Christian Schools lose appeal bid in UC case

[epiphany]

<p><a href=“http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/12/BAAC1FRR5N.DTL&tsp=1[/url]”>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/12/BAAC1FRR5N.DTL&tsp=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal Tuesday from Christian schools that want the University of California to grant college-prep credit for courses with religious viewpoints - using textbooks, UC says, that replace science with the Bible.</p>

<p>The justices, without comment, denied a hearing to the Association of Christian Schools International, which accused the university of violating freedom of speech and religion with its policy on the classes applicants take in high school.</p>

<p>UC requires certain high school courses for admission and says it reviews their content to make sure they cover subjects that incoming students need. University officials said some of the Christian schools’ classes in biology, history, English and religion didn’t pass the test - a conclusion that the schools blamed on discrimination.</p>

<p>The association’s 800 high schools in California teach “standard course content” and “add a religious viewpoint in each subject … as an integral part of their reason for existence,” the group’s lawyers said in their Supreme Court appeal.</p>

<p>But a federal judge said experts testifying for the university refuted those claims in reviewing textbooks.</p>

<p>Biology texts, one professor concluded, teach students to reject any scientific evidence that contradicted the Bible. A history text declared the Bible to be the “unerring source for analysis” of past events, in the view of another expert, and gave short shrift to women, non-Christians and some ethnic groups.</p>

<p>Another UC evaluator said an English literature course did not require students to read novels or plays, but instead presented an anthology, “Classics for Christians,” that “insists on specific interpretations” of excerpted works.</p>

<p>Those and similar assessments showed that the university had rational grounds for denying college preparatory credit for the courses, U.S. District Judge James Otero said in a 2008 ruling.

</p>

<p>There are at least 2 or 3 that I recognize in the Association list that have been often used (perhaps still are) in public homeschool curriculum in my State.* I have found that somewhat problematic (and it resulted in one of my Jewish families leaving the homeschool, due to curriculum content). But especially I find it problematic for UC admission, because it can disadvantage a homeschooled student if questions as to curriculum content are raised. So I think the decision actually benefits UC applicants (and others) who are homeschooled.</p>

<p>[* if you wonder how that’s possible, it’s because the central administration has no time to review homeschool resources for public charter schools, as they are overwhelmed with the sheer number of petitions for charter schools.]</p>

[epiphany]

<p>Sorry that the thread title came out wrong. Bad editing on my part. Link should work now, too.</p>

<p>I think there’s no way to correct a thread title.</p>

[osdad]

<p>Years ago we thought about home schooling our kids when we moved to TN. Talking to the HS coordinator in Nashville I asked if there was a set curriculum to follow – “Yes, unless you’re part of a church related home school.” I asked if there were specific books or tests the kids had to use/take - “Yes, unless you’re part of a church related home school.” Did I have to get the approval of the local school district – “Yes, unless you’re part of a church related home school.” Was there any set requirement for the level of education of the parents - “Yes, except if…” well you get the picture. My comment to her was “I knew I was leaving the Northwest but I didn’t know I was leaving the United States.”</p>

[garland]

<p>Fixed the thread title.:)</p>

[fauve]

<p>Thank you Supreme Court Justices!</p>