Church, State, Education
Greg Ordy, June 1999
Some people spout the phrase: separation of church and state as if it were in the U.S. Constitution. It isn't. The Constitution, in the First Amendment, actually states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,... The founders of the United States feared a state religion. Purging all mention of God from public institutions was hardly their intent since the existence of God decorates many founding documents, even the Declaration of Independence.
None the less, years of misguided court decisions, socialist propaganda, and media bias have, de facto, added the separation of church and state language to the Constitution. The separation appears absolute. Mention God, or attribute something to God, and you will not be welcome where the state operates. If you have read my essay entitled Institutional Imbalance, you know that I believe that we are at a point in our history where we are allowing government to grow in power and influence, entering areas where it has no business and is even harmful. The implication of separation of church and state and the growth of state cannot be ignored. If they are incompatible, and one is growing, then the other simply must be in retreat. They are mutually exclusive, at least if you believe the separation of church and state fallacy.
We are left with the conclusion that everything that the state touches must be purged of God and the influence of God.
One institution which has been traditionally associated with local government is public education. In recent years, both state and especially federal government have stuck their nose into this once local function. The infection by the state is clear, God and issues related to God must be purged from so-called public schools.
Since the quality and results of public education have been in decline, many people question the value of state and federal intrusion, especially with respect to the purging of God and moral behavior. Every time they begin to suggest reform, the refrain of separation of church and state is heard. In today's climate, that is a difficult fallacy to fight.
Let me suggest an alternative that makes it possible to introduce God and moral behavior back into schools.
Rather than separate church and state, let's separate state and education.
There is no reason why public education cannot be run as an extremely local institution which is decoupled from the state. The introduction of the state and federal government into education simply makes no sense, and has shown little positive return. Education and the role of schools in the development of children is very closely tied to the family. There is no benefit in moving education decisions and values out of the community.
In a broader sense, the logical implications of the separation of church and state argument requires that state be removed if God is to be introduced. The state itself demands this since it refuses to accept the existence or implications of God. So much for respecting diversity.
Copyright (c) 1999, Greg Ordy
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