Lake Local School District in Ohio Makes Belief in God a Goal

There are few things that can get under my skin like the education system in America. We do not do enough to teach our kids about the real wonders in the world through logical inspection and we fail miserably to teach them to respect or understand history. Schools that respect the secular requirements of our government fail to impart the importance of these subjects. What education are we denying children when they are educated by a school district that makes “belief in god” a goal in their mission statement?

Lake Local School District in Ohio dismissed the constitution, and the history it is based on, and wrote in their mission statement, “belief in god” as a goal for their students. Not only is this illegal, it is intellectual negligence on the part of the school district.

It’s imperative that American students understand why the First Amendment was written and the continuous reinforcement of its wisdom that has happened since its ratification. It is impossible for a school district properly impart that knowledge when it thumbs its nose at the law it has the duty to teach.

I’m not the only one to notice the failure of the Ohio education system in the area of history. The 2006 report from Fordham Institute on education excellence gave Ohio a D for their Social Studies Content Standards which covers United States History.

I can only guess what the science curriculum of a school district which pushes belief in god looks like, but in order to meet their goal of “belief in god”, there must be academic skimming taking place. Any conversation about the scientific method must be free of any god slant or it’s not the scientific method. It is impossible to critically examine the world with the presupposition that god exists. When there is a conflict between god and science, which wins when belief in god is a stated value of the school district?

It’s the responsibility of everyone who cares about the education of our children, as well as the future of our society, to take seriously these incursions into the academic system. Slipping the children of Ohio into a dark age is not just disastrous for them. It’s disastrous for all of us.

Having pockets of populations that are less education than others in the same country can not only lead to government issues, but it can lead to exploitation of the people of lesser education. School districts that allow religion to influence their teachings have higher teen pregnancy, teen STD, and dropout rates. Due to the gaps in their education, they are more vulnerable to financial predators, religious exploitation, and exploitation in personal relationships. They also lack perspective to vote in their best interest and the best interest of the country.

A school district that disregards their duty to their pupils should not be met with simple silence. They need to have the consequences ring in their ear. We, as caring, involved citizens need to speak out for the health and well-being of these children. We must tell the Lake Local School District that their unethical, illegal, immoral behavior has not gone unnoticed and will be met with the resistance it deserves.

I already wrote the Lake Local School District, my letter is below. Please take the time to click the link at the end of this article and write a polite but passionate letter to the Lake Local School District. Together we can apply the pressure to stop the intellectual hemorrhaging in Lake Local School District.

Contact Lake Local School District

Hello Lake Local School District,

It disappoints me whenever I hear about an elected body disregarding the constitution of our country, but it shocks my sensibilities when it is a public school district, like Lake Local School District. A school district should concern itself with teaching what is reasonable, provable, and factual. It is utterly unethical, not to mention illegal, for you force even the most sanitized version of religion on your students. It may go against your personal beliefs, but everyone in this country, including your students, has the right not to believe in god.

It seems that you should be aware, as a public education district, that this country was founded on the idea that government and religion should not mix. History has spoken with a bull horn about the consequences of blurring the line between religion and government. It horrifies me that children in your district may not be taught to respect their own rights and the rights of others because you taught them that it has no value.

How can you, with any sincerity, teach the true meaning of the constitution if you so willingly take no notice of it? How can you teach your students to be law abiding, constructive members of society, if you so willfully ignore the first law of this country?

I value the constitution and our free education system. Do not dismiss your duty to your pupils because you can’t separate your personal convictions from your duty. If you were unable to do your duty as a government official, you should not have run for office. Once elected and put in office, you have a duty to all the citizens of this country to do the right thing. I trust, now that you have been made aware that you have violated the rights of your students, you will quickly abandon this effort and act in the manner they deserve.

I will leave you with the words of some of our founders that I hope you take their words to heart.

“As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion..." - Treaty of Tripoli signed by President Adams and ratified unanimously by Congress.

“Question with boldness even the existence of a god." - Thomas Jefferson (letter to Peter Carr, 10 August 1787)

I await your changed decision,
LaRae Meadows

http://lake.stark.k12.oh.us/home/contactus/contact-form/

http://www.examiner.com/x-2044-Atheism-Examiner~y2009m8d27-Ohio-school-district-lists-Belief-in-God-as-key-value

Kissimmee, FL Wants to Add "In God We Trust" to City Logo

City Commission of Kissimmee, Florida, will vote to modify its city logo to include "In God We Trust" to voice objection to the “socialist” leadership of the country.

