EXODUS MANDATE-WV

2010 Articles, Letters and Op-Eds Urging Folks to Rescue Their Children (Plus some miscellaneous articles of interest to truth and enlightenment seekers.)

Notes:

1. Typos are fixed when found.
2. Some hyper-links were added on this page after article were published.
3. Be sure to see the reports of West Virginia public school test performance look for "Report of West Virginia public school test performance" on individual WV News pages (not all pages have the data).

BLASPHEMY IN SCHOOL
CHECK AND CHECKMATE-- Prologue

In November 2010 God led me to contact the Kanawha County Board of Education about placing my book in advanced placement classes. One thing led to another and, despite tremendous satanic oppression, the following articles developed.

A condensed version of the CHECKMATE! article appeared in the December 21, 2010 Charleston Gazette. My title was “Board Blinks at Blasphemy.” The Gazette used “Do you approve of blasphemy against Jesus?”

CHECK.

By Karl C. Priest December 7, 2010

God’s dealing with the onslaught of satanic secularism is analogous to a game of chess. Of course, it is not a game, but both sides are out to win and neither will accept a “draw” (tie).

A good chess player makes use of the “pawns” which are the weakest pieces on the board. Pawns are especially important during “endgame” strategy. The game of chess is like a war between two opposing armies. In ancient times chess was used for war strategy training.

God usually chooses insignificant, ordinary, or weak individuals to serve His purposes. His choices are usually not logical according to human thinking. God stayed consistent when He guided a bunch of common Christians in Kanawha County, West Virginia to engage in a battle against the attack on our culture and Christianity. That 1974 event became known as the Great Textbook War and the story of the people God used at that time is told in the book Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party. Much evidence suggests that was the beginning of is the final battle as we entered the end times.

The second phase of the endgame moves began in Kanawha County in 1999 and consisted of a series of battles over the teaching of evolutionism in public schools. The accounts of those incidents begin with the Evolution Resolution. No school system in America has had a more diverse and intense debate over the teaching of evolution.

Now in 2010, the “check” move has been made. “Check” means that the opponent’s main piece is under direct attack and the match is about to end. The opponents are contemplating a way out. It appears that they are in “checkmate.” “Checkmate” means that the opponent’s main piece cannot avoid capture and the match is over.

On Thursday, the report of the final moves leading to checkmate will be provided on this website.

The report will anger liberals, but it also will make many conservatives quite uncomfortable.

If today’s Tea Party participants cannot comprehend and capitalize upon the importance of what has happened in Kanawha County, West Virginia, their efforts will be shallow and ultimately doomed to defeat.

Look for the headline: CHECKMATE!

CHECKMATE!

By Karl C. Priest December 9, 2010 (revised 6-12-11)

Using the analogy of a chess match, a major school system in the Bible Belt has been “checkmated.” “Checkmate” means that the opponent’s main “piece” cannot avoid capture and the match is over. In this case, the opponent is the public (government) schools of America. The government schools’ main piece is a pretense of being religiously neutral.

I am a retired teacher and author of Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party. On November 18, 2010 I spoke to the Kanawha County (West Virginia) Board of Education at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting making an offer and a request that placed the board into two strategic quandaries—one of which is major.

I offered to donate a classroom set of my book to each county high school for use in an advanced placement English or history class. The cost to the school system would be zero because I would provide free delivery.

Excluding tragedies, the Kanawha County Textbook Protest was arguably one of the top events in West Virginia history. Also, what became known as the Great Textbook War had national implications as the first major battle in the Cultural War for the heart and soul of America. It is not a stretch to say the events during 1974 in Kanawha County laid the groundwork for the 1990s victories of conservatives including the election of Ronald Reagan.

At the 2010 meeting the board was told that the use of Protester Voices would be an excellent opportunity for Kanawha County high school students to learn some West Virginia history from a perspective unavailable in other literature. Additionally, reading and discussing Protester Voices would allow a unique way for students to exhibit the tolerance and diversity that is stressed as Kanawha County School policy.

“The students of Kanawha County deserve to learn that Bible believing Christians--who made up most of the 1974 protesters and who still make up a sizable portion of the families with children attending Kanawha County schools—are not the idiots, or worse, as they are commonly portrayed,” I added. (1)

To relieve the board of the excuse that my book is too controversial, I reminded them that, after parental complaints (i n 2007 ), the board discussed placing a warning label on a book, being used in a high school class, due to graphic content. I assured the board that a warning label will not be needed for Protester Voices.

In case some hesitancy remained, I related that during 2000 I spoke at a board meeting regarding the teaching of scientific facts that show that evolution is an abject lie. Coincidentally, during that meeting a parent came to the podium and began reading from John Irving’s book, A Prayer for Owen Meany, which was being used by his daughter in her English class. Before the parent completed reading a paragraph the board president stopped him because of the sexually explicit material. (Video of this meeting can be viewed on YouTube. Graphic excerpts from the vile book can be seen at The Books.) I made it clear that Protester Voices can be opened at any page and read aloud and the board will not have to stop the reading.

Providing full disclosure, I said that my book does contain the name of Jesus Christ—except not in the profane way that Irving did in his overtly religious book. “I hope none of you is offended by the name of Jesus Christ being used with respect and in the context as Jesus being the Son of God.”

In response to my prior written (email) notification, the school superintendent had made a preemptive attempt to disregard my offer by saying that the county gets “offers like this all the time.” At the November 18, 2010 meeting I requested that he provide a list of ten similar offers so that I could be advised of the competition. No list has arrived to date.

To solidify the attack upon the board’s main piece, I asked, “Board members, please do not pass my offer on to a committee without clearly stating your position. Please have the integrity to publicly say whether you support or oppose my offer.”

To refuse the offer of free books (during a tight economy) written by a former county teacher on a subject with national implications is an affront to the average Kanawha County citizen.

