Florida DCF workers forced into fundamentalist-based training.

http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/localstoryA7898A.htm
SNIP..."Character training riles DCF workers

Program based on evangelist's teachings

By Paige St. John
FLORIDA TODAY

TALLAHASSEE -- Children and Families director Jerry Regier is using his fundamental Oklahoma roots to make employees of Florida's embattled agency participate in mandatory character-training sessions.

Regier has contracted with Oklahoma City-based Character Training Institute. The nonprofit company, with direct ties to evangelist Bill Gothard, is providing the curriculum for some 1,750 agency workers in the Orlando region, which also includes Brevard County....."END SNIP

This program is based on Gothard's extreme fundamentalism, said by fellow Christians to be cultist in nature.
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/i13.html
SNIP......"Now Florida is slated to become Gothard country.

State Rep. Tracy Stafford and Sen. Howard Forman, both Democrats from Broward County, have introduced bills that would force every public elementary school in the state to teach Character First! — which is mentioned by name in the bills — or, as the bill vaguely puts it, a program "similar" to it. (...)

When asked about Bill Gothard, both Stafford and Forman are stumped. Neither did his homework on the curriculum — they've never heard of Gothard and weren't aware that the man behind Character First! is an evangelical minister. When told about Gothard's emphasis on the "chain of command," Stafford immediately recognizes the danger in such teachings. "I can see how that could lead to a continuation of child abuse," he says....."END SNIP

"Character Counts", which is pushed, on the local government level, by cities like Jacksonville FL, where fundie churches have a strong hold.

Broward County WAS known for being liberal. Wonder what's up with that?

http://www.charactercounts.org/

Looks like it is connected to the Josephson Institute. Not familiar with that.

As a retired teacher, I have seen all kinds of programs come and go. I never had a choice about using them, we were just told to do so.

I learned one thing: they all looked so good on the surface, but they had no substance.

When you start applying the exact same standards to each child, then there are problems....always. Whether it be the FCAT or a behavioral modification program.....there are problems.

Tho', I must say the city has been downplaying it recently, maybe 'cause there were some complaints about it.

Really, I wish employers would hire people, pay them a good wage, and continously train them to keep up their skills, and leave all of this character-this and character-that stuff outside the workplace.

Most people have good "character", and don't need preaching from their bosses or job.

Here is the link to the elementary school agenda.
http://www.ccschoolagendas.com/elem.html

This takes in all the subjects.

It's not even sound by respectable fundamentalist standards. This guy, then, is more extreme than Dobson/Focus on the Family.

Than a Christian.

Blind obedience to authority? ADVOCATING spanking (not 100% opposed to it here, but these are child protection workers . . .)?

I'm a city government employee and we have had to take somewhat similar training, but there not only was no religious/moral foundation in it, they strongly warned us about bringing such issues into the workplace.

This, IMHO, calls for a massive investigation as well as a lawsuit by the employees.

have you checked out all the names? Alot of the fundie marital training curriculum comes from Moonie based teachings. Alot of it is based in mind control techniques and have been linked to W's faith-based network.

I wonder if those could be some of the values? I am just guessing, as I could not follow the names to links. I would love to see them.

I had to stop emailing an old high school friend. She started a tirade about her daughter's going back to work with small children. They were about to lose their home because the husband's job hours had been cut back.

This friend's philosophy? If you stay home with your children, God will provide.

I could not take it anymore.

He told him to butt out of his friends campaign in OKLA, he was chairman or something. Told him to concentrate on his job in Fl.

Did he? Well then the DCF was fighting a lawsuit by one of their clients, a retarded minor who was raped and impregnated while under DCF care. The DCF lawyers were trying to claim the sex was consesual. The girl was 16 and had an IQ of 60, and they said she was negligent! I'm not making this up, as Dave Barry would say. The Orlando Sentinal did a big story on it this weekend. JEB fired the lawyers yesterday.

I did not realize that was still going on! They keep trying to get a guardian for the baby, and she is totally incapable of taking care of it. Ok, I found the article:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl-locmiket05080503aug05,0,5831366.column?coll=orl-news-headlines

This is a terribly sad story. Why is a home being run by people with a history of abuse.

I say that Jeb anointed Regier, and he needs to stop him from his fundamentalist madness. He needs to fire his butt and send him back to Oklahoma!!!