AMEN!! If schools had maintained this formula, instead of becoming PC, then we would have many fewer problems today.

My only objection is the inclusion of religion. The Equal Access Act is a United States federal law passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 to compel federally-funded secondary schools to provide equal access to extracurricular clubs. It was lobbied for by religious groups who wanted to ensure students the right to conduct Bible study programs during lunch and after school, which had previously been denied by many schools in the name of "separation of church and state." The Act provides that if a school receives federal aid and has a "limited open forum," or at least one student-led non-curriculum club that meets outside of class time, it must allow additional such clubs to be organized, and must give them equal access to meeting spaces and school publications. Exceptions can be made for groups that "materially and substantially interfere with the orderly conduct of educational activities within the school," and a school can "opt out" of the act by prohibiting all non-curriculum clubs. It was ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court in 1990 in the case "Westside Community Schools v. Mergens," and the school was ordered to allow a student Christian group to meet.

Excellent. I have had enought of this PC crap that we call culture. Kids needt to learn what a privelage it is to live in America and learn to take some responsiblity on themselves. Keep up the good work Dennis.

Tom, This country was also founded on religion. Your money says "In God we trust" etc etc. And yes, I support the Pledge of Allegiance that includes "Under God". I am not a deeply religious person, but I believe in the existence of a supreme being (God). Like Dennis said, if you don't like it don't come to school here.

As a teacher, life would be so much better if all school were run this way!

I endorse the sentiment and the suggested means. Joe Clark tried something like this with an unsatisfactory reaction from the School Board. We might profitably review the book "Lean On Me", semi-accurately brought to the illiterate by Hollywood.

That was one heck of a speech! The only problem is the exclusion of religion? You're opening a door there that should remain closed. Church and State, remember? When the Church was the only institution to provide for social welfare, how many people "loved their neighbor?" When the State decided that it should be the one to provide "Social Welfare" to the masses... Look what happened. Families 2, 3, 4 or more generations living on welfare. Religion study, christian bible study, as with almost all religions do certainly have a place for gatherings and study. Which is why there are PRIVATE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS, who regularly hold bible study before, after and during the lunch break for those so inclined. Public Schools should cater to learning, if you need your child or children to learn and become enveloped in your religion. SEND THEM TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT CATERS TO YOUR REQUIREMENTS. I for one, do not like hearing that a child in middle school or high school must study the Koran as part of their educational requirements. And it's a requirement because some idiot who wouldn't send his child to A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT CATERED TO HIS IDEALISM, screwed it up for everyone else.

Church and State, they put the "and" in there to remind us to separate them.....

Ahhh! I remember when schools were all run that way. I wish my children had had the benefit of that type education and attitude of administration. I truly love the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of the Star Spangled Banner every day in school. I still believe that all schools should start the day that way.

Please let me know where I can find a school run by a principal like that I'll move there so I can enroll my kids there

I am going to send a link to this to my local school board.

This is exactly what school should be. He didn't mention the formal dress code but I will.

Suit and tie for males with dress shoes. First and third Fridays can be business casual. Or vice verse. Business casual and suit and tie first and third Fridays.

Dress, pants suit, skirt and blouse for women with the caveat that it would be something they would be comfortable wearing in front of a group of convicted felons. By that I don't want too much cleavage, leg or anything else that will distract the normal male more than he would be just by your presence. Casual Friday's.

This should be so easy but I doubt that 1 out of 100 principals would have the courage or support of the school board to deliver this speech. Very sad!

This is one of the best things I have read in years. These were the values I instilled in my children and am working to do the same for my grandchildren. Also quit worrying about how a person looks worry about yourself it not your business. People call me predijudce but my only prodijuce is bad people. If your a puddle- head it does not matter what your color is.

Love God, Your Country, and have the knowledge and care to fight for your country if needed.

BE Proud of your heritage and your ethinicity but remember you are in America and if you don't like it leave.