Promoting my book was not the primary reason I was there. For the “check” move (when the opponent’s main piece is under direct attack and the match is about to end) I proceeded to inform the board members that they now were fully aware that the name of Jesus Christ is blasphemed in Kanawha County classrooms under the authority of certified teachers. (2) I encouraged them to publicly, and strongly, voice objection to that blasphemy and pledge to do their best to end that disgraceful practice.

I followed up with an email (which describes the dilemma faced by the board) on November 23.

Dear ____________:

At the November 18 regular board meeting I presented two requests to you.  Although the presentation was to the board itself, the requests were directed to each individual board member.

The first was a request for you to consider Protester Voices--The 1974 Textbook Tea Party (at absolutely no cost) for use in advanced high school English or history classes.  I realize that you will need a couple of weeks to preview the book.  I trust you to have the integrity to state publicly whether you support or oppose this offer.  Thank you for taking the time to do that.

The second request, and by far the most important, was that you take a firm stand in opposition to the teacher sponsored blasphemy of Jesus Christ in Kanawha Country Schools classrooms.  The only excuse I have heard (please tell me if there is another) is that the blasphemy is used as character dialogue in a story.  That excuse fails unless it is KCS policy to accept similar dialogue in a student essay regarding the child's teacher or (superintendent) Dr. Duerring.  Even more damning to the excuse is that the board would not allow a book to be used that spoke ill of Mohammed or Allah.  Would you support the use of Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses? 

If you support slurs against teachers or Dr. Duerring, blasphemy of Mohamed or Allah, and adoption of Satanic Verses then you are consistent and you should proudly proclaim your position.

If you oppose blasphemy of Jesus Christ then you should make that known to Kanawha County citizens.

To sit silently is the same as explicitly endorsing the blasphemy.

Sincerely,

Karl Priest

Only two board members replied. One, the consummate politician Pete Thaw, gave a curt verbal “I will investigate” type statement. I wonder why that board member did not rise up with indignation over the insult to Jesus Christ rather than express irritation that I raised the issue. The offer to investigate was merely a subterfuge to stifle the serious situation in which the board must face. That board member can pretend to be investigating, and may very well make an effort to some degree, but i t is irrelevant whether or not a specific example can be provided.  The fact is that it was done in the past (A Prayer for Owen Meany) and, unless the board says "NO!" it can be done again. (3) See the notes about Pete Thaw in "Pandas" and "The Evolution Resolution".

The other board member (Robin Rector) emailed that my book would be better for a “more mature student population” (college level). That argument could be used to dispute the aforementioned sexually graphic and religiously liberal books already used by the high school students. Regarding the blasphemy of Jesus Christ, the board member stated that “spirituality is personal.” I replied with, “This has nothing to do with spirituality.  A fair-minded and respectful atheist could logically align with me on this matter.  Please reread my points about Dr. Duerring and Mohammad.  Especially ponder the fact that to remain silent is to condone the blasphemy.”

It is sad that not one board member will strongly voice objection to blasphemy of Jesus Christ and pledge to do his/her best to end that disgraceful practice?

There is school board sanctioned blasphemy of Jesus Christ, but woe to anyone who speaks ill of sodomy! In 2009 a prominent long-time member of the Kanawha County Board of Education had this to say regarding a policy planned to protect homosexual students: “It's a policy that we're trying to put in for fair treatment of everybody and to stop the bullying. It's not about homosexuality, it's about equal treatment of all students in the schools.” It is obvious that “all students” does not include students who are offended by blasphemy of Jesus Christ. (4)

This board’s behavior is typical of the duplicity of liberalism. Kanawha County Schools is representative of school boards throughout America. I challenge readers to go before their own local board of education and ask for the members to officially stand against blasphemy of Jesus Christ. In the rare case where the strong majority of a board would stand against such blasphemy, the parents in that district should read “We Must Get Our Children Out!”

The major implication of the November 18, 2010 school board meeting in Kanawha County, West Virginia is that public schools cannot be redeemed. Citizens who try will only waste valuable time and sacrifice more precious children to these anti-Christ institutions. Christians and non-Christian conservatives need to remove their children from public (i.e. government) schools without delay! (5)

Upcoming Tea Party political successes will be hollow and temporary victories because the coming generation of citizens will be thoroughly indoctrinated by government schooling provided by graduates of the intensely liberal and anti-Christian universities.

To brush off the Kanawha County event as inconsequential will be tantamount to the upending of the chess board by the potential winner just before declaring “Checkmate!”

-------------------------------------------------

(1) Video of the protesters is on YouTube.

PART I   PART II   PART III   PART IV    PART V PART VI  PART VII  PART VIII   PART IX   PART X
PART XI: Passing the Torch

(2) The exact words that blaspheme Jesus Christ are cited at the bottom of my webpage about the content of books protested in Kanawha County Schools. Warning: Even though I did not spell out the complete words the material is extremely offensive.

(3) Kanawha County Library search results 9 December 2010):

FIC IRV
A prayer for Owen Meany: a novel1st mass market ed.
Irving, John, 1942-
617 p. ; 18 cm.
7 copies available at Capital High School, Herbert Hoover High School, South Charleston High School, and St. Albans High School

(4) The November 18, 2010 news reported:

Also Thursday, Karl Priest asked that board members approve his book about the 1974 Kanawha County textbook controversy for use in Advanced Placement English and history classes.

He wants each board member to tell him whether they support or oppose his offer.

Priest's book is titled, "Protester Voices: The 1974 Textbook Tea Party." He describes the book as a "first time, first-hand protester account of the event that launched the fight for the heart and soul of America."

He describes Alice Moore, a former Kanawha school board member who helped lead the fight against "godless textbooks" in county schools, as "one of the first heroines of the pro-family movement."

"She was an attractive housewife and mother who was very informed on the scope and magnitude of the problem of leftist revision of the textbooks," Priest wrote in the book's foreward.     

