The request made by religious advisors to promote 'Western Culture' content in classes has sparked a heated debate at the State School Board Meeting in the state of Oklahoma. In this recommendation, the students will be able to have an opportunity to pray and reflect during a period of silence.
Heated Debate on Promoting 'Western Culture' in Oklahoma Classrooms
In an open letter to state Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters in February, conservative religious and community groups urged the creation of an advisory board to investigate the issue of whether it is appropriate for students to pray aloud or acknowledge God in class and to provide suggestions to the department. Kosu reported that when the conference was over, Walters stated that the advisory group that was formed as a result of the letter had been chosen by the creators of the letter and that five of the six people who wrote the letter are members of that committee.
As mentioned, the group of experts suggested to the administration that it should implement the current legislation in three different aspects regarding the daily moment of silence observed in schools. These points included that the moment of silence ought to continue for an entire minute, along with an opportunity for prayer. In addition, they mandate that a copy of the Ten Commandments be displayed in every publicly funded classroom in the state. Moreover, students must reportedly take a course titled "Western Culture" to graduate, which was essential to the establishment of the country and the culture of the West, and it served to cultivate feelings of appreciation and informed citizenship.
On the other hand, the event finally got underway after a heated argument in Thursday's State Board of Education meeting, where people gathered in large numbers well before the meeting room opened. According to the observers, several people are said to have thrown out numbers, explaining that those figures served as their entry ticket into the conference room. It is reportedly neither a formal procedure nor the work of a department official. Witnesses also mentioned that tension began rising, and the arguments intensified. According to comments made by members of the public, a teacher at Tulsa Public Schools was violently seized by the arm. In the end, a state trooper led two men out of the lobby in an orderly fashion.
As per Yahoo Finance, although schools in Oklahoma already observe a moment of silence before the start of each school day, other recommendations are optional. Walters stated that he would investigate the various possibilities for implementing the two more recommendations, but he did not provide further information. "We will be coming back soon with actions around the other recommendations. We are looking at all options," he noted.
Also Read: Thanksgiving: The Differences in Eastern and Western Cultures
Western Culture
DB Pedia stated that Western culture, sometimes referred to as Western civilization, Occidental culture, or Western society, is the body of social mores, moral principles, long-standing traditions, religious beliefs, political ideologies, artifacts, and technological advancements that have come to define the Western world. Beyond Europe, the term refers to countries and cultures whose cultures are deeply intertwined with those of Europe through immigration, colonization, or impact. The cultures of the Germanic peoples, the Greco-Roman civilization, and Christianity have had the most profound effect on Western culture. The introduction of Greek culture into the Hellenistic realm provided a foundation for the opening of the earliest Christianity and the Greek New Testament. Accordingly, Judaism and Christianity have influenced Western culture from at least the fourth century. Christianity, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, and Protestantism dominated the scene in the succeeding centuries.
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