Education and Discrimination?

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by Dr. Joe Renfro

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The word “discrimination” at one time was regarded with high esteem. To be a discriminating person was to be an individual who could make wise, discerning judgments. But things have now changed as one of the platforms of contemporary education and progressive, liberal thinking is to do away with “discrimination”.  Now the term “discrimination” is used differently in these two contexts, the first context—to judge superficially, while the second— to be able to make wise discerning judgments is on the wane in our society. The confusion of these types of understanding can be blamed on public education.

Discrimination often is equated to prejudice. The term “prejudice” is regarded with great disdain in our society. Roget’s Thesaurus defines it as “preconception, prepossession, prejudgment, bias, slant, bigotry, illiberality, intolerance, subjectivity, and discrimination.” But all the concepts that are suggested here are not necessarily the same, and in particular the “discrimination” is not necessarily a “preconception” or “prejudgment” and is not necessarily a negative characteristic at all. For also in Roget’s Thesaurus it defines “discrimination” as “discernment, judgment, and refinement,” all which point to a positive focus.

Proverbs 17:15 says that: “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.” The Psalmist in 119:66 prayed to God: “Teach me good judgment…” Zechariah 8:16 says to, “Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates.”  And then finally it says in Job 34:4 to “Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.”

Ben Franklin, one of the founders in our nation said, “He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity, will revolutionize the world,” and that “Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden, but it is forbidden because it is hurtful.” And then Franklin made a statement that really relates to our situation, when he wrote: “Printers are educated in the belief, that when men differ in opinion, both side ought equally to have the advantage of being heard by the public; and that when truth and error have fair play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter.” The sad fact of our day is that the Christian message and teachers are frowned upon by the philosophy of “political correctness”, which has become the accepted norm of public education and the liberal press and media.

I find it interesting, actually distressing, that the PCUSA, the largest Presbyterian denomination, is moving along in the same groove of “political correctness” into which public education has fitted. For example, the 2012 General Assembly voted to explore whether marriage was just between a man and a woman and to explore the sacredness of same-sex marriage, as if the teaching of Scripture was not plain on this. The assembly ruled that spanking of children by their parent was in all cases to be disallowed. One commissioner noted, “So, you can abort them before they are born but you cannot spank your own child as a form of parental discipline?”

The denomination sought to be inclusive to other religions at their General Assembly, as a Hindu prayed over the assembly, giving the Hindu blessing, as they appeal to variety of gods in Hindu pantheon. It was observed in the Presbyterian Layman that: “Any exclusive claim to Jesus was regarded as passé.” And a Muslim was seated as an official ecumenical advisory delegate. And furthermore, the assembly voted to advocate Presbyterian participation in the National Council of Churches Words Matter project, which has a focus that project promotes feminist “expansive language” in reference to God and the elimination of language that promotes patriarchy or “kyriarchy” including references to Jesus as Lord or King, according to account of the Layman.

The recounting of the actions of the 2012 PCUSA General Assembly in the context of understanding the concept “discrimination” is appropriate as there is an overlap with the contemporary educational philosophy and that of this denomination. Both are failing, as no thinking person would say that the PCUSA is succeeding in carrying out the calling to evangelism, nor would any thinking person say that contemporary education is really cultivating true moral character through the education practices in our pubic schooling. The Presbyterian Church was once a basic positive force in education in our land, but things have changed.

There are various forms of discrimination, and it can be in respect to age, disabilities, economic factors, genetic factors, race/color, religion, retaliation, sex, and other variables, all of which can combine into a very complex and often confusing matrix. The public schools must relate to all of these, as there are distinctions that need to be made, so that negative discrimination should never be applauded. However, there is the distinction between good and bad, right and wrong, and moral and immoral, and the discrimination between these should not be eradicated in public education.

In education there is the learning of the facts, but there is also the discerning of the facts, and the response to the facts. There is understanding discrimination to act to discriminate in discerning what is, but also there is the task to determine what is true and good or what is false and bad, for something can be but not be true or good.  Learning is more than just acquiring the facts, for as one learns some things, others might be neglected. There are judgments that develop from our understandings of the facts.

Cases in point can be teaching about Islam, where it is taught that Mohammed stood against the corruption in Mecca which is good, but should we neglect that he taught the Muslims to kill those who would not become Muslims and the Islamic Jihad against the non-Islamic world? Should schools teach about how countless homosexuals talk about fulfillment in their lives together and not instruct the classes about the suicide rate, the AIDS epidemic, the murder rates, and the psychological breakdowns so prominent in the gay communities? Should schools teach about economic differences in various cultures and not discuss possible influences instrumental in this from these cultures?

Proverbs 2:3-5 sets a direction that we need very much in our public schooling, as it says:  “Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” Here we can find the right discrimination!

Education and discrimination are not to be estranged, as they relate to one another not just in negative ways, but the positive as well. The Christian religion can provide a platform, as it promotes a positive morality, the most positive of moralities, while it allows the acceptance of all people. It does not force belief, while it does not promote or applaud characteristics that are harmful or negative. Here we find the glasses that help us see the right kind of discrimination.

Discrimination can be seen as bad, but it also can be seen as positive and good.  The bad discrimination can be addressed in education, while the other understanding, the good, can be practiced and cultivated. Recall what Ben Franklin said: “He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity, will revolutionize the world.” We need to return to that in public education and to learn to discriminate positively in what is taught and how it is taught.
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by Joe Renfro, Ed.D., Educational Columnist, Radio Evangelist, Retired Teacher and Pastor, 5931 West Avenue, Lavonia, Georgia 30553,  706-356-4173, joerenfro@windstream.net