WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:03.680 Do you think you know enough about God? Oh well, 2 00:00:03.879 --> 00:00:07.040 if you're a kid going to elementary school in Texas, 3 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:10.000 you might get your fill in public school. We have 4 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:12.279 a ja to fill us in on this what you 5 00:00:12.359 --> 00:00:13.039 got for us? 6 00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:16.559 You know, we have covered several stories here on a 7 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:22.399 nonprofit about states attempting to pass legislation that requires public 8 00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:26.640 schools to display some sort of Christian doctrine in the classrooms. 9 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:30.320 But Texas is ready to take it one step further. 10 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:34.880 Earlier this year, Texas passed law that allows the Texas 11 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:39.920 Education Agency TEA to create its own free textbook. So 12 00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:43.600 what did they do? They created the Blue Bonnet Textbook. 13 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:47.799 This is a kindergarten through fifth grade curriculum that includes 14 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.240 biblical teachings and lessons. Unfortunately, there has been an update 15 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:55.520 since dividing of this article and the textbook has been 16 00:00:55.840 --> 00:01:00.600 fully approved. But here's the kicker. Though it is allegedly optional, 17 00:01:01.000 --> 00:01:04.359 there is one caveat. If a school adopts the curriculum, 18 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:08.239 they get money, money, money. The government is using funding 19 00:01:08.439 --> 00:01:12.920 as a dangling character to indoctrinate children. Color me unsurprised. 20 00:01:13.159 --> 00:01:16.519 This is his story from apn us by Nadia Leyton 21 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:18.760 on November nineteen, twenty twenty four. 22 00:01:19.239 --> 00:01:23.359 I know we've seen something similar to this in Florida before, 23 00:01:23.560 --> 00:01:28.920 where they were trying to incentivize teachers going to continued 24 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:32.120 education any getting paid for it, and also for the 25 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:35.319 curriculum to be used in their classrooms. I see this 26 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:39.879 move towards financially incentivizing it, which I do find interesting 27 00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:43.040 considering we're talking about a god that has everything right. 28 00:01:43.959 --> 00:01:47.120 But AJA, going back to you for a moment, what's 29 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:51.680 really wrong with kids learning about things like the Golden 30 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:54.519 Rule or something like that. I mean, isn't that a 31 00:01:54.519 --> 00:01:55.000 good thing? 32 00:01:56.040 --> 00:01:59.400 There's a lot of bad things about it. I me 33 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:03.840 in Texas, So I was really invested in seeing how 34 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:07.400 problematic this curriculum could be. So I looked up the 35 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:10.800 document and I started searching the word Bible. In each 36 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:14.879 one of the units in the kindergarten curriculum, there is 37 00:02:14.919 --> 00:02:18.360 a lesson about the story of the Good Samaritan or 38 00:02:18.360 --> 00:02:21.199 from the Bible. Right, So in this pitia of document, 39 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:26.199 the phrase good Samaritan appears nearly one hundred times in 40 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:31.039 reference to the Biblical story. It even goes as far 41 00:02:31.159 --> 00:02:34.919 in depth as to indicate to teachers how to teach 42 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:38.479 these lessons. And one of the quotes that I found 43 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:42.879 from the book was explain that this story is from 44 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:45.919 the Christian Bible. It is from a very long time ago, 45 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:49.360 and in the Christian Bible it was told by a 46 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:53.560 man named Jesus. In the Christian Bible, Jesus gave many 47 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:56.800 talks like the Sermon on the Mount, and he used 48 00:02:56.840 --> 00:02:59.919 the phrase do unto others as you would have done 49 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:03.120 onto you. The Christian Bible says that Jesus told this 50 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:06.199 story to people from Judaea, which is the region where 51 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:10.199 Jesus himself was from. You did you, guys hear on 52 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:17.159 the panel. Notice in that very quote, the sentence Christian 53 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:22.639 Bible appeared four times. I am just absolutely appalled at 54 00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:27.280 the extent to which this is taken. Is teaching blatant misinformation, 55 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:32.280 is made up history that isn't backed by historical evidence. 