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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: thames_sider who wrote (31451)	10/9/2001 1:49:12 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

I have no problems with any of the "evolve fish" or an ankh or even a pentagram. I can't recall what a burkha is. Complete nudity is a question that goes beyond the classroom. Our society has made it generally illegal in public places so obviously it would not be allowed in schools. If you are against that law then you can try to have it changed. A swastika is considered a sign of hatred. If it wasn't a school I would say that it would be fine (defined as "should be legal" in this context rather then as good or even complexity accepted). For schools its a rather border line case . When I look at it in a more abstract or theoretical way I would be inclined to allow it but in practice it probably hurts things a lot more then it helps. Ideally I think we shouldn't have a socialized school system and one of the reasons is that problems like this would not pop up (or atleast have the same level or importance) if schools where not public schools. It's not just a matter of acceptable to the majority, IMO. Either you play favourites, or none at all. I don't completely agree with that idea. In a democracy the opinion of the majority does and should matter. Also symbols represent certain ideas. In general I am against banning symbols from schools but symbols that stand for hatred or for ideologies which led to the intentional deaths of millions like a swastika or perhaps even a confederate flag or the hammer and sickle, would receive somewhat less positive consideration then traditional symbols that are not symbols of hatred and in my opinion this is not wrong. I can't find any solution for allowing or not allowing symbolic displays or other forms of expression for religious or political ideas in public school that is totally acceptable. If you ban hate symbols you censor people at a government institution. If you allow them you force children to be exposed to them. That's one of the reasons while I don't like the idea of a public school system. In practice however you can't change such a wide spread and traditionally accepted system without extremly damaging upheaval except perhaps over a period of decades. Tim