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View Poll Results: Should the math teacher have been fired for discussing Christianity in his classroom? | |||
Yes | 93 | 81.58% | |
No | 17 | 14.91% | |
Who cares? | 4 | 3.51% | |
Voters: 114. You may not vote on this poll |
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12-22-2004, 01:49 PM | #41 (permalink) |
Registered User
Location: Somewhere in Ohio
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Absolutely should have been fired, and I'll go a step further to say he should never ever teach anywhere again. I never had a teacher tell me their religious and/or the political beliefs. They taught me what they were supposed to.
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12-22-2004, 01:57 PM | #42 (permalink) |
will always be an Alyson Hanniganite
Location: In the dust of the archives
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For shits and giggles I see that "our" poll has:
Yes............40 votes No...............9 votes Who cares?...2 votes Whereas the Denizens of the fair city of Omaha have voted: Yes............2,458 votes No.............1,935 votes Who cares?....207 votes The OWH poll has this thing a lot closer than what I'm comfortable with.
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"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony "Hedonism with rules isn't hedonism at all, it's the Republican party." - JumpinJesus It is indisputable that true beauty lies within...but a nice rack sure doesn't hurt. |
12-22-2004, 02:19 PM | #43 (permalink) | |
*edited for content*
Location: Austin, TX
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Quote:
I wouldn't put to much faith in a poll on this board giving anything close to a fair percentage. While I also think he should have been fired, I think we all know that religion and conservative politics are for the most part shunned on these boards.
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There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances. Leon Trotsky |
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12-22-2004, 02:20 PM | #44 (permalink) | |
Junkie
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Quote:
1) The students repeatedly complained about it 2) He was told repeatedly to stop 3) He tried to convince you that failure to support NASCAR would result in eternal damnation 4) There were other students in the class who supported FORMULA 1 and felt intimidated Mr Mephisto |
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12-22-2004, 02:25 PM | #45 (permalink) | |
Junkie
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I'm not pointing fingers, but it's mostly devout evangelical and fundamentalist Christians (mostly Protestant) that rail against evolution occuring at all. Mr Mephisto |
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12-22-2004, 05:42 PM | #46 (permalink) | |
wouldn't mind being a ninja.
Location: Maine, the Other White State.
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Quote:
Another thing I thought of. One of my high school math teachers was (is) a diehard Republican. I am pretty liberal for the most part, but a good friend of mine is a devout socialist (he's half Swedish, so it's not his fault ). So this math teacher made a point of making fun of my friend frequently - but not in class. He called him a "pinko," but it was after school, where we were on our time talking to him. At any time, we could have left, had we wanted to. That's one of the big problems I have with this other guy using class time; the kids have no choice but to listen to his rhetoric. |
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12-22-2004, 06:31 PM | #47 (permalink) |
Junk
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In other news,tune in as OFKU0 goes for his 15 minutes by trying to glue a goat to a tree on city property without a permit. Video at 11.
Sums it up for me and I'm areligious.
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" In Canada, you can tell the most blatant lie in a calm voice, and people will believe you over someone who's a little passionate about the truth." David Warren, Western Standard. |
12-22-2004, 06:45 PM | #48 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: Montreal
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What a nutjob. I have problems with people who impose their beliefs. I hated highschool, there is no way I would have sat through 10+ mins every class listening to this guy. For some reason I believe if he taught at my school he would have "666" all over his desk by the end of the day :S
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12-22-2004, 08:04 PM | #49 (permalink) | |
Mulletproof
Location: Some nucking fut house.
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Quote:
Edit: And they guy needed fired. Because as others have pointed out, he was not doing his job. The religion stuff has nothing to do with it.
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Don't always trust the opinions of experts. |
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12-23-2004, 03:04 AM | #50 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: Oregon
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The man needed to be fired as he wasn't doing his job, and he ignored his supervisor's attempts to rectify the situation. While there is a religious angle to the question, it isn't relevant to the heart of the matter. Hopefully he will be able to find a parochial school where his skills can be better applied.
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12-23-2004, 06:14 AM | #51 (permalink) |
It's a girly girl!
Location: OH, USA
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what's really funny is that this guy went to school in my hometown, I've had a few friends who went to Bethel
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"There's someone out there for everyone - even if you need a pickaxe, a compass, and night goggles to find them." |
12-23-2004, 06:56 AM | #52 (permalink) |
It's a girly girl!
Location: OH, USA
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well, I put in 25 votes on the omaha website, it seems they don't prevent you from voting multiple times, I imagine some religious nut has likely done what I just did, so I don't feel bad at all
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"There's someone out there for everyone - even if you need a pickaxe, a compass, and night goggles to find them." |
12-23-2004, 07:23 PM | #55 (permalink) |
undead
Location: nihilistic freedom
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I don't really care that religion was the topic of his misconduct.
