“…thankfully, because of the Coach Kennedy case, we're able to do that without any legal challenges.”
I have no doubt that the current extreme right wing Texas SC, extreme right wing 5th Circuit CA, and extreme right wing SCOTUS would find a way to permit this, but the Kennedy vs Bremerton was a free speech case. Employing religious chaplains in school is an establishment clause case that goes beyond individual free speech rights.
Be it the public schools or anywhere else, the people who would force religion on others always operate with the delusion it will result in a happy ending. Shared delusion does not add up to truth. Some of the most mean-spirited and intolerant people I have ever known never missed church. One of the very last things this country needs to do is put the preachers in charge of public education. If the religious right had any real confidence in their message, they wouldn't be so driven to force it on others and would just let the message speak for itself.
Your bible tells you to obey all earthly laws and authorities, Middleton. Why do you disobey what your book tells you? How weak is your religion if you have to force it on others like a schoolyard bully? You are the reason the 7 key founders made us a secular nation, not an xtian theocracy.
OT: I am just waking up, surgery went pretty well and I’m home and comfortable now. Thanks for the well wishes yesterday. Looking forward to a rest and break from work.
This is will create a paradox of an unbelievable magnitude. How can a priest be legally employed at a school and yet be 500 yards away from any school, play ground, library or other place that has children?
The church/state violation is a major issue here, but not the only major issue. Another is the potential of harm done to vulnerable students with serious psychological/emotional disorders seeking help from chaplains who are not trained in psychotherapy and not licensed to insure their competence.
To the everyday person, counseling looks like nothing risky, just two people having a quiet chat. But a vulnerable young person confiding to a well-meaning but incompetent adult who has an unearned aura of credibility as a "chaplain," but who has little to offer but religious platitudes and empty reassurances is at serious risk. Telling the student that her problems are all her own fault because she's a sinner, but God will eventually fix her is a potentially deadly response.
Suicides WILL, not might, occur. Lawsuits will follow.
Middleton is just saying the quiet part out loud. He might as well be Dominionist, for his determination to put his god back in government. Then, without doubt, he would also likely cite the other six mountains which R. J. Rushdoony originally outlined. And, of course, this is Texas, so he will mostly have free rein to do as he pleases.
What this needs is some serious blowback, not just from the likes of the FFRF or American Atheists, but from Texans who are tired of all the god talk and are willing to confront it.
Yes, because there's 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 a dearth of opportunities for Texas children to encounter Christianity. Why, without a chaplain to explain things to them, they might not ever know what the thirty-six churches on their bus route to school, with roadside signage declaring their denominations and the names of their pastors, are for! Just like they might forget what country they're in if they don't see four 'Murican flags, minimum, per block! ...well, this 𝘪𝘴 Texas we're talking about; they might actually need 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 reminder.
Standard disclaimer here: Still not a lawyer and not working to become one.
From where I sit in Arizona, this bill will open Texas to a variety of litigation that I would think is not in the best interest of anyone in the state. Several churches in recent years have had what others have referred to as 'problems in the after school area' that have had major negative impact on school aged children and their families. Even with background checks, it's entirely possible for bad actors to have access to the most vulnerable members of society since churches rarely publish that information anywhere, and there is no guarantee that this will measurably assist students in the educational pursuits schools should be engaging in. The balance of risk vs reward here seems horribly lopsided.
By requiring districts to vote on the matter, then, they are forced to choose between litigation over what will presumably be termed 'free practice' of faith for Christians, or very likely litigation over the abuse of children in their care. 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒. Neither option is good for the schools themselves, indeed, this bill seems to be working toward tearing apart the pubic educational system and appears to be standard procedure for the Republican party these days. Indeed, the whole bill seems to have been written in bad faith; first to push Christianity, then to prove 'the system isn't working!!1!1!', and last to function as leverage for the complete tear-down of public education.
I honestly wish at this point I could claim to be shocked. Surprised, even. Truthfully, we've seen this sort of shenanigans from the Republican party several times before, it's not new and they're using it because it's worked so often in the past.
"My god is all powerful, but he can't win unless the State forces him on children who lack critical thinking skills."
“…thankfully, because of the Coach Kennedy case, we're able to do that without any legal challenges.”
I have no doubt that the current extreme right wing Texas SC, extreme right wing 5th Circuit CA, and extreme right wing SCOTUS would find a way to permit this, but the Kennedy vs Bremerton was a free speech case. Employing religious chaplains in school is an establishment clause case that goes beyond individual free speech rights.
