Gov. Bush touts Christian-based program for schools [FL ACLU criticizes All-Pro Dad program]

TALLAHASSEE — Just before Father's Day, Gov. Jeb Bush announced that he wanted every public school in Florida to host a Christian-based program designed to increase fathers' participation in their children's lives.

The program, All Pro Dad, combines a biblical foundation with the draw of popular professional athletes to promote the belief that "the father is the head of the household" and that men should rely on God to help them be better parents and keep their marriages intact. It also encourages Bible reading.

"This is a really great program," Bush said at a news conference last month, though he did not make any reference to the project's Christian foundation. "The response of this program has been a success, and I hope it expands throughout the entire state to every school in every school district."

But critics say the program, which has a direct link on the Florida Department of Education Web site, clearly has Christian overtones and is part of a national effort by evangelicals who view public schools as recruiting fields.

An official state Web site should not be linked to such an organization, said Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Lynn said the link violates the First Amendment, which prohibits government from establishing a state religion and at the same time prohibits government from interfering with religious practices.

"This has a very clear religious message, so that's wrong and that should be stopped immediately," Lynn said from his office in Washington. "This is an overtly fundamentalist Christian worldview that's being promoted."

Program popular in Tampa area

The All Pro Dad program is used in about 60 locations in 20 states, including a dozen Tampa Bay-area public schools. Monthly breakfast meetings are held in school cafeterias or nearby Chick-fil-A restaurants. There are no active chapters in Palm Beach, Martin or St. Lucie counties.

Last month, however, Florida K-12 public schools Chancellor Jim Warford touted the program to the state's 67 school superintendents.

"I encourage you to go to:

www.allprodad.com

to get a free introductory DVD about the program and how you can get fathers more involved in your schools," Warford wrote in a June 17 memo. The memo does not include information about the program's religious orientation.

Department of Education officials defended the state's endorsement of the Christian-based program, but otherwise referred queries about All Pro Dad to Volunteer Florida, a Bush-appointed nonprofit agency charged with faith and community outreach.

"It's appropriate for the Department of Education to endorse programs that encourage parents to be involved in their children's lives. We would support any program that would encourage that," department spokeswoman Melanie Etters said. "The fact is that a lot of the people that participate in the All Pro Dads are NFL stars and they reach out to some populations that the Department of Education wouldn't attract."

Etters said the department "welcomes other programs" that would promote parental involvement in their children's lives.

But Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, said Bush and the department's endorsement of the program is indicative of the governor's disregard for the state constitution, which prohibits spending state money, directly or indirectly, on religious programs.

"It may be a wonderful program, but a program that encourages Bible reading and strengthening your relationship with God is not the kind of program that should be sponsored by the public schools, nor should it be the kind of program that is organized and facilitated by the public schools," Simon said.

"From vouchers, from faith-based initiatives, to the nation's first faith-based prisons, this governor has a blind spot when it comes to the constitutional requirement on separation of church and state. He's completely uncritical. He doesn't believe that reading the Bible and strengthening your relationship with God is a faith-based message."

The Florida Supreme Court is now considering whether Bush's 6-year-old Opportunity Scholarship Program is constitutional. The program gives vouchers for students at failing schools to attend private schools, including religious schools.

Two lower courts have struck down the voucher program, declaring it violated the constitutional provision barring state tax dollars from being spent on religious institutions.

The All Pro Dad curriculum was created by Family First, a Tampa-based nonprofit "research and educational organization," according to founder and President Mark Merrill. It is being promoted throughout the nation, in part with the help of fast-food chain Chick-fil-A, whose founder, S. Truett Cathy, is a Southern Baptist. Merrill was tapped by Bush, a Catholic, to serve on Volunteer Florida's 25-member board.

Mulrennan Middle School in Valrico, east of Tampa, promotes All Pro Dad on its school marquee and in newsletters. The school also advertises the program on its radio and television stations, said assistant principal Matthew Diprima, who organizes the monthly meetings.

"This is something the school supports, and this is something that's fostered by the school," Diprima said.

He said the Mulrennan group meets at a neighborhood Chick-fil-A, which donates materials to the children who participate. The group uses the All Pro Dad Web site to choose topics for discussion.

Included on the Web site are tips for fathers, including "Ten Ways to be a Better Dad" and "How to Save Your Marriage."

Father called 'head coach' of family

One of the marriage-saving lessons, written by All Pro Dad Director Bryan Davis, coaches men to pray with their wives.

"God has joined you and your wife together. He is the Author of love and marital harmony. Deepening your relationship with Him is the key and foundation of a successful marriage. If you haven't cracked open a Bible in a while, start. Find I Corinthians 13 and give it a read. It's the perfect blueprint for your marriage," Davis advises.

A video introduction by Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, All Pro Dad's national spokesman, lays the groundwork for good parenting by establishing the father as the "head coach" of the family.

"That's the biblical way it's set up. Mom and Dad directing the family together, with the dad being the head of the household," Dungy instructs participants. "Now that doesn't always happen... but that's the ideal way and the best way, and that's the way we're going to function the best."

But the group's president last week did not directly answer several questions about the Bible's role in the All Pro Dad resources.

"Isn't that self-evident?" Merrill said. "A lot of the principles contained in the Old and New Testaments really are superior principles for raising children and for living."

So, pointing out someone's actual record,

I never talked about his actual record except for the one included in the article. THAT record is deplorable.

and refuting your biased comments,

You have not refuted my bias against politicians who propose dangerous policies.

is now "hero worship?"

Please tell me the last time you criticized either of the Bush brothers.

Next time I will totally toss out the facts, as you do.

Nah, just keep making them up as you go along, it's a better style for you.

what is your BETTER solution to this problem of absentee fathers?

