I agree that much more guidance is needed (along the lines suggested in the
consensus guidelines we issued in 2000 -- The Bible and Public Schools: A
First Amendment Guide http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/about.aspx?id=6261.
What puzzles me, however, is why the State Board fails to mention
Ed writes about teaching about the Bible (as an optional elective) in public
schools, the result is going to be very ugly and very expensive.
Yet leading cultural indicators show that since 1960 in America, violent crime
has increased by 560 percent, illegitimate birth rates have increased
Yet leading cultural indicators show that since 1960 in America, violent crime
has increased by 560 percent, illegitimate birth rates have increased more than
400 percent, teen suicide is up over 200 percent, the divorce rate has more
than doubled, and the percentage of families headed by a
Folks: Just a quick plug from the list custodian for maximum
accuracy. If you want to cite a statistic, please check it and cite the
source (plus see whether the big picture is more complex than you
describe). For instance, a quick visit to the Bureau of Justice
Statistics site
One could argue that this is a classic example of the post hoc ergo propter hoc
fallacy, if of course, one were inclined to make such arguments.
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Volokh, Eugene
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 5:09 PM
To:
OK, my source was a little old, Bill Bennett, 1994 Index of Leading Cultural
Indicators, reprinted in Wall Street Journal article here:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/usadecline.html
I think his typographical error (560%) was actually 460% rise in violent crime,
according to the
This list is for discussion of the legal and constitutional issues, not for
the imagined social consequences. I'm afraid you'll have to peddle the myth
that the country went to hell when we kicked God out of schools to a
different (perhaps less educated) audience.
Ed Brayton
From: [EMAIL
