Let’s put this one under the category of Daily Dawg Classic. We published this one several years ago, but I’m in a bit of a time crunch, so I resurrected it for today. Enjoy.

DEAR DAWG: I used to be a public school administrator, but I have retired from that business and I’m now serving as principal of a nice little Christian school. I expect that life will be easier for me now. So many laws that apply to the public schools do not apply here. Like Chapter 37. I attended one of your Toolbox Trainings and appreciate it, but as you know, here in the private sector we have a much bigger toolbox.

So I was preparing a new Student Code of Conduct, and thought it would be a good idea to incorporate Biblical principles. We teach Bible, and emphasize it as the core textbook for life its ownself. So it just seems natural to me that we would also incorporate it into our Code of Conduct. So with that in mind, what do you think about leading off the Code with the following:

If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. Deuteronomy 21: 18-21.

Do you think that sets the right tone? WANTING TO DO THINGS RIGHT.

DEAR WANTING:
Well, we think it’s helpful that the Scripture verse tells us that stoning is to be done with “stones.” But as far as tone….no, we think you could find something more appropriate. You are right that private schools have a lot more flexibility, but we think “stoning” goes a bit too far. You might run into some problems with the local district attorney on that one. Furthermore, your private school is subject to non-discrimination laws, and we notice that this provision only targets one gender. What…you’ve got no “stubborn and rebellious” daughters????
So while we think that incorporating Biblical principles is a great idea at a Christian school, we would suggest something that is less likely to lead to constitutional violations and criminal prosecution. How about: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. And maybe you could even add another gender to that.

DAWG BONE: THE AUTHOR OF DEUTERONOMY WOULD MAKE ONE HECK OF AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.
Got a question or comment for the Dawg? Let me hear from you at jwalsh@wabsa.com.

Tomorrow: tragic accident leads to litigation