Animals
Teresa Farnan said her suspicions were aroused on the first day of school when her son -- a sophomore honors student required to take Corbett's class for college admission -- asked her whether America was founded on Christian values, which he said his teacher had denied."He had learned in the eighth grade that our country was founded by persecuted Christians," said the mother, who describes her family as nondenominational Christian, "so I sent him to school with a tape recorder."
Too bad Chad Farnan's eighth grade teacher failed to teach him facts, but that is hardly Mr. Corbett's fault. Yes, some persecuted Christians did come to America and set up colonies where they systematically went about persecuting those who believed differently then they did. But many other people also came to America. Explorers and those who hoped to get rich in America came. Prisoners were sent to America (against their will in some instances). America was founded by people of many different backgrounds and beliefs. The Founding Father's seeing what a mess RELIGION had created in Europe wisely decided to separate church and state in America; so everyone would be free to worship as they choose (including the right to NOT worship anyone/anything at all). Considering James Corbett teaches Advanced Placement European history it's hardly surprising that his students would be expected to know that America wasn't founded on Christian values. In fact all the Founding Father's were not Christians.
From Religion and the Founding Fathers
From the comments of James Corbett's other students it's apparent that they at least understand the place debate and discussion of current events have in a AP History Class, and that the Christian point of view isn't the only point of view that matters.
6. I took AP European History with Dr. Corbett several years ago. An AP course is supposed to be equivalent to a college class, where it is typical for the professor to challenge the student's critical thinking abilities. Often high school students are not mature enough for Dr. Corbett's class, and many of them blame his "bias" instead of their incompetence. Dr. Corbett was one of the best teachers I had in high school, and best prepared me for the challenge of college(both in my thought process, as well as my academic ability). If you want to take a class where you regurgitate conventional nonsense, then take regular history.
Submitted by: dan
6:24 PM PST, December 13, 2007
8. I along with 2/3 of his class passed the test last year and his class, which is much higher than the state average, in part I believe because these discussions made History more interesting. Dr. Corbett is an amazing teacher, who has helped me a great deal in preparation for college and in my future endeavors as a student.
Submitted by: dave part 2
6:07 PM PST, December 13, 2007
9. I am currently a junior at Capistrano Valley. Last year as a sophomore I was enrolled in Dr. Corbett's AP European History class, which was one of the best experiences I have had in my life. These political "rants" Chad is describing are nothing more than thought provoking discussions where the class is invited to talk about current events, not just Christian beliefs. Many people just assume that it takes away from European History and that Corbett is distracting kids away from the ultimate goal of passing the AP exam and his class, while in fact it’s the opposite.
Submitted by: dave part 1
6:07 PM PST, December 13, 2007
12. I had Dr. Corbett as my history teacher several years ago at Capo Valley. I can honestly say that he was the best teacher I have ever had. He talked about current events every morning in class, explained his opinion and encouraged debate with some students. I learned far more about world history and how it shapes the society we live in today in Corbett's class than in any other class I've taken (including college) and it would be a tremendous disservice to the students if he were removed and replaced with another substandard teacher that simply reads the textbook verbatim.
Submitted by: Dan
5:52 PM PST, December 13, 2007
HT O'Donnell Web
- Mr Bounds Could You Scrutinize Public School Teachers Please?
A former Ocean Springs school teacher received a six-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to sexual misconduct with two of his students. Doug Alan Lundy, 35, who taught history at Ocean Springs High School, was sentenced to six years in prison,...
- Evolution Sunday 2007
On 11 February 2007 hundreds of congregations from all portions of the country and a host of denominations will come together to discuss the compatibility of religion and science. For far too long, strident voices, in the name of Christianity, have been...
- Follow Up To Hell In The Classroom
Many of my readers will remember my post in November about Matthew LaClair, who was told he was going to hell by his Christian teacher. Sixteen-year-old junior Matthew LaClair says he was shocked when history teacher David Paszkiewicz, who is also a Baptist...
- Whose Prayer?
All those Fundamentalist Christians who insist we should put prayer back in public schools should consider this. "If the school allows the Baptist or Methodist church to send home a note to its students about Vacation Bible School, it also has to allow...
- Newscientist Bashes Homeschoolers
I really resent NewScientist assumption that all homeschoolers are religious nutcases that teach their children Creationism instead of real Science. New Scientist investigated how home-schooling, with its considerable legal support, is quietly transforming...
Animals
Oh Please!
Teresa Farnan said her suspicions were aroused on the first day of school when her son -- a sophomore honors student required to take Corbett's class for college admission -- asked her whether America was founded on Christian values, which he said his teacher had denied."He had learned in the eighth grade that our country was founded by persecuted Christians," said the mother, who describes her family as nondenominational Christian, "so I sent him to school with a tape recorder."
