Kansas Lawsuit Against School Board Dismissed

Citizens For Objective Public Education, in Peck, Kansas, determined last year that public schools in Kansas were teaching our children too much evolution and not enough creationism. So naturally, they went to court. Their damage, for which they demanded compensation, was that all of Kansas public school children had been encouraged to become atheists. Where the hell is the eye-rolley when I need it?

Yesterday, the Kansas Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit. Judge Crabtree, apparently, was unable to see a large number of  young atheists running amok in the state of Kansas, and was also unable to connect any rampant atheism to science classes in public schools. Also there's that pesky constitutional right to freedom of religion or lack of religion, and to separation of church and state. Not to mention Abington v. Schempp, 1963 which disallows any bible thumping of any kind in public schools nationwide and the show of religious preference that accompanies bible thumping. Judge Crabtree was quite insistent upon proof that there had actually been any damages caused by the rare occurrence of Federal Law being properly followed in Kansas public schools, and the good Christians of Peck were unable to prove that a little book learning had damaged their children in any way, so the lawsuit went bye-bye. He noted, as well, that since schools in Kansas are not consolidated, and there is no actual approved and adhered to curriculum in Kansas, but small, generally unqualified school boards deciding curriculum in public schools, such a lawsuit would be a waste of time, anyways.

This is why Frankfort, in USD 380, continues to teach about the Jewish culture by showing the movie, The Ten Commandments, to sixth graders and pronouncing them "informed" about Judaism after the children fail to identify the Jewish holiday about which the movie was made! Once again....eye rolley, here. Using Hollywood and the entertainment industry to define and stereotype a culture is, unfortunately, as predictable in Kansas as using a poorly translated collection of biblical hocus pocus to teach science.

Flying Spaghetti Monster Rules Oklahoma

Oklahoma has gotten quite subversive in the religious choices of the alternative crowd! Shawna Hammond, of Enid, Oklahoma, just had her license renewed wearing the official symbol of her creed: a spaghetti strainer in tribute to her deity, the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

In 2005, a man named Bobby Henderson wrote a letter to the good-for-nothing Kansas State Board of Education to protest the ridicules and irresponsible teaching of creation, a`la Christianity, in public schools. He offered, as an alternative to the imaginary dude in the sky, the lordship of an all-powerful Flying Spaghetti Monster. Because Spaghetti is made of pasta, all of the Faithful are, naturally, Pastafarians. This religion, postulated in desperation to make a point to a state school board that lacks skills and value of any kind, has actually gained popularity and devotees worldwide. Once again, thank you very much, Kansas! (your writer growls sarcastically, here. Kansas seems to always be the cause of such exasperation)

This is a sign of the times, in case anyone here in the Midwest is paying attention. In a case such as this, it is probably as safe assumption that for every one young person such as Shawna Hammond, who does not mind standing up for her opinion of the silliness we call organized religion, and getting her picture for her drivers license taken with a spaghetti strainer on her head to prove a point; there are at least half a dozen others who feel the same way but are more subdued. Oklahoma, Kansas, and the entire Midwest should become more aware of what's it's people want, and who these people are. Especially the young: they really do represent Tomorrow.