A Response to my Friend Eric.
Hope this message finds you in high spirits, my friend! You’ve raised some mighty fine questions, and I appreciate the chance to “hash” ‘em out over a good ol’ fashioned virtual back-porch chat. Now, let me grab my sweet tea, and we’ll dive right in.
What Schools Need to Qualify for Taxpayer Money
First off, you asked about the specific requirements for schools takin’ taxpayer money. Now, I ain’t a Washington lawyer or nuthin’, but from what I gather, it ain’t rocket science, though sometimes it feels like wrangling squirrels. Generally speakin’, when Uncle Sam (or the state government, for that matter) hands over cash collected from hard-workin’ folks, they tend to want some assurances. We’re talkin’ things like non-discrimination rules (makin’ sure everyone gets a fair shake, which sounds pretty American to me), maybe some guidelines on how the research money is used if it’s for specific grants, financial accountability (showin’ where the pennies went), and sometimes meetin’ certain accreditation standards.
It ain’t necessarily about what they teach in every single class, but more about how they operate as an institution receivin’ public funds. It’s like borrowin’ your neighbor’s prize-winnin’ lawnmower – you gotta bring it back fulla gas, reasonably clean, and without havin’ run over his prize petunias. It’s about responsibility that comes with using somethin’ that belongs to the community, in this case, taxpayer dollars. The schools that choose to say “no thanks” to that money, like Liberty or Louisiana College I mentioned, well, they get to mow their lawn however they darn well please.
Public Education and Consistency
Now, about public K-12 education—you’re spot on: consistency matters. Public schools, bein’ taxpayer-funded, should focus on readin’, writin’, arithmetic, and the kind of civic knowledge that unites us as Americans. But here’s where I’ll gently push back on one thing, Eric—our nation wasn’t built on no principles at all. It was built on Biblical ones.
Let’s be plain as day: I am not sayin’ we should be mandating faith-based religious instruction – like catechism or specific denominational doctrines – in our public K-12 schools. Not one bit. There’s a line, and that’s a line we oughta respect, keepin’ church and state from gettin’ tangled up in that particular way, especially with young, impressionable minds and mandatory attendance.
However, and here’s where I reckon it ties back to the foundation of this great country – it’s a powerful thing for folks, young and old, to understand the principles that our nation was built upon. The Founding Fathers—men like Washington, Adams, and Jefferson—leaned hard on Judeo-Christian values when they crafted this grand experiment we call America. Concepts like natural rights (straight from Romans 2:14-15), human dignity (Genesis 1:27), and limited government (1 Samuel 8 warning against kings) ain’t just scribbles in the margin—they’re the bedrock of the Constitution. You look at the Declaration, talkin’ ’bout bein’ “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” Now, that language didn’t just pop outta thin air like a mushroom after a spring rain. It came from a deep well of thought, heavily influenced by Judeo-Christian ideas about human dignity, liberty bein’ a gift from God (not government), and the responsibility that comes with it.
Think about “all men are created equal,” endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. That concept – that our rights come from God, not from the government – is a cornerstone of American exceptionalism and liberty. It’s why the government’s job is seen as protecting those rights, not granting them. Understandin’ that historical context – the philosophical and even theological underpinnings that shaped the Founders’ thinking – ain’t the same as teaching a specific religion. It’s teachin’ the why behind the system that gives us all, including universities public and private, the freedoms we cherish.
These principles – ideas about individual liberty, responsibility, justice, and the inherent dignity of each person, influenced by a long tradition, including Biblical thought – seem to work pretty well, don’t they? I mean, you look around the world, and despite our flaws and challenges, millions of folks are still lookin’ to come to America, often riskin’ everything, precisely because of the promise of those God-given liberties and the opportunity they represent. They’re drawn to the fruits of those founding principles.
Finding Common Ground
So, no, I ain’t callin’ for Sunday School in public schools. But I am sayin’ that understanding the historical and philosophical roots of our American system, including the influence of Biblical thought on the concepts of liberty and rights, is crucial context for any American, whether they’re learnin’ in a public school, a private university, or just livin’ life. It helps explain why we value freedom so much, why we’re suspicious of government overreach, and why folks from all corners of the globe still see this country as a beacon.
And let’s be honest, Eric, there’s gotta be somethin’ pretty special about those founding principles, ’cause folks from every corner of this planet are still riskin’ life and limb, tryin’ to get a piece of the American dream built on ’em. They ain’t comin’ here for the traffic or the tax code, I can tell you that much! They’re comin’ for that promise of liberty and opportunity, ideas that got a powerful boost from some mighty old, mighty wise traditions.
It’s like knowin’ the recipe for good gumbo – you gotta know the ingredients and where they came from to understand why it tastes so good. You don’t have to worship the okra, but you gotta acknowledge its role in the pot!
Whew! Okay, I mighta rambled a bit there, Eric. But you got me thinkin’. Appreciate the back-and-forth, my friend. Keeps the ol’ mind from gettin’ rusty.
Remember when folks used to be able to disagree without being disagreeable? I figure you and I can keep that tradition alive.
Best regards from Georgia,
Dean Burnette