings," warns Dr. Judith L. Pace in her commentary at Education Week on December 18, 2007.

Pace goes on in this commentary to make comments that reinforce what has been mentioned in other "blog postings" at this site and that is that squeezing out social studies occurs disproportionately in low-performing schools with large minority and low-income populations. Yet, these are the very students who could benefit the most from a rich curriculum that encourages civic participation. By not providing them with this opportunity, another inequality divide is created between the haves and the have nots. As Pace indicates, studies point to a glaring gap in civic knowledge based on test scores correlated with socioeconomic background and race or ethnicity.

Although diverse opinions are crucial to a democracy, opinions formed without the proper background civic knowledge will lead to unwise decisions and thus, pave the way for "potentially dire consequences for our democracy."

Pace ends her commentary with a reminder from Linda Darling-Hammond that we who are practitioners and scholars must educate our government about what all our children need in order to be well educated.

Reference
Pace, J. L.(2007). Why we need to save (and strengthen) social studies. Education Week. Retrieved on December 19, 2007 from the World Wide Web: www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/12/19/16pace.h27.html?print=1

Financially Compensating the "Best" Educators

As a taxpayer and educator I am responding to "Paying better teachers better" published [in Utah County's Daily Herald] on December 16th, 2007.


I concur with John Morefield, an educator from Seattle, Washington who said: "I have come to believe that a school designed to work for children of color, works for white children. The reverse, however, is not true. Consequently, if we design our schools to work for children of color they will work for all children."


As someone who taught mostly white mainstream students and then diverse learners, mostly English language learning Hispanics, I know first hand that doing what we've always done that works for white mainstream learners isn't sufficient for diverse learners.


As Utah's student demographics continue to become more diverse, the "best" principals and teachers will be those who change what they have always done. This will obviously require humility, sacrifice, commitment, and willingness to step out of one's comfort zone to learn what it takes to design the kind of school Morefield suggests.


This opportunity and challenge to become effective with diverse learners can be exhilarating, and thus, a reward in itself. Yet, because of the extra time, energy, and expertise required, Governor Huntsman and other policy makers would do well to consider financially compensating educators who willingly accept this challenge.

Religion: Not the Enemy

Throughout history in all parts of the world religion, more often than not, has been at the center of wars and conflicts as well as persecution, bigotry, and discrimination. Yet, identifying religion as the root cause may be identifying the wrong culprit.

There has been nothing in the teachings of my Christian LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) experience that would encourage or condone this type of behavior. From my understanding of other religions, the same could be said for them.

In fact, the teachings from my Christian LDS experience have always been to love and care for my "neighbor." The story of the Good Samaritan teaches that neighbor is "anyone in need," transcending any social-cultural predicament. As Chang (2007) so aptly describes, this would include others of similarity, others of difference, and others of opposition. In Matthew 5:43-44, 46-47 of the New Testament Jesus teaches: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?"

The counsel that LDS members have repeatedly and consistently received from our LDS church leaders is to be respectful of others and their beliefs. The 11th Article of Faith of my LDS faith states: "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."

If these, or ones similar, are our religious teachings, why is religious bigotry--defined as intolerance, fear, and hatred of those different from ourselves-- such a common occurrence and so prevalent throughout the world, including the United States? I would venture to say that the real culprit is not religion, but people, especially people who excuse or condone their hateful and oppressive behavior in the name of religion.

Reference
Chang, H. (2007). Self-narratives for Christian multicultural educators: A pathway to understanding self and others. Retrieved October 15, 2007 from the World Wide Web
http://www.icctejournal.org/ICCTEJournal/past-issues/volume-1-issue-1/self-narratives-for-christian-multicultural-educators-a-pathway-to-understanding-self-and-others/?searchterm=chang

Religion and Multicultural Education Are Intertwined

It is important to mention that much of the critical multicultural education movement was an outgrowth of the civil rights movement under the leadership of such people as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X whose work was grounded in spirituality. And as we study the world of African Americans we hear a voice that says, “We are a spiritual people!” It is the same with the Latino/Hispanic culture. Thus, it only stands to reason that we allow spirituality to play a critical role in culturally responsive education.

Teaching About Religion Is Critical to Multicultural Education

Teaching about religion is especially critical to multicultural education.

