Making Sure The Clueless Keep Educating Our Kids

Judge Mark Wolf's decision in the most recent "What in the heck are they teaching our kids?!" case of Patrick v. Hurley opens a pretty wide door:

"The constitutional right of parents to raise their children does not include the right to restrict what a public school may teach their children. Under the Constitution public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy."

In this case, two couples didn't think teaching their gradeschoolers about homosexuality was a particularly good way of preparing their kids to become productive citizens of the American democracy. Tough, Judge Wolf tells them, you've just got to shut up and let educators, who know more than you do, take care of educating your children.

Under Wolf's' ruling, parents have no say whatsoever about any subject whatsoever. Protest schools teaching white supremecy? Too bad; you've got to let them teach. If the schools want to slam Bush and recognize Muslim holy days while banning all things Christian, parents better just put up and shut up.

Jeff Jacoby summarizes the the foolishness of letting someone as stupid as Judge Wolf -- yes, he may be intelligent, but that doesn't mean he's not stupid -- in the Boston Globe:

The only way to end the political battles over schooling is to depoliticize the schools. And the only way to do that is to separate school and state.

Parents should have the same freedom in educating their kids that they have in clothing, housing, and feeding them. You wouldn't let the government decide what time your kids should go to bed, or which doctor should treat their chicken pox, or how they should spend their summer vacation, or which religion they should be instructed in. On matters serious and not so serious, parents are entrusted with their children's well-being. Why should schooling be an exception?

The answer to that "'why" is simple: Bad judges like Mark Wolf who cannot see the stupidity of giving decision-making ppower to educators who rely on "zero tolerance" programs because they don't trust themselves to make sound decisions.

hat-tip: Real Clear Politics