Separation of Church and State

Earlier today, I read a story that I fear will be twisted against those who staunchly support separation of church and state. Following the complaints of parents and students, a Newark, Delaware high school principal apologized for allowing a Christian-themed assembly to be staged at the school. The principal claimed that he was unaware of the specific nature of the content to be presented to the students.

Bravo to the students and parents that saw this as an inappropriate presentation in a public school for complaining forcefully enough to illicit an apology from the school’s principal. The concept of separation of church and state is under attack on multiple fronts, from court cases on Intelligent Design to the Federal Government’s Faith Based Initiative program. Public Schools are no place for Evangelical Christianity, and please don’t tell me there’s no harm in allowing such programs. In the next few days, don’t be surprised if we hear some Christian leaders come out and wonder why they are so persecuted. Please! It’s simply a ploy to mobilize their base to portray Christians as a group which is being discriminated against. If schools were presenting similar programs from members of the Jewish or Muslim faiths who were telling students how to act and what to do to get more involved with their religions, the Christian community would be in an uproar.

These parents and students deserve our support and respect just the same as the parents in Dover, Pennsylvania deserve it for their fight against Intelligent Design in the science curriculum. Let’s hope that these courageous people are not vilified for standing up for the preservation of separation of church and state, and let’s hope that the ignorance of Intelligent Design isn’t allowed to be taught in public schools as scientific theory.