Anyone who reads SR regularly knows my views on religious fundamentalism in general, and the threat posed to America by the Christian version particularly. Here is the latest. Notice the universals of fundamentalism of whatever faith: Deeply distorted views on sexuality, the suppression and subordination of women, the emphasis on guilt, and the commitment to willful ignorance.
The Dark Side of Home Schooling: Creating Soldiers for the Culture War
KATHERINE STEWART – The Guardian (U.K.)
EXTRACT:
“The Christian home school subculture isn't a children-first movement. It is, for all intents and purposes, an ideology-first movement. There is a massive, well-oiled machine of ideology that is churning out soldiers for the culture war. Home schooling is both the breeding ground – literally, when you consider the Quiverfull concept – and the training ground for this machinery. I say this as someone who was raised in that world.”
Phi Beta Iota: Sadly, public schools have generally lost their value with their descent into political correctness, micro-management, and teaching to the lowest common denominator. Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) are the poster child for being “perfect” at doing all the wrong things just at the time when we most desperately need to begin nurturing a 21st Century thinking and caring population. Home schooling is only an option for one income families absent new forms of neighborhood organization — a schoolhouse on every corner. The US Department of Education lacks intelligence and also lacks integrity. In the future we dare hope that an honest effective government might integrate education, intelligence, and research under one Secretary-General charged with creating a Smart Nation. Until then, stupidity will remain a common virtue at all levels. There are many good initiatives scattered about — there is no leadership in education worthy of the name.
See Also:
Fairfax County Public Schools — Best — and Not
GOOD NEWS: Education Done Wright — With Hard Knocks
Graphic: Knowledge Wheel (Intelligence 101)
Jean Lievins: Community-based labs nurture young talent
John Maguire: Hackerspaces & Open-Source Creativity — Making Up for Educational Shortfalls
John Taylor Gatto: TRANSCRIPT & SOURCES for The Ultimate History Lesson
Review (Guest): 1996 The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School
Review: Born To Learn: Unschooling In the New Paradigm
SmartPlanet: Free Online Courses Discovering Global Talent
Theophillis Goodyear: The Second Enlightment Emergent Now — Comment by Bojan Radej
