High School Activism | CFI Leadership Conference 2011

Recent high school sophomore and secular activist Jessica Ahlquist leads a panel on high school activism with Harrison Hopkins, Damon Fowler, and Zack Kopplin.

Filmed at CFI-Transnational in Amherst, NY, on June 25, 2011.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Harrison Hopkins
• Damon Fowler
• Zach Kopplin
• Jessica Ahlquist
• atheism
• agnostic
• christianity
• religion
• freethought
• skeptic
• high
• school

[dexter21380]

Bravo!!! Good job. It's very promising to see young people actively fight for a better world, we need more of that.

When i was in school in Greece (~14 years ago) we had prayer at the start of each day, and we had a course supposedely about religion in general, but in reality it was 99% about Orthodox Christianism. Everyone who didn't participate was laughed at, and considered a total weirdo, personally i wasn't mature enough to go against this back then, and it's something i regret. :)

[DrToonhattan]

These kids are truly inspirational. There're only 3-4 years younger than myself and it's quite something to see. Keep it up!

It's completely different in the UK however. We technically have an act of worship required by law in both private and public schools. Also, church-run faith schools get money from the government. Yet many of our politicians, including our Deputy Prime Minister, are open atheists. Go figure.

[rickcain2320]

Christians will be singing a different tune when Muslims will be demanding that they have islamic prayer in schools.

[wwwATHEISTATOMcom]

@DrToonhattan

It souds like the UK Atheists need to grow some balls and start doing something.

[sillynut331]

I applaud your combined efforts to get prayer out of the public schools. I raised 3 children in the bible belt of NC where in the hallways were paintings of Jesus Christ and Christmas parties, etc. I was very overt with the principals of those schools to stop these illegal manifestations of religion in our classrooms and at our events. My point, which was finally heard, was that the teachers are teaching the kids that it's OK to break the law when it's in your personal interest. It worked!

[Dupa82]

Atheism is a growing movement because of intelligent ambassadors like these teens.

I wish them the best as I've heard that it's more difficult for atheists in the US than in Canada (or is that only for your southern states?). Well, whatever challenges you face, I'm sure you can overcome them.

It seems that the internet has made us a community and we can help each other overcome anything.

[Circus28chimp]

@DrToonhattan You can be pulled out of RE if you so wish, and I never had prayers at my state school, so i don't think it is a requirement, or at least its certainly not enforced if it is.

[Circus28chimp]

@DrToonhattan You can get out of RE if your parents write a note, that is in the Law too

[wikinerd]

0:52:00 ... Michelle Bachmann also said that she went into witchcraft... I think that is a stronger reason that she shouldn't be anywhere near the title of presidential candidate.