
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, April 27, 1993                   TAG: 9304270355
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GOVERNMENT IS DICTATING VALUES

IN THE APRIL 3 edition of the Roanoke Times & World-News, Cody Lowe wrote, "We decline to let government decide what religious values we will teach our children." Is he right? Hardly.

There are many who are not able to afford private schools for their children. They have no choice but to send them to a public-school system that is increasingly hostile to traditional Christian values.

As our society begins to teach that homosexuality is acceptable, that children should practice "safe sex," and that they are entitled to abortions without their parents' knowledge or consent, these parents are forced to submit their children to these teachings in the public schools whether they agree with them or not.

The result is that the federal government will not pay for the children's education unless the family agrees to submit them to teachings that are against their values.

I believe Lowe's statement was a truthful reflection of the ideal we would all agree to. But it is becoming less and less a reflection of reality as time goes on. BILL ONESTY ROANOKE

by CNB