Adapting the School Curriculum for Johovah

Witness Students

By: Amber ParkerEDUC 6001Dec. 7, 2008

What are Johovah’s Witnesses?

Jehovah’s Witnesses are Christians who believe that the Bible is God’s word and that Jesus is their Savior. This Christian denomination dates back to the late 19th century. Charles Taze Russel is credited with organizing the first Bible study groups that later gave origin to the Jehovah’s Witness sect. This second coming is said to have happened invisibly in 1914 – a date that was originally thought to mark the end of the world or Armageddon.

Their name comes from the Bible, the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 43, Verses 10 and 11. It indicates that they bear witness to Jehovah – Jehovah being the personal name of God.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-do-jehovahs-witnesses-believe.htm

When did this religion begin?

The Jehovah’s Witnesses got their start in 1884, when Charles Russell formed Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society, though their true roots sprang up fourteen years earlier from a Bible Study Russell organized in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.  From these meager beginnings, much like the Mormon Church, evolved a large empire.  In 1999, Jehovah’s Witnesses Worldwide reported that a total of nearly 6 million JW’s spent about 1.1 billion hours evangelizing in 234 countries.

http://www.contenderministries.org/jehovahswitnesses.php

What are their beliefs?Bible is God's Word and is truth God's name is Jehovah Christ is God's Son and is inferior to Him Christ died on a stake, not a cross Earth will never be destroyed or depopulated Only a little flock of 144,000 go to heaven and rule with Christ Prayers are to be directed only to Jehovah through Christ Images should not be used in worship Taking blood into body through mouth or veins violates God's laws

http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm

Are they Christians?

No. It is not Christian." Like all non-Christian cults, the Jehovah's Witness organization distorts the essential doctrines of Christianity. It denies the deity of Christ, His physical resurrection, and salvation by grace.  This alone makes it non-Christian. 

http://www.carm.org/jw/cult.htm

Johovah’s Witnesses and Education

The least educated of major religious groupsThey rank last in aggregate social statusThey suffer significant economic disadvantages due to their aversion to educationThey believe that the earth will be transformed into a paradise populated only by Jehovah's Witnesses. This theology is the basis for their belief that it is not a good use of time to pursue a college education or pursue a career.

Very few have sought an advanced education

http://www.freeminds.org/psych/miseduca.htm

Educational Rank - Religion

Percentage of members that are college grads:

1. Unitarian Universalist: 49.5%2. Hindu: 47%3. Jewish: 46.7%7. Agnostic: 36.3%18. Catholic: 20%20. Lutheran: 18%21. Seventh Day Adventist: 17.9%27. Baptist: 10.4%28. Pentecostal: 6.9%30. Jehovah's Witnesses: 4.7%

http://www.freeminds.org/psych/miseduca.htm

Celebrations of Johovah’s Witnesses

Jehovah’s witnesses celebrate the Memorial of the death of Christ Jesus

Jehovah's Witnesses celebrate no civil holidays and few Christian ones. Thanksgiving upsets them because they criticize the idea of reserving one particular day for giving thanks rather than encouraging spontaneous thanks every day of the year, which is the principle in Ephesians 5:12: In the name of Jesus Christ, "to give thanks always for all things to their God and Father."

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/2000/11/Do-Jehovahs-Witnesses-Do-Thanksgiving.aspx

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/82502

Holidays and CelebrationsJW's do not celebrate birthday parties, Valentine‘s Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, or other unbiblical celebrations.  Even Christmas and Easter are not celebrated as they are pagan holidays"...birthday celebrations tend to give excessive importance to an individual...Jehovah's Witnesses do not share in birthday festivities (parties, singing, gift giving, and so forth)...." (School and Jehovah's Witnesses, 1983).

http://www.contenderministries.org/jehovahswitnesses/comparison.php

Holidays and Celebrations cont.

