The TMI Files. The Perils Of Christian Schools.
I've found the school I intend to send Magilla to next year. I've checked out a few, and the local catholic school is way too pc for my liking, while the state schools are too large, and appear populated by young ferals.(Okay, sounds judgemental, I know, but I want to keep a very close hold on her education and that means vetting the school environs as well as the school. I don't call this place Bogan Central for no reason.)
The school I've decided upon is a private christian school - non-denominational, but with a strong emphasis on a biblical worldview. I've already had one interview with the principal, and as I explained to him: I grew up without God in my life, so I know how that absence feels. I would not have my daughter grow up the same way.
There is a strong emphasis on academics, and a lot of support services at this school.They have strong disciplinary procedures, and also emphasis on respect for authority.
They also demand that their students' families are practising christians, and to that end require a letter from the priest or pastor or reverend where they go to church.
All of this is fine by me, but an atheist of close acquaintance had a look at the school's website, and obviously spoke to people about christian schools.
Then he voiced his main objection:
It's a christian school! They ban Harry Potter!
Needless to say my response was a rather underwhelmed: So? Their school their rules. I've got no problem, so neither should anyone else.
I can think of worse reasons for objecting to a school than their reading policy, and considering that Magilla is not yet 5, it'll be a few years before Harry Potter becomes mandatory reading matter anyway.
posted by Nilk @ 8:16 PM
14 Comments:
I'd actually prefer she was homeschooled, but since I don't have the temperament for it, and she is the Social Beast From Hell it just would'nt work.
The more people around, the happier she is. I don't get it myself, as I can easily go without talking to anyone for days at a time.
But if she's got to go to school, she's getting a damned thorough grounding.
I'd suggest sending your kids private, Caz. I know quite a few people who swear by it, and the state system is nowhere near as good as it was when I went through it.
I guess I'll have to take up table dancing to afford it, though hahhaha.
I've got quite a while myself before having to worry about children and how to raise and educate them, but when I do have kids, I'd like to homeschool them until they reach high-school age, and then give them the option to go to a public school or stay home and continue homeschooling.
Nilk, if you're concerned about the social aspect, I know that here in the US there are a lot of homeschooling groups where the parents get the kids all together and teach them so that they can interact with others.
And then there's always just dance, horse-riding, basketball, etc. (not to mention your local church) that your daughter could get involved in to be around others.
As for Potter, I wouldn't reject a school because they banned Harry Potter, but I do think that the Christians who oppose it are mistaken. Harry Potter does not teach children to practice witchcraft, it appeals to their love of mystery, magic, and beauty... all things that are valued by our Heavenly Father, not our Enemy.
Okay, sounds judgemental, I know, but I want to keep a very close hold on her education and that means vetting the school environs as well as the school.
Not judgmental at all. Responsible parenting. Should be more of it. Good for you.
Fundamentalism in any form is dangerous.
Private Christian schools are no better than any other funadmentalist religious movement.
Do you want your child to be taught at this early stage of her life that she is sinful and evil and her only salvation is to turn to an imaginary deity?
Why not teach her good values at home where you can be more in control over how much exposure she gets to what is good and what is bad?
Might as well make her a scientologist. They do as much brainwashing there as in fundamentalist christian schools.
preaching your version of faith based religion, eh anonymous? Funny how it never occurs to screechy little atheists that their whole view is as unprovable and therefore as much dependent on faith as any other.
nilk: Rest easy. When it comes to raising youngins, momma bear is supposed to be uber ultra and unconditionally judgmental.
There is no god. People are going to war over the idea that "my imaginary friend can beat your imaginary friend"
Listen to the wisdom of Bill & Ted: "Be Excellent To Eachother". That's all you need to know.
"There is no god." Ok, dumbass, prove it. You're just another religious fundimentalist, but with an anti-ist twist.
As for killing over ideas, how about your own religion? How many millions of his own citizenry did Stalin slaughter prior to 1939? How many millions did Pol Pot slaughter of his own in the late seventies/early eighties?
You want death and slaughter on an industrial scale, you really need an athiest at the helm.
oh, and news flash moron, that whole "be excellent to each other" is one of the corner stones of Christianty as taught in the Gospel.