Civil society and the church programs are a better possible solution.

Not every problem cries out for a force based government "solution". In fact, almost none do.

We should make every effort to promote good fatherhood and recognize good fathers. I sure appreciate them when I see examples of it and let the dads know it too. I let my dad know how much I appreciate him all the time too. After all I was the "experiment." After their experience with me, it took my parents 7 more times before they got it all down:).

We should make every effort to promote good fatherhood and recognize good fathers.

I agree. Society is in trouble without strong familes which include fathers.

I am a father and a grandfather. I did my best with God's help and so far my children have turned out well.

And I did it all without a government gun to my head.

Moral Absolutes Ping.

The fact that many liberals don't understand the connection between the vast number of what used to be called broken families, and high levels of all kinds of miseries such as juvenile crime, drug use, promiscuity, and all manner of behavior and emotional problems shows that they either are terminally stupid, or they like the result somehow.

Furthers the breakdown of society to usher in the socialist revolution, or what? The only conclusion I can come to is they applaud the breakdown of the natural family for their own dark reasons.

Freepmail me if you want on/off this pinglist.

I agree. Society is in trouble without strong familes which include fathers. I am a father and a grandfather. I did my best with God's help and so far my children have turned out well. And I did it all without a government gun to my head.

Darn-tootin'. My dad did the same as you. In fact, none of us have ever come back to live at home either (though the doors would be open, it's almost a matter of pride for us kids). The older I get, the more my dad knows. My dad and mom raised the 8 of us in the best way possible. They taught us to be appreciative of the things we have and to strive have God, family, country, and in doing our best to be among the focuses of our lives. My mom and dad's geatest wish was that we "all be good kids." None of us went to Harvard, spoke Latin, got filthy rich, etc. But all of us have done decent in life, are strong in our faith, are successful in our chosen occupations, recognize the value of families, etc. And so far we're all "good kids." I do wonder about myself though.

There is no greater privilege for a man than being a father. I hope to have that opportunity someday to be a father. I've been waiting a while. For now, I can learn from the many good fathers I see around me and from my own father and grandfather.

Congratulations on being successful at both!!!

BTW, although both of you seem to dislike the idea of this program, I will put the same question to you that I ask the political opposition to Gov Bush -- what is your BETTER solution to this problem of absentee fathers? Just ignore it and hope it goes away? Because I can tell you that doesn't work.
---

Government is not the solution. Government is the problem.
- Ronald Reagan

Socialism is breaking up families and is the reason for low fatherhood, especially among african americans.
http://www.neoperspectives.com/summary.htm
The charts there and on the main paper should illustrate this.

Stop government aid to poor families and we will see a natural revitalization of the family and indeed, religion.

Talking to you is like talking to the worst extremist on a left wing site. You misrepresent your past statements, you make personal attacks, and you seems to delight in being as rude as you can. But, you see, I am not impressed by your lies and your tactics. So, you see - you failed. Have a great day!

You misrepresent your past statements,

Feel free to point them out.

you make personal attacks,

Feel free to point them out.

and you seems to delight in being as rude as you can.

Plain talk is not rude.

Stop government aid to poor families and we will see a natural revitalization of the family and indeed, religion.

I understand the whole "government is the solution to every problem" stance. Having been on this board for five years, I really understand that.

But, the problem of absentee fathers -- especially in the black community -- is a problem that breed so many other serious problems, beyond kids failing in school, beyond kids dropping out of school, beyond kids committing crime, beyond kids joining gangs, beyond kids in gangs becoming terrorists, and I mean the list doesn't stop there. It's a problem that really requires some kind of solution because it has such an enormous impact not only on the kids, but on our economy, our taxes, our security, everything.

I don't know the "best" solution, but if a program exists that brings fathers back into the picture, and it educates parents in some way, and makes their marriage and families stronger, and it rests on principles that relate to the founding of this country, I find I can not oppose it. I have seen the consequences of this problem time and time again, with respect to the lives of kids who have absentee fathers, and the consequences are just devastating.

So, again -- if pro football players using the Bible can team up with a program that appeals to some men out there who have fathered children, and a child benefits as a result, well, then, that is great. I have to be for that. Unless you have something better, some other alternative, right now, to propose.

You should oppose all government interference in religion and all unconstitutional government involvement in societal problems. Of course, if you are a liberal, then you have the correct position.

The principles of the founding of the country do not include government involvement in families except to leave them alone. Government screwed this up and caused the problems you describe. The soulution is not government involvement in religion, the solution is to stop causing the problems by going in the right direction on abolishing the programs.

C. S. Lewis once noted that if you took the wrong fork in the road, it is not progress to keep marching forward after you realized your mistake. Real progress, argued Lewis, is to head back to the fork.

I don't know the "best" solution, but if a program exists that brings fathers back into the picture, and it educates parents in some way, and makes their marriage and families stronger, and it rests on principles that relate to the founding of this country, I find I can not oppose it.
---

Well, we all agree about the tradgey of not having fathers around. But I still think it is not helpful to look at the problem and say "What can we do to bring fathers back?", but rather, "Why are they staying away?" and "What is causing this problem already?"

Why is the black and white rate of single motherhood so different? To offer a solution, you need to know what is causing the problem. Government is causing the problem.

Perhaps the link I posted didn't explain it well enough, but if you get a chance to skim some of the charts on the main paper I think it is pretty clear what is causing, or at least, is the major contributer to this problem. Government programs to the poor (and indeed all people), welfare, health, housing, money, subsidies, need to be eliminated and/or phased out.

To offer solutions without getting rid of these things will most likely be counter productive and is doomed to failure from the onset.

'course, it all sounds like great fun, which is why politicians love these sorts of programs.

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