Texas Seventh Grader Says Teacher Told Class: ‘God is a myth’

Talking religion doesn't belong in public schools anyways. If I wanted my kids to learn anything about religion I would send them to church. As far as schools go, if you want to profess anything positive or negative about religion of any form, send your kid to a private school that has your beliefs.

Idiot teacher I say....not because of her answer, but because she brought it up. The trouble with so many teachers these days is that they think they can push their agenda in a public school environment....again, if they want to push an agenda then sign up for a private school that follows your agenda...keep it out of my kids class.

originally posted by: Kali74
Washington Post

In a five-minute, tape-recorded statement to the Katy school board, Jordan Wooley, 12, a student at West Memorial Junior High School, says her reading teacher was leading students in an exercise designed to distinguish between statements that are an”opinion,” a “factual claim” or a “commonplace assertion,” according to KTRK-TV, the ABC affiliate in Houston.

To the statement “There is a God,” Wooley told KTRK she answered that it was both a “factual claim” and “opinion.”

Wooley says the teacher disputed that answer.

“She told anyone who said fact or opinion is wrong and that God is only a myth,” Wooley says in her statement. “She started telling kids that they were completely wrong and when kids would argue she had told them that we would get in trouble.”

Though I agree with statement that, "There is a God" is opinion (an opinion I share) and not fact, this teacher should not have brought God or lack of God into a classroom of seventh graders or any classroom in the public school system. It's not any less wrong for a public school teacher to have done this than it is for them to ask students to pray. Both are a violation of the 1st Amendment.

Agree with you.

Making statements there is no God --- is the same as making statements there is.

Either way: God or no God ----- not OK in public school.

From the OP article link.

The mother just had to say this:

In New York, California, Vermont, the liberal states, I could totally see this as happening,” Wooley told KRIV. “But in Houston, Texas, where it’s red, white, and blue, and stars all over, and God bless the USA, and ‘Don’t Mess With Texas’, you know, Texas is messing with my kid.”

She should get the same punishment as a teacher pushing religion. Opposite ends of the spectrum but the same subject so same punishment.

Are we actually so touchy about God or no God we are going to avoid an ancient thought expirements that allows a person to examine their beliefs? What are we puritans? People can't know about the beliefs of other people in the world?

There are ways to teach theology without "brain washing". You just approach the subject like world civ or anthropology.

The outcome of the hyper sensitive religious/non religious fear is kids just learn what this stuff is from their dumb friends they want to impress or be cool with. If their parents did a good job either teaching the faiths wisdom or brain washing with fear they have nothing to worry about. It also means kids have no exposure to how the people in their society think until college humanities classes.

The greatest thinkers in history came from times when critical thinking was encouraged and the exposure of other cultures thinking were welcomed to draw new understanding from. Like enlightenment era Europe. I think now we are so sensitive we just can't talk about it at all even from a scholarly level.

originally posted by: luthier
Are we actually so touchy about God or no God we are going to avoid an ancient thought expirements that allows a person to examine their beliefs? What are we puritans? People can't know about the beliefs of other people in the world?

One can explore and discuss various beliefs, but the teacher has no right to conclude 'There is no God' as an absolute fact.

The left has succeeded in essentially abolishing Christianity from US schools. The rightness of such is debatable. But just as a teacher isn't allowed to proclaim God, no teacher should be allowed to proclaim No God.

originally posted by: luthier
Are we actually so touchy about God or no God we are going to avoid an ancient thought expirements that allows a person to examine their beliefs? What are we puritans? People can't know about the beliefs of other people in the world?

There are secular alternatives.

Until a minor, with parent permission, chooses to discuss "God is a Myth" ---- separation of church and state (both ways).

Had the child responded to the teacher with "that is your opinion" she would have won some points I think.

Lol

originally posted by: works4dhs

originally posted by: luthier
Are we actually so touchy about God or no God we are going to avoid an ancient thought expirements that allows a person to examine their beliefs? What are we puritans? People can't know about the beliefs of other people in the world?

One can explore and discuss various beliefs, but the teacher has no right to conclude 'There is no God' as an absolute fact.

