Public schools are very special to authoritarian theocrats. In fact, it is observed that indoctrinating other people’s kids is of vital importance to their Christian Nationalist goals, whether it’s teaching mythology in biology classes, revisionist history & sociology, or the absurdly counterproductive abstinence-only curricula in sex-ed classes.
The ashes of the November 4th midterm election are barely cold and there’s already a bill in the Texas Legislature that would proscribe school districts from preventing the posting of the Ten Pretty Good Ideas Commandments in public school classrooms.
(Kids, if you don’t like this…well, you shouldn’t be Muslim…or Jewish…or- God forbid- atheist, knowhutimean??)
It seems that for some reason, it’s important for Texas’ schoolchildren to know there’s no God BUT God, and that God honors and respects only those who believe in the Christian flavor of Him. No “impostors” need apply. Even as hopelessly cynical as I am, I have to believe that common sense will prevail under the Capitol dome in Austin. If the bill does pass, there’s exactly ZERO chance that it will withstand a court challenge- something about the separation of Church and State and the Establishment Clause, if memory serves….
State Rep. Dan Flynn, who introduced this bill, has conveniently also introduced another, which “requires courts to refrain from involvement in religious doctrinal interpretation or application[.]” In other words, the judicial system’s only involvement with religion would be meekly acquiescing to the majority religion being introduced into public schools and forced upon students. Comically, Rep. Flynn failed to see the humor and double standard created by his bill:
Representative Flynn said, “It is all about protecting the rights of people in not only in District 2 but the rights and privileges of all Texans.”
ALL Texans? Or just the ones who happen to worship your flavor of God? How can this bill be about freedom when its wording and intent is to pave the way for the introduction of Christianity into Texas’ public schools? Where’s the freedom in requiring that the children of non-Christians be indoctrinated in the majority religion? Yep, nothing says “Freedom!!” quite like a law that makes taxpayer-funded education the property and playground of Conservative White Christians?
Move along, people…no hypocrisy here….
