Can someone please explain to me why the government is still funding religious education in 2014?
That's the other thing here in this case (and the other similarly setup schools in Calgary - the government isn't actually funding religious education. The government funds the normal curriculum, parents fund the religious portion of the schooling.
$7 million a year to fund the school? I don't think private schools should be funded at all by public dollars, and especially not with discriminatory policies.
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1. Dress like we want you to.
2. Go to the right plays
3. Go to Church regularly.
4. Listen to the right music.
5. Fall in love with/marry/have sex with who we want you to, when we want you to.
6. Watch the right movies.
7. Watch the right TV shows.
8. Refrain from normal teenage impulses.
9. Dance the way we want you to.
This just sounds like an 80's movie just waiting to play out. All that is missing is Patrick Swayze.
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This is a public school that warns "sinful" students about a "lake of fire". (Herald Article.)
Ironically enough, my wife was expelled from Prarie Christian Academy after being shipped there by her parents. I believe it was a combination of things that included smoking (or drinking- cant remember which) and repeatedly listening to sinful music.
Last edited by Flabbibulin; 04-14-2014 at 09:30 AM.
It would be reasonable for a private institution, but how private is an institution considered, when it is funded by taxpayers money and fulfills the role of education?
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You Need a Thneed, you seem like a pretty cool person and your views are moderate and understandable.
That document is... well... even if I was a Christian and I was asked to sign that... I would make 10000 copies of it and create a bonfire in the parking lot of that school.
They are basically saying that if you don't:
1. Dress like we want you to.
2. Go to the right plays
3. Go to Church regularly.
4. Listen to the right music.
5. Fall in love with/marry/have sex with who we want you to, when we want you to.
6. Watch the right movies.
7. Watch the right TV shows.
8. Refrain from normal teenage impulses.
9. Dance the way we want you to.
Then you could face suspension or expulsion. It's completely and utterly ludicrous.
I find it incredibly arrogant for them to dictate this as applying outside of school hours/property.
Anyway, before I go on a long rant I'm gonna just leave it at that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Superflyer
This just sounds like an 80's movie just waiting to play out. All that is missing is Patrick Swayze.
You Need a Thneed, you seem like a pretty cool person and your views are moderate and understandable.
That document is... well... even if I was a Christian and I was asked to sign that... I would make 10000 copies of it and create a bonfire in the parking lot of that school.
They are basically saying that if you don't:
1. Dress like we want you to.
2. Go to the right plays
3. Go to Church regularly.
4. Listen to the right music.
5. Fall in love with/marry/have sex with who we want you to, when we want you to.
6. Watch the right movies.
7. Watch the right TV shows.
8. Refrain from normal teenage impulses.
9. Dance the way we want you to.
Then you could face suspension or expulsion. It's completely and utterly ludicrous.
I find it incredibly arrogant for them to dictate this as applying outside of school hours/property.
Anyway, before I go on a long rant I'm gonna just leave it at that.
Outside of the blatent discrimination against homosexuality I don't really have an issue with the charter. (The discrimination against homosexuality would make it a non-starter for me.)
Delaying sexual experimentation is probably generally a benifit (if they go all abstinence only education it does damage but encouraging people to delay it is generally good)
The other part of refraining from certain TV also seems reasoanble if your belief structure is along those lines.
As for people who object because it imposes behaviours on off school time some schools anti bullying policies extend to social media posted outside of school hours. So I think a school restricting behaviours of students with parental approval outside of school hours is reasonable.
On the funding model for private schools currently private schools get 1/2 the allowance per student of a public school. In my opinion this funding should not exist for any type of school. Charters which don't charge additional tuition should be funded at 1:1 and zero money for private regardless of allignment.
It would be reasonable for a private institution, but how private is an institution considered, when it is funded by taxpayers money and fulfills the role of education?
That is a question that could be applied to most of Canadian society.
As a Christian, this stuff is frustrating. Although following most of these rules would theoretically lead to making wiser choices in life, most of these rules are instead linked back to the Christianity and seen as a condition for salvation. ie) if you want to be a good little Christian and not go to hell you better do/not do these things
There's such a hatred for organized religion out there and its sad because at its very root true Christianity is all about loving others and treating each other with kindness - something that most non-Christians probably can get on board with.
