Can teachers be loyal to their beliefs and still teach? Could this teacher have found a middle road, so that he could teach and share his beliefs in appropriate ways? Apparently he was more that capable in all other aspects of the job. Perhaps it is best to speak out and take the hit.
My reason for writing is not to stir things up, but to clarify what we teach on the mat. We teach these young people to stand up, be counted, and make a difference based on what we have taught them and what they believe for the good of the whole. This teacher did just that and so are the men and women serving in the military. This is not about religion, but about how well we teach young people, to stand on their own two feet. In wrestling we teach them to battle, but what about wisdom? Can we teach them to lead through prudent compromise and ingenuity?

Recently, I spoke with a person responsible for training Iraqi policemen. He said until the Iraqi people decide to point out the troublemakers this will go on indefinitely. The decision to stand up and be counted is a large part of what keeps our country strong. Perhaps we can have some real positive discussion on this topic.

It is great when a person stands up for something that they believe in. The only problem in this case is that the teacher was talking about religion in a place where religion needs to be seperated from a state institution. Would classrooms benefit from more discussions about morals, ethics, values, etc.? Absolutely. But when you bring religion into the equation, that's crossing the line in a public education setting. There are too many students out there that believe in other things besides Christianity to bring that into the classroom. Yes, Christianity is obviously the most practiced religion out there as far as America goes, but when you have a country that is composed of immigrants, you cannot impose your religious beliefs on others. That is what this teacher did, and he got the correct punishment, simple as that. I do believe that this teacher would be a great fit at a religion-based school, but not in a public setting. It is true that more people in the world need to stand up for their beliefs, but you also need to think about what consequences you could have for voicing those beliefs. That's at least my opinion anyway.

does anyone know who this teacher is?

I believe this is the story from the OWH

Very interesting to say the least.

Isn't it interesting how Freedon OF Religion has been turned around to now be the PC stand of Freedom FROM Religion? It does not matter how you dress this up, it is just another shot at someone that has the unmitigated gall to share the philosophical teachings of Christ. I hear of parents that lament all the time of how their teen-agers refuse to listen to them anymore. You know, the same old excuse that's used to explain teen pregnancy . . . You can't stop them . . . they're going to do it anyway . . . Much the same as teens & alcohol or drugs.
Why is it that we are sooooo worried about these same free-thinkers absorbing Christ-like teaching? Is someone talking up the Ten Commandments a threat to this head-strong bunch? Oh & I can't wait for those who hate as a lifestyle to protest someone such as this teacher daring to show another way. Many of us as parents have been so involved in paying the bills that we have overlooked the Moral building our family lives within . . . or not.
As for me, I just don't see where a public school teacher has hurt anyone by sharing the philosophical teachings of JESUS CHRIST.

They should not talk about faith based activitites in school. Plain and simple! It is not a place for you to share your thoughts and beliefs. I say congratulations to the board and the rat that exposed him! Bye bye fool. YOur god should have told you to be quiet in a public school. Now go get a job for half the pay at a religeous school!

But you might not have the moral character to do what you are told there either!

Time for you to head across the desert!

I agree with you. This teacher was warned multiple times. Its his own fault he got fired.

It seems that hate comes to you easily. If you had stayed awake in class you would have remembered the day your history teacher spoke of religious freedom. The great freedom experiment that this country was built around stems from the judeao-christian teachings. Now I'm sure that you of little faith think that this teacher got what he deserved & maybe he did, but, just for fun, why don't you tell us which of the Ten Commandments are bad ideas????? If you can't, then why was this person so wrong????? I've been in HS classes where the teacher simply takes papers & gives assignments with little interaction, is that what you are after????? If you think that by firing this teacher that school is a better place, you are sadly mistaken!

Who said anything was wrong with the Ten Commandments? The point is that he was warned but he still shared his religious beliefs with the class. He was told he would be fired if he did what he did but he did it anyway. So he deserved to be fired.

See, you just don't get it! This country was founded on christian driven values & law. You know, "In God We Trust", "So Help You God", "One Nation Under God" . . .
The President is sworn into office with a hand on the Bible! We built this nation upon the values described in the Bible! So, why is the discussion of those values such a danger in this Nebraska High School?

quote:

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Originally posted by Guest:
See, you just don't get it! This country was founded on christian driven values & law. You know, "In God We Trust", "So Help You God", "One Nation Under God" . . .
The President is sworn into office with a hand on the Bible! We built this nation upon the values described in the Bible! So, why is the discussion of those values such a danger in this Nebraska High School?

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I hope that you arn't serious... There is no right/wrong religion, there is no "national religion"...

We live in a country where we are free to believe in whatever we want and are free not to have anyone elses beliefs pressed upon us... And any violation of this whatsoever violates the constitution and should be treated the same way one who violated any other right would be treated...


Someone who doesnt believe in god isn't any less american than someone who does. So they should be givin the same rights...

You're view on this is the one that bothers me the most, Nazi-Christianity...

I just gotta hear this S0404-What the heck is Nazi-Christian?

My guess is its a neo-Nazi Christian.

or a Christian who is also a neo-Nazi

lol when i say nazi-christian i mean someone who forces there beliefs on everyone else and if someone doesnt have the same beliefs they are going to hell or they arnt as good of people

S0404, your posts don't make sense! What religion was this guy? I've seen nothing printed anywhere that spoke of a religion that he was promoting. Nice try to throw the "Nazi" thing in there, like that makes any sense? According to what I've seen, this guy was promoting a spiritual lifestyle. OH MY GOD. I could see where that might frustrate non-believers. By the way, if sitting in this man's classroom makes your mind accept everything that is spoken, maybe they should have had him preach algebra or calc. or something to these supposed unable-to-think-for-themselves students.

Leave me to do the teaching with my kids on their religeous beliefs. If god is calling you to break the laws of this land, then you should consider a job in another line of work! My kids do not need a faith based teacher in public schools! FOrget the fact that the constitution is violated every day! YOu can not prove there is a god, and the bible is a good novel that is not based on facts! So, agian I say good bye bible thumper!

When we speak of freedom of religion we speak about having the freedom to practice whatever religion we wish to without threat of persecution from our government.

The job of the school is to educate students. There is nothing wrong with a teacher in a public school teaching about religion, in fact I believe they should teach the history of religions, as long as they don't promote it and all religions get equal play in the curriculum.

Anyway you dice it, a public school is a government institution and no religion should be supported by the staff or anyone inside those walls. If you wish for your child to have religion in their education, there are christian schools you can send them to.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

By the way you think M------h through your posts, I'm guessing you don't have any kids.
And by the same token you probably won't call on a higher power till you are really in a fix, at which time you'll make any deal you can to help yourself out. Like the old song-"Swear there ain't no Heaven and pray there ain't no Hell. You probably haven't given much thought as to where morality originates by your dis of the Bible & those that stand up for it, nevertheless, when it comes to teachers during the formative years, I'll take a moral-religious person at that post over a New-Age, "there is no God" type every time. When & if you do ever have children, think about what kind of an adult you want them to be. If you perceive as you posted above that the Bible is not based on facts, then I wish you luck finding something to replace it.