The Bible warns Christians against taking up arms when slighted, and for the most part, they listen. However, the Bible never said anything about waging peaceful conflict, and some Christians are taking advantage of that. 

Led by Faithful America, Christians in Florida have been signing a petition that claims the state’s recent civics course is exploiting the name of Jesus to further  Christian nationalism in public schools. According to the organization, the teaching implies that laws in the US are founded on the Ten Commandments despite the secular history of the nation. 

According to Faithful America’s petition, Florida’s new civics curriculum is an attempt to bribe instructors, pushing them to influence the minds of their students with Christian nationalist ideology. The petition disputes claims that the country’s foundation is built on Christianity, calling them blatant fabrications that bend historical truths concerning church-state separation.

The core of Faithful America’s argument is that the course claims America was intended as a Christian nation, even though that is far from the truth. These claims have been tagged controversial and have triggered a debate on how history and constitutional foundations are represented within the educational sector.

Since it was first shared, the petition has seen many agree with its argument. It has garnered about 13,500 signatures in less than a week, bringing it closer to its 15,000 target. Such a large number of supporters proves that many have noticed how the civics curriculum portrays the country’s history, and they don’t like it. 

The angry Christians have Ron DeSantis to thank for what is happening. The governor is leading a complete overhaul in civics education as part of his Civics Literacy Excellence Initiative. According to him, the state will shamelessly promote accurate history, one that is free from any bias. 

Reports claim Florida will now give any teacher who volunteers to take a 60-hour online civics course to deepen civic knowledge a $3,000 bonus. Unfortunately, people have criticized the course’s content and intent, believing it is potentially biased. 

According to Faithful America, the course contains some dubious content, including a notion that claims that while the Church and State are separated, it does not mean God and the government are, too. This directly clashes with the established understanding of the First Amendment and the principle of church-state separation.

Another reason residents are displeased with the Civics course content is that a journalist named Judd Legum recently drew attention to parts of it, revealing training materials that blur the lines between Biblical passages and civic lessons. This dangerous blend of religion with public education has people concerned about how neutral and objective the teaching will be.  

What Faithful America wants is simple: for the state of Florida to stop its attempt to mix Christianity with education. It called for an end to Christian nationalism and hopes that the secular integrity of public education is preserved. 

The petition from Faithful America has succeeded in spreading awareness regarding what is happening, but it also demands corrective action. Of course, the only move that will satisfy them is the immediate suspension of the civics program and the removal of themes pushing ideas of Christian nationalism from educational materials.

Faithful America is drawing attention to the breach of the separation of church and state outlined in the US Constitution. According to their petition, they demand strict compliance with constitutional guidelines. They ask that teachers involved in educating kids do so without referencing biased religious teachings.

The ganging up of Christians who believe Faithful America is doing the right thing highlights how people feel about education’s role in creating a balanced and inclusive understanding of civics among students. It has gotten a lot of attention from the public, proving just how polarized and divided views on mixing religion with public education are among Americans. It is the best way to ensure that the next generation of Americans remains unbiased and can separate politics from Christianity.