From: mstern@wam.umd.edu (Michael Stern)
Subject: Re: Excerpts From a Reader's Letter-to-the-Editor
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 04:09:39 GMT

In article <1992Dec20.214041.11369@netcom.com> horen@netcom.com (Jonathan B. Horen -- [408] 736-3923) writes:
>In the Perspective section of today's San Jose Mercury-News, a
>letter-to-the-editor by one reader, a Rabbi Daniel Pressman,
>was printed, in which he responds to another reader's letter
>that appeared the previous Sunday (13 Dec 92), by one Cal Thomas.
>In his letter, Mr. Thomas complained that "Americans are doing
>what they can to wipe out religion from the public schools,"
>and that requiring schools to be religiously-neutral is an
>effort "to keep many people from exercising their religious
>and free-speech rights."
>
>In his response, Rabbi Pressman writes:
>
>   "I urge Thomas, and anyone who agrees with him, to
>   imagine what it is like to be a Jewish child, or any
>   non-Xian, in an elementary classroom where the techer
>   makes the children write a letter to Santa Claus, or
>   has them sing songs of an explicitly Xian nature. Even
>   if the teacher is aware enough to say, `David, you
>   don't have to do this,' the class has been given a
>   message: David is different; he's not one of us.
>
>   There was even one teacher who told the class to wear
>   red and green on the dy before winter vacation, and
>   then said to the Jewish child, `You can wear blue and
>   white.' WHY DIDN'T SHE JUST HAVE HIM WEAR A YELLOW STAR?"
>
>My children are fortunate enough to be living in Eretz Yisrael,
>and do not have to face this kind of mental/emotional mind-
>f*cking in school (or on elevision, radio, or in stores).
>For those of you whose children are less-fortunate, try and
>remember that they, too, have rights in America, and that
>they and their rights must be protected -- by you, their
>parents.
>
>It's Hannukah -- let it be *our* choice if, when, and where
>we will wear yellow stars.

While the example of the abovementioned teachers is surely sad,
the painful fact must be faced: we live in a X-ian country.  I
feel joy for your children in Eretz Yisrael, but America is not,
and will likely never be a state in which non-X-ian religions are
given equal significance with Christianity.

Let's be frank: for all the talk about the 'melting pot' and other
such nonsense, late 20th century America is anything but.  The culture
and traditions of this country are deeply rooted in puritan Christianity,
and even the 'revolutionary' events of the 60's did not succeed in 
changing that significantly.  Superficial nods to Jews, blacks, American
Indians, etc were (and are still) made in the name of 'political 
correctness', but the X-ian essence of the puritan ethic on which this
country was founded remains prevalent in the way Americans speak,
conduct business, write laws, and spend their leisure time.  

Having said that, let me follow with the observation that American
public schools have been turning out inferior product for far too long.
In part that is due, IMHO, to the fact that they have become so
value-neutral.  Revisionist curricula now dominate the schools of such
large metropolitan areas as New York and Philadelphia.  COnsequently,
let us proceed with caution in condemning those who wish to restore
these values to our public schools.  I firmly believe that it is possible
to instill values consistent with the Judeo-Christian philosophical
framework without neccessarily teaching a given religion per se.  The pathetic
conditions of many of our public schools demand that this option be at 
least investigated.

Michael Stern	mstern@wam.umd.edu	UMCP/USDA-ARS

Happy Hanukkah!
.

Xref: sparky soc.culture.jewish:24063 soc.culture.arabic:5981 talk.politics.mideast:24220