How to Bring Sanity and Morality Back Into Our Schools

Yesterday, I made the seemingly outlandish suggestion that we should institute mandatory classes on ethics and morality in our public schools. Critics are sure to fire back, claiming it would be a violation of the separation of church and state, a phrase not found in the U.S. Constitution or any of our other founding documents.

Naysayers will also likely claim that such a measure would contradict the Establishment Clause contained in the First Amendment. Wrong again. The First Amendment simply states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” Sorry to disappoint atheists, agnostics, and Satan worshippers, but simply teaching the fundamental moral principles contained in the Bible does not establish a religion and therefore, it does not violate that clause.

Maybe it’s time for a little refresher course in U.S. History…

In 18th century England, in order to serve in Parliament, a person had to be a member of the Church of England. And so, it was only natural that when the colonists in America began to set up provincial governments, some of them followed England’s example. For instance, in Virginia, a person had to be a member of the Anglican Church in order to serve in the House of Burgesses.

Some forward-thinking founders disagreed with such a requirement and so, the First Amendment was included in the Bill of Rights to ensure that members of other denominations could serve in the newly established federal government. In other words, Anglicans weren’t the only ones permitted to serve in Congress. Instead, Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists, and Presbyterians were equally qualified. So were Catholics, Jews, and Muslims. And yes, so were the aforementioned atheists, agnostics, and Satan worshippers.

That being said, our Founding Fathers wanted to promote one religious faith above all others and that was the Christian faith. There is no other explanation for why they allowed the largest church in the United States to meet on federal property in the Capitol rotunda… with Thomas Jefferson in attendance, no less. Nor is there any other rationale for why they hired a chaplain for the Senate and one for the House and insisted that every session be opened in prayer.

Most tellingly, virtually every public school in America used the Bible as its primary textbook for more than 200 years. Not only that, but most of the Ivy League colleges were founded as seminaries. Harvard, which was established by the Puritans in 1636, adopted the following mission statement six years later: “Everyone shall consider as the main end of his life and studies, to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life. John 17:3.” Eight years after that, Harvard adopted “In Christi Gloriam” (For the glory of Christ) as its official motto.

It's no wonder that Noah Webster, known as the “schoolmaster of the republic,” said that “education is useless without the Bible."

OK, back to the present. How can displaying the Ten Commandments, let alone teaching the principles behind each one, do anything but benefit today’s public school students? Let’s take them one at a time and prove it.

The first two commandments deal with God’s existence and how we should revere Him. Since the 1920s, our public schools have been teaching that creation was a cosmic accident, not an intentional act by an all-loving and all-powerful God. The natural byproduct of such nonsense is that students today have little respect for authority. Start teaching them that God exists, that He has established what is acceptable behavior and what is not, and that He rewards good deeds while punishing bad ones, and I think we will see a change in both attitudes and actions.

Speaking of good and bad behavior, the third commandment simply states that God’s name should not be used casually or as profanity. Wouldn’t we all like to hear less cursing, not only in schools but also throughout society as well?

The fourth commandment reinforces the importance of living a well-balanced life. God created us, so He knows what makes us tick… as well as what makes us sick. He expects us to work hard so we don’t have to depend on others (especially the government) for our sustenance, but He also recognizes our need for some “down time.”

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you,” is how the fifth commandment reads. I’ll bet there isn’t a parent in America – or a teacher or a school administrator, for that matter – who wouldn’t like young people to show them more respect.

The next three commandments are no brainers, simply reinforcing some of the general rules of a civilized society. Murder and theft are rampant these days, in part due to a lack of respect for other people, their lives, and their property. Maybe if we began teaching students that all life is precious… starting at the moment of conception… we would have fewer homicides and less looting.

As for adultery, let me just say that out-of-wedlock birth is the leading predictor of future incarceration and lifelong poverty. The nuclear family is the cornerstone of America and commitment to one’s spouse is the cornerstone of the nuclear family.

Bearing false witness (i.e. lying) is w-r-o-n-g in school and out. So is coveting someone else’s property or belongings, which leads to robbery; and coveting someone else’s spouse, which leads to adultery, divorce, broken homes, and dysfunctional families.

OK, Dale, you’ve made your point. I’ll sign off on the Ten Commandments and some of the other Old Testament teachings, just don’t bring that Jesus fellow into the equation.

Let me respond to that logic by sharing a brief passage from the Gospel of Matthew. “One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Love God… love others… love yourself. How can anyone argue with that?