Australian Professor: Christian Schools Promote Bad Values
- Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:15pm by
Billy Hallowell
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Professor Marion Maddox
The commonly-held belief is that Christian schools promote good values. But one Australian university professor claims just the opposite — that faith-based schools go against societal norms. Professor Marion Maddox, who serves as the director for research on social inclusion at Macquarie University in Australia, isn’t shy about her disdain for Christian education.
And with an increase of Australian student attending these schools, the educator recently stated her distress over the phenomenon, as she lamented the increased growth and acceptance of ”Christianisation.”
“The fact that an increasing proportion of students are being educated in schools that determinedly disavow those values of inclusion and equality that we think of as Australian is a cause for concern,” Maddox told the Brisbane Times last week. ”There are plenty of cases of teachers who have been sacked, or students who have been expelled because of their sexuality or sexual behaviour in ways that would be prohibited by law if they were state schools, and yet these schools take government money and cite religious freedom, and that‘s something we haven’t really had a public debate about.”
Clearly, Maddox takes issue with the notion that religious schools create strict moral codes that students and faculty, alike, are expected to live by. She went on to highlight the case of an unmarried teacher who became pregnant and who was subsequently fired from her position at a Christian college in Australia. The teacher, who had signed a “lifestyle agreement,” was let go for violating it.
In America, these same issues are being debated. Recently, Shorter University, a higher education facility in Rome, Georgia, decided to ask its employees to sign a controversial pledge that affirms that they are not engaging in homosexuality, among other forbidden activities. As a result more than 50 employees allegedly resigned.
But beyond individuals’ rights, Maddox also attacked Christian values in terms of their alleged propensity to lead to a poor education. Creationism, rather than evolution, she says, diminishes students’ ability to learn actual “scientific” terms. Additionally, she said that Christian schools would “teach an unusual approach to citizenship, so that God’s law is more important than the law.”
“For example these schools will teach creation science instead of evolution and teach a modified English curriculum that shields students from ‘dangerous’ words and themes, and they’ll also teach an unusual approach to citizenship, so that God’s law is more important than the law,” she continued. “Maybe [these students] don’t take any of these messages in, but on the other hand are they emerging from their schooling with a fully rounded scientific education; are they going to be equipped with the scientific vocabulary to understand the debate about the environment for example?”
She did, however, seem to admit that Christian private schools do encourage children to be disciplined through uniforms, talking nicely to one another and other related elements. Read more about her views on The Christian Post.
(H/T: Christian Post)
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Comments (124)
TheEDGE
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 7:02pmPurposely skipped the story this time. The thing in the picture instantly made me think pervert. Don’t care to read another story about some despicable pervert.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 7:39pmWithout the restraint of Christian Values… I would Aztec her A$$!
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 8:15pmLooks like the missing link. Slooping. Forhead beady eyes apparant lack of intellagence ooops my mistake just another one of those atheist.
Report Post »rangerp
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 8:55pmThe war on christianity is not just coming from the liberals in the US. It is world wide.
Liberals the world over hate the truth.
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:26amWhat a silly woman. God created all of it. That includes the SCIENCE of all of it. There has never been any proof of evolution, some made up stuff by Darwin, never proven at the end of the 18th C. and never since. Great Scientists I’ve known and read about have set out to prove GOD as a myth and ended up becoming Preachers/Priests. The DESIGN of everything (seasons, your eyeball, the connection of life-cycles… all by great, grand design) NO scientist could ever say that something exploded from ??? and then stopped exploding creating humans each one with their OWN fingerprints etc. WHY do they try to hard to justify the myth of evolution?? I know Satan doesn’t want us to believe in GOD…it’s easier to corrupt us totally then, but we’re not a stupid race. People ask “how do I know there is a GOD?” I say: Go to a quiet corner and ask Him. That’s all life is for anyway, is to make THAT decision. Not some off-the-wall-unfounded-quirky philosophy about evolution. Talk about requiring faith!! Evolutionists, Agnostics, Atheists…they are the one who have huge faith to me.. believing there was no designer involved.
Report Post »JGraham III
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 1:01amI find it laughable how some rank unbelieving professorial type who wouldn’t know Jesus Christ if He walked up to her on the street can pass judgement on things she knows little of. That would carry as much weight if I showed up at one of her lectures and commandeered it and taught just because I have an opinion (a low one at that) about “social inclusion”. I actually could do better because at least I would teach from a Biblical perspective.
