jaimethepooh
12-16-2003, 05:47 AM
by Amber Turner
Children are not being taught religious tolerance in school, especially tolerance towards the fastest growing religion in America: Wicca. For young children, the discrimination is less obvious. Simply asking a seven-year-old child about religion can discriminate against the religion their parents think they should be raised under. The hardest things a child has to deal with as far as religious discrimination are the religious affiliations that are advertised in school. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts base a lot of their doctrines on religious beliefs. The Boy Scout Oath begins with "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country" (www.boyscouts.com). Unfortunately there is only one organization in that Unites States pushing for religious equality among Scout programs. The Spiral Scouts, an organization promoting religious tolerance, is a Pagan-based organization that does not discriminate against doctrines of other religions. In fact Spiral Scouts is for boys and girls of every religion. It teaches respect for the earth and other people. It even teaches tolerance towards other religions (Spiral Scouts 1). Unfortunately, The Spiral Scouts are not widespread, and the current state of religious tolerance may prevent these Scouts from becoming a part of mainstream America.
Perhaps the most difficult time in a young Pagan's life is High School. For those raised Pagan it isn't as bad. They only have to deal with the discrimination at school, and then they can go home to a supportive family. Unfortunately this fast-growing religion houses a belief system attractive to many young teens that have not been raised under a specific religion, or have had poor past experiences with the religion they were raised under. Stormcrow, a young woman who chose the Pagan path as a teenager, wrote an article on coming out of the broom closet in 1997. "For the teenage Witch stepping out of the broom closet can be like stepping into a fire."
High School can be a very difficult place to be different. Students are pressured to dress in certain designers' clothes, listen to certain music, and even think a certain way. To be Pagan in a Christian nation is hard enough, but to be Pagan in a Christian High School can become almost overbearing.
Socially children are not learning respect for themselves or other people. If a child is taught that all religions besides their own are wrong and evil they will then begin to think that every person that is reading a book on Hinduism, or wearing a religious article of clothing are evil as well. Parents need to be educated on the discrimination happening within social groups of children and within schools. The problem with religious intolerance among teenagers and within schools is that often claims of discrimination are mistaken for angst or a cry for attention. Students who have chosen a Pagan path are usually observed as rebels. Officials don't think they are practicing a legitimate religion; rather they believe these kids are rebelling against their parents or teachers. This causes many conflicts when dealing with a discrimination claim. Often the problem doesn't leave the principal's office unless the student takes it home to discuss with their parents. This can be very difficult for students choosing a religious path against their parents' will.
Governments on a city, state, and federal level should start looking into these problems with a serious eye. Soon these students will be old enough to bring lawsuits to court, and avoiding such lawsuits will help keep the judicial system of America clear. Ignoring the problem, and brushing it off as something much less serious like puberty is only going to cause more problems for students and schools once these teens are old enough to have their own children. Parents should be responsible for teaching their children to respect all races, ages, religions, and cultures. Enrolling kids in a diversity seminar when they are old enough to understand what discrimination is would be a step in the right direction. Unfortunately some parents are against introducing other religions into their society. These parents should be allowed to speak their mind, but they should not be able to have a say in whether or not a school or group offers this seminar.
Another solution would be adding a religious section to the history books. Most people, when they hear the word genocide, think of Hitler's Nazi regime. High Schools don't teach children about the Crusades, the only full genocide in recorded human history. The Northern Crusades were the period of the crusades that happened several years after the better-known Crusades where England took the holy land from the Muslims. The Northern Crusades were against the Baltic Pagans, the last surviving Pagans in Europe. The intent of the Northern Crusades was not to convert the heathens, but to kill them, and take the land and goods within their tribal towns. Unfortunately, the earlier Crusades had already wiped out the Irish Pagans, as well as the druids that lay scattered across the British Isles, but little was recorded of their demise. These are facts that children do not learn in school. In fact, Fowlerville School District totally avoided the topic of the Crusades in any Middle School, Junior High School and High School curriculum. Avoiding this vital part of education leaves Pagan teens feeling disrespected. After all, World War II is studied heavily in almost every school district in America. Those of Jewish descent have festivals and museums to commemorate the tragic, near-genocide of their people. Why aren't the Pagans given the same respect?
The only possible solution to this problem is to start teaching kids tolerance. One day a year isn't enough anymore. Promoting racial diversity is not enough anymore. Religion has become a very major part of American society in these times of war, and understanding the religious freedoms and preferences of fellow students is an integral part in a child's life. Learning about other religions is just as important as learning about other races. If schools and parents would put together a program, or even a class offered to students of an agreed upon age, which promoted religious diversity and understanding, perhaps there would be more students sharing their life experiences with others. Understanding is one step closer to Utopia.