Too bad Chad Farnan's eighth grade teacher failed to teach him facts, but that is hardly Mr. Corbett's fault. Yes, some persecuted Christians did come to America and set up colonies where they systematically went about persecuting those who believed differently then they did. But many other people also came to America. Explorers and those who hoped to get rich in America came. Prisoners were sent to America (against their will in some instances). America was founded by people of many different backgrounds and beliefs. The Founding Father's seeing what a mess RELIGION had created in Europe wisely decided to separate church and state in America; so everyone would be free to worship as they choose (including the right to NOT worship anyone/anything at all). Considering James Corbett teaches Advanced Placement European history it's hardly surprising that his students would be expected to know that America wasn't founded on Christian values. In fact all the Founding Father's were not Christians.
From Religion and the Founding Fathers
I have examined all the known superstitions of the Word, and I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike, founded on fables and mythology. Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrites; to support roguery and error all over the world ...
The clergy converted the simple teachings of Jesus into an engine for enslaving mankind ... to filch wealth and power to themselves. [They], in fact, constitute the real Anti-Christ.Thomas Jefferson
I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.
Thomas Paine
There is nothing which can better deserve our patronage than the promotion of science and literature. Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness.
George Washington, address to Congress, 8 January, 1790
From the comments of James Corbett's other students it's apparent that they at least understand the place debate and discussion of current events have in a AP History Class, and that the Christian point of view isn't the only point of view that matters.
6. I took AP European History with Dr. Corbett several years ago. An AP course is supposed to be equivalent to a college class, where it is typical for the professor to challenge the student's critical thinking abilities. Often high school students are not mature enough for Dr. Corbett's class, and many of them blame his "bias" instead of their incompetence. Dr. Corbett was one of the best teachers I had in high school, and best prepared me for the challenge of college(both in my thought process, as well as my academic ability). If you want to take a class where you regurgitate conventional nonsense, then take regular history.
Submitted by: dan
6:24 PM PST, December 13, 2007
8. I along with 2/3 of his class passed the test last year and his class, which is much higher than the state average, in part I believe because these discussions made History more interesting. Dr. Corbett is an amazing teacher, who has helped me a great deal in preparation for college and in my future endeavors as a student.
Submitted by: dave part 2
6:07 PM PST, December 13, 2007
9. I am currently a junior at Capistrano Valley. Last year as a sophomore I was enrolled in Dr. Corbett's AP European History class, which was one of the best experiences I have had in my life. These political "rants" Chad is describing are nothing more than thought provoking discussions where the class is invited to talk about current events, not just Christian beliefs. Many people just assume that it takes away from European History and that Corbett is distracting kids away from the ultimate goal of passing the AP exam and his class, while in fact it’s the opposite.
Submitted by: dave part 1
6:07 PM PST, December 13, 2007
12. I had Dr. Corbett as my history teacher several years ago at Capo Valley. I can honestly say that he was the best teacher I have ever had. He talked about current events every morning in class, explained his opinion and encouraged debate with some students. I learned far more about world history and how it shapes the society we live in today in Corbett's class than in any other class I've taken (including college) and it would be a tremendous disservice to the students if he were removed and replaced with another substandard teacher that simply reads the textbook verbatim.
Submitted by: Dan
5:52 PM PST, December 13, 2007
HT O'Donnell Web
- Mr Bounds Could You Scrutinize Public School Teachers Please?
A former Ocean Springs school teacher received a six-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to sexual misconduct with two of his students. Doug Alan Lundy, 35, who taught history at Ocean Springs High School, was sentenced to six years in prison,...
- Evolution Sunday 2007
On 11 February 2007 hundreds of congregations from all portions of the country and a host of denominations will come together to discuss the compatibility of religion and science. For far too long, strident voices, in the name of Christianity, have been...
- Follow Up To Hell In The Classroom
Many of my readers will remember my post in November about Matthew LaClair, who was told he was going to hell by his Christian teacher. Sixteen-year-old junior Matthew LaClair says he was shocked when history teacher David Paszkiewicz, who is also a Baptist...
- Whose Prayer?
All those Fundamentalist Christians who insist we should put prayer back in public schools should consider this. "If the school allows the Baptist or Methodist church to send home a note to its students about Vacation Bible School, it also has to allow...
- Newscientist Bashes Homeschoolers
I really resent NewScientist assumption that all homeschoolers are religious nutcases that teach their children Creationism instead of real Science. New Scientist investigated how home-schooling, with its considerable legal support, is quietly transforming...