We do need to hold Hollywood, the music industry, and the video-game makers accountable for the violence and crudity of their products. We need to stop cultural pollution. Parents also deserve to know that the character they work so hard to instill in their children isn t undermined the minute they get on the school bus in the morning. Our schools must have the ability to reinforce character. Some behavior is simply unacceptable.
Teachers ought to be able to say so.
We will vote next week to protect teachers from lawsuits, so they can denounce unacceptable behavior, discipline wayward students and teach common-sense values in our classrooms. On the other hand, our cultural elites have succeeded in wiping out all vestiges of religious beliefs out of the schools. While the courts have said that school officials cannot bring religion into the classroom, students who wish to meet voluntarily to pray or study the Bible should be free to do so. Religion, regardless of denomination or creed, provides an objective standard of right and wrong that can help our children through the dilemmas of youth. We should not discourage any child who seeks these guidelines to a virtuous life.