ICC Note: Christian public school students in the U.S. are speaking out for possibly the first time in recent history about the persecution and ridicule they face for their faith in the American school system. A new YouTube video on the topic is focusing on criticism and censorship that many Christian public school students in the U.S. face for their Christian worldview, especially on topics such as marriage and abortion.
5/7/2013 United States (CP) – Public school students who’ve endured ridicule for their Christian beliefs created a newly released video, titled “The Thaw,” in which they ask, “Why can’t I pray in school? Why am I called names because I believe in marriage the way God designed it? Why can’t Tim Tebow praise God after making a touchdown without causing a national uproar?”
These questions, and many others, are posed by Christian students who’ve experienced censorship from teachers and even bullying from classmates who ostracize them for their biblical worldview on marriage and the right to life.
Gary Brown, founder of Reach America, a national education organization based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, told The Christian Post on Tuesday that one of the motivating factors that spurred the creation of the video happened last year, when a public school teacher asked students to write an essay, titled “I Believe,” without using the names God or Jesus Christ in their papers.
Brown said his aim is to enable students to create a Christ-centered counter culture in which they can study and grow in a supportive environment where they’re not ostracized for their opinions and can freely disagree with points of view as they embark on their own path.
The students’ video that addresses bullying in public schools has already reached 22,000 views on YouTube and can also be seen on the Reach America website. According to Brown, who’s been an education consultant for more than 20 years, attacks against Christian students is a national problem; and the video has already prompted many students to reach out to him and share their stories of censorship in America’s public schools.
“I’ve received a lot of feedback from students,” Brown said, as he described how one student said he was bullied to such an extent that his parents decided to pull him out of public school and enroll him in a homeschool program.
…
[Full Story]