In 1988, a broad coalition of 17 religious and educational organizations published guidelines that distinguish between teaching about religion and religious indoctrination. The guidelines state, in part:

• The school's approach to religion is academic, not devotional.
• The school sponsors study about religion, not the practice of religion.
• The school educates about all religions; it does not promote or denigrate any religion nor does it press for student acceptance of any one religion.

In addition to these religious-liberty clauses, there are also three guiding principles that Charles Haynes calls the civic values at the heart of American citizenship. They are:

RIGHTS: The rights guaranteed by the Constitution are for citizens of all faiths and none.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Religious liberty depends upon a universal responsibility to respect that right or religious liberty for others.

RESPECT: Living with our differences, including religious difference, in a democracy requires a strong commitment to the civic values that enable people with diverse perspectives to treat each other with respect and civility.

When we teach about the many cultures and religions of our nation and the world, we must also simultaneously emphasize our common ground which is the values and responsibilities we share as American citizens.

Reference

Haynes, C. C. (2007). To advance religious freedom, teach about religion. Retrieved from the World Wide web http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/commentary.aspx?id=19421 on December 17, 2007.

Role of Religion

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." These words of the First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution prohibit government from establishing a religion and protects each person's right to practice (or not practice) any faith without government interference.

It is important for educators to have an thorough understanding of the meaning of the First Amendment in relationship to religion and public schools. The law concurs with Noddings (1998/1999) that the First Amendment does not prevent teaching about religion.

There are three main reasons why religion needs to be part of a public school education:

1. Religion and spirituality are part of who we are, not only as a country, but as a world, and have influenced both our public and private lives.



2. Ignorance about religion in religiously diverse societies, especially in the U. S. which is the most religiously diverse society on earth, is a root cause of intolerance, discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping.



3. Teaching about religion is important and necessary if public schools are to provide students with a complete education. Much of history, art, music, literature and contemporary life is unintelligible without an understanding of the major religious ideas and influences that have shaped history and culture throughout the world.

In Abington v. Schempp (1963), the court stated: "[I]t might well be said that one's education is not complete without a study of comparative religion or the history of religion and its relationship to the advancement of civilization. It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities. Nothing we have said here indicates that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be affected consistently with the First Amendment."

Justice Tom Clark wrote for the Supreme Court concerning this same case saying: " A person cannot be fully educated without understanding the role of religion in history, culture, and politics...The law, constitutional or otherwise, is no impediment to the realization of this aim."

The question is no longer whether schools should teach about religion. That answer is a resounding "Yes"--In fact, it is a duty to do so.

Reference
Halford, J. M. (1998/1999). Longing for the sacred in schools: A conversation
with Nel Noddings. Educational Leadership, 56, 28-32.

Democracy and Moral Character

As Rep. LaVar Christensen reminds us, "Education's original aim was not simply to convey knowledge but to forge character." He is not the only one who expressed these sentiments. We can go as far back as Aristotle who told us that the aim of education is "to make men both smart and good." Thomas Jefferson insisted that democracy could not survive without a virtuous citizenry. President Theodore Roosevelt said, "To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society." The English philosopher John Locke wrote, "Tis virtue...which is the hard and valuable part to be aimed at in education." Samuel Adams described the mission of educators as nurturing the "moral sense" of children. "Great learning and superior abilities, should you ever possess them," Abigail Adams told her son John Quincy, "will be of little value and small estimation unless virtue, honor, truth, and integrity are added to them." John Adams said, "Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people." Benjamin Franklin stressed that "only a virtuous people are capable of freedom."

William Bennett reminds us "The highest values of education in a democracy are more than the competitive advantage of an increasingly productive labor force....Education is "more than the acquisition of skills; it had [has] to do with the architecture of the soul."

From the summit conference hosted by the Josephson Institute of Ethics in Aspen, Colorado in July 1992 came the following declarations: The well-being of our society requires an involved, caring citizenry with good moral character. The ethical values of respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, justice and fairness, caring, civic virtue and citizenship are core ethical values that are rooted in a democratic society and that transcend cultural, religious, and socioeconomic differences.

We have an inspiring heritage and legacy, a democracy based on moral principles, that all must understand and appreciate if we are to carry the torch forward as we strive to narrow the gap between our country's ideals and realities. "Posterity--you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it," quoting John Quincy Adams.

Because a country can only be as good and moral as its citizenry, it is imperative that each of us strives to develop a moral character and help our young people to do the same through our example and teachings.