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201011181352?page=2

(5) Some facts that I witnessed firsthand regarding the promotion of homosexuality are in my article “ The Inside Story .” (http://www.insectman.us/exodus-mandate-wv/inside-story.htm)

(6) See these related articles:

Parents Pull Son Out of New Hampshire School Over Assigned Book That Refers to Jesus as 'Wine-Guzzling Vagrant and Socialist'

Homeschool!

CHECK AND CHECKMATE--Epilogue

I knew good and well that KCS would never expose their students to the material in my book, but I wanted to confirm it. So, on June 28, 2011 I emailed Superintendent Duerring and said, “Since I have not heard from you I assume that my offer was rejected. Please confirm and provide detailed reasons why.” After not hearing from him, I filled a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for all documentation regarding discussion of my book. On July 11 Dr. Duerring emailed me an apology for the delay due to his being out of the office for two weeks. He said that my book had been “hand delivered by our curriculum specialist, Peggy Alexander. They were to discuss the book as a possible AP reading. All of the schools at this time have not elected to use the book.”

It would have been easy to use the system mail to distribute my book with an appropriate memo and request a response via the same system. The administration was obviously making sure their tracks were covered.

I then received a letter in response to my FOIA from James Withrow (General Counsel to the Board) telling me “a review of our files does not disclose any documents which are responsive to your request.”

I emailed “I find it odd that the Kanawha County school system files do not “disclose any documents which are responsive to (my) request.” I have emails from some board members that should have been found. Of course, I already have those, but it is strange that you would not.

“Also, are you telling me that my book was hand delivered to the schools and all communication between Dr. Duerring, Peggy Alexander, and all teachers was only verbal?

“If so, I would like to have a report from Ms. Alexander (or Dr. Duerring) stating either that no teacher gave a reason for rejecting the offer or providing the reason(s).”

Mr. Withrow responded. “While you may find it odd that there are no documents maintained by Kanawha County Schools with respect to you presentation to the board on November 18, 2010, other than perhaps the minutes of the meeting, which I neglected to look at, that is the fact of the matter. E-mails are not generally maintained more than thirty days, and e-mails generated by board members through their own equipment and sent through their own internet providers are not official records of Kanawha County Schools.

“The West Virginia Freedom of Information Act permits individuals to inspect and copy public documents. The Act does not require public agencies create documents which do not already exist. Therefore, I must decline your request for Dr. Duerring or Ms. Alexander to prepare some sort of report relating to what teachers may have said about your book.”

Which elicited an explicit statement of fact from me. “With respect, I must speak frankly about the results of my FOIA request.

“It is obvious that Kanawha County Schools is engaged in censorship and cover-up. I have plenty of documentation to back up that statement.

“The sort of sneaky behavior exhibited by KCS personnel in this matter is not surprising given the fact that KCS condones the blasphemy of Jesus Christ.”

It is sad, that those leaders of children are lost in liberalism or compromise. I hope they are moved to repent or return to ethical and Christ honoring standards.

The school system does not want embarrassing incidents like the Public School Obscenity to get out. A former board member, Alice Moore, revealed more system subterfuge in her chapter of Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party.

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LEARNING FROM HISTOY

By Karl C. Priest October 20, 2010

Today’s Tea Partiers may think the subject of this article does not apply to them and has no bearing on the Tea Party movement. Please believe that it does.

It has almost become trite to say (in one form or another) “Those who do not read history are doomed to repeat it.” Nevertheless, it is so very true. As we approach a point in American history that will be largely determined by the Tea Party movement we must grasp the meaning of that warning.

An event occurred in West Virginia in 1974 that liberals loathe and conservatives need to comprehend. That event is is extremely relevant to today’s Tea Partiers just as the Boston Tea Party had a major impact upon American patriots after 1773.

The West Virginia event launched the modern conservative movement. Those 1974 Tea Partiers are now into old age or deceased. It would behoove today’s conservatives to study the 1974 Textbook Tea Party. In doing so they will be encouraged to persevere as events transpire in the days ahead that will be difficult. Also, Tea Partiers will be strongly reminded that compromise with liberalism will not work!

We are engaged in what is likely to be the final battle for the heart and soul of America. There is only one book that provides a first-hand protester perspective of the event that launched the war.

The book includes the personal accounts of school board member Alice Moore (who plowed the ground for leaders like Sarah Palin), five preachers (Graley, Hill, Horan, Thaxton, and Quigley) who modern preachers should emulate, and several other actual protesters who will lift the spirits of toddy’s Tea party foot soldiers.

Readers will see many photographs of the 1974 Tea Partiers in action—including peaceful protesters waving flags and praising God as they are arrested and mothers who are roughed up by police for refusing to leave the board of education office until the superintendent met with them. So much for “public” schools!

After 36 years of propaganda, this book sets the record straight and overcomes the pile of edited media interviews, slanted research papers, and censorship.

The author of Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party has been interviewed at major education website ( Education News ):

Others have commented on this major historical event:

LEE STROBEL (best-selling Christian author) featured the Textbook War in chapter one of The Case for a Creator.

LARRY PRATT (executive director of Gun Owners of America) said, “The Textbook War was one of the major battles of the cultural wars.”

CONNIE MARSHNER (national conservative leader) declared that the 1974 protesters had old-fashioned American virtues and they woke up the rest of the country.

ROBERT K. DORNAN (former United States Congressman) said that the media discovered that something was wrong with American education thanks to the Kanawha County textbook battle.

The PEABODY AWARDS (the most prestigious honor in electronic media) designated “The Great Textbook War” as a “thoughtful, balanced and gripping radio documentary that shows how a 1974 battle over textbook content in rural West Virginia foreshadows the ‘culture wars’ still raging.”

The EDWARD R. MURROW AWARD was presented to the "The Great Textbook War."

Professor Todd Gitlin (Columbia University) said, during a PEW FORUM on Religion & Public Life, the Textbook War “ has been called the pivotal moment in the right wing recovery movement.”

AMERICAN RADIO WORKS features ProtesterVoices as an alternative to a liberal book about the protest.