"...nowhere in the Bible do we find that parents are to be worshiped, or that there should be a Father's Day and a Mother's Day kept in their honor." (Awake!, May 8, 1956). "Christendom's chief holiday, Easter, therefore finds no support at all in the Bible.  It is of pagan origin." (The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life, 1968).

http://www.contenderministries.org/jehovahswitnesses/comparison.php

What they don’t do

JW's are forbidden from saluting the flag or engaging in political activities"..we view the flag salute as an act of worship" (School and Jehovah's Witnesses, 1983) "...Jehovah's Witnesses take no part whatsoever in political activities" (United in Worship of the Only True God, 1983).

http://www.contenderministries.org/jehovahswitnesses/comparison.php

Other beliefs…

Such things as climbing the corporate ladder, pursuing higher education to advance one's position, courting unbelievers, or engaging in questionable business schemes can easily lead to a loss of faith and an eventual fall from Jehovah's favor.

http://www.freeminds.org/psych/miseduca.htm

Second Grade Standard Course of Study – Social Studies

Competency Goal 2 - The learner will evaluate relationships between people and their governments.

  Objectives 2.01 Identify and explain the functions of local governmental bodies and elected officials.2.02 Recognize and demonstrate examples of the elective process.

Competency Goal 3 - The learner will analyze how individuals, families, and communities are alike and different. Objectives 3.05 Identify historical figures and events associated with various cultural traditions and holidays celebrated around the world.

3.06 Identify individuals of diverse cultures and describe on their contributions to society.

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/socialstudies/scos/2003-04/024secondgrade

Views on Education

Among Jehovah's Witnesses it is socially acceptable to drop out of high school. The Watchtower culture places more value on pioneering than on finishing high school. The National Survey of Religious Identification found that only 67.6% of white Jehovah's Witnesses graduate from high school, compared to 80.9% for non-Witnesses. (Kosmin BA, Lachman SP. "One Nation Under God," p. 272)

http://www.freeminds.org/psych/miseduca.htm

Do’s and “Don’ts”

The Watchtower Society prepared a booklet for Witnesses to give teachers to explain what they could and could not do in school. The list of prohibited and cautioned activities is quite lengthy, and in aggregate serves to severely restrict the quality of education.

http://www.freeminds.org/psych/miseduca.htm

Do’s and “Don’ts” cont.

Here’s a partial list of all the activities that Witness children may not be allowed to participate in: sports, cheerleading, homecoming, school dances, dating, school clubs, school plays, blood donations, raffles, patriotic music, religious art, combat instruction, birthday parties, Christmas activities, and national holidays.

http://www.freeminds.org/psych/miseduca.htm

Do’s and “Don’ts” cont.

The booklet says: "You may have noticed that most Witness youths do not participate in extracurricular activities sponsored by the schools. These principles shape the view of Witness families toward the school's extracurricular activities

http://www.freeminds.org/psych/miseduca.htm

Anti-Education?The anti-education policies of the Watchtower Society have produced the largest religious group in the United States populated by poverty-stricken, under-educated people. The education level of Jehovah's Witnesses is exceptionally low, and the high school drop-out rate is very high. This leads to poor career prospects, low social status, and poor self-esteem.

http://www.freeminds.org/psych/miseduca.htm

Concerns:

Should the Board of Education change the Standard Course of Study to adapt to the religious beliefs of Johovah’s Witnesses?Should students be able to participate in their required curriculum if their parents are Johovah’s Witnesses?Are the students considered Johovah’s Witnesses just because their parents are active members of that religion?

Personal Connections to Johovah’s Witnesses

My great-aunt was a Johovah’s Witness.My grandmother believes in many teachings of the Johovah’s Witnesses. She is not 100% involved.Several second grade students where I teach have parents who are Johovah’s Witnesses.

Bibliographyhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-do-jehovahs-witnesses-believe.htm

http://www.contenderministries.org/jehovahswitnesses.php

http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm

http://www.carm.org/jw/cult.htm

http://www.freeminds.org/psych/miseduca.htm

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/2000/11/Do-Jehovahs-Witnesses-Do-Thanksgiving.aspx

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/82502

http://www.contenderministries.org/jehovahswitnesses/comparison.php

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/socialstudies/scos/2003-04/024secondgrade

Pledge

“This project work is original and I have not submitted it for credit at ECU or any other higher educational institution.”