He was a math teacher. His job was to teach math. Doing anything other than teaching math is not doing his job and thus grounds for termination. I mean, if a pizza delivery guy jerked off in the bathroom all day instead of delivering pizzas, you'd fire him too, right? |
12-23-2004, 07:27 PM | #56 (permalink) |
Mulletproof
Location: Some nucking fut house.
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A pizza guy jerking off in the bathroom gets a verbal warning. If he doesn't wash his hands afterward, it is a written warning. Jerking off in the kitchen is a firing offense.
__________________
Don't always trust the opinions of experts. |
12-23-2004, 07:34 PM | #57 (permalink) |
Tilted
Location: Dallas, TX
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I know its been said before here, but realy I dont have a problem with you being religious and being proud of that but I do have a problem with someone trying to cram it down my throat.
There aernt enough good teachers out there, why not concentrate on that instead of trying to be a preacher. |
12-23-2004, 09:51 PM | #58 (permalink) |
The sky calls to us ...
Super Moderator
Location: CT
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13 "no" votes and not one has come out to defend the no crowd's view. I don't need to add anything because anyone who has seen any remotely political or religious post of mine knows exactly where I stand on this.
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12-23-2004, 10:10 PM | #59 (permalink) | |
Crazy
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I agree with this totally. Would people complain about seperation of chuch and state if it weren't a christian based faith? What if he was speaking of his Buddist or Wiccan beleifs? I think the newspaper poll would be different in that case. you want preaching? Go to church. Churches aren't just on Sunday.
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People Are Stupid. People can be made to believe any lie, either because they want it to be true or because they fear that it is. |
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12-23-2004, 10:22 PM | #60 (permalink) | |
Natalie Portman is sexy.
Location: The Outer Rim
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He should have been fired a long time ago if he was warned repeatedly in the past. I also yell "Fuck Jesus" whenever someone starts rambling on about some religion bullshit to me.
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"While the State exists there can be no freedom. When there is freedom there will be no State." - Vladimir Ilyich Lenin "Reason has always existed, but not always in a reasonable form."- Karl Marx |
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12-24-2004, 01:32 PM | #61 (permalink) |
My custom title's the shit!
Location: Canada
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hahaha "Fuck jesus christ" I should have thought of that earlier, considering I graduated from a Catholic high school 2 years ago(I'm an athiest and a bit of a nihilist). but I'm gonna have to try that on my catholic nutjob friends .
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12-24-2004, 01:38 PM | #62 (permalink) |
Sky Piercer
Location: Ireland
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I don't understand this at all. Why was there even a question about him getting fired?
I am relieved to see, from the poll, that the people of TFP have a healthy dose of common sense. As for the Omaha poll - well let's just say that I find it quite on the unsettling side, and leave it at that.
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12-24-2004, 02:39 PM | #63 (permalink) | |
Location: Waterloo, Ontario
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12-24-2004, 03:48 PM | #64 (permalink) | |
whoopity doo
Location: Seattle
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Quote:
You forgot: 5) The constitution of the United States expressly forbade him to do so.
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--size matters not-- yoda |
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12-24-2004, 04:05 PM | #65 (permalink) |
on fire
Location: Atlanta, GA
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I say yes. Not because it bothers me, but because it is the law. Just because you do not agree with a law doesn't mean you get to break it. Furthermore, he obviously wasn't a very good teacher if he couldnt stay on the subject at hand. I hate teachers that go off on tangents. They should all be fired for wasting my time.
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12-24-2004, 04:12 PM | #66 (permalink) |
I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot!
Location: Upper Michigan
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I have not read EVERY post in this thread but wanted to make some comment. I will try to come again later and read more thoroughly.
I grew up strict Baptist. I also attended a strict Baptist college and have a Bachelors of Science in Education. I could not teach in public school for many reasons most of which are not religious. I am disappointed with this teacher and how he treated his position. I see nothing wrong with talking about your beliefs or praying with students one on one. Doing it with the whole class does not allow those students who have a problem with it to 'opt out'. By pushing his religion and turning people off by doing so he makes it harder for any other teacher of any religion to be the example their religion would dictate and to speak to ANYONE who wanted to hear about it. It makes it harder for a student who IS exploring their own religious beliefs to approach a teacher about that subject. There's nothing wrong with discussing it with a student who wants to know about it or who believes the same. He made that less of an option for students and teachers alike to share in a positive voluntary way. I had a teacher in 5th grade who had similar beliefs to mine. She did NOT push them. However when (as someone else mentioned) what she was currently teaching conflicted with her beliefs, then she briefly explained her position. She taught it as an option, not as fact when she discussed evolution she also discussed creation as a theory. It IS important for students to learn what a large portion of the world population believes. It is important that they learn to respect other beliefs and are free to make the choice themselves what to believe. The article sounds as though he was pushing his beliefs as fact and not teaching what he was being paid to teach. He did not use discretion or show respect - a poor example of his religion and beliefs.
