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Judge rules public schools have right to teach charges whatever they deem appropriate
Jewish World Review ^ | 3-5-07 | Jeff Jacoby

Posted on 03/05/2007 5:19:11 AM PST by SJackson

Judge rules public schools have right to teach charges whatever they deem appropriate — parents and morality be damned

Whatever else might be said about it, US District Judge Mark Wolf's decision in Parker v. Hurley is a model of clear English prose.

"The constitutional right of parents to raise their children does not include the right to restrict what a public school may teach their children," Wolf unambiguously wrote in dismissing a suit by two Lexington, Mass. couples who objected to lessons the local elementary school was teaching their children. "Under the Constitution public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy."

Entitled to teach anything. That means, the judge ruled, that parents have no authority to veto elements of a public-school curriculum they dislike. They have no right to be notified before those elements are presented in class. And the Constitution does not entitle them to opt their children out of such classes when the subject comes up.

As Wolf's straightforward language makes plain, it doesn't much matter what that subject might be. The parents in the Lexington case objected to "diversity" instruction that presented same-sex marriage and homosexual attraction as unobjectionable. That message, the judge noted, contradicted the parents' "sincerely held religious beliefs that homosexuality is immoral and that marriage is necessarily . . . between a man and a woman."

(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: homeschool
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To: SamuraiScot
Your Honor, under the Constitution, there is no compulsory education and there are no public schools.

Damn Scot, there ya go poisoning His Honor's mind with facts!!!!!!! Surely you can't expect him to think straight if he is only considering the facts?

I would ask His Honor to point to the exact verbage of the Constitution that gives the State the 'right' to teach ANYTHING!!!! Else, I would consider His Honor a lunatic living in a fantasy world where anything goes...

21 posted on 03/05/2007 6:07:31 AM PST by ErieGeno
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To: 69ConvertibleFirebird

http://pview.findlaw.com/view/2074317_1?noconfirm=0

He was appointed by Reagan.


22 posted on 03/05/2007 6:07:43 AM PST by dmz
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To: 69ConvertibleFirebird

During a media lunch yesterday, Wolf and Young, 65, who were both appointed by President Reagan and became judges on the same day, May 24, 1985, Boston Globe Dec. 14, 2005


I hate to say that it may be so


23 posted on 03/05/2007 6:10:05 AM PST by David Isaac (Duncan Hunter '08)
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To: SJackson
And the Constitution does not give any judge the right to say what a school can teach. That is left to "We the People" But then who cares what the Constitution says: NOT any Federal Judge that I have read about lately.
24 posted on 03/05/2007 6:11:51 AM PST by YOUGOTIT (56 Supporters of al Qaeda are seated in the US Senate)
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To: 69ConvertibleFirebird

This judge is liberal filth. May he rot in hell.


25 posted on 03/05/2007 6:15:27 AM PST by ohioman
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To: David Isaac

Elevated to his current position 2006.


26 posted on 03/05/2007 6:15:43 AM PST by steve8714
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To: SJackson
Wolf unambiguously wrote in dismissing a suit by two Lexington, Mass. couples,,,,,

Massachusetts?

Why am I not surprised!

27 posted on 03/05/2007 6:15:52 AM PST by TYVets (God so loved the world he didn't send a committee)
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To: SJackson
"Plaintiffs may attempt to persuade others to join them in electing a Lexington School Committee that will implement a curriculum . . . more compatible with their beliefs." ( Judge Wolf)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

In other words, the biggest political bully gets to destroy the most precious religious, political, and cultural values of other people's children.

Great! Isn't this a recipe for revolution?

Government schools are a violation of freedom of conscience. They have **never** been religiously, politically, or culturally neutral. They haven't, can't, and never will be. It is axiomatic. The education of children is **NEVER** neutral! ( Yes! I am shouting!)

Government schools are **compulsory**! That means armed police, courts, and foster care workers have the government power to make the life of parents and children a living hell.

Government schools are also a price-fixed monopoly making private school choice scarce and expensive. Then when parents, who are bankrupted by high taxes, can not find an affordable private school, or afford one, the government gives these parents a choice: Government school or prison. Some choice! ( eyeroll) I call it the Godfather's offer that can't be refused.

Then once government get children into its government indoctrination centers, it proceeds to destroy the most precious religious, political, and cultural beliefs of some children, while establishing the religion, cultural, and politics of others. Establish? Hm...don't our state and federal constitutions have something to say about "establishment" of religion?

Solution: Get your children **out** of government schools! Encourage everyone you know or meet to do the same. Then organize with parents to elect representatives who will turn off the government school money plug.

Government schools need 2 things: students and money. Starve them of both! It is possible to shut down these centers of ignorance, and socialist, pro-homosexual, anti-constitutional, anti-American, pro-pagan, anti-Christian, pro-mother earth worshiping, Marxist indoctrination.
28 posted on 03/05/2007 6:17:00 AM PST by wintertime
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To: SJackson
"The constitutional right of parents to raise their children does not include the right to restrict what a public school may teach their children," Wolf unambiguously wrote in dismissing a suit by two Lexington, Mass. couples who objected to lessons the local elementary school was teaching their children. "Under the Constitution public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy."