Excellent speech, however, it should have been made to the parents also. All he was trying to convey to the students starts at home. If parents would stop indoctrinating their kids with, hate, fear, inequality, and a sense of entitlement, then we would not need a speech like this in our school nor anywhere else in our country.

Could someone point me to the portion of the Constitution that mandates the separation of Church and State? I've read the complete document several times and can't find it or anything that remotely implies it. And I know why: because it doesn't exist in the Constitution or any other of the founding documents. Perhaps if we allowed God back into the schools - where He was once welcome - rather than just using His Name for slogans on our money or in our pledges, we'd see a change for the better in this nation.

Bravo!! I think this is amazing. If only principals would have the courage to state the whole thing and follow with actions.

To Tom - Even though I am a Christian, I think that once you start down that road of selecting particular types of things you open up a can of worms. I believe the article states clearly how clubs should be started, arts, music, etc.

I truly hope that this will start up next school year but don't have much confidence that it will. This would be absolutely stupendous in bringing back education to actually teaching kids subjects that will broaden and stimulate their mindes. The school system today is atrocious and kids are the only ones suffering from it.

If a school starts operating in the manner quoted above, then parents must keep out of it. The parents are, in my estimation, to blame for a lot of the garbage in schools today.

What a pleasure to read this. What a novel idea; a school as an institution dedicated to actually educating its students. What productive graduates it would provide; energized young citizens able to think rationally for themselves. How simple and straightforward the rules and requirements it envisions. What a shame it can’t exist in our country today. Intrusive government requirements, liberal law suits, and the resultant skewed court rulings would ensure its untimely death.

Mr. Prager in other words, you want to see schools run the way they were when I was in school, and certainly when you were there.

When I was a kid, we said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning and nobody thought it unusual. One sixth grade class was taught by a particularly patriotic man named Gerry Houle (best teacher I ever had) who had charge of the American flag, its daily raising and lowering. He had the students compete for the privilege of flag duty, and nobody felt it was a chore. It was an honor and we learned the proper way to carefully fold the flag.

Some years ago, I moved back to this area and it happened that the same elementary school was now my polling place. The very first election day I drove to the school and was stunned to discover that the flag pole was GONE. Inside the building, there was not a flag in evidence. What the hell kind of school system are we paying for that does not permit American flags to be displayed at all, much less revered?

I'll tell you what kind. The kind that is nothing more than a Leftist indoctrination center, a propaganda mill for anti-Americanism. Kids are coming out of school today totally bereft of appreciation for America, love of country, loyalty or sense of duty. But they've got entitlement absolutely nailed.

Your plan Mr. Prager is not merely a good idea. It's utterly essential that we take back the schools if we are to have any hope whatsoever of taking back this country, of restoring the values that made America great. They conquered America by taking over the schools first, and we must take it back the same way.

I have to agree with Bill wholeheartedly. Dress codes should be reinstituted, and girls shouldn’t be allowed to wear anything so revealing that it would distract a normal boy. In fact, maybe the girls should be required to wear burqas.

HOO-yah!

God save these United States

God save the Republic

God save the Constitution on which it stands

Craig, i too have been looking for it for many years. in order to find it, you have to read it at and ACLU office or unfortunately the Supreme Court.

Get our ELECTED OFFICIALS to think this way and progress to take back our country should be swift!

Nick; repeated Posts, Perhaps MarkA liked your poem so well (as I do), that he pressed the repost button multi times.

Awesome Speech! You have my vote for President,Although you are probaly too intelligent to run for office. It's nice to know there is still someone with common sense left in the public school system!

Amen Dennis, and Hallelujah! Oh, and to Lawrence John: The Constitution makes absolutely NO mention of the seperation of church and state, as Craig so correctly notes. The 1st amendment reads, "...Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of Religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof (that's the important part, right there)..." What this means, in simple terms, is Congress cannot declare a national religion, nor can they tell any citizen which church they can or cannot attend, nor can congress prohibit any citizen from practicing his religion. It says nothing about God not being present in government. Heck, the Decleration of Independence and the Constitution mention God repeatedly.

