This is why Westboro Baptist Church is a joke

[kandrathe]

So, then, if you agree the law is unconstitutional, why do you have a problem with a group of atheists taking the case up, claiming exactly that?

I don't have a problem with the basis of their lawsuit. My use of the example to FIT was to highlight that there are groups, like the Freedom From Religion Foundation, who seek to scrub religion from society when practiced in public.

Surely "a moment of silent reflection" is more than enough? You can do whatever you like - adding prayer to the list is just pointlessly testing the boundaries. Or, more likely in many jurisdictions, making it clear (*wink wink*) that this is really supposed to be a Christian thing.

Maybe, but again, what's the harm in acknowledging that a great number of people are variously religious. Just as a toast would assume everyone drinks alcohol. I don't, so I always have that awkward moment of trying to find a filled water glass. But, just because I choose to refrain from alcohol doesn't mean I want to ban toasting, or foist my beliefs on others. My reasons are my own, and are more related to the unimpeachable example I seek to set for my own children.

I'm concerned primarily with the teaching of science, secondarily with the constitutionality of the government endorsing religion, and last, with the elimination of "agenda," whatever that's supposed to mean in biology class.

So, we're good on the first one...

"Social activism" might be unwanted, but it's not unconstitutional. Religious teaching is unconstitutional. These are two different issues. Especially so, since schools have a positive mandate to teach children civic responsibility - shaping the next generation of citizens is one of the functions of schooling. It is also constitutionally permitted.

I guess what I was trying to get at, and I guess it was vague, was that if a science teacher's agenda is to promote atheism, that it is as egregious to me as promoting creationism.

I'm not sure what you mean by this, but no, I'm pretty sure there is no "whoopsie daisy" exception to the separation of church and state. Trivial accidents are irrelevant, but bringing your personal religious beliefs into your role as teacher is not.

Yeah, that is exactly what I was getting at. If we're having an open discussion of social matters (what have you) in a high school class with a potpourri of beliefs, the teachers opinions will show, and I'm OK with that. I don't know how if its possible, or desirable for teachers to hide their values and beliefs. So, promoting their beliefs, or proselytizing, no. But, in order to be authentic, you need to be yourself.