Teacher's using classrooms to promote their religious views

[smileyeagle1021]

Teacher marks student's hand with an S for sinner
She also called him a sinner multiple times during class apparently.
This teacher may be the most recent one, but I can remember many teachers in school pushing their beliefs in the classroom... I even had one teacher go so far as to say things like "Martin Luther should have been executed for his crimes" during a history lesson about the reformation in Europe and talking about the crusades "these knights are the ones you want to thank for making sure you can worship the one true God rather than the heretic Mohammad" among other such lovely tidbits.
Of course the school's response was that teachers as with all people had their freedom of speech and expression (except it appears in the above school to make mention of famous and important LGBT persons).

Is this as big of an occurance as I (and members of the media) have percieved it? Has anyone else experienced this? Is this even a problem or is it just free speech? If it is just free speech would it be appropriate then for a teacher to push a pro-equality or pro-choice or (insert other controversial position here)?

[Andara Bledin]

Completely unacceptable.

Enough so that the ACLU has been brought in by students and teachers claiming that the district has not done enough to curb the bias on campus.

Article at LGBTQNation

^-.-^

[MadMike]

Free speech? Sounds like a case of a person in authority forcing their viewpoint onto a captive audience, which is wrong.

This teacher should be fired, in my opinion.

[Sarah Valentine]

I agree, part of being a teacher means teaching tolerance, equality, and acceptance. You are a teacher you are there for the students to help them learn, NOT to force your beliefs on them.

[fireheart17]

Oy vey, that person should NOT be a teacher if they're going to force their own views onto others.

[Hyena Dandy]

At my school teacher's couldn't wear any religious symbols at all.

Now, I'm fine with teachers showing their religions.

but "Teachers have the right to free speech in the classroom." They do NOT. Or at least they SHOULD not. Teachers should be teaching what they are supposed to teach. They are in a position of authority, and they are representing their school district in the classroom.

This teacher needs to be thrown out. Shame there's no such thing as a teaching blacklist.

[Racket_Man]

unless it is a specificly religious school (try getting a religion lesson in math and science like I did), religion has NO place in the classroom UNLESS the class is say a "survery of the worlds religions"

NO teacher has the privilage of smacking people over the head with their (the teachers) religious views/beliefs in a classroom setting

[Boozy]

"Teachers have the right to free speech in the classroom."

They have the right to free speech as defined by the constitution, which is to say that they can't be arrested for it.

But they can definitely be fired, and they should be fired for saying certain things.

Anyone who disagrees needs to ask themselves how they'd feel if the cashiers at the local store took to telling them to "Fuck off" instead of "Have a nice day" - and were allowed to keep their jobs.

[Hyena Dandy]

They have the right to free speech as defined by the constitution, which is to say that they can't be arrested for it.

But they can definitely be fired, and they should be fired for saying certain things.

Anyone who disagrees needs to ask themselves how they'd feel if the cashiers at the local store took to telling them to "Fuck off" instead of "Have a nice day" - and were allowed to keep their jobs.

I was quoting what the other guy said that the response was. :P But yes, I agree.

[Boozy]

I was quoting what the other guy said that the response was. :P But yes, I agree.

I understood that. Sorry I didn't make that clear.

[Hyena Dandy]

I understood that. Sorry I didn't make that clear.

Oh, just wanted to make sure you didn't think I thought that.

[MadMike]

Anyone who disagrees needs to ask themselves how they'd feel if the cashiers at the local store took to telling them to "Fuck off" instead of "Have a nice day" - and were allowed to keep their jobs.

You mean like when Dick Cheney was a Wal-Mart greeter?

[Boozy]

Awesome.

I can't believe I didn't think of that clip myself.

[Kheldarson]

Holy crap and here I was worried about teaching the kids the history of the rosaries they wear around their neck was going to cross the line. That's nothing on this teacher of the year.

My opinion on religion in the classroom is that you have to treat all things equal. Since I teach World History, I know religion will be included. It's hard not to be when it's 1) in the standards and 2) a major part of the time period we're in (4000 BC - 1600 AD). So I make sure to cover everything of major import. From founders to beliefs to symbols to stories to variations. But I make sure to always say that I'm not trying to convert them, we're not debating theology, and I don't care who they worship or how at home, they just need to know these facts. And we treat all religions as being valid. Because none of us are qualified to say "only this is true." That's how you treat religion at school, with just the facts.

[Sarah Valentine]

Was there a follow-up article, what happened with the teacher?