In Which the Post-Gazette Gets in Front of Me

IB:

The elimination of the International Baccalaureate program in Upper St. Clair is the latest in a series of similar attacks against the program alleging that its curriculum is contrary to American values.

In recent years, the school program, which was developed by a 68-year-old organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, has faced at least nine other challenges based on similar arguments.

[...]

Critics of the International Baccalaureate program in those nine districts all used "similar language and similar underlying reasoning," said Paul Campbell, director of outreach at the U.S. regional International Baccalaureate office in New York. The critics can be found at conservative Web sites, including www.edwatch.org.

Well, over at "EdWatch" they don't much like education:

AMERICAN HERITAGE:

• Whereas: The Preamble of the Minnesota Constitution gives God thanks for our Religious and Civil Liberties; and

• Whereas: Religion played a major role in the lives of Americaís founders; the founding of our Nation and state; and

• Whereas: Students are losing a knowledge of the importance of religion due to the censorship of our religious heritage and our founders expressions, documents, and proclamations from current curriculum; and

• Whereas: The 2005 legislature passed the American Heritage Education Act, which encourages the  teaching of, and discourages the censorship of, Americaís religious heritage; and protects teachers from threat of lawsuit should they include original sources supportive of our religious heritage;

Therefore, be it resolved that we support and encourage school districts and teachers to include original sources showing the important role of religion in our Nationís founding while teaching history. [sic]

"EdWatch's" mission statement:

EdWatch is committed to educating the public about the unprecedented movement of the U.S. workforce, the U.S. economy and the entire educational system toward a centrally planned and controlled federal system.

EdWatch is working with business leaders to alert them to the undermining of America's free market economy and constitutional freedoms by the restructuring of education and the workforce.

EdWatch is working with parents toward a broad, knowledge-based education that meets the objectives of parents, schools, school boards and businesses.

Curiouser and curiouser...


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