Children are not being taught religious tolerance in school, especially tolerance towards the fastest growing religion in America: Wicca. For young children, the discrimination is less obvious. Simply asking a seven-year-old child about religion can discriminate against the religion their parents think they should be raised under. The hardest things a child has to deal with as far as religious discrimination are the religious affiliations that are advertised in school. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts base a lot of their doctrines on religious beliefs. The Boy Scout Oath begins with "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country" (www.boyscouts.com). Unfortunately there is only one organization in that Unites States pushing for religious equality among Scout programs. The Spiral Scouts, an organization promoting religious tolerance, is a Pagan-based organization that does not discriminate against doctrines of other religions. In fact Spiral Scouts is for boys and girls of every religion. It teaches respect for the earth and other people. It even teaches tolerance towards other religions (Spiral Scouts 1). Unfortunately, The Spiral Scouts are not widespread, and the current state of religious tolerance may prevent these Scouts from becoming a part of mainstream America.
Perhaps the most difficult time in a young Pagan's life is High School. For those raised Pagan it isn't as bad. They only have to deal with the discrimination at school, and then they can go home to a supportive family. Unfortunately this fast-growing religion houses a belief system attractive to many young teens that have not been raised under a specific religion, or have had poor past experiences with the religion they were raised under. Stormcrow, a young woman who chose the Pagan path as a teenager, wrote an article on coming out of the broom closet in 1997. "For the teenage Witch stepping out of the broom closet can be like stepping into a fire."
High School can be a very difficult place to be different. Students are pressured to dress in certain designers' clothes, listen to certain music, and even think a certain way. To be Pagan in a Christian nation is hard enough, but to be Pagan in a Christian High School can become almost overbearing.
Socially children are not learning respect for themselves or other people. If a child is taught that all religions besides their own are wrong and evil they will then begin to think that every person that is reading a book on Hinduism, or wearing a religious article of clothing are evil as well. Parents need to be educated on the discrimination happening within social groups of children and within schools. The problem with religious intolerance among teenagers and within schools is that often claims of discrimination are mistaken for angst or a cry for attention. Students who have chosen a Pagan path are usually observed as rebels. Officials don't think they are practicing a legitimate religion; rather they believe these kids are rebelling against their parents or teachers. This causes many conflicts when dealing with a discrimination claim. Often the problem doesn't leave the principal's office unless the student takes it home to discuss with their parents. This can be very difficult for students choosing a religious path against their parents' will.
Governments on a city, state, and federal level should start looking into these problems with a serious eye. Soon these students will be old enough to bring lawsuits to court, and avoiding such lawsuits will help keep the judicial system of America clear. Ignoring the problem, and brushing it off as something much less serious like puberty is only going to cause more problems for students and schools once these teens are old enough to have their own children. Parents should be responsible for teaching their children to respect all races, ages, religions, and cultures. Enrolling kids in a diversity seminar when they are old enough to understand what discrimination is would be a step in the right direction. Unfortunately some parents are against introducing other religions into their society. These parents should be allowed to speak their mind, but they should not be able to have a say in whether or not a school or group offers this seminar.
Another solution would be adding a religious section to the history books. Most people, when they hear the word genocide, think of Hitler's Nazi regime. High Schools don't teach children about the Crusades, the only full genocide in recorded human history. The Northern Crusades were the period of the crusades that happened several years after the better-known Crusades where England took the holy land from the Muslims. The Northern Crusades were against the Baltic Pagans, the last surviving Pagans in Europe. The intent of the Northern Crusades was not to convert the heathens, but to kill them, and take the land and goods within their tribal towns. Unfortunately, the earlier Crusades had already wiped out the Irish Pagans, as well as the druids that lay scattered across the British Isles, but little was recorded of their demise. These are facts that children do not learn in school. In fact, Fowlerville School District totally avoided the topic of the Crusades in any Middle School, Junior High School and High School curriculum. Avoiding this vital part of education leaves Pagan teens feeling disrespected. After all, World War II is studied heavily in almost every school district in America. Those of Jewish descent have festivals and museums to commemorate the tragic, near-genocide of their people. Why aren't the Pagans given the same respect?
The only possible solution to this problem is to start teaching kids tolerance. One day a year isn't enough anymore. Promoting racial diversity is not enough anymore. Religion has become a very major part of American society in these times of war, and understanding the religious freedoms and preferences of fellow students is an integral part in a child's life. Learning about other religions is just as important as learning about other races. If schools and parents would put together a program, or even a class offered to students of an agreed upon age, which promoted religious diversity and understanding, perhaps there would be more students sharing their life experiences with others. Understanding is one step closer to Utopia.