A quick back story, that may or may not contribute to my issue at hand...my family moved to North Carolina over the summer, which meant new schools for the snot lickers. My 16 year old, Jack, was assigned to a district school per residential zoning. Jack is well above average, but the school wasn't. We told him that if they gave him fluff classes, or if he hated it, we would transfer him to a 'magnet' school. (Magnet schools are high performing college prep schools, in essence.) Well, he hated it. Luckily, the missus had a free moment and had him transferred last Tuesday. That following Friday, a student at the initial school shot a kid during a fire drill.
So much for quick.
The main point-
Now that he is in a magnet school, with strong AP(honors) classes, an assignment has me a bit ruffled. An English class paper is asking him to point out a 'sin', define it, and speak on it's implications...both on the sinner and on society at large. Furthermore, a second paper is to be written as a plea to our city council to address said sin.
. Now, my hackles are up because of the usage of that word, but to fair, there are complications that may make me just a shit stirrer here. For one, this is based on a reading of The Scarlet Letter. As an extension of a literary work, an assignment...college level...may not be damnable like I think. Also, the teacher mentions explaining in any dissertation why the prevailing attitudes towards sin should change. I'm guessing she is attempting a sympathetic stand here between the character of Hester Prynne and real victims?
I'm on a fence here. I'm not willing to let religion just back door itself unopposed into the classroom, yet a bull headed charge of trampled rights doesn't feel right, either. My son doesn't recognize the term 'sin', so my cautious advice to myself is to to suggest the teacher define sin in secular terms...possibly even have her list off examples. Do y'all have further suggestions for me to entertain, or something else to contemplate?
Thanks!
Oh....the reason for the back story? My wife doesn't want me 'rocking the boat'. New student, new school, blah blah. Also, it seems the students from that first 'gun friendly' campus may be looking to jump ship...and she's worried they may have some sway in priority. She, nor I, wants Jack sent back to that shit hole.
(Pardon any errors...my vision is waaaay off ATM.)
So much for quick.
The main point-
Now that he is in a magnet school, with strong AP(honors) classes, an assignment has me a bit ruffled. An English class paper is asking him to point out a 'sin', define it, and speak on it's implications...both on the sinner and on society at large. Furthermore, a second paper is to be written as a plea to our city council to address said sin.
. Now, my hackles are up because of the usage of that word, but to fair, there are complications that may make me just a shit stirrer here. For one, this is based on a reading of The Scarlet Letter. As an extension of a literary work, an assignment...college level...may not be damnable like I think. Also, the teacher mentions explaining in any dissertation why the prevailing attitudes towards sin should change. I'm guessing she is attempting a sympathetic stand here between the character of Hester Prynne and real victims?
I'm on a fence here. I'm not willing to let religion just back door itself unopposed into the classroom, yet a bull headed charge of trampled rights doesn't feel right, either. My son doesn't recognize the term 'sin', so my cautious advice to myself is to to suggest the teacher define sin in secular terms...possibly even have her list off examples. Do y'all have further suggestions for me to entertain, or something else to contemplate?
Thanks!
Oh....the reason for the back story? My wife doesn't want me 'rocking the boat'. New student, new school, blah blah. Also, it seems the students from that first 'gun friendly' campus may be looking to jump ship...and she's worried they may have some sway in priority. She, nor I, wants Jack sent back to that shit hole.
(Pardon any errors...my vision is waaaay off ATM.)
