Ceci wrote on Sep 3, 2007 10:09 PM:Way to go, MVUSD! I wish your staff success, and students enlightenment in their new Biblical Literature and Religous Studies courses, and hope other districts follow your example.

Murrieta Mom wrote on Sep 4, 2007 4:20 AM:Yay! I hope these classes are around when my kids go to Vista!

ACLU wrote on Sep 4, 2007 7:21 AM:These kind of classes do not belong in public school. They belong in private schools. I will have to talk to the Riverside chapter of the ACLU to get rid of these classes.

Judy wrote on Sep 4, 2007 8:13 AM:To ACLU:Your comment sounded quite arrogant. I suspect you are a small person(meaning intellectually)on a power trip. No one is being forced to take these classes. Why don't you do something useful with your life?

Murrieta Mom wrote on Sep 4, 2007 8:48 AM:ACLU - get over it. These are electives - no student HAS to take them. These are no different than comprehensive religious study classes in lower-level colleges, so you'd better be prepared to take on Mount San Jacinto and SDSU as well! What are you afraid of? That kids might learn something other than what the liberal, biased media wants them to learn? That there are other religions and cultures other than the US? You like having ostriches for children? It's rare I can say anything good about our lovely local government in Murrieta - this time, big KUDOS to the school board for not letting a bunch of narrow-minded people once again railroad our school curriculum.

ACLU wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:13 AM:Get a life. Really. While I certainly do not approve of government establishment of religion, these classes in no way violate the US Consititution. The courses ask the students to look at religious writings that have a great deal of influence on other forms of literature. In fact, the California State Standards for Language Arts asks students to compare different mythological forms and characters and then see how they impact other literary forms. If each class begins with a teacher led prayer, then you have a case, but these are literature classes and should be supported in our schools.

To ACLU wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:17 AM:You are obviously not a liberal nor an advocate of the ACLU or liberty. [Those] on this page want to believe that the ACLU is some crazed communist organization - see murrieta mom for instance- and ... you perpetuate this image. These classes are electives and clearly within the realm of academia. This non-religious, liberal believes this is a perfectly legitimate use of taxpayer funds.

To aclu wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:21 AM:this is not a religious class only a class on religion...there's a difference.

Modern wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:26 AM:ACLU is partially correct. Because requiring public school students to take a course on the Bible violates the constitutional separation of church and state. Students in public schools cannot be compelled to study the holy scriptures of any one faith, even if it is done for supposedly academic purposes. With that said, these are elective courses and it falls into the category of Art, Home Ec etc... So this is alright in my book.

quinnie wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:45 AM:i sat in on similar classes with my daughter. i love to volunteer and take part in her education but i also wanted to see if he teacher was going to trivialize any religion that wasn't her own. I was surprised at the respect that was given to other religions. The agnostic, self realization and athiest sides should also be represented as well. I do worry that a personal agenda would be pushed esp with the more evangelist types out there. my only complaint about the whole thing? The kids weren't empowered enough to ask their own questions.

WVJ wrote on Sep 4, 2007 10:24 AM:God bless them all, even ACLU. Your path is wide and you will soon find that out. Kids should know thier choices. I searched for mine and thank God, I found Him.

To To ACLU wrote on Sep 4, 2007 12:29 PM:You are all correct. Stop the classes. Why in the world would we want anyone to learn moral guidance. Why would we want them to learn the concepts of the 10 Commandments? After all isn't the world a better place since the ACLU started running things? They should be proud especially of their support of NAMBLA.

To All wrote on Sep 4, 2007 12:42 PM:The more they (ACLU) take GOD out of schools and other institutions, the more shootings will happen, drug use,under age sex, and all sorts of corrosion, will continue to take place. I did not have a problem pledging allegiance to the flag or seeing the 10 commandments in offices, or lookinf through biblical books at the doctors office. Now public schools are ridiculous with all the sex and drugs and R.Roll, Ipods, texting and more. The ACLU and others like them, have been destroying this country from within.

to 12:29 wrote on Sep 4, 2007 1:32 PM:Are you sure you read the whole article, and not just the headline?

ACLU wrote on Sep 4, 2007 1:39 PM:The ACLU Defends the individual right of Americans of all religions to practice and/or display affirmations of their faith in public, but not on public property with government sponsorship or endorsement.

Abigail wrote on Sep 4, 2007 2:08 PM:To All 12:42PM- I'm sorry but those same arguements have been made since the 50's and for the most part I think everybody turned out just fine thank you very much.