Brian, you got it completely correct! And to those that said the idea of separation of church and state is not in or from the Constitution, you also are correct. It was actually in a letter between Thomas Jefferson and some Baptists in the northeastern part of the country who were being oppressed because they were not of the majority denomination and were seeking the assistance of Mr. Jefferson. Try to find that in one of the modern PC history books. That would be the same history books that omit that 52 of the original 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence were members of orthodox Christian churches. The other 3 were Christians who recognized and believed in an Almighty God, just didn't like the church options available near their homes.

Looking fot text on the seperation of Church and State? Check out the Bill of Rights, especially number three of twelve.

While this does not mean that the public school systems must allow a group based in religion it also says that should a group form that shares a common religion cannot be stopped.

Article III

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I believe what the speech is trying to say is that the public school will not utilize our tax dollars for the establishment of any group that exclude members based on race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

HOORAH!!

Sounds pretty much like the schools I attended from K through my first year of college. Fortunately, I went to Catholic schools run by the Jesuits.

I am a teacher. I love America. I love you. Thank you.

I was absolutely shocked when I found out that neither of my daughters have ever heard, learned or sang the Star Spangled Banner at their elementary school, but don't let me go into detail the importance of spending a week on Cinco d Mayo studies and activities.

Also my daughter took a field trip this year to Olvera Street in Los Angeles, which for anyone unfamiliar with California (lucky you) it is a street dedicated to Hispanic culture and it might be considered a cultural experience if every city in California didn't have quite a few neighborhoods that offer the same exact experience whether a person wishes to indulge in it or not, I really don't understand how this is the way schools choose to use their field trip budget when it only caters to one particular group and if the schools are going to push ethnic studies then they need to start including the backgrounds of all the children equally or just leave it out all together because it is pointless and really becoming quite nauseating.

I too am against religious groups in

the public schools. I believe in God,

but I am not a christian. If religious

groups are allowed in the school then

my group should also be allowed in the

school. You can see where this leads.

I think the pledge of allegiance is

fine, but that is it.

I also think the principal needs to

lay out what he thinks is appropriate

dress. He may be way out of line.

He can suggest what is appropriate

and then let a group of students

decide on what they think are options

for appropriate dress, then these

options can be voted on by the student

body. As in the rest of our country

the majority wins. When the majority

wins we all win.

Way to go, Dennis! I am a teacher. This is great!

Amen, EXCEPT for the part about clubs. Concur with Jeff. While the principal should not sanction clubs on the basis of religion, he has no authority to stop them.

I agree with you Fred Hoffman. I am a Christian, but people have different beliefs, even Christians, and especially other religions, such as Hindu, Judaism, etc. Nothing is more divisive than religion, and that is what this principal is trying to avoid, separating students into different groups that become intolerant of other groups with different beliefs. Students can go to the church of their choice every night if they want to practice their religion, but school related functions should be limited to learning academics, and social behavior, and still live within their religious beliefs. Religion should be taught by parents, or a private school of a specific religious denomination. This writer wants to promote unity, with pride in themselves as individuals, and to have pride in and love for this country. Trouble starts when one group starts to impose their beliefs on others, or separates themselves from groups that believe differently. I think he is right on the money with plain common sense.

Well said! The future of America would be a better place with those fundamentals in mind!

The part about clubs sounds great except for one small problem. SCOTUS has ruled in favor of "equal access." Meaning if a school/district permits "healthy" clubs based in interests and passions it MUST also allow clubs that harbor and encourage unhealthy social and sexual activities.

Students can go to their church to understand and practice THEIR individual faith. However one cannot even begin to be considered educated if not educated about the impact of religion throughout human history. Religion played a huge role in forming the public education system of our country. People should understand that aspect of public education too. Consider reading some of Samuel Blumenfeld's books.

LAWRENCE JOHN WHERE DOES THE CONSTITUTION MENTION THE SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE?

COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME?

This is wonderful. We try so hard to be fair to all that we are fair to none! I agree that all this PC stuff is over the top. We talk about diversity and inclusion - we are one UNITED States and should act accordingly - by being UNITED. I think that all the PC stuff does nothing but isolate and exclude.