But that's not the reputation Christianity has - instead it's hypocrisy, condemnation, stupid rules and a hateful God who punishes everyone. Not to mention the arrogance and superiority complex many "Christians" have thinking they are better than everyone.
Stuff like this at a grassroots level is causing the problem. Christianity is not about earning your way into heaven by being good, but forcing staff and students in a school to never drink, smoke or dance is either telling them heaven/hell depends on it, or it's just attempting to set a good example for others. In which case it's a massive fail because acting morally superior by depriving oneself of life's pleasures is not the best way to set an example - it'll just come with a holier-than-thou attitude and just turn everyone off.
If these schools want to set a good example and show the world how wonderful Christianity is, their code of conduct should be about aspiring to show kindness to others and helping the less fortunate. Anti-bullying is one current problem area where Christians should be leading the charge and making a difference, instead of focusing on who's dancing socially and who's straight and gay.
What's funny yet sad at the same time is there's precedent for this. It happened in the Bible with the Pharisees, who thought they were better than everyone in God's eyes because they followed these elaborate rules. Jesus basically smacked them upside the head and told them where to stuff it. And yet here we are thousands of years later and nothing has changed. It's mind-blowing.
These schools have the best of intentions but the way they are trying to achieve these end goals is completely backwards. They deserve the flack they are getting.
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In the forests of the night,
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As a Christian, this stuff is frustrating. Although following most of these rules would theoretically lead to making wiser choices in life, most of these rules are instead linked back to the Christianity and seen as a condition for salvation. ie) if you want to be a good little Christian and not go to hell you better do/not do these things
There's such a hatred for organized religion out there and its sad because at its very root true Christianity is all about loving others and treating each other with kindness - something that most non-Christians probably can get on board with.
But that's not the reputation Christianity has - instead it's hypocrisy, condemnation, stupid rules and a hateful God who punishes everyone. Not to mention the arrogance and superiority complex many "Christians" have thinking they are better than everyone.
Stuff like this at a grassroots level is causing the problem. Christianity is not about earning your way into heaven by being good, but forcing staff and students in a school to never drink, smoke or dance is either telling them heaven/hell depends on it, or it's just attempting to set a good example for others. In which case it's a massive fail because acting morally superior by depriving oneself of life's pleasures is not the best way to set an example - it'll just come with a holier-than-thou attitude and just turn everyone off.
If these schools want to set a good example and show the world how wonderful Christianity is, their code of conduct should be about aspiring to show kindness to others and helping the less fortunate. Anti-bullying is one current problem area where Christians should be leading the charge and making a difference, instead of focusing on who's dancing socially and who's straight and gay.
What's funny yet sad at the same time is there's precedent for this. It happened in the Bible with the Pharisees, who thought they were better than everyone in God's eyes because they followed these elaborate rules. Jesus basically smacked them upside the head and told them where to stuff it. And yet here we are thousands of years later and nothing has changed. It's mind-blowing.
These schools have the best of intentions but the way they are trying to achieve these end goals is completely backwards. They deserve the flack they are getting.
As a non-Christian, I appreciate your post.
Cheers
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I admire the tone of thoughtful respect and tolerance this thread has become. I expected another poop-flinger between the believers and non-believers. Kudos to all who participated respectfully.
I don't understand why we publicly fund religeous schools. I do not support it one bit. Why is it ok to fund Catholic schools with public money while the public systems sees cuts? I say cut all funding from church schools. If you want your kids indoctrinated than pay for it your damn self.
I don't understand why we publicly fund religeous schools. I do not support it one bit. Why is it ok to fund Catholic schools with public money while the public systems sees cuts? I say cut all funding from church schools. If you want your kids indoctrinated than pay for it your damn self.
We publicly fund religious schools to ensure that all students get an education that meets certain standards. That some of them hold to a world view that includes a religion is not a reason to disadvantage the children due to the the choices their parents make. Remove the funding, and you remove the accountability to government standards, which of course, will just make it more difficult for the next generation to leave or moderate their religion and likely lead to more religious extremism.
At 50c on the $, I'm more than happy to pay religious schools to provide a quality education to the next generation.
