This causes to arise in my mind the reoccurring thought, one that I constantly work to dispel, that democracy is not going to work. That all should have the right to express their opinions and have them considered in the decision making process of a democratic society is basic to the democratic principle. Even fools must be heard. But what is to come of a society without the proper filters for separating foolishness from the meaningful and true? It seems that this is what we have now and it is leading to decisions that are not the best and, too often, not even decent or good. Is it our current state of existence to have reached a point where fools can rule and, in ruling, change the rules so that it is now that good sense has little chance of winning the day?
“Under a bill passed by the Florida Legislature this year, any district resident — regardless of whether they have a child in school — can now challenge material as pornographic, biased, inaccurate or a violation of state law and get a hearing before an outside mediator.”
This would not be a problem IF we could trust that a proper discussion of the issues would transpire and what is foolish would be rejected and what is sensible maintained. Should we trust still that this is what will occur?
“The Florida Citizens’ Alliance, a conservative group, pushed for the change, arguing that many districts ignored challenges or heard them with stacked committees, and didn’t consider residents who don’t have children in the schools. Members say boards rejected complaints over sexually explicit novels like Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eyes” being issued to middle school students. They also don’t believe evolution and global warming should be taught without students hearing counterarguments.
Keith Flaugh, a managing director of the alliance, said schools are using pornographic materials and textbooks that “totally distort our founding values and principles. They are teaching our kids socialism versus free markets. They are teaching our kids that the government is our nanny, the government is supposed to protect them.” He also said children receive a biased presentation against freedom of religion and gun rights.”
While sensible people may understand that what Mr. Flaugh and his ilk desire is not sensible, it does seem to me that there just might be so many like him as to make it more than possible that what students will learn in school will insure more who “think” like him and fewer who are able, because of the “education” they have received, to think well enough to reject the foolish perspective and seek out the informed and sensible one.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A parent in Florida is citing profanity and violence in trying to get the local school to ban Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” — itself a caution
APNEWS.COM
