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was the mention of other religions. She said ... at the trial that she wanted the schools to teach that her religion was the only true religion: She doesn’t believe in tolerance of other points of view. And what she wants to have is the schools supporting her religious beliefs.”
Michael Farris, the attorney for the parents, shot back: “This fantasy version of these people’s beliefs” is what lawyers for the other side had argued in court - and they lost the case. According to Farris, Mrs. Frost has no problem with the objective discussion of what other religions believe. And she said so in court. It was qgly when certain religions were advocated that she objected. *
Farris notes that several controversial issues were dealt with in a one-sided manner by the reading materials - controversial issues such as feminism. The treatment of religions was also one-sided. Readings treated Buddhism and American Indian religion - but not Protestant Christianity. Indeed, in at least one place, the textbook publisher had actually censored out a reference to Christianity. This occurred in a selection from the children’s story Little House in the Bin Woods.
It is important to appreciate the? reasonableness of the judge’s decision. Those who suggest that it will lead to a decimation of public education are simply wrong. First of all, as the parents’ lawyer points out, the reading curriculum in this case systematically violated the parents’ beliefs. Those who object to a few passages in only one or two textbooks won’t find this decision very helpful to their cause.
Second, this ruling in no sense undermines a school’s right to select its own curriculum. The Tennessee parents did not request nor did the judge order that the school curriculum be changed. All that was demanded was accommodation. The parents requested alternate readings. The judge said that the parents ought to be allowed to teach reading to their children at home. In this way, academic freedom was maintained. But right of religious conscience was also maintained.
In America, how could we accept anything less? Mr. West is managing editor of Public Research Syndicated, a firm specializing in the gathering and disseminating of information on topics of public interest.
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