Too Much Authority?

Schools are places where children can learn and grow. They should be objective, and safe for children, teachers and parents. Schools also have social responsibilities to educate our children and prepare them for their future. In modern society, a child's education is a mixed result from parents, schools, media, government and legislation. Every party needs to be sensible to their role and cannot over abuse their authority. Parents would consider needs of their child. Schools and others should put benefits of most children first. With that being said, it is not easy to balance each authority especially if there are a child and emotion involved.

A few of school controversies for us to think about.

Case 1: A Catholic School in Boulder, Colorado, refused enrollment of a child in its preschool program because the student's parents are lesbians (Politics daily). It is not unheard of rejection from private schools over many strange reasons. There was a case in New York that a child was rejected to enter kindergarten program because the school has no-sibling policy (New York Sun). It is usually less controversy since private schools establish their own rules. Most cases will not become high profile. A lot of little boys or girls have been rejected by many private schools. Does Catholic or other private school have too much authority to reject children for various reasons? Dose the public have too much authority to ask private schools to change their policy?

Case 2: A few years ago, a Lexington (MA) Dad was arrested, spent one night in jail over objections to homosexual curriculum in son's kindergarten class (news April 29: Boston globe; Park incidence: massresistance.org). The father was charged with trespass in school property. Did Lexington School have too much authority to send a parent to jail? Did Lexington parents have too much authority to influence public school?

Case 3: Kansas State Legislation banned teaching evolution. Kansas law proclaims that "All Kansans are descendants of Adam and Eve and were created by the hand of God without the help of Charles Darwin." (Assimilated Press) There are overwhelming evidences to support Darwin's evolution (Darwin's theory of evolution: bioweb) and Vatican has declared that Darwin's theory of evolution was compatible with Christian faith (Times). Does State Legislation have too much authority on teaching? Do people in Kansas have authority to demand the right to learn evolution?

Case 4: Hobe Sound School (Florida) classified a mother's punishment as illegal after she skipped her son's lunch intentionally (WPTV.com). The child forgot packing his own lunch and his mother wanted to teach him responsibility by e-mailing teachers not to provide lunch to her kid. Do parents have authority to tell school not to feed their child? Will it be illegal if School does not provide lunch to a child who does not have a lunch?