Seeking High Ground in the School Wars

Learn more about The Village Square’s God Squad and listen to past programs here: https://tlh.villagesquare.us/events/god-squad/

In a culturally, religiously and racially diverse society like ours — with a single public school system designed to educate America’s children — maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that the culture wars have Officially Hit Our Schools. When you clear away the noise, at the core of the struggle is this: what should our schools teach our children—and who decides? How can America’s pluralistic ethics find a true home in our schools?

Long ago, we took religious education out of public schools, but conservative parents are now seeing an identity-based moral worldview on the rise in the classroom—one that conflicts with lessons they want their children taught. Liberal parents watch aghast as history is whitewashed, books are banned and teachers are asked to do a job that seems increasingly impossible. Each side in this schoolhouse brawl is acting badly—with alternating anger and contempt—modeling behavior we can hardly think is good for our children to watch. And if we can’t get it together, it will be our children who lose the most. 

Joining us for this God Squad are Father Tim Holeda of St. Thomas More Co-Cathedral, Joseph Davis Jr. of Truth Gatherers Community Church, and Betsy Ouellette Zierden former Pastor at Good Samaritan UMC, Gary Shultz of First Baptist Church, Latricia Scriven of Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church, and Stefanie Posner of Temple Israel.