Church/public school debate– told through Sunnyside Schools
Article goes on to discuss St Raphael School
While the city tries to exorcise the influence of religion from the public school system by evicting churches that rent school space for worship services, it’s sending thousands of children to spaces rented from parochial institutions, where students often walk past crosses and other religious images to get to their secular classrooms.
Landlords — including Thessalonia Baptist Church in the Bronx, Mission of the Immaculate Virgin on Staten Island and Yeshiva of Central Queens — rent to some 50 public schools to relieve overcrowding.
Many facilities no longer serve a religious function; Catholic schools, especially, have been closing at a rapid rate in recent years. But others still actively serve the communities they were built for.
“I’m Catholic, so maybe I’m just used to it,” Teresa Lamb said, looking at a large cross overlooking the pickup area behind the Public School 150 annex in Sunnyside, Queens, which houses the school’s kindergarten and pre-K in the former Queen of Angels Catholic School. The school, including its annex, is about 10 percent over capacity, based on numbers from the School Construction Authority.
For the entire story, please click here for the NYTimes
It’s one thing to not want to advocate a particular religion in a public school but freaking out because kids might see or walk by a statue of Jesus or a Cross is paranoia and intolerance.
Sad comment about the neighborhood and I am not religious.
The lady interviewed said she would have a problem if her kids saw signs in Hebrew. Is she afraid that they would want a bar mitzvah? What language(s) did she think Jesus spoke and read thousands of years ago? A lot of ignorance in our neighborhood. BTW: big hint: the Big Book (the first one) is written in Hebrew.
Miss Lamb, Shalom means peace!
@ Rocky Balboa II:
Jesus spoke Aramaic. He may have been illiterate; the Bible doesn’t address this. All of the parts of the Bible with Jesus in them were written in Greek.
P.S. Secular education taught me this.
The majority of Jews spoke Hebrew and in some parts of the country Aramaic. The lingua franca was Greek as English is today an international language. There are no dead Romans walking around but Israelis speak Hebrew. It is an important language. Why Ms. Lamb thinks her kids would be “contaminated” by seeing a sign in Hebrew is beyond me. Lots of statues of dead people have Latin inscriptions. Doesn’t make me want to change my religion. People need to grow up! Shalom, baby!
SCHOOLBOOK Community Editor
The author of the post replies: To clarify, Ms. Lamb’s words were made in a spirit of tolerance, rather than intolerance. She was saying that while the Christian religious symbols at the school didn’t offend her she could see them bothering others. She then put herself in others’ shoes by exploring her own response to different religious symbols, using Hebrew lettering and Jewish symbols as an example. She could have picked Arabic and Islam, or Sanskrit and Hinduism, and her words would’ve meant the same thing.
WOW! maybe miss lamb hit a nerve. Very sensitive people its as if Miss Lamb is making a personal attack on Jews. I find it hilarious how most of the comments are not directly related to the article. The majority of Jews spoke Hebrew. what does that mean? So because the majority of jews spoke hebrew, it’s ok to splash jewish symbols all over PUBLIC SCHOOLS? It’s an example she used people, get a grip. Who said Hebrew was not an important language? So because it’s an important language, it should be in PUBLIC SCHOOLS? Who cares what language Jesus spoke. Because Shalom means peace, it should splattered all over the PUBLIC SCHOOL system. This interview is about having these symbols/lettering used in the PUBLIC SCHOOL system, very simple article that you seem not to understand. I think she made it clear that it didn’t bother her because she herself was catholic but could see how others would be offended. She then when on to say that she would be upset if her child went to SCHOOL ( NOT THE GROCERY STORE OR THE BANK OR ANY OTHER PLACE OTHER THAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ) with hebrew signs. This is what the article is about THE CHURCH AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL DEBATE. If the PUBLIC SCHOOL system is going to purchase/lease and religious institutions it should be stripped of any religious lettering/symbols.
Hittin’ a Nerve: then don’t send your kids to any school that was once used by a religious institution unless you are prepareds to comb through looking for religious symbols. Shalom does mean peace. You need it.
Get a life: LMAO at your comment because you just proved the point that Miss Lamb was trying to make and you don’t even realize it but it doesn’t surprise me! PEACE OUT.