Thread: Only parents can teach youngsters right from wrong

We contacted the superintendent and explained New Jersey homeschool law to him. He acknowledged he had no authority to make the demands and he dropped his threats.

Later Mrs. Tesch and her son were in a library when the local public school dismissed its students. As the library filled with 10- to 12-year-olds, she and her son noticed that almost every other word they used was a profanity, vulgarity or obscenity. “It was absolutely horrendous,” she said, “You never heard such language coming out of the mouths of children.”

This incident powerfully reminded her and her son, who is excelling academically, that only parents can teach youngsters right from wrong, including habits of speaking that are honorable, civil, and considerate of others. It reminded them why they choose to homeschool despite occasional obstacles such as the superintendent's threat.

http://hslda.com/hs/state/nj/200605220.asp

Only parents can teach youngsters right from wrong.

I disagree. Public schools should teach good morals - that is, right from wrong. And they should not contradict the morals of the parents.

Other than that I advise families to take their children from public schools. There are far too many good options available now, so that parents need not take the risk of public school morals.

I can only assume based on all of your previous posts that you are saying that good morals = religious instruction. Hmmm, what about your Priests? It didn't work for them. You don't need to be taught religion to have good morals. I am only assuming that's the direction you're hoping to take this argument, as it's where you take every other one.

Originally Posted by noahath

I can only assume based on all of your previous posts that you are saying that good morals = religious instruction. Hmmm, what about your Priests? It didn't work for them. You don't need to be taught religion to have good morals. I am only assuming that's the direction you're hoping to take this argument, as it's where you take every other one.

Thank you for helping clarify issues.

Good morals can be taught without the religious basis. This used to happen in our public schools before the 1940s and 1950s. Then when the ACLU banned all mention of religious topics as normative or authoritative in public schools, there was no longer any basis for right or wrong or for accountability.

Still I do believe that schools can support the parental and national cultural values by refering to God and teaching the 10 Commandments without endorsing a particular church. Otherwise what motive is there to be good?

And what does a parent do when a school teacher feels that students should be allowed to use profanity or mild obscenity? Or when teachers tell off-color jokes and school system supports the teacher? Or when the teachers feel students should learn about immorality in a positive light?

These are moral issues the schools have failed to address. It was not always so, and I am convinced it will be reversed to pre-1940 public school morals. That will be very good for America.

Public schools don't get enough funding for every child to have a math book and now you want them to teach kids morality too? Don't you think they should concentrate on graduating kids who can READ?

Are you with Hillary Clinton in her idea that "It takes a Village? I thought you were a Hillary/Liberal hater t714zu!?

I thought you were a hater?

Originally Posted by t714zu

Otherwise what motive is there to be good?

No one, and I mean no one who ends up choosing the right course of action simply because they are afraid of punishment is a good person. Such people are simply cowards.

A truly good person, does the right thing regardless of consequences.

Originally Posted by t714zu

Only parents can teach youngsters right from wrong.

I disagree. Public schools should teach good morals - that is, right from wrong. And they should not contradict the morals of the parents.

But which parents' morals should not be contradicted? I guarantee you that the way that I raise my children will be significantly different from yours. Why should the schools be put in a position to teach morality and yet not contradict the vastly different backgrounds of the parents?

Originally Posted by t714zu

http://hslda.com/hs/state/nj/200605220.asp

Only parents can teach youngsters right from wrong.

I disagree. Public schools should teach good morals - that is, right from wrong. And they should not contradict the morals of the parents.

Other than that I advise families to take their children from public schools. There are far too many good options available now, so that parents need not take the risk of public school morals.

Do you think public schools should teach Christianity?

Originally Posted by t714zu

http://hslda.com/hs/state/nj/200605220.asp

Only parents can teach youngsters right from wrong.

I disagree. Public schools should teach good morals - that is, right from wrong. And they should not contradict the morals of the parents.

Other than that I advise families to take their children from public schools. There are far too many good options available now, so that parents need not take the risk of public school morals.

Can't say I support this one.
There may be some basic "morals" of civilization that public schools should enforce, but otherwise it seems they should avoid the topic like the plague. Otherwise there's the difficult issue of precisely who's morality is going to be taught.

On the other hand, given the options available these days, I'd support those who can in find better educations for their kids. Be it privite schools, charater schools or (for those with the time and conviction) home-schooling. All of them simply trounce the public school system in the quality of their education.

In a sense, the fading of public schools is a good sign for the country. Public schooling is, after all, a handout of sorts. For those who can't afford to educate their own children the government scrapes something together with tax money. But since its a free government hand-out, it doesn't have much of a chance of competing with privately funded educational programs (which is why private, charter and even homeschooled kids continually out-preform public schoolers). If more parents can find another, superior form of education and pull their kids out of public schools, its a good sign for the country, similar to having fewer people on the welfare rolls.

I disagree with the subject line. Parents are certainly best positioned to teach right & wrong, but schools can be good places to reinforce this or try to salvage the work of poor parents. Can be. That doesn't necessarily mean are. It seems too many schools are hostage to political correctness of various sorts (no corporal punishment of any kind under any circumstances, self-esteem is the ultimate goal, teaching the flavor of the month, etc) to do so, even if they might have the will and/or money to do so.

Originally Posted by W.E.B. Du Bois

Do you think public schools should teach Christianity?

Of course he does! And he thinks gays shouldn't be allowed.