Commissioner Art Otero recommended this affront to the American Constitution. "This nation has been moving toward more liberal postures such as homosexuality, gay marriage, abortion and the legalization of marijuana. I'm against that way of thinking. Those are not the values upon which this nation was founded. I think we need to fight for the values we're losing."

The Mayor, Jim Swan said he would pay $250 of his own money to engrave it on the seal in the commissioners’ cambers. It turns out that $250 is how much Jim Swan is willing to spend to set the Constitution on fire and disenfranchise 15% of his constituency.

Oh, and the total estimated cost of changing the logo is $200,000. So, not only are they willing to put aside their duty to their country as elected officials, they are willing to sacrifice vital city services to do it.

This should upset non-Kissimmee citizens because they aren’t just spitting in the face of the Kissimmee citizens, but every American who hold the Constitution dear. They refuse to uphold their oath to the country that has granted them office through the process outlined in the document they willfully ignore.

Please, use your constitutional rights and write the Kissimmee Council and let them know how you feel about putting “In God We Trust.” Please take the time to write your own letter.
This is the letter I sent. It would mean the world to the citizens of both Kissimmee and the US. Please, bcc me at laraemeadows@gmail.com so I can see your letters. Pass the request on to like-minded friends.

Hello Elected Officials,

It makes me sad that we even have to have a conversation about how little a city like yours respects the Constitution of the United States. We were founded on the idea that governments, even little ones like yours, didn't have the right to impose a religious idea on anyone, and no one had the right to impose one on you. You seem to have a misunderstanding of the founding of this country or the the Constitution because I can't imagine that someone who took an oath to protect the Constitution would intentionally do something so blatantly against it.

Many of our founders were not Christians, in fact, the majority were not. More importantly than their own religious beliefs, they made it clear during their lifetimes that America was not a Christian nation, nor a nation of any other religion. Religion was to be left outside the doors of government, even a little one like Kissimmee.

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

This quote, was part of a Treaty of Tripoli and was signed by President Adams. I think we can agree that there is no ambiguity in this statement, and Adams was certainly a founder of this country. So, what will you say to the memory of our founders, including Adams, George Washington, and Jefferson? Will you, in the face of your oath to all of the citizens of Kissimmee and loving citizens of America, spit on the Constitution and memory of our founders? Will you, as representatives of your citizens break the first law of this country, the country we share, as an officer of the government? Do you think so little of our country, or do you believe you should not be subject to her laws and appreciate her protections?

Additionally, you have $200,000 to waste on this project plus the court costs in the future? May I have some for your roads, schools, police and firefighters. That way all your citizens will have the benefit of their government.

LaRae Meadows
True American Citizen

http://ffrf.org/action/2009/KissimmeeActionAlert.php
Mayor Jim Swan
101 N. Church Street
Kissimmee FL 34741-5054
Phone: (407)973-5226
Fax: (407)847-8369
Email: jswan@kissimmee.org

Vice Mayor Jerry Gemskie
E-mail: jgemskie@kissimmee.org

Mayor Pro-Tem Cheryl L. Grieb
E-mail: cgrieb@kissimmee.org

Commissioner Carlos L. Irizarry
E-mail: cirizarry@kissimmee.org

Commissioner Art Otero
E-mail: aeotero@kissimmee.org
Media Contacts
Orlando Sentinel
Letters to the Editor
633 N. Orange Ave.
Orlando FL 32801-1349
Fax: (407)420-5286
Email: insight@orlandosentinel.com
(Note: Letters must be signed with an address and phone number, and kept under 250 words for publication.)

The Miami Herald
The Reader's Forum
One Herald Plaza
Miami FL 33132
Email: HeraldEd@MiamiHerald.com
Fax: (305)376-8950

The News-Journal
PO Box 2831
Daytona Beach FL 32120-2831
Fax: (386)258-1577
E-mail: letters@news-jrnl.com
(Note: Include name, address and phone number. "Clear, brief letters on a single subject are most likely to be published. Please include your letter in the body of the e-mail. Attached files may not arrive intact. Your address and phone number will not be published.")