The Republican War on Public Schools (vouchers, religion, graft, testing, etc.)

[Maudiemae]

They probably actually would know what things would have looked like in 1st century CE. You got to remember renaissance art is based around going back to the Greek and Roman traditions of art and away from the flat Middle Ages version of it. Most Renaissance paintings and art is based around humanistic expression and not based around factual interpretations of the subject matter. There are several depictions of Jesus in famous works of the time that have the Italian countryside or the artist’s local town. Places we are fairly certain Jesus never went. Also in nearly all depictions of Jesus at the time, they depict him as a white European person. Everyone at the time of Renaissance knew what a Jew or Middle Eastern person looked like, certainly within the merchant class.

My point is that most of these famous paintings from the Renaissance era, specifically the Italian Renaissance, depicting religious iconography are less about depicting accurate accounts and more about expression. If anything they are more focused on depicting their own communities and lives after centuries of suppression by the Church.

But the interpretation according the lesson plan seems slanted to a specific conclusion. Personally I don’t find issues breaking down a painting of the last supper if it is a renaissance lesson because it is an opportunity to have alot of inferences, but this does seem like a twisted Sunday school lesson that is disguised as public school curriculum.

Well, if you take art history courses, you are taught that Renaissance artists used their own surroundings and notions in their art because they actually didn't know and you are told the same in art museums. We have no actual representations of what specific Jewish people, such as Jesus, looked like because Jews didn't depict humans in art at that time. It was forbidden. They would not have eaten in the manner shown in this artwork. If it's Passover they wouldn't have been eating bread, and eel (studies have revealed that this is what one of the food shown is) isn't kosher at any time. If people were serious about using this painting to teach about cultures, art, religions, history, etc., they would be pointing these things out. I don't think that's what they plan to do.

 

[skrayper77]

I would be interested to see the material. We could use some Judeo Christian values at this point.

My experience is that “Christian values” rarely align with Christ’s teachings.

 

[AWRTR]

My experience is that “Christian values” rarely align with Christ’s teachings.

If you say so.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

My experience is that “Christian values” rarely align with Christ’s teachings.

Could you elaborate on this? Specifically which values are you referring to?

 

[cdub55]

Could you elaborate on this? Specifically which values are you referring to?

I'm sure he is saying people's actions who confess to be Christian's rarely align with Christ's teachings.

This is the old adage of, "I don't go to church because it is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites".

It is a lazy reasoning for being atheist imo. If you go to church to worship another human you are going for the wrong reason. Every human on this planet is screwed up to some degree. It literally says it in the bible. Jesus died for our sins. He didn't die for those of us who have sinned. He already knew we had sinned and were going to sin before we were even born. "But but but there are sinners in church"...

No shish kabob Sherlock!

 

[Jon]

I'm sure he is saying people's actions who confess to be Christian's rarely align with Christ's teachings.

This is the old adage of, "I don't go to church because it is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites".

It is a lazy reasoning for being atheist imo. If you go to church to worship another human you are going for the wrong reason. Every human on this planet is screwed up to some degree. It literally says it in the bible. Jesus died for our sins. He didn't die for those of us who have sinned. He already knew we had sinned and were going to sin before we were even born. "But but but there are sinners in church"...

No shish kabob Sherlock!

I'm an atheist because the evidence for God is lacking, the evidence for Christianity is even more so.

I grew up and live around all manor of "Christians" that suck. Some great people too, no doubt there

said best here but can be said of most faiths, well maybe not the Jains but few know who they are


“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

 

[cdub55]

I'm an atheist because the evidence for God is lacking, the evidence for Christianity is even more so.

I grew up and live around all manor of "Christians" that suck. Some great people too, no doubt there

said best here but can be said of most faiths, well maybe not the Jains but few know who they are


“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

So in a nutshell...yes

You have the right to believe whatever you want.

 

[Its On A Slab]

My experience is that “Christian values” rarely align with Christ’s teachings.

The cult of Republican Jesus. Their faith is so far from the red letters of the New Testament that it's a joke to call it "Christianity".

 

[75thru79]

The cult of Republican Jesus. Their faith is so far from the red letters of the New Testament that it's a joke to call it "Christianity".

So some random dude posts on Facebook about Jesus telling people they need to buy health insurance and that is supposed to be "saying something" about the world. OK, I suppose you are right.

 

[Jon]

So in a nutshell...yes

You have the right to believe whatever you want.

sorry, yes to what exactly?

 

[Its On A Slab]

So some random dude posts on Facebook about Jesus telling people they need to buy health insurance and that is supposed to be "saying something" about the world. OK, I suppose you are right.