56 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:34.879 So it's hugely problematic for me. 57 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:38.199 I'm a little surprised I didn't mention didn't come in 58 00:03:38.360 --> 00:03:41.199 for peace. I came with the sword. I'm pretty sure 59 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:45.879 they'll miss that one. But Scott, going to you, this 60 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:49.520 Christian influence that AJ was talking about, how do you 61 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:52.800 think that plays out to the politics, that are they 62 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:55.879 challenging core principles of the First Amendment with this? So 63 00:03:56.199 --> 00:03:57.800 are they crossing a line in your mind? 64 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.759 Well, I think it's clear that they definitely are crossing 65 00:04:01.800 --> 00:04:04.560 that line. To your point that you were talking about before, 66 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:07.759 you asked about you know, what's the harm in having 67 00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:09.879 a story about the Golden Rule? But it's not just 68 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:12.680 the stories, it's the context that those stories are presented. 69 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:16.720 If we agree that these stories are talking about good things, 70 00:04:16.759 --> 00:04:18.839 then what they're saying is that good things come from 71 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:21.560 the Bible, or good things come from Christianity. Here's where 72 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:24.120 you get these good things, which is clearly not the case. 73 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:26.839 I mean, obviously, you know, the Golden Rule is something 74 00:04:26.839 --> 00:04:30.319 that a lot of people, even non Christians, hold valuable, 75 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:32.600 and there are variations of that you know pretty much 76 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:35.720 anywhere you go. However, so is this challenging the core 77 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:38.480 principles of the First Minute? Yes, definitely it is. It's 78 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:42.519 holding one religion above all others. Religious freedom means that 79 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:45.879 you don't have to necessarily read the stories about the 80 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:48.800 Bible all the time. You can talk about other religion 81 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:51.879 as well, or have no religion at all. And so 82 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:55.279 I think the way that the Constitution is being interpreted 83 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:59.480 these days is different. I hesitate to say that it's unconstitutional, 84 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:02.680 because technically the Supreme Court is there to tell us 85 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:05.920 what's constitutional and what's not. Their job is to interpret 86 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:09.240 the Constitution. So at the very least, though the constitutional 87 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:13.040 message or the constitutional core is kind of drifting, is 88 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:16.040 drifting here, and so we're definitely seeing a change here. 89 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:18.959 I will say that it goes against what the Constitution 90 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:21.519 used to be interpreted to say, and that is that 91 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:24.360 things like this have to fulfill a secular purpose. They 92 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:27.519 have to not promote a particular religion over other religions, 93 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:30.519 that kind of thing, And so I think we're seeing definitely. 94 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:33.040 I don't know how you could get a more direct 95 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:35.839 attack on that aspect of the First Amendment. I only 96 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:38.560 wish that as much attention we're paid to the First 97 00:05:38.600 --> 00:05:42.199 Amendment as is to the Second Amendment by many of 98 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:42.800 these people. 99 00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:44.680 And so it's very frustrating. 100 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:46.480 And you know, the sad thing is, I think we're 101 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:47.839 going to have to it's going to have to get 102 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:51.000 much worse before things get any better, and so it's 103 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:52.560 going to it's going to be a bumpy ride. 104 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:56.120 Well, obviously you're right about the reality it's Supreme Court 105 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:57.959 is going to make that decision, and the fact that 106 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:00.879 this law exists is a good end that at least 107 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:04.319 some people in Texas think there's a possibility that they 108 00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:07.399 have a Supreme Court that's receptive to this type of thinking. Now, 109 00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:10.839 I wish I disagreed with you, but like you, I'm 110 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:13.600 not so sure that they're not right about this. But 111 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:16.639 you mentioned also the Golden Rule and it being something 112 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:19.759 that we can find in other religions, even older religions, 113 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:22.759 And I think it's very telling, as Aj brought out, 114 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:26.600 that they're branding it with the Bible says, the Bible says, 115 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:29.240 the Bible says. And there's a reason for