Report Post »Outcast
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 2:55amShe said that the Cristian schools are teaching kids that Gods law is higher than the law. Am I missing something here. Like Gods law of thou shall not kill. Society law of don’t kill. And on and on and on. Where does she think our laws come from. How did she ever get a degree. We need to reform our higher education to prevent people like here from getting advanced to where she is today.
She claims that Christian schools teach kids to go against societial norms. So does everyone remember when we would have said that this professor was against societial norms. When did everything get reversed here.
She is a director for research on social inclusion. INCLUSION the new four letter word in my book. They are throwing that word around everywhere now. From the president down. I have a government job. That word is being used to tell me that I can’t get a promotion because of the color of my skin or that I do not have the approved heritage. INCLUSION — I treat everyone fairly. By the content of their caracter not the color of their skin. However my government, my employer, and others do not treat me with the same respect.
Its taking its toll on my mind. I think I am going crazy. I am now a outcast from the one place that I should be accepted. America is my home. I am a outcast in my own home. I am unwanted. I may be part of the so called majority. However majority was just a early bad word to steal power from citizens. We are no longer a free nation.
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on June 14, 2012 at 3:06pmIt’s predictable; she doesn’t like that Christians teach that homosexuality is not a good thing. Worse than that, she hates that they teach creationism rather than evolution, even though there is more scientific evidence for creationism than there is for evolution. What it boils down to is the usual leftie crap; see it my way, or choose the highway!
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:58pmAh, yes. Australia, home of the Sydney Funnel Spider, the Duck-Billed Platypus (they’re a bit venomous, too), the Blue-Ringed Octopus, the legendary Tasmanian Devil, and a HOST of REALLY VENOMOUS SNAKES!! They‘re all God’s creatures, and I hope they LIKE THE HELL out of ATHIEST PROFESSORS Down Under their covers, under their car seats, under their feet, etc. Moohaha.
Report Post »TurboCat
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 5:09amToo bad if she doesn’t like it. None of her nosy body business anyway.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:58pmI repeat, “they ALL look alike”, and it isn’t a good thing. they are ugly, demented and waaay off the target which is of course the CROSS, and they all vocalize the same thing; not an original thought in the entire group.
PRAYING ON!!!!
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 7:08pmFunny how Catholic schools out score public schools with less money.
Report Post »beckwill
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 8:02pmThey really do have a “look”, don’t they? I wonder, are they born that way or do they acquire that nasty ugliness? I’m sure it factors into their screwed up views they hold in such high regard. All I can say is God bless her ugly self.
Report Post »Taquoshi
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 8:08pmI went through 12 years of parochial school. I have to say I think I avoided a ton of trouble simply by following the morals taught to me. Oh, we had our share of problems with students pasting wine labels in their lockers, one or two girls getting pregnant and so on, but looking back, I thank God I paid attention to what I was taught.
Professor Maddox can spout off all she wants about bad morals, creationism, (btw – my first exposure to Situational Ethics was in…drum roll, please….Catholic high school and I didn‘t encounter creationism until I was in my 40’s) and all kinds of other societal “evils”, but at the end of the day, I go to bed and sleep at night because I have a moral foundation to make decisions on rather than whatever garbage political correctness or some fad has determined what is right. Yeah, I could quote Scripture, but those who support Professor Maddox won’t read it.
Report Post »Evergiving
Posted on June 2, 2012 at 11:52amWhile I agree with your sentiment, I think mentioning her looks is besides the point.
Report Post »I SPY
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:57pmThis dumb hippie atheist is exactly what God warns us about. She’s a poster child for “end times” just as the Bible explains. It’s scary actually.
Report Post »Ded-Bred
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 8:29pmAustralia has a history of rejecting God & embracing evil. But recently an Awakening, or Quickening, of the Holy Spirit has washed over their youth, so naturally the anti-Christs are embittered- “for we are not @ war with flesh & blood, but with principalities in the high places”, & so the devil s angered as his chains are cast off & more & more are in Christ. We need to see how US has fallen. Open your eyes & fight!!! LOVE conquers all
Report Post »momrules
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:57pmGive me that old time religeon…….it’s alright with me.
The war on Christianity is really ginning up. There is a real and true hatred for Him now and it will only get worse from here on.
Report Post »cookcountypatriot
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:52pmthe professor needs to read the bible…one verse comes to mind..” they professed themselves to be wise …and became fools”…..that progressive white slave fits that verse to a tee…shes just a weed among the good crops…and christ himself will weed here out…and oh by the way mz.maddox the weeds are burned in the lake of fire….stay warm..lol
Report Post »rahgoo
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:44pmSecular school teachers do not place any great value on the sperm and call it plentiful love juice. In contrast religious school teachers say it should never be wasted by swallowing or deposited in the anal canal.
