In my last editorial about public education, despite the many historic quotes and examples outlining a drift from the moral and religious foundation intended by our founders, I was challenged.

The particular issue was proof for my claim that some public school history classes/textbooks distort facts, particularly with American history, in favor of a secular-progressive viewpoint. Though I can use recent studies to make this point, I want to go back to a seminal work done about 25 years after America ended school prayer and Bible Study in public school (and about a decade after the major liberal social changes of the 60s and 70s). In 1986, the National Institute of Education sponsored a study of liberal bias in American education. Professor Paul C. Vitz of New York University published the results of this study in his book: Censorship: Evidence of Bias in Our Childrens Textbooks (Ann Arbor, Mich.: Servant Books, 1986). What follows are only a small sampling of the secular and liberal bias found in many American public schools.

In a careful nationwide study of 60 elementary school textbooks, the following was noted by Dr. Vitz: In grades 1 through 4 these books introduce the child to U.S. society to family life, community activities, ordinary transactions, and some history. None of the books covering grades 1 to 4 contain one word referring to religious activity in contemporary American life.

Dr. Vitz goes on to write: Some particular examples of the bias against religion are significant. One social studies textbook has 30 pages on the Pilgrims, including the first Thanksgiving. But there is not one word (or image) that referred to religion as even a part of the Pilgrims life. One mother whose son is in a class using this book wrote me to say that he came home and told her that Thanksgiving is when the Pilgrims gave thanks to the Indians. The mother called the principal of this suburban New York High School to point out that Thanksgiving is when the Pilgrims thanked God. The principal responded by saying that was her opinion. The schools could only teach what was in the books!

In Teaching about Thanksgiving, public school children in Seattle, Wash., learned that: The Pilgrims were narrow-minded bigots who survived initially only with the Indians help, but turned on them when their help wasnt needed anymore. This booklet, propounded by school authorities, claimed that Increase Mather preached a 1623 sermon and gave special thanks to God for the plague of smallpox which has wiped out the majority of the Wampanoag Indians, praising God for destroying chiefly young men and children. Of historic fact, Increase Mather was not born until 1639!!!!!

Beyond Dr. Vitz report, another finding from the mid-80s makes the point: The widely used teachers guide to the history textbook Triumph of the American Nation omits critical material from one of the most important American documents. The authors removed most references to God or Jesus Christ from the Mayflower Compact in trying to convince students of the secular nature of American history. In fact, the purpose of the Pilgrims journey to America and purpose of the Mayflower compact are stated clearly at the beginning of the compact: FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. That most critical line in the Mayflower Compact, among other similar lines, was censored.

I could go on with other more recent studies but just dont have the time or space. I want to end with this quote from Americas Christian History by Gary DeMar. It sums up what I have written about the changes in public education and the why its important to recapture our past: The most widely used textbook series in public schools from 1836 to 1920 were William Holmes McGuffeys Eclectic Readers. More than 120 million Readers were sold during this period. The Readers stressed religion and its relationship to morality without protests from courts that the use of religious material in schools was somehow constitutionally objectionable. Our public education began a drift away from religious and moral values many years ago and the results are evident.

I want to make a note: I am a product of public education and again reiterate that most public school educators are not out to intentionally turn children away from biblical teachings. Much lies with questionable Supreme Court constitutional jurisprudence and what some national level secular-progressives push at the state/local level. Many schools, particularly in South Carolina, have not yet gone off the deep end by forcing even elementary children to buy into secular-progressive ideals like homosexual family arrangements (I should mention an interesting statistic: 30 percent of public school teachers send their children to private school). I feel passionately about families who feel stuck in some public schools due to financial concerns. In particular, I empathize with some parents who know their biblical teachings are being undermined and discipline is virtually non-existent, yet they cannot pay for most private schools.

Therefore, I have decided to take all the profits from a book I have just written (Articles from War, about my experiences in Afghanistan and due out in late August) and put that money into low-tuition Christian private schools. I will start with Orangeburg Christian Academy to jump start the purchase of land and construction of a new facility and then divert to another school offering low-tuition Christian education. I want all parents to have the choice and help bring public education back to its roots. God Bless America ...

Attorney Bill Connor of Orangeburg is a regular contributor to The Times and Democrat editorial page.

You must be logged in to comment.