Interesting fact #1: Some parents did not allow their kids to go to our school two days ago (Tue, 9/8/09) because Presiden Obama was giving speech to all American school children.
Interesting fact #2: School authority was actually forewarning parents via email if they do not wish to have their children listen to the Presiden’s speech. Below is an example of what was emailed to us parents from school, without disclosing anybody’s name:
We have received a few inquiries from parents about President Obama’s speech to school children scheduled for Tuesday morning, September 8 and how the district is planning to address this event.
The speech, estimated to be approximately 15 minutes in length, will be taped. Then, like other materials teachers may use in a classroom, it will be previewed and a determination will be made to show it as appropriate. Parents who request that their children not watch this address may do so. The students will have an alternate activity for the time the speech is aired. We are not planning to use any discussion materials provided by outside entities. Those decisions will be made by classroom teachers.
The information we have received has indicated the President’s speech will focus on three main ideas: encourage students to set high goals for themselves, work hard, and accept responsibility for their learning.
If you have specific questions, please contact your building principal.
Thank you.Sincerely,
xxxx xxxxxx
Like hubby said, it’s probably a political thing and the school just want to be ‘safe’ not to step on anybody’s toe. He thinks it’s a sad testament to the awful polarity of today’s society.
Which will take us to the interesting fact #3: The day after the speech, just yesterday, my kids told us that there were Cub Scouts Master talking to them during lunch, promoting their organization and to lure the kids into joining them. My son was beaming, “It’s really cool! We will be making cars, roasting marshmallows, go camping, and sleep in a tent! I want to be a Cub Scout!”
How ironic is that -to use hubby’s words- we find ourselves feeling obligated to allow parents to ‘opt out’ of their children’s participation in listening to this country’s highest elected official, but not reciprocating this option for an organization that so openly discriminates against atheist/agnotic children (example here and here).
The school was trying very hard to address certain group’s feeling abouttowards the speech; but failed to address our (atheist/agnostic people) feeling towards this whole Cub Scouts/Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts thing. Were we just to assume that all the kids are religious (Christian)? Why wouldn’t the school forewarn us like they did to the Presiden’t speech? Maybe I don’t want my atheist/agnostic kids to listen to their promo and want to ‘opt out’ my kids from it.
But before we abruptly say ‘no’ to our innocent kids, hubby did a research about Cub Scouts and the like. And we were right, they are an elite religious/military-like club and definitely will not accept our non-religious children. Luckily, our kids are smart enough to know the difference and were OK not to join.
How ironic…
I don’t feel like raising our kids in America… i had an experience when MIL gave out christian books and a dvd about moslems converted to christian. I’m so frustrated living here when it’s about those things. One of the reason I hate living in Lamesota.
Illuminating story.
It’s just reminds us agnostics are only a small island in an ocean of religions.
Of course we all love Christians, Jews, Muslims and the like. It’s a pity however that though we are all equal, the followers of a dominant religion are usually more equal than others.
Maybe we should hope for the French system : ban all religion from public schools.
Din,
I think it’s the same here.
School always ask the parents about their kids religion. Even though they finally let your kids study at their school but if there’s religious activity, I believe they will ask all student to attend that activity.
Especially with Moslem school, I don’t think that they allow non moslem student to study at their school.
Pathetic …
when religion goes deep into (formal) education system…
@V: where are you thinking of raising your kids, then? in terrorist-infested indo? i know when it comes to raising kids, one must really think hard for pros and cons
@colson: i thought u.s. system is not allowing religion in school either. i guess i’m wrong. cause this is not the first. last winter, my kids told me that the music teacher was teaching all kids about christmas songs. we talked to the superintendent and was told that they didn’t mean it in a bad way. they said it’s just a tradition. this one, the boy scout thing, the superintendent said he was not aware that boy scout is discriminating atheist/agnostic. riiight… for a person who was born and raised in the midwest, and probably was a member, you were not a ware? c’mon! we, the atheist/agnostic parents, always have to ‘remind’ school about stuff they’re doing that’d matter to our kids because they either don’t care or just assume that everybody is religious.
@tere616: i could understand when it comes to a private school such as al-azhar or santa ursula back home. like an exclusive club, they could say ‘no’ to others. but this is a public school, for crying out loud.
@melly: it’s narrowmindedness, i tell you.
diny, apa karena udah lama tinggal di amerika terus jadi berpikir kalo di indonesia semua orang dididik jadi teroris? atau semua orang asia itu rude (di tulisan kamu yang lain)? lol
masih banyak orang indonesia yang menganggap teroris itu justru orang yang gak tidak percaya pada hari pembalasan, tidak percaya tuhan! sekarang patut diny tanyakan pada diri sendiri… siapa sebenarnya yang narrowminded? yang menganggap pembicaraan tentang ketuhanan adalah tabu? yang menganggap pendidikan di indonesia menelurkan teroris? atau yang kebingungan dengan gegap gempitanya dirimu mempertahankan ke atheisan anak2mu?
rani, bukan karena saya ‘sudah lama tinggal di amerika’ maka saya berpikiran kalau ‘semua orang dididik jadi teroris’ seperti kesimpulan rani. sejak tinggal di indonesia pun, saya sudah mafhum -dan ini juga public knowledge- kalau kalangan agama tertentu ‘mencuci otak’ pengikutnya untuk membenci dan bahkan membolehkan untuk menyakiti pengikut agama lain yang tidak sependapat dengan mereka. apa itu ‘mendidik menjadi teroris’ seperti yang situ simpulkan? boleh jadi.
menyoal ‘orang asia itu rude’ kalau rani baca baik-baik, tulisan saya adalah mempertanyakan, menyodorkan kasus -di mana beberapa pembaca ikut memberikan contoh kasus yang mempertanyakan ‘kekasaran’ orang asia- dan menjabarkan kalau itu boleh jadi karena beda kultur.
orang indonesia banyak yang menganggap teroris itu adalah yang tidak percaya tuhan atau hari pembalasan? lol. terrorism = upaya sistematis menggunakan teror dengan maksud memaksa pihak lain mempercayai keyakinan tertentu (against their will) dengan memakai ancaman, intimidasi, atau cara lain yang menjurus ke kekerasan. apakah itu kaum atheis yang membom mal, hotel, atau airport di indonesia? apakah itu kaum agnostic yang membajak pesawat lantas menghantam wtc? apakah itu kaum holistic yang menewaskan banyak orang di bali?
pembicaraan tentang ketuhanan sama sekali tidak tabu. yang bikin penat adalah sempitnya cara berpikir orang ‘beragama’ dengan menganggap bahwa semua orang mempercayai apa yang mereka percaya. menjejalkan doktrin-doktrin mereka.
rani bilang saya gegap gempita mempertahankan keatheisan anak-anak saya? ya. sudah saatnya anak-anak dibiarkan untuk berpikir dan mengambil keputusan sendiri, tidak mengikuti ajaran yang menginginkan mereka membenci orang lain yang tidak sepaham.
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A definite great read….Barbra Scurley