Report Post »mom4times
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:58pmthough I think her parents should have taken those alternate routes instead of where it ended up : /
Report Post »Jackie Rogers, Jr.
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 7:11pmI went to a religious school for nine years. I cannot recall one instance when sperm was mentioned.
Report Post »I also went to a public high school. Again, I can’t remember being in a class where sperm was discussed. Although I’m sure it was discussed in biology class. I’m also sure that no teacher I ever had described sperm as, “ plentiful love juice”!!! You make it sound like a Libby’s commercial. LOL
Hollywoodron
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:44pmShe can’t stand the sexual morality…CHECK… creation …CHECK… God’s laws… CHECK…. The Bible is freaking prophetic!
Report Post »ScienceIsNotEvil
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:50pmThe bible teaches us to kill kids who are rude, to murder with stone non-virgin females, and that it is perfectly acceptable to kill other cities full of people if your god tells you to.
How is any of that moral under any sane system of morality?
Report Post »spirited
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 7:41pm@SCIENCE…
The days of the old schoolmarm still exsist in some movies
;^> and in the minds of the ignorant, the deceptive and the bigoted.
Report Post »Warpspeedpetey
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 7:59pm@ScienceIsNotEvil
If G-d commands an action it is moral by definition. There are no other moral systems because no person or group of persons have any authority to establish their moral view as the standard. That doesn’t stop people from trying to present their opinion as such but it does prevent the need for anyone else to care.
Science is not evil, it is not good, it is only a set of investigative techniques limited in scope to empirically observable phenomenon. It has no moral value apart from those who practice it.
Report Post »PaxInVeritate
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 4:02am@WARPSPEEDPETEY
Bill Murray- *Golf clap* “It’s in the hole.” Well done Sir… Well done.
Report Post »mr.goodvibe
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:44pmDirector for studies on social inslusion, that should tell you where she is coming from, tolerance of all perversions and insanity is of the highest moral order for her but christian values are not to be tolerated.
Report Post »hillbillyinny
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:43pm‘. . . faith-based schools go against societal norms.”
Ah duh! We Christians seem to be “going against societal norms” more and more, but actually, societal’s norms have left us!
Faith is a funning thing. You may live a “dull life” in society’s eyes, but you’ll live an exciting forever soon! The whole object of faith learning is that there is a God, that there are absolutes and those absolutes matter–why would you set up your child for failure with God by teaching them things that aren’t absolutes and then letting them choose whether their an absolute for them. . . That’s why we are where we are now! Evolution is a theory. For people of faith the Bible is true and tells us truth and gives us rules to follow and information on the past, the now and the future.
But, I guess the question is that of the ages–why does one person believe and someone else will not or can not and often turns against ideas that don’t even affect them.
Get out of my face, lady!
Report Post »dejavu43
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:43pmI really have to quit reading The Blaze–it’s playing havoc with my blood pressure…this broad obviously has a better understanding of marxism, socialism and communism than she does of liberty and freedom to choose, and it bothers her that children are sent to a non-state operated school, grow morals, learn critical thinking and come to understand that God (however they perceive God) IS more important than mental midgets like herself. I didn’t see any reference to the muslim madrassas that openly and proudly teach hatred of the West, hatred of any other religion and refuse to educate their females–my guess is that she thinks they are just hunky-dory. As a point of information, I spent 12 years in Catholic schools and was taught BOTH evolution and creation–and was left to choose which I thought made more sense–whether it was in the framework of religious beliefs or scientific beliefs, it was up to me. Aussies–you must unite, with your counterparts world-wide to fight this insidious removal of faith from everywhere in your society.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 7:42pmRight on
>and Amen !!!
Report Post »beckwill
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 8:12pmBlood pressure up, ey? Try tuning in to Glenn for 4 hours in the a.m. and then GBTV in the evening AND The Blaze too. It‘s a strange painful addiction but one I sorely miss when I can’t have it. haha
Report Post »xactant
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:41pmObviously she is throwing out an opinion that is not based in fact. That she would say Christian educated students do not know / understand the terminology and concepts necessary to have intelligent conversations about life origins or environmental concerns shows she has not interacted with many Christian educated students. We are forced by society to defend our positions in science and are quite able to do so. It would be refreshing if people such as Ms. Maddox would actually perform unbiased research and report findings instead of forming and voicing unsubstantiated opinion as fact.
Report Post »LeQuoix
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:41pmWow I thought I was reading the rants of a Berkeley or University of Colorado professor. Dear Australia put 1 in her head before you all have to live like we do here….. good luck my friends
Report Post »TurboCat
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 5:23amShe is an environ-mental case. That’s her problem.