Remember back in the day if you got in trouble in school you got in more trouble at home. Now any trouble in school is a failing of the teachers and the school systems, it is never about the individual or the parental system.

Dear Tom,

Read the book "Original Intent" by David Barton. You will very quickly learn that the vast majority of the Founding Fathers were of the opinion that without religion this country was doomed to failure.

The Progressives even before Woodrow Wilson have managed to rewrite history and lead us to believe what is not true.

Religion was the keystone of our legal and judicial system. Because it is no longer we, the people suffer.

Students, we will end teaching about global warming and condom use, but it's not political! We just want to orient the school away from politics. Next year, we stop teaching evolution in science classes, because school's not a place for controversy.

what will the principle's classes teach? Thatis more important than worrying about clubs. Politcal correctness is the view of the majority, who impose their values through educational curriculumn

taught at most public institutions. As abasketball coach my teams were called niggars, nappy heads,dirty etc. this was taugt at home, subliminally or outright. In my life time I have found that people respond to the way that you treat them.If your education system teaches taht only whits contributed to the developement of the human race ,that has nothing to do with what club you belong to.How can you act like 2,000,000 Jews

were mmurdered in Germany, or that it has been estimated that 50,000,000 Black Africans lost

their lives during the slave trade.teach children about these atrocities rather than have some club teach trying to teach what the curriculum should be teaching.By the way,70% of the people who played for me graduated from college!!!!

coach Roberson

PERFECT !

What an awesome presentation!!!! It is what I grew up with and sadly has been lost to so many since the sixty's! Hopefully this point of view will become the normal in our wonderful country again--in November 2010 (at least a start!)!!!

I wish some employers would take this stance. I am so sick of the diversity crap when all it means is we have to put up with illegals and their language.

"all in the name of diversity" I am sooooo sick of it. HIRE ME ON MY MERITS. NOT THE COLOR OF MY SKIN.

Throw out the political correctness crap!! This speech nails it. When my kids were in public schools in San Monica, Calif. there were teaching the young fourth graders that American were considered devils by the Chinese immigrants. My kids came home and asked me why Americans were called Devils? This is the kind of crap that is taught to our children. Now you know why Mrs. Obama thinks very little of America, she obviously was getting the same teaching in her school!!!

Absolutely great.

Wow, I love it , I am sick and tired of America bashing and the fear of displaying patriotism. I was trained to teach but chose not to. The kids and the parents are out of control. My son's school tried to have uniforms which was great! But then it was declared unfair to individual freedom. You should see what these L.A. kindergarteners were sent to school in! They looked like hookers and gang bangers. And the teachers look very unprofessional too. leave the blue jeans at home.

Wouldn't it be great if every school in this great nation would have it's principal give this speech at the beginning of every school year? They especially need to hear this along our southern border states...you know, the ones who are always flying the Mexico flags. This is the United States of America. And just as the speech dictates how the school will operate, we need a president with a backbone to resound these words about our country. If you don't like our flag, can't or won't speak our language, can't or won't get your citizenship legally then this isn't the country for you and you need to go elsewhere.

Wow! I received this in an email. It's very powerful when you think about it...WE ARE ONE AMERICA!

2011 and this is still on the internet. This was very moving and I personally believe that it is what this country needs. I read some blogs that the liberals had posted in reference to this article. Unfortunately they were crude and extremely obscene. Maybe if the school systems had not become so politically correct the hate and discontent that is raging in this country would not be so rampant. ( It would also be refreshing to read literate comments as a rule, even when posted by our young people.)

I think Mr. Prager should be elected to fill the vacant seat we have in the White House. ( oh its not vacant but it might as well be). We need elected officials in every branch of government from the cities up. Filled with men and women that share his belief. As I posted on another forum I am tired of all this _______-american (hyphenated) crap . If you are here legally and you are A US. citizen you are an american point blank end of story. B e proud of your heritage but dont push it here. We are Americans and we live in America and God bless those who have fought and died to try and keep us FREE.

