Wednesday, September 15, 2010

The Constitution…UPDATE!

I was sitting down to study, and somehow ended up on Facebook. 


I honestly don’t.  Know.  How!  I swear!  I plead the Fifth!!

I stumbled across my friend’s status that said, and I’m paraphrasing, “OMG.  I just found out that my kid learned about abortion in school last year, from his 4th grade science teacher!!”


Is this covered somewhere in Rowe vs. Wade?  That fourth graders shalt not be taught about abortion in  school?  I was under the assumption it was!!

I went on to read the comments, and I’m paraphrasing again, but, upon further investigation, her child reported that it was actually taught in Social Studies, and that the teacher explained, “that it (abortion) was wrong, because it would be killing one of God’s creations.”


Hold the frickin’ telephone!!!  I know this one’s covered somewhere.  It should be filed under the “Separation of Church and State” bit that’s always being thrown around.  I mean, how’s a faithless heathen like me, supposed to raise their children without the Lord, when they go around preaching it in our public schools??

Last night, an hour and fifteen minutes after I’d put the little dear to bed, I opened the door to my boy’s room.

“Hey,” I whispered.  Loudly.  Loudly enough to wake him if the answer to the next question was no!  “You awake?”

Sleepily, he said, “Yeah…what?”

I sat down on his bed and told him I had a question about the fourth grade.


I’m pretty sure that the Statute of Limitations for the actual event that inspired this questioning had long past, and everything I learned from this interrogation would never hold up in a court of law, because of this.

I asked him if he’d ever been taught about a pregnant woman having the baby removed from her belly if she doesn’t want it, or if he’d heard the term abortion.  I asked him if he’d ever been taught about God in school, or if any of his teachers have ever said anything like, “That would be wrong, because that would be like killing one of God’s creations.”

He answered all of my initial questions with a sleepy, “Nuh-uh,” and those started to make me feel a bit better that he wasn’t being preached to with my tax dollars.

I went on to explain why I thought those things were a big deal.  That talking about abortion with a fourth grader is not cool, and that talking about God in public schools is never cool.  I explained why, and went into a little spiel about that good old “Separation of Church and State,” and the difference between public and private sectors.  He relayed comprehension of our conversation, when he asked, “So, is that why my cousin who goes to private school can have classes like Bible, and we can’t, and he doesn’t have to take the TAKS?”


I should add, those standardized tests are straight from the Devil.  And if the Devil is actually a fallen angel, then where is the “Separation of Church and State” there, huh?!?  HUH?!?  HUH!!!!!

I told him that he was exactly right, and that I appreciated him talking to me about this so late, and listening, and sorta answering my questions.

I wrapped the ill-timed conversation up neatly, with a, “Did your teachers ever talk to you about sex, or anything like that?”

Even in the dark, I could see the kid blush as he said, “UH…Nooooooooooooooo!” 


At this point, the conversation had clearly gotten waaaaay too weird for him, and my boy plead the Fifth!!

I tried to explain that he would be learning about it very soon, and that I had learned a lot about it while studying to be a nurse (and banging his Dad…which, I appropriately left out!), and told him that if he had any questions about it, he could surely come to me! 

He said, “Nah…I think we’ll learn that stuff when we’re in high school.  Like, when we’re Seniors, or something.”

I kinda laughed and said, “Ooooooooh no, Buddy.  You’ll learn about it A LOT earlier than that!!”

Curious, he asked, “Why do you say it like that?”

“Oh.  Just.  You will.  I just know it.”  I stammered.  Then, I plead the Fifth, thanked him for his candor, and kissed him goodnight. 

Again!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::UPDATE:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Good news!  They were not teaching/preaching about abortion and God at our school!  Yay!!  I don't have to raise hell!!  My friend emailed me, telling me that she talked to her son a bit more, and was able to get more of the story, and it was actually in church that he learned about abortion!  Which I find a bit ironic...go figure!!  Reason # 246 why we don't go to church!!  I'm kidding...kind of...

9 comments:

Shannon said...

I think my husband was in second grade when his teacher explained that abortion was "when a woman is pregnant then makes herself not pregnant anymore." And the woman is going to hell.

This really upset my husband who's mother had just had a miscarriage.

Kameron said...

It's things like this that make me want to homeschool my kids...not that I ever would! They should have to run curriculum by the parents. It is not appropriate to tell young kids certain things, religious or not!

Stacey said...

I agree with Kameron about the homeschooling thing, and how they shouldn't teach about certain things. I always wondered how they could teach the theory of evolution??? I don't even know if they teach that anymore???

Kimmy said...

I would imagine it being tough to be a teacher in todays society. Having to watch what we say in sharing our beliefs to maybe get a point across. I wouldn't make a good teacher.

However, as I'm sure you know by now I am religious and I respect your views as I feel you've respected mine, I will be putting "S" in a private school by the time she starts middle school. Not only for the fact to teach her about our Faith but also for structure and to keep her away from the public schooling here in California. When we have to have police on campus and metal detectors, yeah...I just would feel better she were in a different environment! :o)

Scott S. said...

Damn 2 times this week you have made our points on why we homeschool. Public schools are not like they used to be. They are pounding things into the kids that the kids should learn at home and have no reason to know at certain times or ages.

I am amazed that schools dont have more parents protesting some shit like this.
Ok and when do we get the update on Ned? Is he ok? Have you found your pulse in your underelbow

Nikki B. said...

shannon - 2nd grade?!? oh wow!!

kameron - someetimes, i really wish i had the patience to do it!!

stacey - i don't think they teach evolution. at least, i hope they don't...becauase it's technically a theory, i wouldnt' have a problem even if they touched on creationism as a theory, if they are going to discuss evolution at all. i just have a problem with them delivering either as fact, because really...we don't KNOW, KNOW...you know?

kimmy - that's scary! we are lucky with the public school's here. the teachers and the staff are great...the only issue i have is the things they learn from other kids, but, really...i can't protect them from everything. and wouldn't want to, if i could!!

scott - i thought i told you to tell him...ned's dead, baby...ned's dead!!!

Anonymous said...

I sure wish we lived near each other...we could hang out...you could tell me I'm one of those fucked up christians...I could tell you to go to hell...it'd be great...your boys could introduce my boys to the world of porn...and shit we could compare fat elbows and share fat ass blood pressure cuffs...

S.I.F. said...

OK, seriously, your poor guy was probably traumatized! I'm cracking up right now just picturing what must have been going through his mind being woken up by his mom to have this conversation in the middle of the night! And having it all wrap up with sex! HA!

I freaking love you!

heidi said...

I'm glad to hear that didn't happen in school. The school board here has been trying to pass the new curriculum for awhile and it caught national headlines. You may remember I had a MASSIVE problem with it?

Kam - they DO run it by the parents but it's generally in a school board meeting that's open to the public that no one goes to. Most parents don't pay enough attention to know what they're missing and even more don't care.

Evolution is still being taught in science classes in some states. They preface it by saying it's a 'theory' but they don't give equal time to the 'theory' of creation. Being a science teacher is a sticky place to be, I'd imagine.

If you really wanna know what your school is teaching your kids, you can call and get a copy of the curriculum. It's public info.