that, because 116 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:31.439 if they were trying to teach some type of religion 117 00:06:31.720 --> 00:06:34.319 they start world religions, that's one thing, but that's not 118 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:37.519 what they're doing. They're branding a certain religion and selling 119 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:41.199 it to kids. Right now, Steven, about that selling the kids. 120 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:46.079 Like I'm not a German historian, but like mindcom talks 121 00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:48.959 about like loving your country and being really patriotic, and 122 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:51.040 those are really good things, right, Like shouldn't we also 123 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:55.480 be like introducing mind coomp coloring bookstart fucking students. Wouldn't 124 00:06:55.480 --> 00:06:57.360 that be a great idea? How much longer until we 125 00:06:57.399 --> 00:06:57.879 get onto that? 126 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:00.560 Give it time, Give it time, don't don't. 127 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:03.519 Give them suggestion, Stephen, I know you're lucky enough to 128 00:07:03.560 --> 00:07:07.519 live in the United States, but damn but, Stephen, how 129 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:10.920 do you think this incorporating religious teachings into public education? 130 00:07:11.160 --> 00:07:14.279 How do you think that undermines fat and based learning 131 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:15.199 and critical thinking. 132 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:19.319 It definitely dilutes it. And it also is an attack 133 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:22.079 on the trust of educators, the fact that they can 134 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:25.040 be like the fact that they aren't even saying that 135 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:28.480 this is a belief system that it's believed that a 136 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:32.399 guy named Jesus was the one who said this thing. 137 00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:34.360 It's just the fact that this came from the Bible 138 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:36.199 and this is a fact. And this, like the fact 139 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:39.759 that it is just completely dilutes any kind of evidence 140 00:07:39.800 --> 00:07:42.279 based learning that we want to be instilling in our 141 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:45.319 kids in favor for what in favor for for dogma 142 00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:50.360 about a system and outdated, you know, bronze age myth 143 00:07:50.439 --> 00:07:53.720 based system that just happens to benefit power systems like it. 144 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:58.720 It completely confuses, it should confuse the children about what 145 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:03.680 is a reliable information and what is just propaganda, and unfortunately, 146 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:06.839 these children are being robbed of the opportunity to think 147 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:09.920 critically about what they should and shouldn't be swallowing because 148 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:12.480 the same people who they trust to teach them that 149 00:08:12.600 --> 00:08:15.399 one plus two equals three and that C A T 150 00:08:15.639 --> 00:08:18.519 spells could act to is also the people who are 151 00:08:18.519 --> 00:08:21.199 telling them that these myths are real and that magic 152 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:23.879 is real and that shouldn't have a place in their life. 153 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:26.160 And I'm sorry, when it comes to protecting children, I 154 00:08:26.199 --> 00:08:28.319 get a little bit fired up. I'm not too sure 155 00:08:28.360 --> 00:08:31.839 if you can tell so. Stories like this are especially 156 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:34.799 troubling to me because we as a society need to 157 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:38.159 be protecting the next generation and not hobbling them with 158 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:40.039 stories as myth dressed up as fact. 159 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:42.639 You're here, that was a righteous fire. By the way, Stephen, 160 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:43.679 that was a righteous fire. 161 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:46.360 One thing I have to say is that you're you're 162 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:49.360 absolutely right about the fact that when you mix in 163 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:53.679 this myth along with facts and reality, you weaken the 164 00:08:53.799 --> 00:08:56.559 education that that child's getting. And if you tell them 165 00:08:56.879 --> 00:09:00.559 factionally correct things just by watering it down with honesty, 166 00:09:00.759 --> 00:09:04.480 you make everything suspect. And you also are literally taking 167 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:07.480 away time where children could be learning things that are 168 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:10.759 viable where they could be growing. Instead, they're learning as 169 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:12.840 you put about bronze as myths. 170 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:15.600 You know, it's a very it's a very biblical stance 171 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:20.519 to prioritize the Bible and Christianity over the education of 172 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:21.039 the children. 173 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:23.399 I mean, that's there's a shifting of the priority there. 