Teaching without Fear, Part 10: Understanding the Pursuit of Happiness

The “pursuit of happiness” today in popular culture is not the kind of happiness America’s founders declared as an inalienable right. If we are to have a flourishing society in the twenty-first century, we must raise a generation that knows what it truly means to pursue happiness. When the Founders referred to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence, they were not advocating a license to simply pursue pleasure. It was understood to be the pursuit of a virtuous (morally upright) life under the authority of God.

The Pursuit of Virtue

The Founders understood true happiness was the result of living a virtuous life. Therefore, in order to pursue happiness one must pursue virtue. Thomas Jefferson, who penned the Declaration of Independence, later wrote, “Virtue [is] the foundation of happiness.”

Benjamin Franklin, who assisted Jefferson in drafting the Declaration of Independence wrote:

“I believe [God] is pleased and delights in the Happiness of those he created; and since without Virtue Man can have no Happiness in this World, I firmly believe he delights to see me Virtuous, because he is pleas’d when he sees me Happy.”

The Founders were also greatly influenced by Christian philosopher John Locke. He wrote of “the necessity of pursuing happiness [as] the foundation of liberty” and explained that God “joined virtue and public happiness together, and made the practice thereof necessary to the preservation of society.”

To act on the Founders wisdom, we must return to the formula they outlined in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787:

“Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.”

While public schools cannot establish any particular religion, they need to educate students in the important principles that religion brings to society in helping its citizens live virtuous and fulfilling lives.

When the Founders wrote about “religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind,” they were referring to the three key elements for a virtuous and flourishing society — thus, a happy society. This Independence Day is a great opportunity to remind ourselves that to pursue happiness we must pursue virtue.

Teaching without Fear, Part 9: Under God in Each Century

Some people argue that “under God” is a form of prayer, and thus it is unconstitutional to have schoolchildren recite it. However, a careful reading of the Pledge of Allegiance reveals that we are not pledging allegiance to God. We are, instead, pledging allegiance to a republic. The Pledge describes the republic as a nation under God. Here are four points I suggest teachers (and parents) explain about the “under God” portion of the Pledge:

1. Thomas Jefferson explained why being “one Nation under God” is important.

Thomas Jefferson and our other Founding Fathers understood that the government does not give us our freedom. Our freedom comes from God, and the government was established to protect that God-given freedom. That was their justification for the American Revolution as stated in the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson wrote:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government laying its foundation on such principles…” (emphasis added)

No king or emperor, no president or congress, no court or crowd gives us our rights. They come from God himself and are unalienable. And the Founders built America’s “foundation on such principles.”

2. Abraham Lincoln explained why being “one Nation under God” is important.

Abraham Lincoln understood that the nation’s unity and freedom depended upon being one nation under God. In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln used the exact phrase, “nation, under God,” echoed in the Pledge of Allegiance. He began his address by referring to the Founding Fathers’ foundation in God-given rights:

“Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.”

As Lincoln closes his remarks honoring the fallen soldiers at Gettysburg, he offered this inspiring vision:

“…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, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” (emphasis added)

3. Martin Luther King, Jr., understood the importance of being a nation under God who created us equal.

In his "I have a dream" speech, Martin Luther King, Jr., declared:

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’”

4. It doesn’t matter that the phrase “under God” was added to the Pledge in the 1950s.

Some people argue that “under God” was not in the original Pledge and was inserted over 50 years later, thus, somehow making it illegitimate. But, that only proves it took over 50 years to get it right!  

As Jefferson, Lincoln, and King attest, the American people’s freedom—the freedom of your neighbors, your co-workers, your students, and teachers—are because we are one nation under God. Take that principle away, remove it from our national consciousness, and we will lose the very basis for the freedoms we so easily take for granted.

In the war of ideas, people will not defend what they do not cherish, and they will not cherish what they do not understand.

Teaching without Fear, Part 8: The Pledge of Allegiance in Your Classroom

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Many students recite the Pledge of Allegiance without thinking about its meaning. They’ve done it their whole lives in schools, but most likely have never been taught what each phrase means.I recommend teachers take a few minutes and lead their classes in discussions about the Pledge. Why do we pledge allegiance to a flag? What do words like “indivisible,” “liberty” and “justice” mean? And, why do we say “One nation under God”?   

