ACLU Stops VA School from Posting the Ten Commandments

The Roanoke Times reports that the dad of a second-grade girl at Narrows Elementary School in Narrows, VA, wants the school district to display various American government documents, historical texts, and symbols, including the Ten Commandments.

The proposed display would include the Mayflower Compact, Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, the Magna Carta, sheet music of "The Star-Spangled Banner," a picture of Lady Justice, the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, and (drum roll please) the Ten Commandments.

As can be expected the ACLU of Virginia is not happy. ACLU attorney Rebecca Glenberg remarked to the Times.

"I see here a bunch of documents related to U.S. history and one religious document."

The ACLU of Virginia and the Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened the lawsuit that has kept the commandments off school walls since February, the Times reports.

I have an idea. Forget posting the Ten Commandments on a display that no student will even look at, much less, read. Instead of treating it like some kind of patriotic wallpaper in one school in the corner of the state, make sure teachers in the ENTIRE state of Virginia teach about the Ten Commandments AS EXPECTED in the state’s academic standards.

The 2008 Virginia academic standards for World History expect students to:

“demonstrate knowledge of ancient river valley civilizations, including those of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus River Valley, and China and the civilizations of the Hebrews, Phoenicians, and Nubians, by… [among other things] explaining the development of religious traditions, [and] describing the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of Judaism.

That would pretty much cover the Ten Commandments (and a whole lot more).

In addition to this, the Virginia Department of Education lists as “Essential Knowledge” that students are expected to know “the essential beliefs of Judaism” (WHI.3d.Q1) and how Judaism influenced Western civilization (WHI.3d.Q2). Additionally, students are to learn about “beliefs, traditions, and customs of Judaism” (WHI.3d.B) as well as the “Ten Commandments, which state moral and religious conduct.” (WHI.3d.B.3)

Symbolism can be wonderful. But, given the choice between symbolism and substance, I’ll take substance any day.

(This blog first appeared on Breakpoint Blog.)

Teachers Are Nation Builders, Obama Reminds Us

In his State of the Union speech, President Obama made reference to the need for improving our nation’s public schools. He was right to refer to teachers, apparently borrowing a phrase from the Koreans, as “nation builders.” That is certainly what teachers are. With 50 million students in public schools, there is a window of opportunity that presents itself to culture-shapers. Ninety-four percent of young Americans sit in one institution –- the public school -- for thirteen years (K-12) before scattering throughout society.

However, I want to raise a caution about the President’s singular focus on technical skills and knowledge. Over the next ten years, he wants to see 100,000 new teachers in science, mathematics, and engineering. That’s good. But it’s not enough.

We are mistaken to think that growing a nation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians will be our national salvation. Most “education reform” focuses on behavioral problems such as decreasing dropout rates or improving test scores. But this does not address the spiritual and moral needs of students -- the very thing that America so desperately needs.

Teachers are not only nation builders, they are Civilization Keepers. They need to pass on the moral values that are necessary to keep Western civilization alive -- and central to our civilization are our biblical values. Let’s not forget what John Adams told us:

Yes, teachers are nation builders. The question is what kind of nation are they building? Those of us who take Adams’s words to heart must join in the cause of building a nation that maintains the moral and spiritual values our Founders believed are so essential to our national health.

“Our Constitution is made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”

(I posted this originally on Breakpoint's blog site. You can read more blog posts at Breakpoint.)