Students
attending Jefferson public schools this fall will notice an updated
curriculum. Many of the classes they and their parents are familiar with
have been replaced with studies that reflect the community's growing
concerns regarding the deteriorating morals of society. The school board
approved these changes over the summer, and even though most of the new
courses are not rated as college-bound material, students will
nonetheless be required to attend them if they wish to graduate. This partial list of changes has been made available to Jefferson Iowa News; more changes are expected, however.
Old Course - Algebra
New Course - Numerology
Old Course - Family Planning
New Course - Chastity (girls only)
Old Course - American Literature
New Course - Bible Study
Old Course - Government
New Course - 10 Commandments
Old Course - Physiology
New Course - Intelligent Design
Old Course - Social Studies
New Course - Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve
The following courses have been eliminated from the curriculum:
World History
Astronomy
Geology
Physics
Biology
Cultural Diversity
It was also announced that this year's Prayer-A-Thon will be held in the community room of St. Joseph's. Last year's site (the basement of the Church of Christ) is not available, as last year's Prayer-A-Thon is still going on there. For the last two months most of the prayers there addressed the nearly unanimous wish that it would just end already. Technically, though, they are still praying, even as the sump pumps are failing.
Boyce Bailey, 08-23-2010