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Step 1: Write each phrase of the Pledge of Allegiance on the board.

Step 2: Lead students in a discussion of the meaning of each word or phrase. Lesson script:

Introduction: Today, let’s spend a few minutes learning about each part of the Pledge. You could look at the Pledge as having two parts: a dedication to our country and a description of our country.

A Dedication to Our Country

The first thing we say in the Pledge is, “I pledge allegiance.” What does it mean to make a pledge? [Invite answers] To make a pledge means to make a promise.

What does the word allegiance mean? [Invite answers] Allegiance means to be faithful or loyal. It means people can count on you to be on their side.

So, we say, “I pledge allegiance to the flag.” Why the flag? [Invite answers] Because, the flag is a symbol of our fifty states joined together to be one country. When we say the Pledge, we are promising to be faithful to our country.

The next thing we say in the Pledge is “of the United States of America.” That’s our country.

Then, we say, “and to the Republic for which it stands.” One of the really good ideas that bond us together as Americans is our loyalty to the way we govern ourselves - as a republic. That simply means that we elect people to represent us when they lead our country for a certain amount of time. They are accountable to us for the job they do. So, the flag is a representation of our country.

A Description of Our Country

Next, the Pledge describes our republic by highlighting four important parts. It describes America as “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Let’s think about each part of that.

“One Nation under God.” The people who started our country (people like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson) believed that the government doesn’t give us our freedom.

They believed that our freedom comes from God. They created our government to make sure that our God-given freedom is protected. That’s what they wrote in the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence is a very special document they wrote in 1776 to declare (or announce) why they wanted to be a separate (or independent) country from England. (Read the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence.)

So, when we say “one Nation under God” in the Pledge we are reminding ourselves what the people who founded our country believed about God giving us our freedom and our government being there to protect that freedom.

Then, we say in the Pledge, “indivisible.” What does that mean? [Invite answers] It means we won’t be divided. It means that we pledge ourselves to stay together as a country, even when we disagree with each other.

The Pledge ends with the phrase, “with liberty and justice for all.” Liberty means freedom, and we commit ourselves to such liberties as the freedom to have our religion, the freedom to gather together with other people, and the freedom to speak our minds. We also commit ourselves to justice, which means being fair and right in our judgment of people.

By reciting the Pledge, we remind ourselves of these important ideas about America. Let’s all stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance.

RESOURCES:

Click here to purchase a copy of AMERICA'S STORY: The History of the Pledge of Allegiance

Click here to purchase a beautiful poster explaining each phrase of the Pledge of Allegiance

Teaching without Fear, Part 6: Christmas in Your Classroom

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Many educators want to teach about Christmas but are afraid to do so. Their fear usually stems from complaints they have had (or think they will have) from parents, administrators, or colleagues. The good news is, schools and teachers CAN teach about the religious aspects of holidays as an important part of learning about American culture.

Part of a Student's Education In the case of Florey v. Sioux Falls School District, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, upheld the constitutionality of the school's policy on religious holidays. The policy stated:

"Music, art, literature, and drama having religious themes or basis are permitted as part of the curriculum for school-sponsored activities and programs if presented in a prudent and objective manner and as a traditional part of the cultural and religious heritage of the particular holiday."

Reading the Christmas Story In Stone v. Graham, the Supreme Court stated "The Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like."

Christmas Carols The Supreme Court assumes your school is having children sing Christmas carols. In Lynch v. Donnelly, dealing with the public display of a nativity scene, the Court commented:

"To forbid the use of this one passive symbol while hymns and carols are sung and played in public places including schools, and while Congress and state legislatures open public sessions with prayers, would be an overreaction contrary to this Nation's history and this Court's holdings." (Emphasis added)

The largest organization of public school music teachers, the Music Educators National Conference (MENC), states that "the study and performance of religious music within an educational context is a vital and appropriate part of a comprehensive music education. The omission of sacred music from the school curriculum would result in an incomplete educational experience."

