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| When it's your turn to speak up, Esther, will you be silent? |
My long-time friend, Daniel Rareman (not his real name) is a substitute teacher in the secularized school system.
Last year, Daniel was required to take a “Safe-School”
training course. This course addressed things like how to deal with bullying, and
also included the district’s “transgender” policies, such as calling students by
the pronoun of their choice, and a dress code that “will not restrict
a student’s clothing choices on the basis of gender.”
And then there was this:
“All
students will be allowed to use a restroom and locker room consistent with
their gender identity and/or gender expression or one which makes them feel
comfortable.”
To pass this course, teachers were required to check a box signifying they had "reviewed and accepted” the policies.
Daniel Rareman could not check this box. This was the antithesis of a “safe-school” policy.
Dan met with the Director of Human Resources, his direct supervisor,
to respectfully explain why he could not check the box. The HR director
minimized the transgender policy, indicating it wasn’t really what it sounded
like. My friend replied, “But this is what the policy says, and I cannot accept
this policy.”
Daniel understood what he was doing, and he was willing to
take the consequences.
The Superintendent got involved, along with the President of
the School Board. They decided that since Dan had read and understood the transgender
policies, he could continue to teach without signing off on them. How
interesting.
As I listened to Dan’s story, I could not help but wonder how
many other Christian teachers in this district just checked the box. I asked him
if he was aware of any other teachers who did not check the box, and he was not
aware of any. I suspect there is a reason why. They just checked the box.
Where is Ms. Esther Speakup? If 50% of the teachers and administrators in our
secularized schools are Christians, as I have been told, then why didn’t 50% of the
teachers in this school district decline to check the box? Or 20%?
Or even 10%?
The words of Edmond Burke are ringing in my ears: “The only thing
necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
There is a reason our culture is going down the toilet. Christians in our state schools, and elsewhere, are silent as it swirls.
There is a reason our culture is going down the toilet. Christians in our state schools, and elsewhere, are silent as it swirls.
Thanks, Dan, for speaking up.
Posted by Dr. Christian Overman
For a redacted copy of Daniel's letter to the Superintendent, click here. It is instructive.
For the full transgender policy, click here.
It is also instructive.
It is also instructive.
Posted by Dr. Christian Overman