This whole thing actually got started within 20 miles of where I currently live. Bear in mind this isn't a redneck backwater. Williamson County, in particular, is one of the wealthiest places in the entire United States. In a State where the average household income is just above $44,000 a year, the average income in this county is $120,000 a year.NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A state Republican lawmaker is proposing legislation that would ban teaching Tennessee public school students “religious doctrine” until they’re in high school.
The Tennessean reports the proposal from Rep. Sheila Butt of Columbia would prohibit the teaching of anything deemed religious doctrine unless the course is taught in 10th, 11th or 12th grade.
The measure comes on the heels of complaints from some parents in several communities as to what their children are learning in middle school about Islam.
The concept of “religious doctrine” is never defined in Tennessee law. There is a reference to the concept in a portion of the law related to using the Bible in school.
The law says the Bible may be used in class, as long as the course doesn’t include “teaching of religious doctrine or sectarian interpretation of the Bible or of texts from other religious or cultural traditions.”
- See more at: http://clarksvillenow.com/local/bill....DZzycc12.dpuf
It sourced from 7th grade Middle Schoolers being taught the Pillars of Islam, and memorizing Islamic prayers (Down to having them recite "There is no other God but Allah" and things of that sort) as part of the curriculum. There was, predictably, some backlash about this. People in the area felt that schools aren't supposed to be teaching their kids religion (I will absolutely grant a good portion of them were upset there Christian children were being taught Islamic Prayers. I don't personally have an issue with them being upset, as were this situation inverted, we'd be seeing a similar backlash in the Islamic community).
I was surprised that this was handled as evenly as it has been. I think leaving faith out of public curriculum is...kind of important, actually. Religion is taught at home, and in places of worship. Using a public square like the school system to teach the religious aspects of any faith is sticky at best. 10th grade seems like a good point - The kids are mentally developed enough to make their own choices based on what they're learning, as opposed to just drinking what the teacher said or spouting off whatever their parents told them to say.
Teaching kids the history of any religion is one thing. Making them memorize and recite prayers of any religion is another entirely, in my personal opinion.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations feels this is a bigoted law, designed out of fear.
I guess the question I want to ask is, if the law applies equally to all faiths, how is it bigotry?