Too bad, ACLU wrote on Sep 4, 2007 3:24 PM:From the ACLU's web site: "The history of religion, comparative religion, the Bible (or other scripture)-as-literature (either as a separate course or within some other existing course), are all permissible public school subjects. It is both permissible and desirable to teach objectively about the role of religion in the history of the United States and other countries. One can teach that the Pilgrims came to this country with a particular religious vision, that Catholics and others have been subject to persecution or that many of those participating in the abolitionist, women's suffrage and civil rights movements had religious motivations." ...

Morality wrote on Sep 4, 2007 3:28 PM:It seems all those professing to be such good Christians (Bush, Craig, Haggert etc.) all have no morality and lie lie lie. I'd rather not have my children learn their religion. Keep church at church that is why we have churches, synagoges and mosques.

Church Vs School wrote on Sep 4, 2007 3:39 PM:Why are there churches, mosques, synagoges? So that is were you learn religious studies not in a state school. Keep it separate.

To Abi wrote on Sep 4, 2007 4:13 PM:Everybody did not turn out just fine, you're welcome very much! Where do you live, the Shire?

To morality wrote on Sep 4, 2007 4:48 PM:And I'm sure that all atheists are murderrers and sickoes. No not ALL those professing to be good Christians are, but I sure do know a whole bunch of them that are, and I'm glad my kids are friends with their kids. Clinton also professed to be a good Christian remember?

RR wrote on Sep 4, 2007 7:36 PM:Keep church in church. This curriculum can just be taught along side other fairy tales. If you believe in god or the bible you really need a reality check...

To Quinnie wrote on Sep 4, 2007 8:35 PM:Your daughter is one lucky kid to have a mom who takes such an active interest in her education. Kudos to you. If these classes are teaching students to be tolerant of other religions and cultures not their own, and are broadening their horizons, then I'm all for them. I don't mind my tax dollars being used for such classes so long as they are being taught objectively with no personal agendas involved on the part of the instructors.

To: ACLU wrote on Sep 4, 2007 8:42 PM:ACLU... You say, "I will have to talk to the Riverside chapter of the ACLU to get rid of these classes." But do NOTHING about Muslim prayer in San Diego schools??...

??? wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:24 PM:Keep it at church. Nothing worse than someone wacked out on religion than think they are better. Yeah, right!!!

TO ALL wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:30 PM:That is usually when they do find religion. After the crime, sex, and drugs. Not before!!! LOL

Yes, wrote on Sep 4, 2007 11:13 PM:Teach them intolerance and hate. That is the american way. So what?

quinnie wrote on Sep 5, 2007 10:28 AM: thanks for your kind words. even tho i am a dad(and not the only one who sits in at the school!) it sure makes things a lot easier at home with a tween the more stuff we can relate to. she is very interested in all kinds of faiths and religions and we learn from each other. more parents should spend time with their kids in school. maybe if more folks took a vacation day once a month to sit in with their kids for a few hours there'd be less of a generation gap. when my kid talks about her friends and her enemies(staff and peer wise) i know who they are and can relate. as far as tax dollars go, i'd rather it be spent on education that *includes* tolerance and understanding, that the judeo christian concept of life and faith is just one small drop in a very big sea. because of the area we live in and the socio-political climate of "god bless americans", my kid gets just as much grief for not being a card-carrying, NOTW-wearing strip mall christian as she does for any other of those prejudice and mean spirited things that kids get picked on for. after 4-5 years of this I'm sure many kids from other walks of life are getting pretty fed up. Honestly i think the ACLU would fight to protect these classes as long at they were elective and "ACLU" the poster is a troll.

CR wrote on Sep 5, 2007 1:45 PM:To ACLU--you sound like a true card-carrying member. The real ACLU would never defend the Bible or anything Christian, instead their true goal is to remove anything Christian from this country. Sure, they will defend any OTHER religion to the hilt, just NOT Christianity. The U.S. would be a better place if the ACLU was removed from the country. They would fit in better in the former Soviet Union!

If wrote on Sep 5, 2007 5:18 PM:If the Christians would let us all learn about other religions but they all feel it is their religion or none at all. Don't push your religion on me. Keep it at your church.

ACLU wrote on Sep 5, 2007 8:42 PM:The ACLU believes that the religious education of children should be directed primarily by parents, families, and religious communities - and not the public schools.

