SS Discussion Oct 3, 2025 by

Political Decisions

gardnerstephanie56 — 2025-10-03 14:14:28 UTC

Some political policies are affecting teachers pay as well. Which is now affecting how much supplies/resources we can get for our students. This also affects inclusiveness in the classroom

cademwarren — 2025-10-03 14:15:12 UTC

Private schools being funded by tax dollars makes no sense whatsoever, it's just a way to get around standards set for public schools while still getting government funding. It really makes me mad.

Nur

2025-10-03 14:16:50 UTC

It is very interesting hearing everyones stories, for a majority of my own educational life I went to schools where I did not see this happening so it is very interesting to hear about.

kunderwood018 — 2025-10-03 14:16:54 UTC

I agree that public tax dollars should be going to public school. With funding being pulled from them because of this voucher system is public school especially rural school is losing the small amount of money they already have. That is used to maintain the school, buy supply, and help extracurriculars.

Jordyn Akers

2025-10-03 14:17:09 UTC

Coming from the large Linn-Mar district, I agree with Hannah that the money coming in was being spent on things that were not considered a need, while our issued computers barely worked. Thankfully, I had a personal computer at home, but that is not the case for every student.

cademwarren — 2025-10-03 14:18:51 UTC

Private schools taking funds from taxes also generates a positive feedback loop. Parents see private schools as being higher quality, and private schools are allocated funds from the government, which takes away from public school funding, which lowers the quality and exacerbates public perception.

kunderwood018 — 2025-10-03 14:19:30 UTC

A quote that I read from one of the articles from Sen. Molly Donahue said that “pending public money with no accountability is reckless. Our public schools and students deserve better, until we are willing to provide adequate funding for the vast majority of our public school students, we should not be creating a private, exclusive school entitlement program with unknown costs and unlimited funding — a blank check.”

This is a good way to put it. Like Nina said. Students at private schools can already afford the necessities to go to school such as textbooks and bussing, unlike public school who relies on tax dollars

Elaina M

2025-10-03 14:19:37 UTC

The government needs to rethink and change where they are putting the money, and stop putting it in places where it is not needed. They need to put the money towards smaller schools that need it in many areas.

2025-10-03 14:20:46 UTC

Personally, all the money that comes into the school, I believe, should be examined first with all of the possible needs, and consider, okay, do these kids need more supplies, are students' classrooms safe, or are renovations needed, do teachers have what they need, then give the money to things like costumes, sports facilities, etc. Education should come first!

marinirvine — 2025-10-03 14:21:51 UTC

I really liked what Pieper said about parents wanting to control/filter what their students are learning. Some of my friends who grew up going to religious private schools had a lot more ignorance about the world than my peers and I that went to public school.

US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

gardnerstephanie56 — 2025-10-03 14:22:02 UTC

How do you think losing the department of education is going to affect students and school policies? We tend to think a lot about what the teachers are going to do.. but the students are going to be affected the most.

Lack of money

2025-10-03 14:22:07 UTC

I think that the lack of money does affect the students because the teachers may not have as many resources. Some teachers take a lot of money out of their own pockets just to help the students needs.

Ive never understood why private schools get more money from taxes as they are already making plenty of money from the students enrolled. Also whenever i've seen a private school they are already extremely nice, while the public schools are much worse off.

k0894246 — 2025-10-03 14:22:13 UTC

Anecdote (Emma)

mineimoose — 2025-10-03 14:23:15 UTC

One thing that was really frustrating to me when I lived in Oklahoma is that even though teachers were supposed to be politically unbiased in their teaching, I had teachers that absolutely were biased and they got away with it. My social studies teacher taught kids that socialism was bad by showing a videos of starving people ransacking a truck carrying chickens in Venezuela or of a chinese person eating live baby rats and claiming that that's where covid came from. I feel like a lot of the laws being made are intended to make things like this "acceptable" in the name of patriotism.

cademwarren — 2025-10-03 14:23:21 UTC

Someone (I don't remember who, I'm sorry) said that private schools are a way to control what parent's are letting their children be taught, I feel like this ties back into the origins of American schools that we talked about this week. Schools were started to spread "Good Christian" values, and some people get scared when the values taught in schools do not align with their personal beliefs

Elaina

2025-10-03 14:24:32 UTC

The government should give a good amount of money to smaller schools. So they can afford the supplies and resources they need, so the teachers are not buying everything out of their own pockets.

2025-10-03 14:24:40 UTC

I think it is essential that we remember the FAPE law (Free Appropriate Public Education), so funds should be allocated to support this to the best of their ability.

Religion in Schools

2025-10-03 14:25:30 UTC

I believe it is important to learn, but at the same time, I truly believe that when it is taught, Bias should not be placed.