The left has succeeded in essentially abolishing Christianity from US schools. The rightness of such is debatable. But just as a teacher isn't allowed to proclaim God, no teacher should be allowed to proclaim No God.

I don't think she did say there is no God as a fact. She sad it was a myth.

God can not be proven or disproven without evidence. It's metaphysics. I could just as easily say bt not teaching a child what this debate has proven or disproven they are less likely to understand how to know when a person is using fallacy or truth. The teachers words have more sway if they aren't being taught how to think.

There are both reasonable and unreasonable arguments for and against God. You can still believe in God and hear the other side of the ddebate its not like an atheist can prove there is no God anymore than a believer can prove there is.

But there is no emperical evidence so it may not be well received being called a myth since that phrasing could imply God isn't real (which even the best debaters have failed at) bit it is an opinion.

I am against teaching religion in schools. With that said, it is not right for a teacher or any person to tell another, let alone a child, what they can or cannot believe in.

It is simple as that, unless of course it is being pushed on to another.

a reply to: Kali74

this teacher should not have brought God or lack of God into a classroom of seventh graders or any classroom in the public school system. It's not any less wrong for a public school teacher to have done this than it is for them to ask students to pray. Both are a violation of the 1st Amendment.

I agree with you on that; public school teachers have no business bringing up the subject at all.

Sad to say however, that ship has sailed and the anti-religion/anti-God group has obviously prevailed and will continue to do so.

I live in Texas and after reading this story my conclusion was that it points up the fact that parents who believe in God have no business putting their children (subjecting their children) in the public school environment. The anti-God/Godless can have it. But, it does make me wonder why those who believe in God should continue to be taxed to pay for atheist education systems or if they shouldn't be granted vouchers to help pay for alternate education system.

a reply to: Kali74

Though I wholeheartedly agree that religious notions should not be discussed in class, "God is a myth" is a fact. God is anything other than a myth is an opinion.

originally posted by: Zcustosmorum
a reply to: Kali74

Give that teacher a pay rise, any other statement on religion to children is effectively brain washing.

Reverse what the teacher did so that it no longer agrees with your personal beliefs and you would be screaming bloody murder about teachers not respecting separation of church and state and shoving their morals down everyone else's throat and proselytizing and I don't know what all else ...

I believe the label is hypocrisy.

a reply to: TonyS

I agree with you. I think vouchers are the fairest way to do it. Let the parents decide which sort of educational system they want their children in.

Anyway, so are Zeus, Thor and Ra an opinion? Or a myth? Each as likely to be a fact as YHWH or El.

originally posted by: AndyMayhew
Anyway, so are Zeus, Thor and Ra an opinion? Or a myth? Each as likely to be a fact as YHWH or El.

We teach the myths which generally explain how a natural phenomena came to be in terms of the beliefs of the ancient Greek or Roman culture. They are called myths more because we know what lightning is than because of the presence of the gods or goddesses in the stories.

We generally do not teach the creation story/myth because people flip their lids on all sides for all different reasons.

Again, people should be free to have vouchers so that they can pick and choose what sort of school they want their kids going to. If common core is reduced to exactly and only what it was supposed to be - only a set of national benchmark standards - then this would be possible.

a reply to: TonyS

Sad to say however, that ship has sailed and the anti-religion/anti-God group has obviously prevailed and will continue to do so.

That is absurd. There's still a long way to go to getting religion out of public policies and tax payer funded anything. I'm okay with tax payer supported alternatives for low income families but also tax exempt religious institutions should fund raise and set up charitable scholarships for their flocks.

a reply to: ketsuko

Creationism is still taught in a lot of public schools, which is ridiculous.

a reply to: ketsuko

The point is, why is one god deemed different to any other?

If you believe in Thor, you consider YHWH to be a myth. Just as believers in Ra think Zeus is a myth.

Thats the problems with some Christians - they are happy to dismiss other peoples gods as myths but up in arms if we say that their Caananite god is equally a myth.

All are as likely to be real or not.

Just another statement from an non-believer that "religious discussions involving the existence of any god" do not belong in public school, pro or con.

As pointed out, the young lady wasn't telling the truth about what happened.

The fact remains, whether or not the statement was accurate as presented or not ... that's not a discussion for government sponsored schools.

Period. (IMO)