Kansas Again

[Woodruff]

What is up with Kansan education? At least in this particular district, nobody should be blaming the teachers' union...
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/21/aclu-to-kansas-school-district-cancel-creationist-assemblies-about-dinosaurs/

[Lootifer]

I have no problem with the assemblies. The issue is a) is the school paying this dude with public funds? and, b) why in the hell are the assemblies mandatory?

a) is fine if the good Dr Sharp is doing a bit of pro bono speaking. b) not so much; this should be a voluntary assembly.

[muy_thaiguy]

Yeah, Kansas public schools have issues. For example, my cousins currently attend a public school in farm country in Kansas. Only, well, the small class sizes are to be expected, and most people knowing each other. But if I hadn't been told it was a public school, I would have thought it was a private methodist (majority of the people in that area are Methodists) school. I thought it might have been because it was just a rural school, but seeing that article, yeah, it looks more widespread than that.

[Woodruff]

I have no problem with the assemblies. The issue is a) is the school paying this dude with public funds? and, b) why in the hell are the assemblies mandatory?

1. The primary problem with the assemblies is that they ARE mandatory. That's a very serious problem.
2. Whether they are being paid with public funds or not is irrelevant, as this is a function during school hours that is clearly religiously oriented (did you look at the link of their "curriculum" that was in the article)?

a) is fine if the good Dr Sharp is doing a bit of pro bono speaking. b) not so much; this should be a voluntary assembly.

This is a public school district, thus the separation of church and state applies. This is not "fine" in any way.

From their website:

"America’s only hope, it was determined, was for the Bible believing public of our land to awaken to the reality of a true Biblical faith. Basic to this renewal is a return to all of the realities of Biblical Creation.

That is, if the God of sacred Scripture is our Creator, then He is our owner and because He is—only He can set the rules and we, His children, must obediently follow them, asking no questions."