>>>>Neither of my boys seem to be hurt or damaged from playing in these games. In general they join in even though they are not members of any religious group. Part of team spirit (oh some spiritual entity whom I shouldn't mention - I said spirit!).
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>>>Suppose your kids were on a team that was mostly Muslim, coached by a Muslim dad. Would you be okay with their participating in a prayer to Allah? Would you be okay with the teasing they'd get from the other kids for refusing to participate?
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>>My kids would not be on such a team. Period.
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>Fine. Let's make it less controversial. Suppose your kids were on a team that was mostly Jewish, coached by a Jewish dad. Would you be okay with your kids reciting the Shema in Hebrew before each game, or being teased for failing to participate?
>
>
>>>>Many religions try to promote some form of morality and decency - I applaud them for that since schools are not allowed to do it (promote the opposite if anything), and many families don't do it either. I do not try to push religion out of sight. The current morality baseline seems to be based on anonymity - If I can get away with it it is OK. That just doesn't cut it with me.
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>>>Maybe that's what they're teaching in Kansas. It sure isn't what they're teaching for morality in schools around here.
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>>I know you live in Utopia. I live in something closer to reality.
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>I assure you this is the real world, where people come in different colors and religions and ethnic backgrounds and social classes and economic classes and sexual orientations. If your schools are including values education, based on a set of shared values, then the voters should elect a school board, who'll make that happen.
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>OTOH, if your idea of what values should be taught is exactly what your church believes and nothing else, then maybe your kids don't belong in public school.
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>Tamar

Well said.