Time was when the Church -- especially, Protestant churches -- held that position. Schools were expected to reinforce the values and morals taught by organized religion. No school would dare schedule any activity on a Sunday (or even a Wednesday evening -- that was "church night.") And pastors, even though probably unqualified, were deferred to on questions regarding public policy, especially where it concerned questions of children and family.
That time is now long gone, though many of us remember it. Not all those memories are good ones, but that's okay. There are good church memories and bad church memories, just as there are good school memories and bad school memories. The thing I keep coming back to is, should School have so much influence over our lives? not just our kids' lives -- the whole life of the community?
I don't want to start a rant on the incompetence and arrogance of what Schools are up to. I'd never reach the end of it. But I don't want to eliminate School: I just want it to occupy the role it used to occupy, as a limited but important part of our children's lives and the life of our community.