174 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:25.720 The goal then of the of the school becomes not 175 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:30.799 to produce thoughtful, knowledgeable children ready to take on the 176 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:31.759 world's problems. 177 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:33.399 It teaches them to be Christians. 178 00:09:33.399 --> 00:09:33.559 You know. 179 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:37.240 It's goal oriented rather than process oriented, and that's just 180 00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:40.440 a recipe for trouble and it's frustrating. 181 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:42.679 You know. I bring this up a lot that you know, 182 00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:47.320 if you teach kids that that Jesus welcome water and 183 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:49.840 that we need to drink water to survive in the 184 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:53.240 same level of factualness, then kids are not going to 185 00:09:53.240 --> 00:09:56.120 be able to distinguish fact from fiction, right. 186 00:09:56.759 --> 00:09:59.240 Studies show that to be the case too. Studies show 187 00:09:59.240 --> 00:09:59.960 that to be the case. 188 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:03.960 Yes, it does now ont you aj though? What do 189 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:06.559 you think this promise of extra funding you mentioned for 190 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:09.559 adopting this religious curriculum, what does that say about the 191 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:11.720 influence of money and education in general? 192 00:10:12.200 --> 00:10:16.080 You really bothers me. But this, aside from the obvious 193 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:20.200 violation of separation of church and state, that they're teaching 194 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:24.480 myths as facts and showing Christianity and now thoughts, what 195 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:27.080 bugs me is the fact that this is claimed to 196 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:32.360 be an optional curriculum and it's not mandatory yet, but 197 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:35.919 at the same time, schools that adopt the curriculum are 198 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:39.320 going to receive extra funds. It's this good old paid 199 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:42.559 and switch that Christians seem to love so much. Oh 200 00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:44.720 you want some money, here you go, but you got 201 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:49.000 to indoctrinate the children first. As I mentioned at the 202 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:52.440 beginning of the show, is this dangling carrots for schools 203 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:56.720 that are underfunded. They need the extra cash, and sadly 204 00:10:56.919 --> 00:11:00.759 the targets the most vulnerable and they on the skids. 205 00:11:00.919 --> 00:11:04.519 That's why they focused on kindergarten. 206 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:05.200 Through fifth grade. 207 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:09.200 It's disturbing that when it comes to Christianity, they somehow 208 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:12.840 get to bypast the legislation. And you know, it's meant 209 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:16.519 all these legislations are meant to prevent public schools from 210 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:21.200 promoting or advancing any particular religion, and they get to 211 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:21.799 buy past that. 212 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:26.240 Yeah, I think that also, unfortunately, there's a goal of 213 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:29.759 ruining the educate public education system in this country. I 214 00:11:29.799 --> 00:11:33.120 think that that will help feed their voucher program that 215 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:37.000 they've been promoting everywhere, because as long as schools continue 216 00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:39.080 to I mean, if they've got to pay for Christian 217 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:42.919 education to people, that's more resources that they already don't have. 218 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:45.919 Even if they're getting additional resources far, this is going 219 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:48.120 to take time. This is going to take effort, This 220 00:11:48.200 --> 00:11:50.639 takes away, and I think we'll just further devolve the 221 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:54.039 public education system in general. And I think that's part 222 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:54.519 of the goal. 223 00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:58.440 But you know, they're spinning, Sorry, they're spinning this as 224 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:01.320 we're offering extra money for schools that buy into this. 225 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:03.799 But I have a suspicion, call me a cinec here. 226 00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:05.480 I have a suspicion that it's what it's going to 227 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:08.240 turn into, is that schools that don't adopt it will 228 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:12.720 see their budgets diminish rather than the other schools getting boosted, 229 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:15.360 and it'll be all in under the guise of, you know, 230 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:18.279 we're boosting their budget, and it's really I don't think 231 00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:19.519 it's really going to turn out that way. 232 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:21.480 Sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to slip that in there. 