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Terminology It may be helpful to use the term "recognizing Christmas" rather than "celebrating Christmas." Using the word "celebrate" may cause some people to feel that you are promoting religious participation in the holiday. There is a difference between "participating" in the holiday in a devotional manner and "recognizing" the holiday in an engaging academic manner.

It is also best to teach about Christmas using words of attribution such as: "Christians believe...;" "The Bible says...;" "Christmas is special for Christians because...;" and so forth.

Nativity scenes can be used as teaching aids to illustrate the cultural lesson regarding the birth of Jesus. They are not to be permanent fixtures in the classroom.

Christmas carols can be sung as educational experiences for culture understanding; not religious experiences. In a musical program it is best to include non-religious songs like "Jingle Bells" and "Frosty the Snowman" along with traditional carols.Reading the story of the birth of Jesus to students is permissible to help students gain a basic academic familiarity with a person who has influenced so many people throughout history in government, art, literature, music, and social movements.

Presented with an eye toward education, not endorsement or devotion, recognizing the religious aspects of Christmas is a legitimate academic activity.  

RESOURCES:

Gateways Christmas Resources

VIDEO: Just Say "Merry Christmas." Watch this 5-minute video of a religious Jew urging American's to say "Merry Christmas." 

Alliance Defending Freedom - What Can Be Done in Public Schools Regarding Religious Holidays

SHOP: Give "A Gift for Teacher" to educators you know. It is an eight-page booklet designed to look like a greeting card. It uses a humorous story where Santa explains what can legally be done at Christmas.

The card includes a model policy, quotes from court cases, and lesson plan ideas. An envelope is provided.

Teaching without Fear, Part 4: The Ten Commandments in Public Schools

Posting the Ten Commandments in public schools has recently been in the news in Texas and Georgia. I understand the desire to “take a stand” for God in our schools, and posting the Ten Commandments is seen by some as such a stand to take. However, I encourage educators to move beyond the symbolism of a plaque on a wall and, instead, focus on teaching about the influence of the Ten Commandments within an academic subject. The Supreme Court actually supports this use of the Ten Commandments in public schools. In the case of Stone v. Graham the Supreme Court addressed the issue of using the Ten Commandments in Kentucky public schools. A state law required posting the Ten Commandments in every classroom with private funding and with a statement at the bottom of the poster pointing out that “secular application of the Ten Commandments is clearly seen in its adoption as the fundamental legal code of Western Civilization and the Common Law of the United States.”

The Supreme Court found this unacceptable because:

“The Commandments do not confine themselves to arguably secular matters, such as honoring one's parents, killing or murder, adultery, stealing, false witness, and covetousness. Rather, the first part of the Commandments concerns the religious duties of believers: worshipping the Lord God alone, avoiding idolatry, not using the Lord's name in vain, and observing the Sabbath Day.”

While the Court ruled that in this particular case the Ten Commandments couldn’t be posted in the way the Kentucky law required, the Court also went out of its way to note:

“This is not a case in which the Ten Commandments are integrated into the school curriculum, where the Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like. Posting of religious texts on the wall serves no such educational function.” (Emphasis added)

When appropriately connected to an academic subject, the Supreme Court supports public school educators teaching students about the Ten Commandments. Substance over symbolism is much better ground on which to take a stand.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Review your state’s academic standards for references to the Ten Commandments. For example, in Georgia students are to “explain the development of monotheism including the concepts developed by the ancient Hebrews.” In Texas, students are to “identify the impact of political and legal ideas contained in the following documents…the Jewish Ten Commandments.”

If your state is using Common Core English/Language Arts standards, the Bible is referenced four times for its relevance to literature. An English teacher recently told me how she uses this to teach about the Ten Commandments as the students read The Crucible.

Because of the influence of the Ten Commandments on Western culture, as the Supreme Court pointed out, they are relevant to teaching students about a variety of topics such as ethics (for example, bearing false witness), social movements (MLK Jr. developed his own “Ten Commandments”), legal issues (for example, murder and theft), and holidays (for example, Shavuot, is a Jewish celebration of the Torah and Ten Commandments. Pentecost is a Christian holiday during the same time as Shavuot).

Watch a series of 5-minute videos on the Ten Commandments that may give you ideas for their cultural relevance. They are produced by commentator, Dennis Prager. CLICK HERE.