An on-line review of Protester Voices is at CITIZENS FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC .

Christian conservative author RANDY C. MURRAY said, "I wish I had  Protester Voices as reference material for my last book, Legally STUPiD:  Why Johnny Doesn't Have to Read.”  

DR. JOSEPH MASTROPAOLO (renowned scientist): “Karl Priest was in the textbook battle from the beginning and still is on the front lines. He does not give the secondhand accounts found in the biased media. Bravo Karl Priest and the protesters!”

Every Christian, conservative, and Tea Party patriot can learn and be inspired!

AL BENSON: “The work of these dedicated men remains virtually unknown to the public at large.” It is well documented at the book’s website that liberals do not want this book to be read.

Liberals learn from history. If conservatives do not, America faces a repeat of the post-Reagan falling away from traditional values and this time it may mean the doom of America. The historical 1974 event in West Virginia is still having an impact and today’s Tea Partiers should take heed.

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PATHETIC PERCENTAGES

By Karl C. Priest September 10, 2010
(A version of this article appeared in the September 14, 2010 Charleston Gazette with the headline “Test Scores Deceiving.”

The president of a teacher union recently boasted (Gazette-Mail 9-4-10, pg. 4A) about the academic performance of West Virginia public school students. His premise was based upon the percentage of students that made Adequate Yearly Progress on the state’s WESTEST2 and the percentage of students who are ready for college freshman English courses based upon the most recent American College Test (ACT). The results of those tests are not as encouraging as public school promoters would have taxpayers believe. A close look reveals that the percentages are pathetic.

The WESTEST2 compares students within West Virginia although school officials may claim that it goes beyond our state borders. “Adequate Yearly Progress” is a nebulous measurement. A student that scores a little higher on the WESTEST than he did previously may still be woefully low. Using the widely understood grading system as an example, moving from a grade of 25% to 35% is still a lousy level. The original WESTEST was used from 2004 to 2008 and fooled a lot of parents into thinking their children were doing wonderfully. When the test was revised, the state school superintended said the new test was finally “telling parents the truth.” Why should anyone believe that?

The Nation’s Report Card honestly informs the public about the academic achievement of elementary and secondary students in the United States. Details of this report can be found at http://www.insectman.us/exodus-mandate-wv/report-card.htm. Links to easily understood reports are provided. Those reports disclose percentages that make it clear that West Virginia public school test scores are nothing to boast about in the core subjects of math and reading. Public school fourth grade reading scores are lower than the national average and 37 other states had better scores. West Virginia eighth graders are lower than the national average in reading and 41 other states had better scores. It looks like the longer students are in public schools, the worse off they are. Simply do the math and see how pathetic those percentages are.

According to ACT results, 71% of West Virginia public school students are ready for the first year of college English. The students who took the ACT were the ones who did not drop out since only about 75% (a low “C”) of West Virginia public school students complete high school. The grading scale used by West Virginia public schools places 71% as a letter grade of “D.” How many parents are happy to see that grade on their child’s report card? Nationally, 66% (close to an “F”) were ready. That is a like comparing Dunce A to Dunce B.

Only 54% of state students were ready for freshman reading courses. Reading is the basis for learning anything. Pathetically, only 18% met the ACT standards for being ready for English, reading, math and science altogether. Taxpayers should ask state colleges and universities what percentage of freshmen have to take remedial courses.

A February 11, 2010 Gazette article reported the poor test performance of West Virginia public school students (45th nationwide)in Advanced Placement testing.

West Virginia spends about $11,500 per student per year. That is 10% higher than the national average, but the per capita income in West Virginia is 24% percent below the national average. Yet gullible taxpayers keep approving bond levies and pouring money into the public school boondoggle bonfire. If a free market was allowed in education, the pathetic percentages would become pleasing.

Karl Priest (The Insectman) is a retired teacher and the author of Protester Voices: The 1974 Textbook Tea Party.

Where are our Shepherds? by Coach Dave Daubenmire and Dr. Gregory Thompson

Review by Karl C. Priest September 1, 2010

Where are our Shepherds? is a book most Christian leaders will not want to read. Even a few pages anywhere in the book will make the average leader (particularly local church pastors) very uncomfortable. A few of them may be motivated to come out from the safety of the microphone or pulpit and minister in the pit where the spiritual battle wages.

I am well acquainted with authors Daubenmire and Thompson and can say, without equivocation, that both men are genuine spiritual warriors and qualified to criticize men who man church pulpits. Daubenmire and Thompson do not mince words. They refer to the “atheistic communists in the Democratic Party, “useful idiots in the Republican Party,” and point out that “Masons, (and) Knights of Columbus…hide within Christian ranks with blood on their hands.” (10) Although those entities are guilty as charged, Daubenmire and Thompson “put the shame and sin squarely on the dupes of Satan”—the Shepherds (i.e. church pastors and other Christian leaders). Because of men who have made the church “a business…an enterprise…a social club totally dependent on butts and bucks…a place to make social contacts, network with others in the community, and soothe one’s conscience through weekly attendance and philanthropy”—the “Church IS the problem.” (21) “Most churches love money, chase money, compromise over money” and “truth empties churches, it doesn’t fill them.” (23) Daubenmire and Thompson ask, “How can we expect our elected officials to stand publicly against evil when the ‘men of the cloth’ are too cowardly to do so?” (43) Because of such shepherds (whom Daubenmire and Thompson call “hirelings”) “Christians have lost all credibility with the world.” (43)

Shepherds are called upon to proclaim the truth such as :

>Abortion is murder
>Homosexuality and divorce are sin
>Our schools have become Secular-Humanist factors
>Our rights are God-given, not government granted
>Islam is a lie from the pit of hell

Instead “pastors love to shepherd in the safety of the sheep-pen, but they have a Pilate’s-basin approach to the land where the wolves roam” (56)

