COMMENTS The materials' attitude toward Roman Catholicism and non-Western religions raises serious issues that should be part of the public debate over the use of public funding for sectarian education. Two of the many questions raised: How much respect for the rights of members of minority religions could ordinary citizens, elected representatives, and government employees, including judges, have if their educational background included a school curriculum based on these textbooks? Is it fair to use the coercive power of the state to collect tax revenues that are then used to support educational institutions that malign the religion of the taxpayer? It is one thing to say, ýThis is what I believe.ý It is something else to say, ýYour religion is in error.ý It is surely far removed from the spirit of religious tolerance, however imperfectly applied in our nation, to make statements that encourage American children to despise the religion of their fellow citizens. Footnotes 1 Barbara. B. Gaddy, T. William Hall, and Robert J. Marzano, School Wars: Resolving Our Conflicts over Religion and Values (San Francisco, Cal.: Jossey-Bass, 1996), p. 145. 2 World Geography-10. Social Studies (#1106), rev. 1998 (N.p.: Accelerated Christian Education, 1994), p. 6. 3 Old World History and Geography, Teacher Edition (Pensacola, Fla.: A Beka, 1991), p. 213. 4 The term ýChristianý applies only to conservative Protestant evangelism. Missionary activity by other Christian denominations, including Roman Catholic missionary activity, is ignored, given perfunctory coverage, or criticized or ridiculed. 5 Old World History, p. 247. 6 Old World History, p. 252. 7 ýSavage warriors,ý ýsavage tribe,ý and ýsavage land.ý Old World History, p. 256. 8 Old World History, p. 256. 9 Old World History, p. 256-57. 10 George Thompson and Jerry Combee. World History and Cultures in Christian Perspective. 2nd edition (Pensacola, Fla: A Beka, 1997), p. 86. 11 World Studies for Christian Schools, Teacher's Edition (Greenville, S.C.: Bob Jones University Press, 1993), p. 353. 12 World Studies, p. 78T. 13 Old World History, p. 89. 14 Jerry H. Combee, History of the World in Christian Perspective, Teacher Edition, 3rd ed. (Pensacola, Fla.: A Beka, 1997), pp. 147, 151. 15 Thompson and Combee, p. 34. 16 Thompson and Combee, p. 36. 17 Thompson and Combee, p. 35. 18 Heritage Studies for Christian Schools 6, p. 186. 19 See, for example, Old World History, p. 210. 20 Old World History, pp. 213, 214. 21 The senior high school text also mentions idols. A discussion of Indian contributions to the world is prefaced by this phrase: ýAlthough India culture was dominated by Hindu idolatry. . .ý Thompson and Combee, p. 47. 22 Combee, p. 279. 23 Old World History, p. 212. 24 Old World History, p. 212. 25 Heritage Studies for Christian Schools 6, pp. 222-23. 26 Early Middle Ages, p. 31. 27 Early Middle Ages, p. 31. 28 Heritage Studies for Christian Schools 6: Eastern Hemisphere Nations (Greenville, S.C.: Bob Jones University Press, 1986), p. 41. 29 Combee, p. 192. 30 Combee, p. 155 31 Combee, p. 184. 32 Thompson and Combee, p. 167 Winter 2001 / 2002