By Selwyn Duke
God may not have a place in the modern American classroom, but the Devil is a different story. That is, at least in one North Carolina high school.
After reading the short story “The Devil and Tom Walker” — which involves a character who makes a deal with Satan but then balks — students at Gray's Creek High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina, were told “to write an essay on how they would sell their souls — or what trade they would make with the Devil,” writes ABC News.
Read the rest here.
And doing this in the classroom teaches WHAT. Schools should only teach basic education. Math, History reading,writing,etc. And thats it. This school should be sued. Anything else is none of their busniess. PERIOD!!!!!!
Posted by: Ron | February 25, 2010 at 12:39 PM
The post-counterculture is pop-culture, the New Age is mainstream.
Posted by: Whitey Lawful | February 25, 2010 at 12:49 PM
Ron, this is writing, it is asking kids to use their imagination and review a book they read in class. Why are you guys so damn scared! What is wrong with imagination? Do you really believe that they will all become satanists, do the readers of Curious George become monkeys?
Posted by: yoyo | February 25, 2010 at 10:40 PM
Beyond the point Selwyn most eloquently made, this type of assignment has nothing to do with education if education is defined as the transfer of factual data from one to another. This type of assignment is purely subjective in nature. Don't we have plenty of objective facts that are left unexpressed? This "deal with the Devil" assignment at best deals with situational ethics (a role of the parent not the teacher) and at worse encourages a child to dabble in the occult. I have known people who have dabbled in the occult and I assure you it is quite real.
Is not stating what you would expect in return for your soul, written in your own hand, a contract? Is not the name at the top of the paper a signature? If any child has completed this contract they should know that the Devil does not make the rules; God does. The age of accountability referenced in the Bible makes the contract null and void but they must claim it.
Posted by: Walt | February 26, 2010 at 09:30 AM
Shouldn't you be OUTRAGED yoyo? I mean, this is RELIGIOUS talk in the class room. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE! How DARE they talk about the devil! That implies there is a God as well! We cant afford to fill our childrens heads with such nonsense. There is no such thing as a SOUL. LOL
Oh um, excuse me yoyo *whispers* Your blatant hypocrisy is showing.
Posted by: Matt | February 26, 2010 at 06:31 PM
Give it break, will ya Selwyn? Save the outrage for gay Teletubbies. And let that kid in North Carolina do the assignments she’s given in class.
Don’t make some sort of moral dilemma out of it, for political advantage, by holding up the brave Christian stalwart in the form of young Ms. Trough; doing battle in the name of the Lord; a prayer to St. Michael on her lips; taking a stand against evil Principal John Gibbs by yes…Refusing to do her homework!
You’re always bitching and moaning about the lack of discipline in the schools and obedience being the lynchpin to learning. But, I guess this case is just…Special…Right?
Your facile musings are getting more and more laughable. You must be spending time with that Jewish guy (I forget his name) in San Francisco.
Posted by: Larrry Rivera | February 27, 2010 at 03:22 PM
Walt…What are you talking about? What makes you qualified to make pronouncements about education?
You could say the same thing about me, I suppose. But, I’m not talking about education. I’m talking about you.
Aren’t you the guy who couldn’t make it through Ag College and wound up inheriting a construction company? What in that gives you the authority to suggest that; “education is defined as the transfer of factual data from one to another.”
If that’s the case, well then here goes…3+3=6 / 8-2=6 / 2x3=6.
I’ve now taught you mathematics. Unless you find something occult about that. By the way, are there really that many witches, warlocks, Druid Princes, gremlins, bogymen, fairies and leprechauns running around in your little corner of the Golden West, to the extent that you are on a first name basis with at least a couple of ‘em?
And what is going on with this sentence – “The age of accountability referenced in the Bible makes the contract null and void but they must claim it.” If that wouldn’t perplex even the Prince of Darkness himself and have him scratching his horned head, I don’t know what would.
Walt, I’m sorry. You’re probably a decent guy and I’m just bored and cranky. But, His Holiness here gives you a couple of guest commentary pieces and all of a sudden you’re George Will.
Oh, just forget it all. My bike won’t start and I can’t get the part till next week some time. So, I’m picking on you and the Duke-ster. It’s not your fault. And beside, I probably have a warrant from the last time I went out to enjoy the pleasures of the highway and ran into a Christian Evangelical with a mission and a ticket book.
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