Too many pastors have succumbed to the “prissy Purpose Driven drivel” of Rick Warren and become “feminized.” (59) “They are fiddling while the nation burns, building their church rather than Christ’s Kingdom.” “Public schools are destroying the faith of Christian children and the pulpits are silent….Children are taught they came from apes and the pulpits are silent….Gambling is promoted to pay for schools and the pulpits are silent. Precious babies are being murdered in the womb and the pulpits are silent. Planned Parenthood kills babies with our tax dollars and the pulpits are silent…Sodomy is granted legal protection and the pulpits are silent. The institution of marriage is crumbling and the pulpits are silent. Obama says the Sermon on the Mount justifies gay marriage and the pulpits are silent….Self-help books replace the Bible and the pulpits are silent…G. W. Bush says Christians and Muslims worship the same God and the pulpits are silent…The entertainment industry celebrates debauchery and the pulpits are silent.” (60-61)

“America is a dying country…The once great ‘shining city on a hill’ is grasping for breath…We are a dying people controlled by a dying government, infected with the dead leadership of dead men, who chew on a dead gospel served-up in dead churches, by dead pastors living out a dead faith.” (74) “Much of America is Christian in Name Only (CHINO).” (75) “Most Christians are more likely to be stricken by bed-sores from the padded pews than they are from the attacks of the enemy. Our pastors are to blame…They are paralyzed by the Devil’s trinity of fear, pride and greed. Most pastors are cowards.” (78)

Daubenmire and Thompson correctly call it: God is judging America. Their advice to lay Christians is to “Stop calling your elected officials and start calling your pastor.” Ask him, “What is the church going to do about it?...Don’t let him ‘wiggle off the hook’...After a hard sermon, make sure that you let him know that you appreciate what he had to say..(and) Withhold your tithe if he refuses to preach against sin.” (119) Those are only a few suggestions from the authors’ list.

Sadly, there is some compromise in the book. Although the King James Bible is quoted often, there are some quotes from (per)versions of the Bible. Most (if not all) of the Great Awakening preachers used the King James Bible. The King James Bible was good enough for Dr. Alan Keyes (Chapter 3). I hope Daubenmire and Thompson awaken to that chink in their armor as they stand on the frontlines in spiritual warfare that is raging.

I was pleased that Dr. Alan Keyes has a place in this outstanding book. His presence is like icing on the cake. One of the verses Dr. Keyes used was Acts 23:3: Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? Keyes was arrested with Daubenmire, Thompson, and others for peacefully walking onto the campus of Notre Dame to express their dismay over the school’s honoring of Barack Hussein Obama who is “the focus of abortion evil in the world today.” Keyes, eloquent as always, wrote that the accolades given to Obama represented indifference to “the slaughter of innocent children.” Keyes and the others were taken into police custody as that prayerfully pushed baby strollers “representing the words of Christ” onto the campus. Don’t let the chapter’s title cause you to skip reading Chapter 3.

The book contains 35 brief non-sequential chapters which can all stand alone like a keg of gunpowder. Some of the chapter titles explode from the pages. Two examples are: “Are Christians Helping Send Children to Hell?” and “The Church Isn’t Ready for Revival.” To do our best to keep children from hell and get the church ready for revival we need to answer the question: Where are our Shepherds?

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Legally STUPid : Why Johnny doesn’t have to read by R. C. Murray
A review by Karl C. Priest August 21, 2010

Legally STUPiD could have been written by my alter ego. I found myself, on every page, thinking “That is exactly right.” I could have written this book except, as a former math teacher, I would not have come close to the way R. C. Murray (former English teacher) put together an encyclopedia of information in 312 pages. He made an alarming subject, filled with necessary educational jargon, into an interesting, understandable, humorous, and handy book.

The introduction was enough to convince me that Murray, who left teaching after four years, has a solid grasp on what is reality in public school classrooms. The introduction consists of an account of a personal incident that Murray experienced as a fairly new teacher. Every teacher has had a similar experience of being pressured to lower academic standards. Teachers, overall, are treated kindly in this book. They are faced with an insurmountable task due to “lawyers and legislators.” American “public” education has been strangled by political correctness. Of course, since the 1970’s teachers have been churned out of Colleges of Education which have made it certain they are not like those who taught Beaver Cleaver. Murray doesn’t like the teacher unions because the NEA and AFT are driven by politics and more interested in many things other than the education of children. My own opinion is that teacher unions are evil.

After reading the Introduction, I jumped to the Addendum, which is a hilarious glossary of educational terms such as “block scheduling.” I chuckled as I read the entries—consisting of accurate definitions mixed with Murray’s wry wit. He omitted ADHD although he does discuss that in the book. Educators call the condition “Attention Deficit-Hyperactive Disorder.” I define it as “Absence of Dad in the Home Deficiency.”

The thread throughout the book is the need to learn to read well (using phonics) in order to read to learn. Murray explains why the teaching of reading has been sabotaged.

Like a good teacher, Murray repeats important concepts. The center-piece theme of what is wrong with public schools is a group of failed (but still used) education strategies for which Murray coined the term “Seven Deadly Sins of Public Education.” I knew about all of these and saw them develop over the 35 plus years of my career, but I never connected them like Murray.

Besides the stupid (a word Murray uses accurately and frequently) academic abominations of those “Seven Deadly Sins of Public Education,” Murray describes other ominous facts about public schools. Parents are unaware of most of what really goes on in their children’s schools. Murray provides several personal accounts that are common nationwide. Also, religion is rampant in public schools. The book mentions one of the conduits of public school religion known as “Multiple Intelligence’s.” For more on that subject, see my article “The Common Thread.”

Murray provides clear answers about how the many problems with public education can be fixed by professional educators. However, he accurately--with lots of humor--describes why the public schools are doomed to failure. The powers-that-be are so stupid that they can read Murray’s ideas for salvaging a semblance of success, but they cannot comprehend what to do even though it is provided for them on a high school comprehension level. I should say, “A pre-1970 high school comprehension level.”