Report Post »Evergiving
Posted on June 2, 2012 at 11:56am‘put one in her head’?
Report Post »Excuse me but where exactly in the Bible did you learn that sort of attitude? I sincerely hope you wrote it out of anger and haste, rather than conviction?
ObozoNoMore
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:34pmWhat do you expect from a socialist country? In Australia, when a kid turns 14, he can move in with another family if he doesn’t like his parents AND the parents must pay child support to the new family. The Australian government treats its citizens like little children who don’t know better. People are actively encouraged to get on the dole or accept handouts. While medical costs are low, try getting an appointment with a specialist if you use government Medicare. It would be faster and more painless if you did your own surgery.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:33pmoh yes we weird Christians with our Bible telling us not to cheat on our spouse, to be charitable, to be kind to everyone…yes we are weirdos right? how immoral an wrong of me to have a set of values that I give to my children. Lord help us
Report Post »Magyar
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:33pmI see that Australia is well on its way to a GODless society too…..
Boy, when the end comes— they’re going to burn in he!!.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:31pmAh, the world of “societal norms.” What the heck does that really mean ? Basically , that there are no absolute truths. In our New Third World Lefty America, guess it means “ anything goes ” and the old traditional values have now been “changed.” Guess that’s why there are no requirements for home loans ( oh, that worked out swell), there are no grading standards in American schools ( underwater basket weaving and binge drinking are way cool ), there are now “medical” marijuana stores ( oh, all of those sick people using natural ingredients ), and we will now redefine “ marriage ” as a union between any two humans who want martial benefits . Oh, isn’t this just ” special.” With the Obama Administration we are getting tsunami-ed by these “changes.” Michele must just be bursting with pride….
Report Post »moussiagilda
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:31pmMeanwhile, enough with the disgustingly unflattering photos. Do you hate those people.
I’m a classical liberal, not a regular dunderheaded liberal. I’m an Annabaptist.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 8:45pmMore like you troll hard & troll often lol!
Report Post »anonny
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:31pmAt my kids‘ CHRISTIAN school they don’t have locks on their lockers, they leave their iPads and laptop computers lying around the student lounge without loss, there’s no notable bullying or thievery, no metal detectors at the doors, no dumbed-down grade inflation…but hey, because the school‘s culture adheres to the bible’s viewpoint on homosexuality, the school promotes destructive values.
Guess who’s REALLY destructive here!
Report Post »moussiagilda
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:33pmNot the Christian school. And as for the so-called Christian position on homosexuality, cram it. Don’t persecute anyone. Except Mitt Romney, who is the Soros candidate.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:37pmyes I went to a Christian school as a child and never was bullied, never had any arguments let alone anything stolen from me, just an excellent education and life long friends who all espouse to the same moral doctrine set by God. Christian schools do not rarely have to deal with gang problems, drugs at school, pregnancy for teens is also rare and I believe something like 97% of my graduating class went on to be accepted into college, the others went into family business or trade school. nothing like a faith based education.
Report Post »moussiagilda
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:30pmThey don’t teach Christian values, which are perfect. They teach sectarian values, which are cruel and meant to make you hate life. They, under the guise of religion, teach satanic values.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:31amWhat? WHO teaches “satanic” values? You are talking about the progressives, right? :)
Report Post »LeadNotFollow
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:27pm…
Report Post »Is she just another angry, liberal, homosexual, atheist, university professor?
@leftfighter
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:27pmAs opposed to what? Atheist schools?
Compare how many people have been killed by Christianity in the Crusades, the Inquisition and witch burnings, and you have one third of the number of people the Atheist USSR killed.
If Atheists want to play that game, that’s cool.
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:26pmTranslation: People should not be allowed to think and speak in terms with which I disagree…. but I’m inarguably a champion of tolerance.
Report Post »This song and dance is nothing new.
girlnurse
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:24pmLord please beam me up now…
Report Post »republic2011
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:23pmYes.. America was founded on God’s law or Natural Law. She is the problem with today’s society. Somehow, in her mind, bringing up children with morals is a bad thing. I do agree that in school, both Creation and Evolution should be taught so that children can make up their own mind, and, more importantly, it teaches critical thinking, because it will allow children to argue both sides. Neither is based on anything but faith, so I don’t see how she can say that Evolution is better than Creation or vice versa. Another liberal ditz…
Report Post »mr.goodvibe
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:46pmI have always thought that somehow proving there is no god therefore the rights granted to us in the constitution are null and void as they would have originated from nowhere is the final solution for leftist atheists.
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