Re: So who decides on what proper 'indoctrination' is?
Who's going to protect them from discriminatory anti-religious zealots such as yourself?
It's the perennial, "who's watching the watchers" - no?
There IS no 'proper indoctrination' for tykes! - That Is/Was my Point.
Besides, I am no anti-religion zealot: I am an anti-Hypocrite zealot. To assert that, "there's nothing There" is as religious a Belief as any other. (What I happen to suspect-thus-far, from experience -- is very likely quite different from what you Imagine is my POV. And, it Doesn't Matter (either) for all obv. reasons.)
I will admit: what I do despise is the presentation of the mouthings, imaginations + committee-embellishments of ordinary homo-saps (modern or ancient) who pretend to have a cel-fone to The Absolute (or by anyother name as will serve).
Obv then: neither would I think it appropriate in class to advocate
against a/any creed, belief, whimsy Either! The point would be - that the cheeldrun are informed that various religions exist; an explanation consistent with their nascent powers of discrimination of "human psych". They bloody well need to Know that, "out there" are many conflicting views, and that Each One claims to be the Only Correct One. This alone! is valuable information in preparation for a world which will be abusing language - indefinitely. (Even if the 'armament' is just a pea-shooter against the KW megaphones)
Some history of the major sects would be appropriate and as inescapable as history, anyway -- and as subject to Believers' Slant as is Ashcroft's position on law enforcement. Admins can but aspire to adequate vigilance, as always.
(And I think it dead obvious that - virtually every parent will do what always they have done: indoctrinate. My experience says, in that regard: only the parents who live the principles stand A Chance, anyway! vs a kid's natural suspicion of adult spin on everything)
Only.. the school May Not! do this. <<
Nobody ever suggested that such an aim -non-indoctrination- would be simple to achieve nor that the effect of a relatively non-biased curriculum could render the tykes impervious to the ministrations of others who deem:
It's OK to brainwash kids because They Are My Kids (See.. I don't happen to believe that They Are 'Owned' - parenthood does not confer the right to maim a child's mentation / mould it into a clone either. Another volume, that)
Moot anyway. This be Murica. Won't Happen. Just theoretical - people will kill to project their mindset onto "their" offspring. This stuff is for a later post-adolescent Murica. However bloody unlikely.
Ashton