The solution would involve an implementation of Classical Education and Core Knowledge which Murray explains quite clearly. His ideas (based upon common sense and time proven procedures) will never be implemented. Therefore, Murray calls for (and I concur) Christian parents to immediately place their precious children in home or Christian schools.

Chapter 11 is a book within a book. It provides comprehensive information about how to successfully take education out of the government’s hands. Also, there is bonus material that ties in a dumbing down of scripture to the dumbing down of all core areas of academics.

After reading Legally STUPiD, any thinking person will have ample proof that public schools are in serious trouble. Christians and conservatives will be moved to do something. If they think public schools can be redeemed, they are sorely mistaken. My own book (Protester Voices: The 1974 Textbook Tea Party) displays what happens when parents get really serious about taking control of “public” schools. Protester Voices, demonstrates the history of when public schools began to turn from any semblance of Judeo-Christian conservative standards. Legally STUPiD documents what happened after the 1970’s.

As Murray says, “Pastors with the moral courage to do so should preach about the evils of government schools.” (218) “Christian education—Christian schools and home schools—is not simply the best option for educating your children. It should be your only option. You wouldn’t throw your precious babies into a lion’s den, snake pit or cesspool. So why put your children in a public school?” (216) Murray’s motivation for writing (as was mine) is to rescue thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of children.

Legally STUPiD is an excellent resource and reference book. It is a scholarly book for the non-scholar. If I had to use one word to describe R. C. Murray’s book the word would be, BRILLIANT. However, this book will remain a hidden gem and its brilliance will be for naught if the book is not read. Every homeschool leader, Christian school administrator, Bible believing pastor, and Christian activist should own this book. It should be read and marked with a high-lighter. Then it should be frequently referred to as Christians work to reclaim America from the public school products that are Legally STUPiD.

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Prole Nation Book Review

by Karl C. Priest August 3, 2010

Prole Nation by R. C. Murray

Prole Nation is a man’s book. Even better it is a Christian man’s book. Every Christian man who is not content to sit on a padded pew and be entertained each Sunday should read Prole Nation. Actually, any man-- even those who are not Christians--who enjoy reading a thought provoking, action packed, thriller will enjoy former United States Army paratrooper Randy Murray’s novel.

Should this book be read by women? Absolutely! There is romance, humor, and male characters that love the women in their lives and treat them as the wonderful creatures God created. However, women should understand that this book has some accurate descriptions of what happens when a bullet hits a human. Those scenes are important and infrequent. Tender-hearted readers will cry during the sad parts much more than shudder at the few incidents of violence.

Prole Nation leaves Left Behind behind. No one knows exactly how end times events will transpire, but Murray provides a believable description of what everyone living in the next few years will experience. My own book, Protester Voices —The 1974 Textbook Tea Party, along with current news headlines provides documentation of real life events that would be considered far-fetched had they only occurred in a novel. Government arrogance, public education brain-washing, liberal looniness, and pure evil deception are all woven into the plot of Murray’s book.

It will be difficult for anyone, especially a man, to read this book and not be moved to do all he can to protect America’s children as biblical predictions of world events occur right before our eyes. Readers will want to kneel in repentance or leap for joy as they enter into the story of Prole Nation.

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REMEMBER THE ALAMO

By Karl C. Priest July 5, 2010

(Published at EducationNews.org on July 5, 2010 and a version in the Charleston, WV Gazette on July 12, 2010.)

In 1836 an event occurred in Texas that has impacted America to this day.

The Texas public school curriculum victory by conservatives has some parallels to that famous Battle of the Alamo.

The Texas Revolution was motivated largely due to a centralized Mexican government which was imposed upon the Mexican state of Texas. Texians, who valued freedom, rebelled.

Texian troops successfully pushed back the enemy and gained control of San Antonio where they set up a garrison in the Alamo Mission. It was fiesta time!

However, the enemy was regrouping and returning. Everyone knows what happened at the Battle of the Alamo. The Mexican Army, led by Santa Ana, began to retake lost territory. Finally the Texians obtained a final victory by deciding on a unified plan of attack which caught Santa Ana by surprise.

The modern Textbook Revolution began with a rebellion in 1974 (Kanawha County, West Virginia, Textbook War) and skirmishes of various degrees of intensity have continued throughout the nation with the recent victory over the Texas social studies curriculum. Textbook rebels occupy what may be the Alamo of the Textbook Rebellion.

Santa Ana’s army, now represented by liberals, will regroup and attack. Texians, now represented as conservatives, cannot afford to sit in the Alamo (social studies textbooks) and prepare to defend against the inevitable onslaught of liberalism. Not only will they lose valuable troops (now represented as children), but they might not get the breaks that the Texians received that resulted in a final victory. A defeat in the Textbook Rebellion will (as the actual Mexican army was known to do literally) result in a widespread figurative slaughter of American children.

Texian leaders surely studied American history as they fought for freedom. Modern conservative leaders would do well to study the history of the Textbook War by reading Protester Voices: The 1974 Textbook Tea Party.

As the Kanawha County textbook rebels proved, Christian and conservative children need to be removed from Santa Ana’s schools and provided with what they need to engage in the future furious fight over who controls the citizenry. If liberals win, America loses in a more profound way than the citizens of Texas would have lost in 1836.

----------------------------

On July 18, 2010 the Gazette allowed a local “artist” to respond (http://wvgazette.com/Opinion/201007180283) to my “Remember the Alamo” article. I wholeheartedly support debate and differences of opinion, but the critic's response contained personal attacks. I asked the Gazette for an opportunity to respond*. The exchange (over several days) follows.

Karl:

Since Mr. Cook attacked me personally at least as much as my opinion, may I respond to him?  Maybe the liberal pot will boil over and sell some papers.  ; )

Editor:

We are not inclined to use (For the truth, replace the beginning of this sentence with "We are censoring"--Karl.) this letter because it is incorrect. Dan Cook refuted your analysis of the event and clearly laid out facts to that end. I am on guard against people who write mere personal attacks, and reject those submissions.

