This feudal revisionist would-be King could be your president

A new civics training program for public school teachers in Florida says it is a “[b]misconception[/b]” that “the founders desired strict separation of church and state,” the Washington Post reports.

The Constitution explicitly bars the government from “respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Scholars interpret the passage to require a separation of church and state.

In another example, the training states that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were against slavery, while [i]omitting the fact that each owned enslaved people.[/i]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has decried what he has branded "indoctrination” in public education.

DeSantis has instituted new civics curriculum since taking office, and this summer is offering optional “civics bootcamps” on how teachers can implement it. Teachers who participate get paid.

What he's saying: “[b]We’re unabashedly promoting civics and history that is accurate and that is not trying to push an ideological agenda,[/b]” DeSantis said at an event earlier this week.

Students in Florida are “learning the real history, you’re learning the real facts,” he added.

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Really · 80-89, M

@dancingtongue. [quote]Well, technically the Anglican Church is still the official state church of Great Britain [/quote]

Tsk, tsk, you know better than that! England is just a southern piece of Great Britain. Further north the official religion is that of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. It is very firmly Protestant. Most of its adherents would consider the C of E to be a virtual clone of Catholicism - just the result of a power tussle between Henry 8 and the then Pope. It's distinctly unwelcome in Scotland - except perhaps by the many southern English who've made their escape to a quieter life :).

dancingtongue · 80-89, M

@Really So is the Anglican church the state religion of England or the Monarchy? And if of the Monarchy, does that make it the state religion of you Commonwealth folks as well?

Really · 80-89, M

@dancingtongue Not sure I can answer those questions. Certainly the British (and Canadian) monarch is English - although the first one was not; so goodness knows how that played out in terms of 'official' religion. My knowledge of history draws a blank. As for official 'State' religions - ??. I don't know if there is even such a concept in much of Britain. Until this topic came up I was unaware that Sotland even [i]had[/i] an official religion and I don't know where/how it would have been declared. When I lived there - in the central lowlands - most people were nominally Protestant wigh Catholics a fairly small minority. In the highlands there may have been more Catholics, I'm not sure. But there were also ultra-Protestant, very dour, strict highland churches like the 'Wee Free.' In those areas Sunday was an all-day church affair, dressed all in black with the women in full-length dresses. B&B houses would refuse Sunday guests. At one youth hostel where I stayed, we were told not to be seen outside doing anything recreational, or even doing chores, on Sunday.

Hah! How dod I get onto all this reminiscing. Must be an age thing.

dancingtongue · 80-89, M

@Really So what I hear you saying is that although the Anglican and Presbyterian churches may be the state religions of England and Scotland respectively, it is sort of like being the "official (fill in the blank)" product of a sports team. Endorsed but not mandated.

Really · 80-89, M

@dancingtongue Absolutely nothing mandated by the Scottish state although where I grew up the Catholic church had the reputation (among Protestants!) of being a bit aggressive about keeping the flock within the fold.

And although my parents faithfully attended the Church of Scotland - my father held office in the church - I was never aware that it was in some [i]official[/i] way the religion of the country.

Catholic-Protestant ill will was rife. My parents did not embrace the animosity. I think most of it has now died out, but doubtless there will always be a minority ...

I think the major religion in Canada is Catholicism but one's religion is seldom mentioned socially. it's not remarked on, not 'worn on the sleeve'.

dancingtongue · 80-89, M

@Really Even the Republic of Ireland has loosen its ties to the Catholic Church in recent years, although it hasn't done that much to improve relations with Northern Ireland and its Scottish Protestants.