Religion

2025-10-03 14:26:11 UTC

I think when it comes to History and social studies classes we should be teaching what is going on around the world and different religions. Learning about other cultures and practices is important.

2025-10-03 14:27:20 UTC

According to one of the resources provided by Patrice, the Bible itself can be considered an "instructional resource" or a "momentous historical source." Do you all agree?

kunderwood018 — 2025-10-03 14:28:15 UTC

I agree that I would be fine with my children learning about the HISTORY of religion, but not with it being forced on them to believe in religion

2025-10-03 14:28:27 UTC

Previously, I had a class. That was looking at the Bible of History, like the texts called the Vedas. So what would be the difference between that and the Bible today?

maisie1099 — 2025-10-03 14:29:46 UTC

I think students can absolutely be exposed to other religions but you should not force it on any students. You have to remember students have a life out of school and parents and family typically educate them on it. As a teacher it's not your job to alter their beliefs.

abbykearns — 2025-10-03 14:30:04 UTC

I do believe that there should be teaching of religion in schools. If they don't understand the different kinds of religions, how are they going to understand their peers around them as they get older? A personal opinion about religion shouldn't be forced upon the students they should be able to learn about all sides of them and develop their own opinions.

I think religion should be kept out of schools except for the facts and only when it applies to what is being taught. The only time religion should be in school is a private school because you choose to go there and learn about religion

k0894246 — 2025-10-03 14:32:12 UTC

(Emma) I would argue that Christianity heavily influenced American culture because a lot of the people who fled to/were sent to colonial New England because they were practicing a denomination of Christianity that wasn't accepted by the British Government. I do not believe that this means that the United States was designed to be an exclusively Christian state. sorry i took way too long to type

mineimoose — 2025-10-03 14:32:16 UTC

Patrice

socialsciences6 — 2025-10-03 14:32:25 UTC

I agree with Aaron that the majority of people in America would say we are a Christian nation - even if that is accurate or not.

kunderwood018 — 2025-10-03 14:32:30 UTC

I agree that the people who came to America originally came to find religious freedom. However, Christianity has been the main religion that has been dominant.

cademwarren — 2025-10-03 14:33:09 UTC

It is disingenuous to act like America was not founded on Christian values. In the letter of the law, it may not explicitly mention Christianity as the preferred belief, but most of our founding fathers were Christian and saw that as the default.

Religious Schools

k0910898 — 2025-10-03 14:33:29 UTC

The one dude gave us a statistic about how most private schools in Iowa teach religion. I have no problem with parents choosing to send their child to a religious school since it’s their choice. The problem I have with this is the dispersing of the tax dollars. Since private schools are getting more money than public schools despite not needing them, if a parent wants to send their kids to a higher quality school, then there is a good chance that their children will HAVE to learn religion. Even if the parents don’t want that. Iowa could definitely use private schools that either cater to more religions or no religions at all.

2025-10-03 14:34:56 UTC

Like last week, I think that teachers should provide the opportunity to learn about it and read it, but if not, then that is okay. Would you all agree that we should give the choice and opportunity, but not necessarily make it mandatory?

religion and division

kingstonvandonkelaar — 2025-10-03 14:35:15 UTC

When it came to the private school in my hometown, administrators used their power to RUN with their own religious beliefs. This perpetuated a lot of division in my hometown and hurt a lot of students that didn't fit these religious beliefs but were enrolled in this school by their parents. A few of the policies included things like girls having to wear dresses to prom, boys having to wear suits, and no one being allowed to bring a same-sex friend to prom, much less a partner.

kunderwood018 — 2025-10-03 14:37:03 UTC

Education/learning how to read and write-just bare minimum was taught to know how to read the bible. There came a separation/establishment later on. Which is a part of the First Amendment. The beginning of the First Amendment reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” This is called the Establishment Clause

abbykearns — 2025-10-03 14:37:47 UTC

In my school we were able to take an elective class that was all about religion! it was never required but it was just a fun side class to take if you didn't want to take a history class. In some history classes at my school they gave an idea of what religion looked like back then but never what they thought it was.

marinirvine — 2025-10-03 14:38:15 UTC

From elementary school through high school I did several units where we researched different religions from around the world. I remember learning about Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism. I thought it was beneficial.

cademwarren — 2025-10-03 14:38:15 UTC

I feel a lot of the debate on religion is not done in good faith. Those pushing for religion in classes are trying to push their personal values, not broaden all students perspectives.

Religion with students

gardnerstephanie56 — 2025-10-03 14:39:42 UTC

I think what we also need to consider that no one has mentioned yet is some children are abused to follow religion/ the beliefs at home. So how do you think that can affect children who come to school and now have to learn about their religion or others. (not saying we should not teach it, just want to know what thoughts are)

2025-10-03 14:40:06 UTC

In the church Vs. The article states that Christianity is indeed the most common religion.