 Karl:

I beg to differ.

Mr. Cook made two personal slurs.  Do I need to point them out?

Also, I challenge you to refute anything I said that was HISTORICALLY wrong.

Editor:

Did not reply.

Karl:

I still retain hope that you will move toward common sense (i.e. conservatism) so I will explain why you should publish my response.

He used the liberal tactic of setting up an irrelevant (and personal in this case) issue to slur me.

In another of his frequent diatribes (July 12) against the institutions by which he was employed for decades and that now shower him with taxpayer-generous retirement pensions…

The op-ed that “rebutted” mine was a typical liberal view of history. In this case he wanted to tie in the current problem of illegal immigration:

A law was passed prohibiting further immigration from the United States, but "illegal immigrants" continued to pour in.

Then he called me a liar.

He feebly distorts history…The biggest lie is that "Mexico invaded Texas."

Did I say that "Mexico invaded Texas?"

He concludes by attacking my intelligence and/or professional ability. Don’t ask me what 2 + 27 means.

I hope that, when he was teaching math in the classroom, Mr. Priest did not cram his 2 + 27 sorts of fact-mangling and illogical similes into the heads of his students. If he did, the education authorities might have one of the "Why?" answers they seek.

So, is it Gazette policy to allow a man to call me a liar and incompetent?

Editor:

Did not reply.

*LIBERALS LAMENT LIBERTY

by Karl C. Priest July 26, 2010

I love for liberals to try to lay it on me. The Gazette allowed a liberal to attempt a rebuttal of my July 12 Op-Ed. As expected the man’s article was made up of a personal attack upon me and lame material that did not counter my claims. In fact, he proved my point!

Liberals don’t want both sides of an issue (whether it be history, evolutionism, abortion, or sodomy) reported or discussed. I prove that in my recently released book Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party. In the case of the Texas social studies curriculum, liberals are having a hissy fit since they no longer have a stranglehold on what students read about history. I stand 100% behind the brief statements that I made using the Texas Revolution as an analogy.

Other than the personal slurs, the rebuttal to my July 12 Op-Ed was a liberal’s typical view of America as always evil. Of course, America has some history of which we should be ashamed. The Carter, Clinton, and current administrations are prime examples that American politicians can be pathetic. Also, Republicans have had their share of ridiculous leaders.

My critic may have been sarcastic when he said “Ivory tower denizens in departments of education blow millions on studies seeking why so many children can’t read, do math, and are abysmally ignorant of history.” If he was serious, then he and I agree. Also, I agree that “Karl Priest could save them all that money.” Even Bill Gates and Bob Wise know public schooling is a mess. At least Gates is using his own money and Wise is using private foundation money (not that of tax-payers) to pour down the proverbial rat-hole. Public schools cannot be salvaged!

There is always hope my critic will leave the looniness of liberalism just as did David Horowitz. If he does not, the next step down is described in a word I coined in Chapter 2 of Protester Voices. I wish my critic well. Regarding my critic’s slur about my math teaching ability: We conservatives teach students that 2 + 2 = 4. Liberals want to use “fuzzy math” and hope the students will feel good even if they do not know the answer. Liberals would give the student credit for writing 2 + 2 in the correct order (wink) even if the answer was wrong.

Is there any hope for public schools?

By Karl C. Priest April 23, 2010 (publshed only on this website)

Is there any hope for public schools? Here are some clues.

When I show how incredible insects are, adults and children are inspired.

I have received a couple of calls from public schools.  Both callers were excited about what they had heard about my insect presentation and wanted to get me to present to their students.

The first call (spring 2008) came from Kanawha County. I told the teacher that she should look at my website and then let me know if she wanted me. I told her I didn't want to see her get into trouble with school officials. She called back and said she found someone else. 

In the spring of 2009 a Lincoln County teacher called. Lincoln County is probably the most notorious od West Virginia failing county school systems. I told the lady I would come, but although I would not present a church program, I would make it clear that I am a Christian and that evolution is a lie. She said, "Oh. I'll talk to them (I assume "them" is her principal) and get back with you." I did not hear from her again.

Is there any hope for public schools?

What do you think?

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Readin’, ‘Ritin’, ‘Rithmetic, and Religion

By Karl C. Priest March 13, 2010 (updated 10-8-13)

(Published at EducationNews.org on March 14, 2010. A version of this article was submitted to the Charleston, WV Gazette. If it is ever published, I will report it. Until then, consider the information censored by the Gazette.)

NOTE added 10-8 and 12-24-13): As the culture sank deeper into sin’s cesspool the MTV Video Awards featured a performance by Miley Cyrus that was demonic debauchery. You can Google that for yourself if you want to see it. Cyrus is an idol of America’s young girls. Here is what that idol believes:

Miley Cyrus says she wants to be “That Bitch” in an article about her MTV documentary "Miley: The Movement". She said, "I'm a freak. I want to come out of a teddy bear for Christ's sake...” (http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1715177/miley-the-movement-deluxe-extended-scenes.jhtml) In 2013 she released a song "We Can't Stop". Some of the lyrics:

"It's our party, we can do what we want/ It's our party we can say who we want/ It's our party, we can go love who we want… We like to party/ Dancing with Molly/ Doing whatever we want/ This is our house/ This is our rules/ And we can't stop/ And we won't stop/ Can't you see it's we who own the night… To my homegirls here with the big butts/ Shaking it like we're at the strip club/ Remember only god can judge you/ Forget the haters, 'cause somebody loves 'ya… It's my mouth I can say what I want to.. Can I get a ‘Hell, no!’?... Remember only God can judge ya " .

The song is also about “twerking” which is “the rhythmic gyrating of the lower fleshy extremities in a lascivious manner with the intent to elicit sexual arousal or laughter in ones intended audience.”

