Observations©
By Donald S. Conkey
WOW! What a novel idea! Maybe not! The second Congress of the United States in the year 1787 passed a law called the Northwest Ordinance. Its purpose was to establish guide lines for accepting new states into the growing United States of America. One of its stated objectives required any applying territory to become a state had to agree to establish a school system that taught its students “religion, morals, and knowledge” – in that order.
Early American students received a liberal dose of religion and morality because their initial text book was the Bible and this textbook was supplemented by the McGuffey Reader beginning in the early ninetieth century. These two books continued to be the foundation of America’s education until the early part of the twentieth century when the liberal progressives (socialists) began their drive to secularize America and had to find a way to take the Bible’s religious influence out of the schools. They accomplished their goal with two Supreme Court rulings in 1962 and 1963.
These rulings dealt death blows to the teaching of religion and morals in public schools, but with the same ingenuity that had made America great citizens who felt their children needed a stronger spiritual foundation than they were getting in the ‘cleansed public schools’ began looking for solutions to their problems. Charter schools seemed logical to them and over the years the charter schools system continued to gain strength, especially here in Georgia under the guidance of the Georgia Charter School Commission established by the state legislature. But this Commission was dealt a setback in May when the Georgia Supreme Court, in a 4 to 3 vote, declared this law unconstitutional. Then Charter School students and parents rallied at the capital to show their determination to find an answer to their new challenge and with state senator Chip Rogers, majority leader in the state senate, involved a satisfactory solution is likely to be found.
The issue: how can parents teach religion and morality to their children within the confines of the law? There are several possible solutions. The first would be for the existing Charter Schools to go before the county school boards, likely on bended knee, and establish a workable relationship that would allow the Charters to continue their programs. Another solution, though an expensive one, would be to follow the pattern of the Catholic Church and build their own schools. Another, ironically, is a federal law that allows public schools to establish what is called release time religious training. This program, used successfully by the LDS church in several western states, allows students to be “released” from school for an hour each day to attend off campus religious and moral training classes during school hours.
Another solution is a program used successfully here in Cherokee County for many years, a program referred to as ‘early morning seminar, a program where local high school students rise at 5 a.m. to attend 6 a.m. religion classes, with moral instruction included, in local chapels or homes. Teachers are ‘called’ by local ecclesiastical leader to teach these classes with supervision provided by LDS Church Education System employees. These students attend seminary each school day for four years. After leaving high school graduates have ‘institute classes’ taught by CES instructors available.
Last Sunday was graduation day for students in the Allatoona Ward. Two local students, one from Etowah and one from Woodstock spoke followed by two ‘called’ teachers, one a burly 250 pound tough cop with a very tender heart. The students, when they study the Bible’s Old Testament, are required to memorize 25 Old Testament scriptures. Stephanie Huffman, the Etowah student, and star basketball player, told the history of how this seminary program is now offered in 140 nations worldwide, and taught in many languages, but with students being taught the same foundational message that God lives and that there is both purpose and opposition in life that requires individuals to make good choices every day of their life. It was both impressive and inspirational to watch Bishop Karski hand each student his/her certificate. These youth are being taught religion and morals – and it shows.
The seminary program is supplemented with a “For the Strength of Youth” program, a program designed to help teenagers through their teenage years unscathed. It defines LDS values and standards clearly. While created for LDS youth it is generic enough so parents of other faiths can modify it to meet individual needs. To review it Google “for-the-strength-of-youth.” It works!
Back issues of Don Conkey’s Observations column are found at www.proclaimingliberty.us