To Quinnie wrote on Sep 6, 2007 12:38 AM:My apologies for assuming you to be your daughter's mother. Shame on me. I was blessed to have lived my first ten years in a racially mixed bedroom community of LA. My best friend was from Sri Lanka and my mom was our school librarian. I recall only being taught to respect different cultures and religious beliefs, and my curiosity led me to explore them. One of my favorite quotes by Helen Keller is, "The highest result of education is tolerance." Keep up the good work, Quinnie. I commend your efforts.

to aclu wrote on Sep 6, 2007 1:24 AM:The ACLU is an atheist "Taliban" of the USA raging to and fro over the land trying to destroy the Christian symbols, faith and practice. They actively want to raise a next generation to be all atheists, by not allowing mention of god in schools. They must not be allowed to succed.

Observer_1 wrote on Sep 6, 2007 2:03 AM:Bible as Literature courses have won court fights all over the country. The ALCU tries to scare school districts and city councils with lawsuits and scare them into surrender. Children, who grow up with no knowledge of the Bible and the many valuable lessons about life that taught therein, are lacking an essential portion of the history of western civilization. Thanks to the American Center of Law and Justice, The Alliance Defense Fund, and several other Christian legal groups the ALCU is frequently defeated in court. However the ALCU is a huge organization with a huge amount of funding so much more needs to be done to protect our Christian faith and practice. That is a lot different from a course where the teacher tries to get the children to make a profession of faith to accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior.

Observer_1 wrote on Sep 6, 2007 2:16 AM:I just looked back at the article again. It says the course is called “Bible in Literature”. That says “in” literature. I misread it to be "The Bible AS Literature" which I think would be more intensely looking at a potion of the bible for its literary content. That was already approved by the Supreme Court. The Bible IN Literature is even milder which means they are looking through other mostly secular literature for references to the Bible and Bible characters. There are thousands of such references. Then presumably they are to find the Bible context and perhaps write a paragraph or so about what was meant in the context of the other literature by statements such as “the wisdom of Solomon”, The “patience of Job”, “David and Goliath” Sampson and Delilah, “the treachery of…”. “the love of…” and hundreds more. Incidently in my first year English course in public college we could choose some subject to write paper from a list. I asked if were OK to write a paper explaining the answer to what appears to be some contradictions in a parts of the Bible, and was given the OK.

Observer_1 wrote on Sep 6, 2007 2:35 AM:To several writers that think this would be a violation of the separation of church and state: Facts: IN 1812 the Washington DC school board formally adapted the Bible and a hymnal as required textbooks for the public school. So for about 150 years it was OK. Then some weird Supreme Court decisions changed that. Sept 22, 1789 Congress approved routine payments for Senate and house Chaplains. Congress voted to hold regular public church services with hymn singing, prayer, and preaching in the halls of Congress from just before Thomas Jefferson became president, and for over 50 years afterward. TJ attended worship service there almost every Sunday for years. So much for saying it is unconstitutional to teach the Bible on public property.

Bible is history, literature wrote on Sep 6, 2007 2:48 AM:I don't know how anyone could interpret religious symbolism in literature without at least knowing something about religion. This is not religious instruction, it is a class about world religions. Get over it ACLU. You are supposed to protect civil liberties, not CENSOR them.

To ACLU wrote on Sep 8, 2007 9:43 AM:The ACLU has become a thorn and needs to end. Has anyone looked up the ACLU website lately? Check out the background of the current President of the ACLU. American should be taken out of their name.

Amanda wrote on Sep 12, 2007 8:38 AM:It honestly doesn't matter if the classes are online. I mean if people want to look at it then they can. But it's always just there choice. I mean if people don't want to look at it then they don't have too. But if it's on the internet it's not like people are just going to randomly look it up. If people don't believe in what this is saying. Then they shouldn't check it out. So I think it's a good Idea for you to be doing this. I would just like to say thank you and have a nice day. [=

A student wrote on Sep 14, 2007 8:52 PM:I am a student in Mr. Garrity's 5th period Religions class. He is an amazing teacher and he teaches the class not only with facts about each religion and culture, but he actually goes in depth of each one in a way that we will all understand and analyze fairly quickly. He makes the class very fun at the same time. I am always looking forward to 5th period to go to my most favorite class. It is the most interesting class and I am so sad about it being only for one semester. Mr. Garrity is the best!!!!

Zerlina wrote on Oct 11, 2007 1:17 PM:I am also a student in the Study of World religions class. I have a question to those who oppose the classes: Have you gone to see what its all about? Or are you basing what you say over what you think, instead of what is fact? In class, we are given what I consider a fair view of diffrent world religions. If you have doubts about the class, contact Mr. Garrity. He would be happy to answer questions and put any fears to rest. Until then, please dont judge what you dont know. This is a purely elective class - students only take it if they are interested. They are not forced to.'