I thought they weren't aloud to talk about religion...

[Mule 0_o]

Finishing Title: in public schools..?

- - - -

So today ( 5-9-08 ) I was in my Fundamental Math Class (don't ask xD). We had a substitute teacher, it was the end of the class and he started a conversation;

Substitute teacher - "Alright, raise your hand if you go to church"

[about 8 or 9 people raise their hands]

S. T. - "So how many of you don't go to church?"

[about all the class including me raise their hands]

S. T. - "How many of you believe in god?"

[Almost the whole class raises their hand]

S. T. - "How many of you don't believe in god?"

[About 2 or 3 people raise their hands, including me.]

I totally ignored the angry voices behind me "YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD!"

Then the substitute started giving a lecture on 'God'. I just sat there with my head down ignoring the fact that I went to a public school and knowing the fact that he can get into trouble for talking about religion in schools.

Just thought I'd share this with the guild. Add your opinions on the matter here if you wish.

 

[Daffodil the Destroyer]

Go to the office and report his a**... he deserves a reprimand and if he continues doing this he deserves to be barred from substituting in your school. XD  

[Mule 0_o]

xD Agreed, I will if I ever see him again.

 

[Daffodil the Destroyer]

As far as I know, teachers are allowed to speak with their students about their religion ONLY if the students ask them to, and even then, they are only allowed to discuss it in an academic manner, not try to convert anyone. I wish I had been of sound enough mind when I was in high school to report the prayer club sponsor for preaching against Mormonism and Catholicism... Ugh.  

[hagane danbira]

No teacher is allowed to share their ideology with the students during class time. They're on the governments paycheck, and I'll be damned (which if he's right, I probably will be) if I'd allow some a*****e to preach about his God while he's being payed MY tax dollars.  

[Aaron Lee Morrison]

hagane danbira

No teacher is allowed to share their ideology with the students during class time. They're on the governments paycheck, and I'll be damned (which if he's right, I probably will be) if I'd allow some a*****e to preach about his God while he's being payed MY tax dollars.

Avoir Le Retour...

Pretty much hit the mark.

...Les Adieux

 

[Kidrahs]

If he ever subs for your class again, and, God forbid(lol) he goes on a religious rant again, just try to talk to him about why you are an atheist. Try to get him to understand. Get those two other people you mentioned to help you out. If all goes well, he will respect your views and mabye even say he's sorry. If not... report his zealot a**! scream  

[Daffodil the Destroyer]

Kidrahs

If he ever subs for your class again, and, God forbid(lol) he goes on a religious rant again, just try to talk to him about why you are an atheist. Try to get him to understand. Get those two other people you mentioned to help you out. If all goes well, he will respect your views and mabye even say he's sorry. If not... report his zealot a**! scream

I dunno... if it were me, I'd probably keep my mouth shut and just report him afterward. I have never really had much luck explaining my atheism to pushy Christians, and even nonpushy ones don't understand it and they liken my view of the universe to faith. If anything, Buddhist philosophy fits me more closely than religious faith, but even that has some striking differences from the way I practice my life. But then again, I live in the Bible Belt, and I'm surrounded by so many zealots in the music department at my school (which is where I spend most of my time, being a music major) that if I'm reading an atheist book and someone asks me what I'm reading, I have a tendency to just give a generic answer like, "It's a philosophy book." I know that giving out more info to certain people will get me harassed, and that's not really my cup of tea. I'd tend to think that a teacher who starts such a "discussion" would be the kind that would not listen to reason.  

[Lux7]

Its hard to debate with most religous people. Most of them are so closed minded they won't even really listen to what your saying. I've gotten into debates before and pretty much backed them into a corner. When they don't have answers they start making excuses and change the subject xp
I'm suprised the teacher got away with it. So many teachers get in trouble just teaching facts about religon confused  

[Dirty Dirty Shisno]

I'm an atheist who loves to talk about and debate (politely of course always avoiding an argument) religion but I get in trouble a lot for doing so in school. Or rather I did when I went to school. But yeah, I would have calmly expressed my opinions and then listened to all the hate and then would have given my rebuttle. This would have continued untill we either reached an impass of pure opinion or people got too angry and I didn't want an argument.  

[fhbnfghnbfgbsnbg]

You don't have to have majored in teaching to be a substitute.
So, pretty much anyone with a college degree ( I think.) can walk in and be a sub.
Thus, they may not know all of the rules.
Or, they're just idiots.  

[eccentricanomaly]

I was always told that public school teachers are allowed to talk about religion, but cannot preach it. Like, they can discuss it, but they can't try and convert you, or something.

But I spent nine years in a Catholic school, and only three in a public school, so I'm used to that stuff.  

[Daffodil the Destroyer]

I was reminded this past week of another high school teacher of mine and his preachiness. I usually go back to my high school during the summers to teach the clarinets at band camp. I get a nice paycheck for the week I spend teaching them each summer. XD

The band director is a member of one of the largest Baptist churches in the town and so are many of his students. They all know what religion he practices; whatever. What I have a problem with is the fact that every time they're about to go eat a meal together, and before every performance, he always, without fail, has a student come up and say a prayer. Not only does he do this, he requires all of the other students to bow their heads and remove their hats. I don't have a problem with student-lead prayer among those who wish it, but I do have a problem with him forcing the other students (and his paid adult instructors) to play along.

He also gives a speech every year detailing his top three priorities. It's meant to give his students a self-esteem boost, but ventures into inappropriate territory, as he describes his priorities as "1. God, 2. Family, 3. Band." This would be more appropriate if he said "moral code" or something similar instead of "God." Also, when I was in high school, one year I was interviewing with him for a leadership position, and one of his questions was about who we'd most like to meet who was dead. I said Jesus and he gave me a mini-sermon about how "Jesus is alive."

I swear... if it were anyone but this particular man, I would report him in a heartbeat - I doubt anything would come of it if I did, but I'm so sick of going through this stuff every year when I come teach for him. Most of his students are Christian, but not all of them are - I was in band at that school with a pagan who didn't like it, and one of the students I taught last week said he wasn't a churchgoer either, instead preferring to simply study religions. I wouldn't get this guy in trouble on purpose, just because he's a really nice guy and does a hell of a lot for his students... but I wish he would tone himself down. >.>

 

[Faeletti]

wahmbulance report him! wahmbulance

wahmbulance sue his a**! wahmbulance  

[Crooked_Lamb]

WAIT!! WTHFINGH!@!!! Why was that even brought up? Thats illegal..isn't it?


You not even aloud to ask your teachers what religion they are.

I agree report the a-hole...

I'm assuming it started a school wide phenomina..and people said things about you? This is the start of a lawsuit..