Education

A number of centuries after it disappeared from the Middle East region, efforts are being made to revive the ancient Aramaic language that many believe Jesus spoke.

The Palestinian village of Beit Jala, which is close to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, is one of two villages where elders are trying to teach the language to young children hoping they will take it up.

The other village is the Arab-Israeli community of Jish, where Christ once lived and preached – there children in elementary school are being taught Aramaic. The village is of the Maronite Christian community, which is one of the few that still chant prayers in Aramaic, though not many understand the meaning of the words, the Associated Press reported. more >>

A Hamilton Heights elementary school has become the first ever in New York City to require its students to study Arabic, in what it claims is an attempt to bolster international opportunities for children.

Starting next semester all students from second through to fifth grade at PS 368 in Hamilton Heights will have to study the language. The reason behind the decision appears to be the school's determination to earn a prestigious International Baccalaureate standing, according to The New York Post.

"(The Parents Association) were very supportive," said Angela Jackson, CEO of the Global Language Project, which is backing the initiative, according to The New York Post. The non-profit Qatar Foundation International, which describes itself as "a U.S.-based affiliate of Qatar Foundation (QF) dedicated to advancing QF's mission and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser's vision of connecting cultures and advancing global citizenship through education," is also helping bring the project ahead. more >>

Sole plane crash survivor Hannah Luce of Teen Mania Ministries continues to recover after a five-and-a-half hour skin grafting surgery earlier this week, stated her father Ron Luce on Wednesday.

Luce was scheduled for another, perhaps final, skin grafting surgery on Thursday, with the anticipation that she may be transferred to a hospital in Dallas for rehab within about 10 days.

"Thank you all for praying for Hannah – I can't tell you all how much it means," Ron Luce stated on his blog. "The doctors said she did very well, and they did a lot of skin grafting. The whole process causes extreme pain for her, so since the surgery, she has been pretty heavily sedated. She is on a ventilator again and for the next couple of days, and tomorrow (Thursday) she goes in for another skin graft surgery. We think that may be the last one she'll need to have." more >>

A bill that would have challenged the controversial all-comers policy for religious student organizations at Vanderbilt University was vetoed by the Governor of Tennessee.

In keeping with statements made to the press earlier this month, Governor Bill Haslam officially vetoed House Bill 2576 on Monday. It was the first veto Haslam had done in two years.

"Although I disagree with Vanderbilt's policy, as someone who strongly believes in limited government, I think it is inappropriate for government to mandate the policies of a private institution," said Haslam to a statement a couple weeks before the veto. more >>

A teen Tebowing during his graduation ceremony Saturday caused his diploma to be withheld by Florida school officials, who didn't want the high school senior's actions to be an "inspiration" for other antics.

Chuck Shriner, 17, of Bishop Verot's Catholic school, was bet $5 by his friends that he wouldn't go on stage and imitate the popular pose of the New York Jets' Christian quarterback. They underestimated him; he Tebowed on stage- dropping to one knee to pray- while parents and students erupted in laughter.

"I just thought it was fun," the teen told Naples News. "I was just doing it to make graduation memorable." more >>

World-renowned atheist Richard Dawkins says he supports the mission of England's Department for Education to make sure every public school in the nation has a copy of the 1611 translation of the King James Bible.

"A native speaker of English who has never read a word of the King James Bible is verging on the barbarian," said Dawkins in a column he wrote for The Guardian.

The author and evolutionary biologist even went as far as to say he would have donated to the cause had he been given the opportunity to do so. more >>