Of course, as a Christian, I'm not supposed to call folk names and be all mean and harsh to idiots, morons, dumbasses and other forms of intellectual inbreed, but I just aint all that good at being a Christian, I guess.
>.oh, and news flash moron, that whole "be excellent to each other" is one of the corner stones of Christianty as taught in the Gospel.
>.
Oh DUUUUUUHHHHHHH, shit eater.
However, the 'christian' belief is also guilty of teaching that every other faith is wrong and fundamentalists will always defend by force their idealogical system if necessary. Look at the white christian trash politics of the USA. How many wars have they become involved in in order to show the rest of the world that god is on their side? Yay team.
Just go and bury your little head back in the sand of the cyber world you and the other losers who subscribe to this way of thinking have made for yourselves.
BTW, while you're getting ready to respond to this with some other pearl of wisdom, think to yourself how much time you waste reading and responding to crap like this on the internet, and if you honestly believe that it gives you some kind of life satisfaction.
(like the type I get out of riling up mindless dorks such as you)
Isn't it time you got off your rotund, undoubtedly unemployed arse and went out and find some *real* friends?
....if you can.
Hmm. Go and do some work and the place goes to the dogs. :)
First of all, Anon, with respect to the existence or not of God, nobody will know until they die. That's what faith is about.
As far as I'm concerned, there is a God, and he most definitely does move in mysterious ways.
Obviously you don't subscribe to that view, and that's your call.
You can even slag off the white christian fundies if you choose - all that does is expose your bigotry.
Again, if that's what you wish to show the world, go for it.
While we're on the subject of christians and their warmongering around the world, I have yet to hear the Pope call a Crusade. I know plenty of people who would be more than happy to answer that call, a good number of non-christians and non-catholics among them.
It is not christians blowing up jews in Israel, or hindus in Kashmir or other christians in the Phillipines.
It is not the christians who have waged such an effective war in the Sudan that there appear to be next to no christians left. Nor animists.
Personally, I believe the fundies are the least of your problems, but if that's Ross, we can agree to disagree on that. :)
In the meantime, though, my girl will get a solid christian education, and she will be innoculated against pc.
Oh, and grimmy, you want ultra conservative and rabid when it comes to protecting your young? You should come along when I discuss her upbringing with the moonbat segment of the family. It's never dull at Chez Bogan.
Oh, I bet those are grand times indeed, nilk!
I feel sorry for the next generation that they're being raised by a bunch of total fuckwits such as yourselves.
I feel sorry for the next generation that they're being raised by a bunch of total fuckwits such as yourselves.
Isn't that interesting? I share much the same sentiments regarding the children of atheists.
Pfft, Harry Potter is quite well written, a book series(especially one of that kind of size) doesn't move off the shelves purely on gimmick/cool factor, if people don't love it they're not going to buy more than the first book in the series - and I'm reasonably sure that the other books in the series have also done very well!
As far as schooling is concerned - for me, personally it's a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea.. do I want the PC indoctrination and culture of mediocrity of the public schooling system, the indoctrination and arrogance of the religious school system, or the drugs and mutual-backscratch club of the rest of the private school system? Ugh! Glad I don't have to worry about that yet :p
And as far as I'm concerned atheists are the worst kind of religious folks, they seem to work on a subconscious belief in god but a loathing of it that leads to denial.. never a pretty sight. That's not to say I don't harbour certain opinions regarding one having a conviction for one of the actual religions - the idea concerns me. Personally, I'm agnostic and curious. And I highly doubt that *any* religion has got it right :p
Nilk,
This has to be one of your better posts if you can get people to start abusing each other in the comments section. Great work! :)
The main thing about the Harry Potter books and the stance of the school is just what you said: Their School - Their Rules. The difference being that Magilla won't get stoned to death if she happens to read something other than "approved" material outside of school. Whether someone has an issue with Christianity and Christian-faith-based schools, this is still a big plus that children and women raised in the Cult of the Paedophile are not allowed to do without fear of harsh retribution.
I don't think it's right that schools ban the HP books though because they have this belief that witchcraft is a misguided subsidiary within their own and that displays utmost arrogance rather than realising that it is a separate religion. If there is a religion that should be banned - well, we all know which one that is - the one that would deny Magilla an education or a life involving anything more than servitude.
I got a hold of the HP books as audio books and listen to them in the car - they are GREAT for long trips :)
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