Parents and taxpayers in New York State are furious over problems in local government schools ranging from lessons that promote Islam and whitewash terrorism, to an obscene so-called “art project” blasting President Donald Trump with profanity. However, while the uproar is centered around upstate New York at the moment, similarly scandalous indoctrination programs are being used all across America.
The outrage surrounding the suicide-bombing lessons began when TheBlaze news agency exposed the plan, dubbed “Dying to be a Martyr,” on its website. The program encourages children to be more sympathetic to Islamist terrorists who murder Jews. Among other resources, it includes video interviews of terrorists explaining why the slaughter of Jews is supposedly justified. However, there is no response from Jews or Israelis offered to balance out the bizarre program.
TheBlaze’s investigation of the controversial lesson plan uncovered the fact that it was developed in New York State government schools, and that until recent months, was actually promoted by the New York State Education Department for use in the classroom. After reporters asked for comment, the state education bureaucracy, which is funded in part by U.S. taxpayers, changed its website to conceal the “Dying to be a Martyr” material, TheBlaze reported.
The government-school teacher who created the lesson plan works for Ballston Spa High School in Saratoga County. Multiple reports suggest that it was taught to impressionable young children. And yet, neither the teacher, school administrators, or the state bureaucracy were willing to comment on the record about the scandal. Outraged parents instead took officials to task at a school board meeting last week.
Another government school in Saratoga County is under fire from outraged parents after students were encouraged to paint graffiti — much of which ended up being profane and obscene — over images of President Trump that were clearly designed to make him look bad. After drawing nationwide outrage following a post on Fox News, school officials claimed it was a “student-led” project.
Parent and local activists who spoke with FreedomProject Media were outraged. “These bias lessons are not educational; our local public schools are intentionally indoctrinating our youth,” explained Renee Mertens, a spokesperson for Saratoga County Education Awareness. “Being ‘sympathetic’ to any terrorist group, religion or defamation of any President does not constitute ‘education,’ nor does it belong in our high schools. It’s indoctrination 101 plain and simple.”
Mertens, who has been widely quoted in local media amid the scandal, argued that these battles were critical. “This is a war for the hearts and souls of our children!” she exclaimed, adding that it was time for parents and taxpayers to stand up. “There are reasons why our schools are hiding these lessons from you, the American parent.” Government has no right to exclude parents, she added.
But it is not all bad news. “Parents are waking up, now that they are seeing the fruits of the dysfunctional watered-down agenda of NYSED and by our unconstitutional U.S. Department of Education that are wiping out our constitutionally protected rights as parents,” Mertens said.
Beyond New York, government schools all across America are out of control. These thoroughly anti-Christian institutions are literally indoctrinating children by the millions. Parents must take steps to protect their loved ones — along with their nation and their freedoms.
