What do the following human interactions have in common? A simple disagreement between two individuals, an intellectual property lawsuit, road rage, marital strife, military conflict. In some context, each is typically an outgrowth of misunderstanding. Some may argue that the…
It’s time to stop the insanity that is killing public education
I am the child of a public schoolteacher. I am the parent of a son who has been a public schoolteacher and who remains a private instructor in a public high school. Many dear friends are public schoolteachers. As a…
The sacred work of white discomfort
In Florida, a state Senate committee wants to make it illegal to cause discomfort to white people. This bill, which reads like a scene from 1984, is a doozy. You can, and should, read the full text of it here. The bill…
Shutting down the manufactured Critical Race Theory ‘debate’
On the home stretch of Virginia’s nail-biter of a governor’s race, Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin has been looking for a way to simultaneously present himself as part of the old corporate wing of the GOP who might have crossover appeal,…
Why churches that ever have chartered a Boy Scout troop need to pay attention right now
Chartered organizations of Boy Scouts of America — which includes thousands of U.S. churches — are being handed a “get-of-jail-free card” by the latest proposed bankruptcy settlement, according to a law firm appointed to represent the 82,500 men who claim…
New study shows pattern for school districts fending off Critical Race Theory fears, and Colleyville, Texas, fits the profile
Colleyville, Texas, is consistently ranked as one of the “safest cities” in Texas — that is, unless you are the first Black principal of the predominantly white suburban Fort Worth high school. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield is…
Conversation growing about COVID vaccine ‘religious exemptions’
The most-read article on Baptist News Global’s website for the month of August was about religious exemptions to employer and school mandates on COVID-19 vaccines. That article was accessed nearly 50,000 times in two weeks and continues to be read…
Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist is back and armed with data for parents to fight for masks in schools
Your Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist has come to the masking debate armed with new data, and she’s ready to help health-conscious parents advocate at their schools, school boards and churches. Emily Smith, assistant professor of epidemiology at Baylor University and a…
Repeating Exodus through vaccine denial
At the beginning of Donald Trump’s presidency, I wrote a post warning that he was a threat to the United States and the rest of the world. We are about to see matters turn from bad to worse. Thanks to…
What if schools enjoyed pork-barrel largesse and the military depended on corporate charity?
One recent slow morning, in late August, the grocery stores’ circulars in the newspaper caught my attention. I began to wonder how things might be different if certain fortunes were reversed. Instead of “back-to-school” it’s “back-to-basic-training” discount offers. Imagine, if…
SCOTUS got this one wrong
With all due respect to my blogging colleague, Jonathan Waits and his blog post, the US Supreme Court got the decision wrong about the town of Greece, NY and their ceremonial prayers. How prayers are handled in government sponsored settings…