Interfaith Alliance of Iowa: Proposed school policy on religion "ambiguous, unbalanced."

The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa's Exec. Dir., Connie Ryan Terrell, penned an excellent op ed about a North-west Iowa school district's desire to formulate a new policy on religion in the public schools. Connie finds the proposed policy "ambiguous and unbalanced." She concludes: "In policy and practice, schools must exercise extreme caution to protect the religious [freedom] of all..." //Mark Finkelstein


Guest column: Clarify, balance religious-liberties policy
CONNIE RYAN TERRELL is executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa. Contact: connie @interfaithalliance iowa.org • July 18, 2009 Des Moines Register

The Spencer school district is discussing a new public policy on religious liberty. It is admirable for the school board to tackle the contentious issue and attempt to craft a policy that defines the role of religion in a public-education setting and clarifies the meaning of religious freedom and expression.

The problem with the proposed policy is that it is ambiguous and unbalanced. The school board needs to return to the drawing board.

The policy states, "School will permit the graduating class to choose whether to have an invocation and or benediction to be given by student volunteer in non-proselytizing and nonsectarian manner." Why is it OK to put religious freedom up for a vote? Is it OK for the majority to win just because there are more? It is not the business of public schools to promote religion, even if everyone present unanimously believes.

If we allow public prayer at a graduation, a ceremony intended for all students, whose religion is honored? Evangelical or mainline Christians? Orthodox or Reform Jews? Unitarian Universalists, Sikhs, Muslims or Hindus? Whose religious freedom is irrelevant at a public-school event?

Several items in the policy are ambiguous, including "Distribution of Religious materials on School Grounds." Who can distribute materials? Does this include outside organizations? Are materials from any religion welcome? Can a teacher distribute religious brochures to students?

Perhaps of gravest concern is the policy section "Religion in the Curriculum." It's not because the school board wants religion to be included in curriculum, but because of the unbalanced description. Although the policy states, "Approach must be academic, not devotional," there is no balance in the electives or curriculum to be offered including "The Bible in History and Literature" and "Critic of Darwinism, a Scientific Approach." In the Darwin class, the only suggested text is "Darwin's Black Box" by Behe, a pro-creationism book not accepted by the science community. Does the school board show its hand by the examples cited and those excluded?

If the school board wants to provide "Religion in the Curriculum" in a balanced fashion, then cover the myriad of religious beliefs in "Religion and History," including the history of those who question or reject religion. If the desire is to provide a class on "Evolution vs. Creationism," do so as a political science or debate class and include examples of resources from across the spectrum of opinion.

One point in the policy where we can find common ground is "For many years public education has often gone too far in excluding religious influences for fear of offense. The purpose of this policy is to restore balance to the issues." Religion is an important element of society and history. Teaching about religion is important for students to receive a well-rounded education. However, the statement should also acknowledge that prior to the trend to exclude religion altogether, public schools allowed religion to have too much influence. Finding real balance is critical.

Public schools may teach about religion in a world-religions class, but they cannot teach a Bible study class. Schools may include songs with religious text at a concert, but the program should be diverse and cover an array of religious and secular music. In policy and in practice, schools must exercise extreme caution to protect the religious rights of all people regardless of religious belief, including those who choose no religion. In all areas, the personal beliefs and private expression of all students and staff are protected, with or without a policy.

Two great equalizers commonly valued in this country include our dedication to religious freedom and our commitment to provide a quality, public education for all children. Respecting the greatness of both and how they can complement one another is critical in this conversation.

When the religious freedom of each person is protected, it makes for a healthy democracy and a successful public-education system.

Diplomats: Iran has means to test bomb in 6 months

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 5:56 PM EDT, July 17, 2009

VIENNA - Iran is blocking U.N. nuclear agency attempts to upgrade monitoring of its atomic program while advancing those activities to the stage that the country would have the means to test a weapon within six months, diplomats told The Associated Press Friday.

The diplomats emphasized that there were no indications of plans for such a nuclear test, saying it was highly unlikely Iran would risk heightened confrontation with the West -- and chances of Israeli attack -- by embarking on such a course.

But they said that even as Iran expands uranium enrichment, which can create fissile nuclear material, it is resisting International Atomic Energy Agency attempts to increase surveillance of its enrichment site meant to keep pace with the plant's increased size and complexity.

More

Anonymous, faceless and unverifiable -- hearsay -- accusations are being made against the Israel Defense Forces's [IDF] role during Israel's Gaza operation. In response, the IDF asserts that all allegations are investigated and offenders are punished.
Many IDF soldiers feel a deep sense of injustice at how some are misrepresenting them and the IDF. Hear soldiers tell their stories, on the grassroots website below.

www.soldiersspeakout.com/

Here's one testimony:

Pinchas, age 29, is a Politcal Science student. He served in an elite IDF infantry unit and today performs almost 70 days of reserve service each year. During the operation against Hamas in Gaza, his unit was called to duty for additional service. Pinchas speaks about finding rocket launchers in a Palestinian ambulance and escorting a terrorist bomb-maker who then helped the soldiers discover explosives which were hidden under civilian facilities such as schools and clinics.

Rabbi Kaufman's Internet Radio Show Today

From: DKaufman@aol.com [mailto:DKaufman@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 7:52 AM
To: DKaufman@aol.com
Subject: Rabbi Kaufman's Internet Radio Show Today

Today on The Whole Megillah, I will be talking about the President's Meeting with Jewish Leaders this week, the debate between Alan Dershowitz and Melanie Phillips, Iran, the Israel-Palestinian conflict and the Uighurs in China. We'll check in on Honduras and I'll discuss the terminated CIA Al-Qaeda termination program. You may know a bit about each of these, but you haven't heard the whole story until you hear it on The Whole Megillah. 2-4 pm Central Time on www.macsworldlive.com

 

 

David Jay Kaufman
Rabbi
Temple B'nai Jeshurun
Des Moines, Iowa

Clinton urges Arabs to make gestures now toward Israel

Published: 07.15.09

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday urged Arab states to make immediate gestures toward Israel in a bid to improve prospects for Middle East peace.


"We are asking those who embrace the (2002 Saudi-sponsored peace) proposal to take meaningful steps now," Clinton said after urging the Arabs to "prepare their publics to embrace peace and accept Israel's place in the region." (AFP)

Community welcomes Judy Deutch as President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines

At the Jewish Federation's annual meeting on July 12th, Judy Deutch was installed as President. She succeeds Neil Salowitz in the position.



Pictured: On behalf of the Federation, Judy thanks out-going President Neil Salowitz for his exemplary service.

The President meets with Jewish leaders.
Gets Jewish support on peace push, questions about style

July 14, 2009 Excerpt

WASHINGTON (Jewish Telegraphic Agency) -- Top Jewish organizational leaders expressed support for President Obama's Middle East peace strategies at a White House meeting but said the president must do a better job of showing he expects hard work from all sides, not just Israel.

Obama’s meeting Monday afternoon with 16 Jewish leaders from 14 groups comes after weeks of tense exchanges between the Obama administration and Israel’s government over freezing Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank, prompting expressions of "concern" from some U.S. Jewish organizational leaders.

"The view was expressed among the organizations at a minimum there was concern about an imbalance in pressures placed on Israel as opposed to on the Palestinians and Arab states," Alan Solow, the chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, told JTA. "The president indicated he had a sensitivity to the perception of that imbalance and had to work harder to correct that perception."