Be it the public schools or anywhere else, the people who would force religion on others always operate with the delusion it will result in a happy ending. Shared delusion does not add up to truth. Some of the most mean-spirited and intolerant people I have ever known never missed church. One of the very last things this country needs to do is put the preachers in charge of public education. If the religious right had any real confidence in their message, they wouldn't be so driven to force it on others and would just let the message speak for itself.
MAGAt says what?
Your bible tells you to obey all earthly laws and authorities, Middleton. Why do you disobey what your book tells you? How weak is your religion if you have to force it on others like a schoolyard bully? You are the reason the 7 key founders made us a secular nation, not an xtian theocracy.
If they implement this I won't be surprised about the slew of sexual abuse lawsuits that will be filed in due course.
When my job takes me through Tex-ass, I don a hazmat suit to deal with the Christian Nationalist urine flood.
OT: I am just waking up, surgery went pretty well and I’m home and comfortable now. Thanks for the well wishes yesterday. Looking forward to a rest and break from work.
This is will create a paradox of an unbelievable magnitude. How can a priest be legally employed at a school and yet be 500 yards away from any school, play ground, library or other place that has children?
The church/state violation is a major issue here, but not the only major issue. Another is the potential of harm done to vulnerable students with serious psychological/emotional disorders seeking help from chaplains who are not trained in psychotherapy and not licensed to insure their competence.
To the everyday person, counseling looks like nothing risky, just two people having a quiet chat. But a vulnerable young person confiding to a well-meaning but incompetent adult who has an unearned aura of credibility as a "chaplain," but who has little to offer but religious platitudes and empty reassurances is at serious risk. Telling the student that her problems are all her own fault because she's a sinner, but God will eventually fix her is a potentially deadly response.
Suicides WILL, not might, occur. Lawsuits will follow.
Middleton is just saying the quiet part out loud. He might as well be Dominionist, for his determination to put his god back in government. Then, without doubt, he would also likely cite the other six mountains which R. J. Rushdoony originally outlined. And, of course, this is Texas, so he will mostly have free rein to do as he pleases.
What this needs is some serious blowback, not just from the likes of the FFRF or American Atheists, but from Texans who are tired of all the god talk and are willing to confront it.
Yes, because there's 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 a dearth of opportunities for Texas children to encounter Christianity. Why, without a chaplain to explain things to them, they might not ever know what the thirty-six churches on their bus route to school, with roadside signage declaring their denominations and the names of their pastors, are for! Just like they might forget what country they're in if they don't see four 'Murican flags, minimum, per block! ...well, this 𝘪𝘴 Texas we're talking about; they might actually need 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 reminder.
If we are going to have god in government, let’s be even handed and get government in god.
You have violated your oath of office, Middleton, Resign immediately,
Standard disclaimer here: Still not a lawyer and not working to become one.
From where I sit in Arizona, this bill will open Texas to a variety of litigation that I would think is not in the best interest of anyone in the state. Several churches in recent years have had what others have referred to as 'problems in the after school area' that have had major negative impact on school aged children and their families. Even with background checks, it's entirely possible for bad actors to have access to the most vulnerable members of society since churches rarely publish that information anywhere, and there is no guarantee that this will measurably assist students in the educational pursuits schools should be engaging in. The balance of risk vs reward here seems horribly lopsided.
By requiring districts to vote on the matter, then, they are forced to choose between litigation over what will presumably be termed 'free practice' of faith for Christians, or very likely litigation over the abuse of children in their care. 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒. Neither option is good for the schools themselves, indeed, this bill seems to be working toward tearing apart the pubic educational system and appears to be standard procedure for the Republican party these days. Indeed, the whole bill seems to have been written in bad faith; first to push Christianity, then to prove 'the system isn't working!!1!1!', and last to function as leverage for the complete tear-down of public education.
I honestly wish at this point I could claim to be shocked. Surprised, even. Truthfully, we've seen this sort of shenanigans from the Republican party several times before, it's not new and they're using it because it's worked so often in the past.
There is no god in government, check the spelling again.
"God back in government so people can freely exercise their religious beliefs in government and in schools."
May I assume only traditional religions are concerned ? What's more traditional than Ancient Egypt deities* ? Maybe I should come and apply 😁
* Gobekli tepe, Sumer and Hindus valley specialists, sit down and shut up.