233 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:24.320 But no worries. I remember back in when I was 234 00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:27.159 much younger, when they were raising the drinking ages here 235 00:12:27.159 --> 00:12:29.919 in the United States. Louisiana was one of the last states. 236 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:32.360 And finally what they did is is they tied it 237 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:36.320 into road funding US federal Front road funding, and that's 238 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:38.600 why they finally got Louisiana to raise the rate. And 239 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:40.600 I kind of think that's what they're doing here. It's 240 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:42.799 kind of like, Okay, we're going to put more funding 241 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:45.200 on this side. Right, you don't have to do it, 242 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:47.639 but you're not going to get this. I definitely think 243 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:50.240 that that's part of what you're talking about. But Scott, 244 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:52.720 what do you think that this says about the rise 245 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:56.679 of christian centric policies in public institutions and how is 246 00:12:56.720 --> 00:13:00.200 that going to alienate atheists and non Christians people whoor 247 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:01.120 of other beliefs. 248 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:04.360 Well, I mean, clearly, students come into a public school 249 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:07.879 with influences already in their lives. They have their parents, 250 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:09.799 they have their church, if they belong to a church, 251 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:11.679 they have their community. So they're going to be coming 252 00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:15.559 in already having some ideas along those lines, and the 253 00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:17.759 Christian students they're going to feel right as rain. They're 254 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:19.799 going to feel perfectly comfortable in there. They're going to 255 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:23.159 make a perfect transition from Sunday school to Monday school, 256 00:13:23.320 --> 00:13:24.919 and the stories are going to be the same and 257 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:27.399 it's not going to be a problem. But for children 258 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:31.240 that are of different religions, they're going to see different stories, 259 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:35.360 sometimes conflicting stories, and so this is going to undermine 260 00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:38.919 what they're learning at home and what they're learning at church, which, 261 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:41.279 to be honest, it doesn't really bother me all that 262 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:44.360 much that somebody won't be learning a religious message or 263 00:13:44.360 --> 00:13:46.399 that they'll have a religious message in their life that's 264 00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:49.759 being undermined. But you know, those families have a right 265 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:51.960 to raise their children the way they want to, and 266 00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:53.840 if they want to raise them in a religion that's 267 00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:56.279 outside of Christianity, they should be able to and they 268 00:13:56.279 --> 00:13:59.440 shouldn't have their public school undermining their efforts to do so. 269 00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:03.320 Within reason, of course, and especially atheists. 270 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:06.200 Who don't accept the you know, who don't buy into 271 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:08.919 the religious beliefs at all, their children are going to 272 00:14:08.919 --> 00:14:11.039 be at a disadvantage when they go to those schools. 273 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:13.399 They're not going to be able to address the information. 274 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:17.320 And it's a question of we're just starting to realize 275 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:20.120 the effects that representation has out in the public. We 276 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:24.679 have many different marginalized populations who are fighting for representation 277 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:26.600 in the media and the schools and you know, in 278 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:29.200 every aspect of life. And so what we're seeing is 279 00:14:29.240 --> 00:14:32.799 a pairing down of that representation. And really it's one 280 00:14:32.919 --> 00:14:36.840 step in the process of making everybody Christians. And even 281 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:40.440 the broadest interpretation of the of the Constitution now I 282 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:43.039 think it's it's really silly, and so I think there's 283 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:45.360 an opportunity here that they can't pass up. And so 284 00:14:45.399 --> 00:14:47.519 that's why we're seeing all this coming out, and it's 285 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:51.200 really going to put a rift between Christian families and 286 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:53.919 non Christian families, and that's not the kind of thing 287 00:14:53.960 --> 00:14:56.639 that we need added into the mix here right now. 288 00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:59.399 I completely agree with