Elaina

2025-10-03 14:40:43 UTC

Teachers can teach about religion with history, but anything else, I would be careful about how you do it and teach it. Teachers just need to be professional when they teach about it.

Patrice

socialsciences6 — 2025-10-03 14:41:23 UTC

Iowa passed a law a couple of years ago requiring the Pledge be said in classrooms.

I took AP World History when I was in high school, and we learned about quite a few different religions/philosophies and their values/beliefs. I think this was a valuable experience for me because I gained a bit of a higher level of understanding for people that I otherwise wouldn't have.

mineimoose — 2025-10-03 14:41:25 UTC

2025-10-03 14:41:54 UTC

I think it is sad that the pledge has some controversial aspects, because if it weren't for the people in history and even those of today, our country would not be the way it is. And I think it is essential that people understand that we are fighting for our freedom, especially students.

The pledge

2025-10-03 14:42:06 UTC

My high school players it over the intercom every morning my junior and senior year. You had the option to do it if you wanted to or not.

cademwarren — 2025-10-03 14:42:14 UTC

That article said that teachers cannot be "unpatriotic," is patriotism a value that should be enforced?

Religion

k0910898 — 2025-10-03 14:42:52 UTC

I respectfully disagree with man-bun guy. I don’t agree with the Bible either, but that doesn’t mean I don’t support people that live by it. Everyone has their own beliefs and rights to learn about it, so I have no problem with them teaching it in schools. The thing I want is the choice to learn about it. Pushing beliefs onto others in my mind, isn’t right; this not only applies to pushing a religion onto others, but also pushing atheism onto others.

kunderwood018 — 2025-10-03 14:43:05 UTC

I agree I felt like it was another thing to do in the day. A part of the daily routine. I didn't think about it too deeply.

We were required to do the pledge and a moment of silence when I was in elementary school. If anything, it probably helped my teachers because it got all the kids' attention and made for a good transition period in the morning.

mineimoose — 2025-10-03 14:44:02 UTC

cademwarren — 2025-10-03 14:44:12 UTC

Are students, especially young students aware of the meaning behind the pledge of allegiance? I feel like the meaning goes over the head of a lot of students because it is just seen as routine. That is not to say that it isn't influential, because repeated exposure to those values can mold young people even if they are not consciously aware of the meaning.

2025-10-03 14:44:15 UTC

I remember being in Kindergarten and getting excited when I recited it by myself for the first time. From then on, I always stood for the pledge until my senior year.

Patrice

socialsciences6 — 2025-10-03 14:44:23 UTC

Is the purpose of saying the Pledge religious?

maisie1099 — 2025-10-03 14:45:12 UTC

There shouldn't be a problem with doing the pledge in school. We all live in America, why do some people not like honoring our country. You live in it, support it.

marinirvine — 2025-10-03 14:45:15 UTC

In school I think the pledge is fine. I think that we shouldn't force the students to stand if they don't want to.

abbykearns — 2025-10-03 14:45:33 UTC

My teacher made the Pledge of Allegiance fun when we were in elementary school and then once we got to middle school, like Addison said Covid hit and we kept forgetting to say it. Eventually our school just stopped saying it all together and I'm pretty sure the elementary school in my hometown is the only school that does it in that district.

2025-10-03 14:47:51 UTC

In my family, we have a family friend who has been deployed to Iraq four times and was away from his family for a year before being deployed with them. So when I stood for the pledge, I stood for him.

cademwarren — 2025-10-03 14:47:53 UTC

I don't mean to sound all tin-foil hat about it, but the pledge of allegiance is a form of social control. It makes students trust their government implicitly. Addison is totally right.

cademwarren — 2025-10-03 14:49:36 UTC

Is the pledge of allegiance indoctrination? and if so, why is it okay instead of some other forms?

kunderwood018 — 2025-10-03 14:49:42 UTC

I don't think that making the pledge a requirement is okay. It goes against the Establishment Clause in a way. In the case of Stone v. Graham, 1980 overturned state laws that forced teachers to display the Ten Commandments in their classrooms, which I feel like the pledge can fall under this same category.

Patriotism in schools

k0910898 — 2025-10-03 14:53:07 UTC

I remember that I had to do it all 5 years in elementary school. It just became a part of the daily schedule. HOWEVER, we did it so much and never learned what we were saying. So me, and all of my peers were just saying this chant every day with no knowledge on what it ment. I think that children should learn what they are saying, and then choose whether or not to participate.

cademwarren — 2025-10-03 14:53:37 UTC

minutes add up!!!!

2025-10-03 14:54:04 UTC

At the end of the day kids strive on routine

kunderwood018 — 2025-10-03 14:54:17 UTC

I do think Miranda has a good point. Even though it doesn't take a lot of time to say it is something else the teacher has to do.