If only the Israeli government would realize that these clear and simple values should define the Jewish People, instead of the Talmudic hogwash that confuses them, and opens the door to every sort of lunacy.

The Talmudic synagogue is utterly incapable of teaching the people in this manner, and the Christian faith is equally remote from reality. This is the clarity we need.

http://jewishturnaround.com/?page_id=5

Read the Dennis Prager essay presented on several web sites.

This essay shows the correct Jewish strategy.

This is precisely what the West requires of the Jews.

This is the stuff to drive back the tide of hostility against us.

Prager puts forward a few simple principles.

He is prepared to risk being shot down.

He provides a platform for heated discussion.

Answers can be hammered out.

This is bedrock stuff.

This represents the beginning of Jewish awakening.

Jews everywhere should be raising these matters, in cooperation with Gentiles.

The article is headed A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give.

Of course it is!

If the Jews become identified with this sort of disciplined and godly conduct, then all of the anti-semitic hatred and slander will disappear overnight. Readers will note that the comments to Prager’s essay are warm and appreciative, and Isaiah predicted the same change in attitude towards the whole nation, once we began to speak and act as the People of the Book.

If many more Jews begin to speak in this manner, then the leftist liberals who seek Israel’s destruction will be helpless. Their confused and stunted thought processes will not be able to compete with clear and sound recommendations.

The policy of representing the godly values is the only road for Israel.

The Jews are required to lead the recovery of decent values.

With a rod of iron as John put it.

This is the biblical strategy, and the biblical instruction to Israel.

It comes from Moses, Jesus, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and John, amongst others.

Prager has left the Talmud out of his article. He has not polluted its simple clarity with Talmudic rubbish, which is why it is strong and valuable, and reflects well on the Jews.

The Reut Institute should take heed of Prager’s essay, and take careful note of the comments. They should begin to identify other Jews who are capable of such thought.

In short, Reut should begin to position the Jews as the anchors of sanity in a world gone mad. That is the biblical strategy which will bring the overwhelming Gentile support predicted by Isaiah and John.

To repeat, the Reut strategy should be to position Israel as the anchor of sanity in a world gone mad, and throw the rest of their strategies in the trash can where they belong.

Prager did it, but he didn’t really understand what he did right. It was a fluke, because in a later article he flops back into the same old Talmudic hogwash that has paralyzed the Jewish People for 2000 years, and the comments on his article are all over the place, just like the Jews.

If he can get rid of his Talmudic baggage, he will be able to give Israel the right stuff, every time.

link to article

http://jewishturnaround.com/tag/mcveigh/

I think this speech has no acceptance of cultures..america is a very diverse country why should schools reject culture if there are so many different ethnicitys in schools? and students should be taught about sex?? Students need to know about protected sex and the disease that come when not protected...so Dennis Prager wants our kids to have babies of there own at the age of 16? or younger?? i dont think so

If one principal has the right to unilaterally enforce his own social policy in his school, then another principal must have the same right. If this fictional principal presumed to take such measures into his own hands, then he'd have to respect the right of another principal to champion the very practices this 'speech' is critiquing.

Is there seriously anybody that doesn't agree with Prager, because I certainly dont. How narcissistic can Prager be?

Australia schools need Dennis Prager here to instill all that he does to give students a decent education and know that at the end of their schooling they have become better adults with a good education. There is no discipline in most schools in Australia and most students are rude, cheeky, swearing, and cant even speak or spell the basic english. I know I worked at a High School in Darwin,Northern Territory Australia and the swearing, and bad language in the class room was appalling, and the teachers did nothing about it along with all the other things like dress code, manners, studying, bullying, harrassment etc.

THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE STANDING UP FOR THE STUDENT. OUR IMPRESSIONABLE YOUNG NEED A PERSON LIKE THIS AT THE HELM. WHAT FOOLS WE ARE NOT TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS... AFTER ALL, THEY ARE OUR FUTURE.