If Gary Cole's accusations turn out to be true, this is a disturbing story indeed. He's suing School Administrative District 1 in US district court so that he can do his job- teach history.

According to Cole, a small number of Christian fundamentalists have managed to bully the school system into developing a history curriculum that forbids discussion of any non-Christian civilizations or any religions other than Christianity. His lawyer said, "He can't even teach the history of anti-Semitism (or the) history of ancient Greece. How can you explain the evolution of democracy in the Western world without talking about ancient Greece? He can't talk about all the influences of the Indian, Japanese or Chinese cultures."

His lawyer went on to say that Cole has been threatened with reprimands and with losing his job for teaching outside the narrow fundie-tailored curriculum. He's also not been teaching anything that isn't taught to seventh graders in other districts around the state.

Ironic, isn't it, that the very people who level accusations that other groups are trying to push their agenda using public schools are the very people who actually are using the public schools to push an agenda?

---Nick

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