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"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma. |
12-24-2004, 04:19 PM | #67 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: i live in the state of denial
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I've had experiences with teachers asserting their religious beliefs in the classroom. For the students that disagree with the teachers opinions, it can (and did for me : ) ) cause respect issues with the teacher, and discussing these things in the classroom takes away from the reason (as stated by law) students are in school: to learn. One of the fundamental freedoms granted by the constitution is the freedom of speech, but in a proffessional environment, it is not appropriate to press one's beliefs on others. I think it is reasonable that the teacher was fired, especially since there were multiple complaints and reprimands, and he had been warned before hand that his job was on the line.
Last edited by bacon_masta; 12-24-2004 at 04:21 PM.. Reason: my grammar sucks :) |
12-24-2004, 05:34 PM | #68 (permalink) | |
Crazy
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Quote:
Don't forget harassing you in the halls to watch Nascar with him to save your soul. Edit:I did not read the rest of post before replying Last edited by Fohur2; 12-24-2004 at 05:37 PM.. |
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12-24-2004, 05:43 PM | #69 (permalink) |
Frontal Lobe
Location: California
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"You're either for him or against him"
If I were a high scool student and my math teacher said such a thing, I would feel attacked because, frankly, I am not for "him" and haven't ever been. This type of unsolicited advocacy of personal religious beliefs creates a hostile environment in the classroom. Despite teenagers' notorious rebelliousness and defiance, they are still young and impressionable, and are subject to fears about approval. Not being the direct type, I might have felt some sort of pressure to fake a christian outlook to try and pass. Either that or I would have responded by being sullenly resentful and sneaky. It might well have increased my feelings of being "different" and an outcast. Or perhaps I would have developed an aversion to math. High school students have enough problems already without having to deal with a religious perspective in their math class. Fervent christians can be surprisingly insensitive to the feelings of others when it comes to matters of faith, since their church sanctions and encourages proselytizing to an extreme degree. My experiences with christians (including a good deal of historical reading and research) have been overwhelmingly that christianity is not, at its root, a religion that teaches love. I believe the quote above illustrates that. |
12-24-2004, 06:06 PM | #70 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
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If I didn't know this guy was an insubordinate asshat, and just read the poll question without any sort of context, I might vote "No". This teacher wasn't fired for discussing his beliefs in class, and I don't think a teacher should be fired for discussing beliefs in class. I do think he should have been fired, but that's not exactly what the poll is actually asking.
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Simple Machines in Higher Dimensions |
12-24-2004, 06:29 PM | #71 (permalink) | ||
I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot!
Location: Upper Michigan
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Quote:
Quote:
__________________
"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma. |
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12-24-2004, 08:27 PM | #72 (permalink) |
Frontal Lobe
Location: California
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Raeanna74, I mean this in the most respectful way, but from my perspective your views seem to exemplify what I think of as the "new christian." I work with an entire office full of these people. They are tolerant, respectful, decent people who don't push their views on others and politely ask if they may pray for me when I'm having a hard time. I have no problem with this type of people - why should I? They are very kind and decent, and I show them the same respect. But they seem ignorant of the history of the christian church and believe that their religion is simply about loving others rather than the lengthy and ugly history I am aware of. My stance is that I could never particiate in a religion that has such a history, and I won't elaborate on it here because I don't want to offend. Perhaps the term "fanatic" is more appropriate for what I'm thinking of, but there seem to be an awful lot of them around, both now and in the past.
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12-24-2004, 08:52 PM | #73 (permalink) |
Curious
Location: NJ (but just for college)
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this is a tough question for me. i am a devout Christian, but also very grounded. part of Christianity is about being 'the light on the hill' and trying your very hardest to spread God. But, conversely, it is unchristian to impose your will on others. I cannot tell here whether he is imposing his will on the children, or making sure that the word of God can be spread to them if they so desire. Part of me says: good for him! go God! but then again, it is not suitable in all scenarios, and i think this is one of them. I voted no because i do not think he should be fired for discussing Christianity in the classroom. Face it, Christianity can be a very life-changing and eye-opening experience that should be offered to everyone if and when they want it. i think he should be fired for not obeying his bosses, and especially because the students themselves complained. that should be message enough, leave the spreading to the church and parents...and if you truly want to spread the word of God (and i extremely admire those who do), do it in a church or an out-of-classroom context.
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12-24-2004, 09:05 PM | #74 (permalink) |
Curious
Location: NJ (but just for college)
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and now something to add after reading the arguments going on here. Christianity has had some dark history - no doubt. It went through times of fanaticals and murderers...and i will not try to make any justifications for it. The crusades are an example, so is the KKK, and there are many more. but these are not Christianity, these are sick fucks' bastardizations of it. That does not mean that Christianity is not a religion based on love, it only means that along the way, many people lost sight of the fact that it is. Islam is going through somewhat of a same phase right now. there are fanatics and fundamentalists that are unwilling to accept other people's views, unwilling to adapt, and willing to kill. But anyone, especially any Muslim, will tell you that they do not represent Islam, and that Islam emphasizes peace above all else.
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costs, god, job, tand, teacher |
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