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

 

[cdub55]

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

And irony isn't a metal on the periodic table...

 

[Its On A Slab]

And irony isn't a metal on the periodic table...

It is too! RIght up there next to Falsium, and Pietyum.

 

[cdub55]

It is too! RIght up there next to Falsium, and Pietyum.

I forgot about those hidden elements. I'm sure your favorite is Blasphemium

 

[Its On A Slab]

I forgot about those hidden elements. I'm sure your favorite is Blasphemium

I'm an agnostic chemist. We don't believe in Blasphemium.

 

[81usaf92]

I think too many are so caught up with what is being taught or what is not being taught that they ignore the bigger issues in schools today. You could go to a fully Christian curriculum or go to a fully secular curriculum but the results are still going to be the same… a generation of students that view the world through nihilistic and selfish lenses that actively resist school because it’s the only place where they are semi held to some sort of standard of responsibility. Some of yall would be shocked at how some of these kids talk to adults and believe that they can do whatever they wish without consequences. The entitlement is insane.

The bigger issue I have with Republicans in terms of public schools is how they are starting to push vouchers for private and homeschooling. Additionally how they are pushing charter schools without more transparency in terms of standards. I was far more on their side when they were about failing schools shutting down and stop funding them. But now it seems they are in the “run away from public schools” game in which they are encouraging home schools.

Note: homeschooling isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But I still think you need the a good qualified teacher/parent, a good environment, and resources to do it effectively. I know several great homeschool children who have all those things but I know just as many if not more who do not. I think pushing public money to support homeschooling is beyond ridiculous is my only beef with this.

 

[JDCrimson]

I wished high school and beyond until you get into professional school was online self-paced. Something similar to Wikipedia, but obviously something more vetted and stable that cost a small fraction of what school cost today.

Dual enrollment in a journeyman trade school and high school, junior college and trade certification 2yrs, undergrad college 3yrs with every student taking 2 levels of business and 2 levels of economics, then graduate 2yrs, then 3yrs of doctorate/professional study.

I think every student ought to be exposed go some sort of trade education as I think it would make pursuit of college degree more focused, efficient, and valuable.

 

[75thru79]

I wished high school and beyond until you get into professional school was online self-paced. Something similar to Wikipedia, but obviously something more vetted and stable that cost a small fraction of what school cost today.

Dual enrollment in a journeyman trade school and high school, junior college and trade certification 2yrs, undergrad college 3yrs with every student taking 2 levels of business and 2 levels of economics, then graduate 2yrs, then 3yrs of doctorate/professional study.

I think every student ought to be exposed go some sort of trade education as I think it would make pursuit of college degree more focused, efficient, and valuable.

I think that the higher education industry has been ripping off Americans for about 20 or 30 years now. Tuition is out of control and the increases have far outpaced inflation for years. They operate in this lofty space that defies criticism. Higher education is like apple pie and motherhood. How dare anyone criticize it? Politicians and the media have been telling us for years that getting a college education is probably the most important thing you can ever do in your life. Get that degree and the world is your oyster. Forget about that mid six-figure student debt. It’ll all be worth it in the end. What has been the result? A severe shortage of people to work in the trades and crushing student debt for those that bought into the con.

My idea would be for the federal government to establish an online university to cover the basics of college. All those first few years subjects that everyone in your school must take. Maybe even cover the entire curriculum for English, literature, sociology, basic business degrees. All this would be tuition free. You would only go to “college” for the last year or to get an advanced degree. Spreading the cost of the online professors over potentially the entire nation would make the per person cost of a degree a tiny fraction of what it is today. It could literally save billions of dollars and put an end to the student loan crisis.

I understand this would likely never happen given the power of the education lobby but sometimes you have to try bold ideas to get anything meaningful done.

 

[Huckleberry]

 

[Huckleberry]

Arizona Regulators Closed a Failing Charter School. It Reopened as a Private Religious School Funded by Taxpayers.

Arizona’s acclaimed voucher program provides zero transparency into private schools’ history, academic performance or financial sustainability to help parents make informed school choices.

www.propublica.org

Arizona Regulators Closed a Failing Charter School. It Reopened as a Private Religious School Funded by Taxpayers.

Reporting Highlights

• An Opaque System: Arizona imposes no transparency or accountability requirements on private schools that receive taxpayer dollars through the state’s voucher program.
• Buyer Beware: Voucher parents shopping for a school say it’s hard to obtain independently verified information on the quality of instruction or financial stability of private schools.
• Opposed to Reform: As other states replicate Arizona’s program, voucher advocates oppose requiring publicly funded private schools to meet the same educational standards as public schools.