you, Scott, And you know, as 289 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:03.039 the more read this document, the more shocked I was 290 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:08.559 at how deeply inductrinating it is. Like another example I 291 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:11.720 can give was in the fifth grade reading unit, they 292 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:15.639 were discussing artists of the Renaissance period, and the lesson 293 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:19.120 began by naming da Vinci right, and it was mentioned 294 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:22.399 in that one of his greatest paintings was the Last Supper, 295 00:15:22.600 --> 00:15:26.039 but it wasn't just mentioned in the painting like it 296 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:29.519 turned into a whole Bible study, I can you know. 297 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:32.759 It was indicated that in order to understand the painting, 298 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:37.360 one must understand the story of Jesus' last Meal. So 299 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:41.200 it went on a two page in the description of 300 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:46.879 the biblical story the Disciples God, how Jesus predicted his 301 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:51.200 betrayal during the Last Meal. It was, without doubt, a 302 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:55.440 Bible lesson, and the world then was presented as fact, 303 00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:59.080 not as myth. There was nowhere that clarified that this 304 00:15:59.279 --> 00:15:59.919 was not true. 305 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:03.279 Well, of course, because we all know that Jesus had 306 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:05.799 a last Supper, and well, you know, the truth is 307 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:08.799 a thing that I've always wanted to know is who 308 00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:12.120 is that favorite disciple of his that was leaning up 309 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:15.879 and lay up on his chest during the Last Supper. 310 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:17.240 That's who I want to know. 311 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:18.000 Who is that? 312 00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:20.679 No Christians never want to talk about him. 313 00:16:20.919 --> 00:16:22.200 That's the elated version. 314 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:31.960 They should let me teach Sunday school and schools. Daryl, Now, Stephen, 315 00:16:32.120 --> 00:16:35.120 this strategy. Do you see this blending of education and 316 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:39.759 religion serving just to reinforce existing power dynamics and discouraging 317 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:40.799 critical thinking. 318 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:46.200 Absolutely absolutely, yeah, Like, I full heartedly believe that this 319 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:49.679 is I think one of the side benefits of a 320 00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:53.960 strategy like this is the creation of scapegoats, so that you'll, 321 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:57.840 once we have the more we're able to clearly delineate 322 00:16:57.879 --> 00:17:01.960 the difference between the good Christians and the heathen non Christians. 323 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:07.720 I think that once society encounters increased hardships from collapsing capitalism, 324 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:11.079 I think the people who have been bought into this, 325 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:14.279 the people who have been on the on the receiving 326 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:17.920 end of perks from the from this crumbling system, they 327 00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:21.920 will need to find a bad guy to pin these 328 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:24.000 crimes on. And I think that, you know, this is 329 00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:26.880 how we create scapegoats that we can you know, we 330 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:29.920 can huddle up and decide who is on the inside, 331 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:32.480 and then it's more clear who is on the outside 332 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:35.079 and who we can point our rage at and who 333 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:38.240 we can blame for the woes that we're facing. All 334 00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:41.519 the while, the people who have been perpetrating the system, 335 00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:44.839 the real criminals behind this, they're behind the scenes, they're 336 00:17:44.920 --> 00:17:47.839 laughing their heads off, they're off on Elon's spaceship to Mars. 337 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:50.200 They're doing whatever the fuck they want because they've got 338 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:51.880 the money, they've got the power, and they've got the 339 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:55.839 stupid people to support them. And meanwhile, it's the disenfranchised, 340 00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:58.079 it's the marginalized people who are going to bear the 341 00:17:58.119 --> 00:18:01.680 brunt of the downfall of whatever it is that is 342 00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:05.440 coming down the pipe for us. So I feel like, absolutely, 343 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:08.240 this is just a matter of controlling the masses and 344 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.519 giving them a common enemy. 