If this ends up being upheld by the supreme court then it SHOULD be the point at which we discard public education. Shut down all the schools, give vouchers or just stop taking the taxes or a combination of the two. People can place their children in what is certain to be a better educational environment than public schools.

29 posted on 03/05/2007 6:19:26 AM PST by highlander_UW (I don't know what my future holds, but I know Who holds my future)
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To: SJackson
"Under the Constitution public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy."

It's been a while since I've read it but I don't remember anything in the Constitution about 'public schools' or 'teaching'.

30 posted on 03/05/2007 6:21:06 AM PST by Rummyfan (Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
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To: mdmathis6

If we can get the state out of the business of education, the cost will go down, the quality up, and parental input will be all. Those who want to can send their children to "tolerance" schools where there minds will be forcibly opened until their brains fall out.


31 posted on 03/05/2007 6:21:27 AM PST by steve8714
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To: I still care
If parents withdraw their kids to homeschool, they will simply come after homeschooling, like the Germans did.

While that is a threat, home education laws have been getting MORE liberal rather than less. Home school parents are an extremely effective and well organized lobby. They now constitute nearly 3-5% of the total number of students. More importantly, the public impression of home educated students has nearly totally changed from one of suspicion to one of high approval.

The only venue the liberals have left to put the home school geinie back in the bottle is international law. The more outstanding graduates we produce, the harder that will be to do. Given that the home school population is at least 3% of the total and has grown pretty steadily at 10-15% per year for about a decade, at the lower rate, in five years it will be 5% of the total. At the higher rate of growth, we'll be there in eight years. If it hits 10%, IMO the public schools will start to collapse, because the difference will be so glaring that the public will no longer support the product.

I have a plan for that end game.

32 posted on 03/05/2007 6:22:16 AM PST by Carry_Okie (Duncan Hunter for President)
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To: SJackson
Is this just for the state of Massachusetts? Only for public schools though right? I am trying to decide where to send my Kinder gardener next year. It may just be home. It gets scarier and scarier to have kids these days.
33 posted on 03/05/2007 6:26:48 AM PST by spotbust1 (Gun control is when you use both hands.)
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To: SJackson

Government schools are evil.


34 posted on 03/05/2007 6:27:40 AM PST by stinkerpot65
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To: L98Fiero

That's why I don't watch that dribble. Just like South Park. Somethings do not need to be seen.


35 posted on 03/05/2007 6:28:02 AM PST by spotbust1 (Gun control is when you use both hands.)
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To: SJackson
Judge Wolf cites the US Constitution as the authority for the state to "educate"/indoctrinate the children of citizens in whatever manner the state chooses?

Judge Wolf seems to be manufacturing another "right" for the government out of thin air. Using his own interpretive gymnastics and convoluted logic, he has, in effect, illegally amended the Constitution to make it say something that cannot be found anywhere in the text. In so doing, he has blatently stolen the right of parents to educate their own children and transfered that right to the government.

This type of government power is common to dictatorships. Our Constitution was designed to limit government power, not enhance it. Once again, as in the years prior to our revolution, the inalienable rights of the common man are being trampled by government dictators. This time they are not wearing red coats, Nazi Swastikas, or red stars, but the black robes of our own judiciary.

It is obvious that our Constitution alone will never protect us from the assaults of dictators like Judge Wolf. Such unprincipled men, when placed in positions of power, consistently twist the words of the Constitution to make it say anything they want. At this time, the only recourse of resistance available to the common man is the ballot box. We elect government officials who, in turn, appoint men to the bench. When many of these men turn out to be tyrants like Judge Wolf, who rape our Constitution at will, the common citizen, by himself, is powerless to legally resist.

The angry frustration of abused citizens is growing to explosive levels. Our elected officials should take note. They need to do something about these tyrants on the bench soon.

36 posted on 03/05/2007 6:36:41 AM PST by Orca
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To: Rummyfan
"Under the Constitution public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy."

Sure your honor and I can't wait for the day that a teacher decides that the 10 commandments are necessary for the students to learn morality. I'm certain that you will likewise rule that whatever the school deems appropriate is fine. Yeah, right.

37 posted on 03/05/2007 6:41:14 AM PST by marlon
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To: SJackson

Parents should immediately sue for the right to school choice.


38 posted on 03/05/2007 6:41:18 AM PST by .cnI redruM (Liberals NEVER measure the consequences of their actions, only the personal political advantages.)
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To: Carry_Okie

My husband and I are both homeschool graduates. You can be sure our kids will be homeschooled! Second generation of homeschoolers is where the growth really gets big. Your numbers may be on the low side if you're looking a decade out.


39 posted on 03/05/2007 6:43:22 AM PST by JenB
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To: SJackson

Wolf in a judgeskin?


40 posted on 03/05/2007 6:47:03 AM PST by A. Pole (Kwarcowy: "Non cogito ergo sum!")
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