The song has “references to party drugs like Ecstasy (or Molly* as its been named) and getting ‘turnt up’" ( act of getting drunk and high to the highest degree). Cyrus said, “I think weed is the best drug on earth,” she told the magazine . “One time I smoked a joint with peyote in it, and I saw a wolf howling at the moon. Hollywood is a coke town, but weed is so much better. And molly, too.” (http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2013/09/miley-cyrus-reveals-details-of-her-drug-use/)

*“Between 5% and 7% of high-schoolers have tried what they thought was Molly, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Molly is popular at parties and concerts, and some bands have sung about it… Molly is a mixture of any number of synthetic drugs, many of which are more dangerous and less predictable than MDMA (Ecstasy).” (http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/recreational-drugs- threats)

Definitions are from the Urban Dictionary.

Lyric snips are not in order. Complete lyrics.

The “M” in MTV does not stand for “Morality.” Some people say the “M” is more accurately for “Manipulation.” The television network broadcasts programming that promotes drugs, sex, and violence 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Common sense would seem to call for discouraging minors from viewing MTV. Public Schools, using MTV popularity, have a nearly perfect way to introduce an innocuous sounding, but quite religious, program into local high schools. “Challenge Day” (http://www.challengeday.org/mtv/) has all the characteristics of a cult.

Challenge Day is in public schools all over America.

In order to further the infusion of a particular religion into public schools, the educational leaders cannot come right out and say what they are doing. (The establishment of yogism is the exception in West Virginia’s school district—Kanawha County. http://www.ednews.org/articles/religion-established-in-public-schools.html) Instead, they use stealth statements such as the program will “break down cliques and end bullying by showing teenagers how similar they are.” I thought the current catchword was “diversity.” No matter, the bottom line is the same—to inculcate a blend of humanism with Ophrah style “salvation.”

Imagine the furor that would result from isolating a group of students with a Christian evangelistic team for thirty minutes. Challenge Day participants get a full day of programming. Of course, the propaganda line is, as one principal said, "Challenge Day is really about understanding who everybody is at your school. It focuses on challenging students from all grade levels, from all groups within the school to be accepting and caring of someone who is different and the same as they are." Who can argue with that?

The same principal said, "I've never been a part of something that's so powerful." I hear that kind of talk at revival meetings. Wherever it is spoken, it is almost certainly a religious experience.

The promoted goals of Challenge Day need to be considered in the light of the premises of its proponents.

When asked, “Does Challenge Day expose young people to the notion of a Spiritual Self?” Challenge Day co-founder, Rich Dutra St. John replied, “Yes, and it’s amazing…” In the same interview, with the New Age type Hoffman Institute, Dutra St. John said, “ We see firsthand that the kind of joy that starts with self-love breeds more joy.” (https://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/interviews-articles/interviews/relationship/dutra-st-john.html) His wife, Yvonne, said separately, “"I live every day in miracles…I know without a doubt that peace on earth is possible.” (http://www.incrediblepeople.com/people(2002-02-18).htm) .

The Challenge Day board of directors includes a couple of Protestants who do not say how their religion can be aligned with the beliefs of other board members. One board member is a volunteer with the Zen Hospice Project which based upon Zen Buddhism. Another board member touts the Challenge Day principle of “speaking one's truth” which is a basic tenet of New Age religion. A third claims to be a "spiritual mentor.” The prize goes to the board member who works with Debbie Ford’s “Shadow Effect”. Like a televangelist ministry, that “evolutionary” process offers more “money, health, and intimacy.” Ford’s website offers prayers to a god and goddess, meditations, and a “consciousness cleanse.” (http://store.debbieford.com/) Even the Challenge Day office manager has been loved by “a Hawaiian kahuna” (Priest, sorcerer, magician, wizard, minister) and “had many spiritual teachers”

Another principal said, “The most powerful exercise is called ‘Crossing the Line.’" A Florida student reported how the line was crossed with this exercise. They were told to “Cross the line if you have ever been called a slut, a whore, been whistled at, catcalled, or been made to feel violated by a boy or man. Cross the line if you have ever been called gay, fag, homo, or anything degrading to your sexual orientation. Cross the line if you or someone in your family has ever been raped or sexually molested. Cross the line if you have ever been hit by someone who said ‘I love you.’ Cross the line if you have ever been insulted, teased, or made fun of by someone in this room.” (http://www.cflcoc.org/student2.php )

I could locate no scientific research about Challenge Day. There are only surveys and testimonies: Challenge day (activities) “ was truly one of the most amazing experiences I've had”; “show us how miracles are made”; “changed my life”; “was more than I have prayed for.” I could imagine the loud “Amens!”

Like any cult, the program seeks to send out disciples to recruit more converts. Community workshops are promoted (http://www.challengeday.org/next-step-program.php)along with a “Be the Change” movement which is intended to “inspire peace from the inside out and take powerful positive steps toward creating the life—and world—of our dreams.” http://dynamic.challengeday.org/bethechange/?page_id=635

Local Christians and conservatives patted themselves on the back for blocking the 2009 attempt to include “sexual orientation” into the cultural diversity policy. They should smack themselves on the forehead, because the school system already has been using Challenge Day since 2005 and other, under the radar, programs even earlier as is documented in the news item for July 5, 2009 at http://www.insectman.us/exodus-mandate-wv/news-2009.htm .

Public schools have moved from being superficially Judeo-Christian to solidly New Age-Humanistic. Public schools schools may not provide an excellent education in readin’, ‘ritin’, and ‘rithmetic, but they have a robust religion curriculum.

For more details, see my web article “The Common Thread”

After this article was published another article appeared that makes it appear that Kanawha County Schools are teaching good values. A little research reveals that those values are religious based and it is not biblical Christianity, rather it is a mixture of Mormonism-and New Ageism.

A related article was written on January 10, 2013 about yoga in the schools.

See my comments under #20 "Stealth Tactics" for verification of the establishment of religion other than that of what American was founded upon.

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