345 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:12.440 As a kid, I was raised in a very conservative 346 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:15.000 sect of Christianity, and so there were things that when 347 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:17.000 I went to public schools that I was not allowed 348 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:20.079 to be involved in because they were considered too worldly 349 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:21.519 for the lack of a better way to put it. 350 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:24.039 And I can't help but think now how it's reversed, 351 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:26.160 because I can't help but think that they're going to 352 00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:29.000 be kids who aren't allowed to be involved in this 353 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:32.119 in these classes, and they're going to end up being optionecized. 354 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:34.119 They're going to be the ones sitting in the library, 355 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:36.160 or they're going to be the ones doing the busy 356 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:38.720 work nothing, the ones who didn't get to go to 357 00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:42.440 the field trip or do whatever was fine. And I 358 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.200 think that that in itself is going to cause a 359 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:49.319 negative feeling towards those people who did nothing other than 360 00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:53.000 not be Christian. Are parents who are Christian, even who 361 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:56.759 are smart enough to realize, maybe I don't want somebody 362 00:18:56.799 --> 00:19:01.039 else teaching my kids what version of Christianity I believe. 363 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:03.440 So I think they're just open a whole can of worms. 364 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:05.279 But one thing I wanted to open up to all 365 00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:06.240 of you, and I'm going to start with you. 366 00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:07.200 Aj happen. 367 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:13.000 Communities advocate for educational systems that prioritize inclusivity and critical 368 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:15.759 thinking over this type of religious doctrination. 369 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:18.759 I think the most important thing that people need to 370 00:19:18.839 --> 00:19:21.599 do is to be aware, to keep their eyes open 371 00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:26.119 and stay involved in the local legislative processes. I don't 372 00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:28.799 think a lot of people realize how important it is 373 00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:33.559 to vote in local elections and propositions being passed by 374 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:38.640 the school boards that they're zoned into. And this specific 375 00:19:38.839 --> 00:19:43.559 textbook is so problematic. There were about fifteen out of 376 00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:47.599 sixteen units that had these biblical lessons, even as far 377 00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:50.319 as referring to God as the creator. So if you're 378 00:19:50.359 --> 00:19:53.839 someone of any faith other than Christianity, or if you're 379 00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:57.440 not religious at all, this shouldn't matter to you because 380 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:00.640 the people at the top are working with really hard 381 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:06.119 to infuse Christian nationalism everywhere that they can. This curriculum 382 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:10.480 was approved thanks to that sneaky move by your very 383 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:13.640 own governor, Greg Abbott. What happened was he placed a 384 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:16.519 temporary board member on a seat that was going to 385 00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:20.160 be empty until twenty twenty five, and so the board 386 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:25.480 voted seven eight, meaning that his appointee broke that tie 387 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:31.079 in favor of approving the curriculum. So stay informed, stay involved. 388 00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:33.200 Scott, I would just echo what AJ said. 389 00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:36.319 I mean, yeah, stay informed, stay involved, don't be afraid 390 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:39.640 to speak up, you know, talk to your school's principal, 391 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:43.279 talk to your district superintendent. The downside of this is 392 00:20:43.319 --> 00:20:46.200 that the ability for the public to make a difference 393 00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:49.480 in this is slipping away. You know, as we get 394 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:51.920 further and further into this process, as this kind of 395 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:56.519 thing gets more and more normalized and engraved or you know, 396 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:58.759 kind of pushed into the system, it's going to be 397 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:02.039 harder to fare all of that out. And so yes, 398 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:04.640 it's important to stay active and stay involved, but it's 399 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:07.319 also important to make sure you do that sooner rather 400 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:11.599 than later, and pay attention to how larger election platforms 401 00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:13.839