This is how it all goes wrong.

Six years ago, the state Department of Education put together a panel of teachers and professors from around South Carolina to update social studies curriculum for schoolchildren.

The group determined sixth grade is the time to introduce students to early cultures, from nomads and hunter-gatherers all the way up to European explorers.

The years lessons include the beginnings of civilization, the origin of governments as well as events and beliefs that influenced these folks. Youve got the Egyptians, the Greeks and even the Ming Dynasty which may or may not have something to do with Flash Gordon.

Of course, religion played a big role in all that history and the curriculum mentions Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism even Confucianism.

Which, like the rest of history, is apparently pretty Confucian to some adults.

There is one section that focuses on the Crusades, the role of the Roman Catholic Church in medieval Europe and how the beliefs of Islam spread in early Africa.

From this simple directive in the curriculum, Explain the origin and fundamental beliefs of Islam and the geographic and economic aspects of its expansion, a teacher in Dorchester County gave students a worksheet on the Five Pillars of Islam.

Just as the country is losing its mind over a travel ban on some Muslim countries.

You see where this is going, right?

A parent recently complained to local TV about the Islam worksheet, noting that schools should get permission before teaching religious tenets.

Thats a really good point.

Explaining the history of the world in social studies class is appropriate. And, to invoke religion, God knows wed be better off if more people were actually educated instead of simply scared and hating on each other.

But lets keep it academic. Schools dont need to teach the Five Pillars of Islam, the Ten Commandments or 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover. Save all that for Sunday school.

The weekdays are for just the facts, maam.

Of course, this story got picked up by the conservative press and right-wing bloggers and suddenly it looked like South Carolina of all places was caught trying to indoctrinate children. Which is ridiculous.

This same conspiracy pops up around the country every few years, which is evidently about as often as uninformed parents actually look at their kids homework. The internet is filled with similar stories of outrage and conspiracy.

Which shows just how much some people's schooling has stayed with them.

The state Department of Education started getting angry calls and emails, mostly from out-of-state activists who have nothing better to do than stick their noses in our business.

The department told these folks the standards are being reviewed, which they would be anyway. But to some it now looks like theres a cover-up and South Carolina educators have been caught.

In fact, they are guilty of nothing more than being book smart instead of street smart.

School districts should probably pay closer attention to current events and realize that handing out detailed homework on Muslim beliefs is just asking for trouble.

Not to mention stepping over the line into mixing church and state. Teaching kids something about the world is a noble goal, but if they wade into religion its going to come back to bite them.

It would be good if the next generation understood the past that led us to this divisive present, and that includes an accounting of religion's role in history, as opposed to simply quoting the doctrine, Kill em all, let God sort em out.

But then, that probably won't fly. Some people believe all education is a liberal conspiracy, which is a convenient excuse to remain ignorant and watch swamp people on TV.

Well, guess what? One of the developers of South Carolinas curriculum is from Bob Jones University, which educated folks know is not exactly a bastion of liberal hedonism.

So rest assured these professional educators were only thinking about history in the academic sense, not the lunacy of todays politics. That was their mistake.

But it could turn into another lesson.

When future sixth-graders one day study the 21st century in social studies, this hysterical little period in history will be called the return of the know-nothings.

Read the original here:

Hicks column: Schools should stick to the facts, as should everyone else - Charleston Post Courier