punished for beliefs in public school?

[Curious George]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...r-telling-classmates-he-didnt-believe-in-god/

What are your thoughts on the case?

What are your thoughts in the remedy?

How should the teachers have handled this?

How should the parents have handled this given the teachers reactions in this case?

 

[Aquitaine]

Those two employees should be disciplined at the very least. It is a public school, not an indoctrination centre.

 

[Curious George]

Those two employees should be disciplined at the very least. It is a public school, not an indoctrination centre.

What does "disciplined" entail? Should they lose their jobs? Should the principal say, "you know, that wasn't okay." Should they be "written up."

How does that remedy the child's situation, or loss?

 

[freethinker44]

What does "disciplined" entail? Should they lose their jobs? Should the principal say, "you know, that wasn't okay." Should they be "written up."

How does that remedy the child's situation, or loss?

I think they should lose their jobs. Bigotry has no place in our schools.

It doesn't remedy the child's situation, the damage has already been done there, but it removes known bigots from teaching and sends a message that bigotry won't be tolerated.

 

[Aquitaine]

What does "disciplined" entail? Should they lose their jobs? Should the principal say, "you know, that wasn't okay." Should they be "written up."

How does that remedy the child's situation, or loss?

I guess it doesn't, like freethinker said: the damage has already been done. Perhaps the sack is indeed in order.

 

[Nakosis]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...r-telling-classmates-he-didnt-believe-in-god/

What are your thoughts on the case?

What are your thoughts in the remedy?

How should the teachers have handled this?

How should the parents have handled this given the teachers reactions in this case?

I hope they win the suit. Someone needs to go into the class and explain that it is ok for children to have different beliefs about God. This is no reason to ostracize a fellow student. The teacher(s) involved should apologize to the student in front of the rest of the class for their behavior and needs to undergo some additional training how how to properly deal with children.

 

[Tumah]

I also think they should lose their jobs. I don't think this is bigotry, but this is meant to be a public school and the faculty should know how to separate their own beliefs from the secular institution they are teaching at. They don't seem to know how to do that, therefore they are not competent faculty members for a secular public school.

I don't think there's anything to be done about to make the child feel better. Except maybe the parents should switch him to another school where he can move past his trauma in a new setting.

 

[dust1n]

Doubt anyone would get fired, unless the ACLU wins and an employee goes against an injunction of some sort.

 

[leibowde84]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...r-telling-classmates-he-didnt-believe-in-god/

What are your thoughts on the case?

What are your thoughts in the remedy?

How should the teachers have handled this?

How should the parents have handled this given the teachers reactions in this case?

First of all, the title of this thread is extremely misleading. The child was mentally abused for his lack of belief in God. But, here's what I think should happen.

1. The teacher should be fired with prejudice.
2. The student deserves an apology from the school (public).
3. The student's family should sue the school for mental distress of a minor caused directly by a violation of the child's constitutional rights.

 

[leibowde84]

What does "disciplined" entail? Should they lose their jobs? Should the principal say, "you know, that wasn't okay." Should they be "written up."

How does that remedy the child's situation, or loss?

The damage is already done, and that teacher can obviously not be trusted in her position. She needs to be fired (and ridiculed publicly).

 

[Aquitaine]

What does "disciplined" entail? Should they lose their jobs? Should the principal say, "you know, that wasn't okay." Should they be "written up."

How does that remedy the child's situation, or loss?

Having the employees apologize to the student in front of the class might also help ease the child's concerns regarding his apparent "misbehaviour", along with a formal apology to the family from the school.
If there is a history of either employees engaging in this sort of behaviour, then it's probably for the best that they're sacked. If it's a first time offense though, a written warning and some "retraining" might suffice.

 

[Curious George]

First of all, the title of this thread is extremely misleading. .

I think the title captures the concept well. Saying it is "extremely misleading" is extremely misleading. But semantics aside, abuse? You think there should be criminal charges?

 

[Baladas]

I was shocked and disgusted to read this.

I live in a very religious area, and I have never heard of anything like this happening.
The employees should most likely lose their jobs, but some other form of disciplinary action might suffice.

 

[Politesse]

Apalling.

Termination.

Having a controlled and age-appropriate conversation about religion.

Called the ACLU.

 

[Marisa]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...r-telling-classmates-he-didnt-believe-in-god/

What are your thoughts on the case?

What are your thoughts in the remedy?

How should the teachers have handled this?

How should the parents have handled this given the teachers reactions in this case?

School officials should not have gotten involved unless fists were flying. If fists were flying, school officials should have broken it up. This is possible without interjecting the personal beliefs of the school officials. A valuable moment in teaching tolerance and acceptance was lost by the school officials.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I think a suspension would be appros for a first offense. Assuming this is a first offense.

Some consulting in regards to the primary duty of a public school teacher which is to teach a child to function well as possible in society, and to respect beliefs and positions of individuals that lay outside the scope of education. As so much that a 7 year old can in respect to having personal beliefs or views anyway.

 

[gsa]

I also think they should lose their jobs. I don't think this is bigotry, but this is meant to be a public school and the faculty should know how to separate their own beliefs from the secular institution they are teaching at. They don't seem to know how to do that, therefore they are not competent faculty members for a secular public school.

I don't think there's anything to be done about to make the child feel better. Except maybe the parents should switch him to another school where he can move past his trauma in a new setting.

Why isn't this bigotry? Per the complaint:

During a discussion with classmates on the playground he responded to a question by indicating that he did not go to church because he did not believe in God. This resulted in his teacher interrogating the child as to his beliefs and requiring the child to sit by himself during lunch and not talk to his classmates during lunch for three days.

Is this not a clear case of "intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself"? Would it be bigotry if classmates were upset because he said that he didn't believe Jesus was God and was Jewish and attended synagogue instead? And was separated from his classmates for three days as a result of a Christian classmate being upset by his honest and sincere expressions of his religious belief in response to a question?

 

[gsa]

I think a suspension would be appros for a first offense. Assuming this is a first offense.

Some consulting in regards to the primary duty of a public school teacher which is to teach a child to function well as possible in society, and to respect beliefs and positions of individuals that lay outside the scope of education. As so much that a 7 year old can in respect to having personal beliefs or views anyway.

The problem is that the teacher also subjected the school to potential liability for a constitutional violation. The facts, if true, are fairly egregious examples of religious bigotry. I would recommend probation pending investigation and possible termination.

 

[Shad]

Fire the teacher and the "other" employee. Perhaps have a look at the process used to hire teachers to ensure that all understand their obligation and boundaries.

 

[SomeRandom]

Disgusting!
I know many teachers, of various beliefs. They would all say the same thing. This was unprofessional, appalling, bullying and a direct violation of the child's rights.
Fire the ******** and have religious (or lack thereof) sensitivity training for the rest to ensure no one else tries this crap.