GoSox05 Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080708/ap_on_...teacher_bible_2 Demonstrations on the town square show how divided people are over the school board's decision to fire a science teacher accused of preaching his Christian beliefs in the classroom and burning crosses on students' arms. Some residents consider him a courageous fighter for religious freedom. Others say he has brazenly violated the church-state divide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 He was doing what to their arms? Like branding them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 From what I understand, basically yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 ... ... did he have this hot poker handy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Jul 8, 2008 -> 08:44 AM) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080708/ap_on_...teacher_bible_2 How could anyone in their right mind support that kind of thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WISOX Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Just like this?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 QUOTE (WISOX @ Jul 8, 2008 -> 11:53 AM) Just like this?? You might get more discussion from folks if you explained how that was related to this story. Was that branded on someone by a teacher or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoSox05 Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 8, 2008 -> 09:10 AM) How could anyone in their right mind support that kind of thing? Thats what is shocking. I can see a religious fanatic doing something like this, but for the town to back him. I just don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsideirish71 Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Jul 8, 2008 -> 08:35 PM) Thats what is shocking. I can see a religious fanatic doing something like this, but for the town to back him. I just don't get it. Because most of those people are the same religion. He should move on to a religious school where he can educate and preach if he wants to. Doing this in a public school is asking for a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Jul 8, 2008 -> 11:01 PM) Because most of those people are the same religion. He should move on to a religious school where he can educate and preach if he wants to. Doing this in a public school is asking for a problem. Not to mention that, regardless of the preaching... tattooing his students?!?!?! I wouldn't think anyone would tolerate that in any setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 9, 2008 -> 02:04 PM) Not to mention that, regardless of the preaching... tattooing his students?!?!?! I wouldn't think anyone would tolerate that in any setting. He wasn't tattooing them, just disfiguring them. Way easier to accept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_genius Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 (edited) Obviously he should be in jail if he is branding kids at school. Why isn't he in jail? He should obviously be fired if it's true and locked up. the other side of the story.... I saw him on tv with his lawyer, and they showed the burn (which was obviously not a brand, looked like a chemical burn from an experiment gone awry). He says the story is basically false, but this is the kind of story that the media will just destroy someone, then if the facts come out he is innocent, they will bury the 'innoncent story' on p.53 with a 2 sentence blurb. But if students are getting injured in his class because he is careless, that is also ground for being fired. Edited July 9, 2008 by mr_genius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Apparently, he's been a problem child for the school district registering a significant enough number of complaints over 11 years according to the article so maybe he should be removed from the classroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_genius Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I guess he won teacher of the year too, which was brought up in the interview, but not the article. I think one of the main issues here is that he keeps a bible on his desk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonWeltall Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 (edited) QUOTE (mr_genius @ Jul 10, 2008 -> 01:19 AM) I guess he won teacher of the year too, which was brought up in the interview, but not the article. I think one of the main issues here is that he keeps a bible on his desk. If you check out the report made by the HR firm (here), it appears that the 2 things mentioned most in the media, the Bible on the desk and the cross burned into the arm, are two of the LEAST relevant things that occured. The burned cross appears to be a lot of media hype ("Teacher burns cross into student's arm!"). While putting crosses onto students' arms is inappropriate and causing minor electrical burns is just farkng dumb, the students did volunteer and there was no indication that the teacher intended to cause any harm. The red marks disappeared in a short period of time for most students. One student involved had some kind of bad reaction to the process and his mark lasted for weeks rather than days. That kid's parents made a complaint. The teacher's supporters keep talking about the Bible on the desk in an attempt to make it seem like it was the only reason he got into such hot water and that he is being persecuted (omg secularists!) for his beliefs. In reality, his personal Bible was by far the most benign element of his religious beliefs he brought into the classroom. Some of the other highlights: 10 commandments and other religious posters displayed in the room Bibles in the classroom for student use, not his personal use Inappropriate leadership in student prayer group contrary to school policy Taught Creationism/ID in the classroom Repeated insubordination after being told to not teach Creationism/ID Distributed (and recollected) handouts to students from "All About God Ministries" Assigned extra credit for students seeing a movie about Intelligent Design Was a poor science teacher overall (teachers in subsequent grades complained his students didn't understand even the basic concept of science) Had a discussion with students about Easter/Good Friday/the Resurrection Had a discussion with students about the evils of homosexuality Edited July 10, 2008 by CrimsonWeltall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_genius Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 QUOTE (CrimsonWeltall @ Jul 9, 2008 -> 07:33 PM) If you check out the report made by the HR firm (here), it appears that the 2 things mentioned most in the media, the Bible on the desk and the cross burned into the arm, are two of the LEAST relevant things that occured. The burned cross appears to be a lot of media hype ("Teacher burns cross into student's arm!"). While putting crosses onto students' arms is inappropriate and causing minor electrical burns is just farkng dumb, the students did volunteer and there was no indication that the teacher intended to cause any harm. The red marks disappeared in a short period of time for most students. One student involved had some kind of bad reaction to the process and his mark lasted for weeks rather than days. That kid's parents made a complaint. The teacher's supporters keep talking about the Bible on the desk in an attempt to make it seem like it was the only reason he got into such hot water and that he is being persecuted (omg secularists!) for his beliefs. In reality, his personal Bible was by far the most benign element of his religious beliefs he brought into the classroom. Some of the other highlights: 10 commandments and other religious posters displayed in the room Bibles in the classroom for student use, not his personal use Inappropriate leadership in student prayer group contrary to school policy Taught Creationism/ID in the classroom Repeated insubordination after being told to not teach Creationism/ID Distributed (and recollected) handouts to students from "All About God Ministries" Assigned extra credit for students seeing a movie about Intelligent Design Was a poor science teacher overall (teachers in subsequent grades complained his students didn't understand even the basic concept of science) Had a discussion with students about Easter/Good Friday/the Resurrection Had a discussion with students about the evils of homosexuality yea he shouldn't teach creationism as it's not proven science. i don't think religion should be in public class rooms. the public school system is bad enough without tossing this stuff in the classroom IMO. US students are already horrible enough at math and science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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