Posted on 12/19/2009 5:58:16 PM PST by Steelfish
Christian Teacher Lost Her Job After Being Told Praying For Sick Girl 'Was Bullying'
By JONATHAN PETRE 20th December 2009
Distraught: Olive Jones said her dismissal 'was like a bad dream that had come true' [Pic in URL] A devout Christian teacher has lost her job after discussing her faith with a mother and her sick child and offering to pray for them.
Olive Jones, a 54-year-old mother of two, who taught maths to children too ill to attend school, was dismissed following a complaint from the girl’s mother. She was visiting the home of the child when she spoke about her belief in miracles and asked whether she could say a prayer, but when the mother indicated they were not believers she did not go ahead.
Mrs Jones was then called in by her managers who, she says, told her that sharing her faith with a child could be deemed to be bullying and informed her that her services were no longer required.
Her dismissal has outraged Christian groups, who say new equality regulations are driving Christianity to the margins of society. They said the case echoed that of community nurse Caroline Petrie, who was suspended last December after offering to pray for a patient but who was later reinstated after a national outcry.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
But I bet they have no problem whipping out the prayer rugs for the Muslim students.
Coming soon to America
I’m not shocked anymore - this is all so biblical. The devil is spreading his evil.
Londonistan.
The world is a sick place.
I was going to write that into the tag line- but the headline-box wouldn’t take it. It’s time we do something about this before it’s too late. Perhaps it just might be.
I think I’ll pray for the United Kingdom tonight.
Typical Free Republic bully!
I left that country and it was the best move I ever did.
Excellent idea.
Good grief, the woman made sure she had the mother’s permission which was not given and which she honored, at least out loud. The poor child with a mom who doesn’t believe in prayer.
The Mother must be a real winner /S/
I don’t support her firing. At all. However, I think she probably overstepped her professional bounds. I can see that the mother’s perspective would be, “You’re paid to teach my kid math, not to intrude on personal topics uninvited.”
The offer to pray is understood differently by religious and non-religious people. Among religious people, it’s a commonplace expression of goodwill. Among secular people, it can seem like an intrusion or un-asked-for pity. I grew up in a relatively secular home but went to a Christian college, so I’ve seen both sides.
Overall, I think it’s best if professionals stick to their professional duties unless given a clear invitation to do otherwise. But firing the woman is overkill.
Offering to pray for someone = bullying. I’ve now heard it all.
Do you even have a clue how insulting your comment is? I imagine if you did, you wouldn’t have said it. Here, let me make what you said into plain language:
Christians, shut the hell up and sit down in the back of the bus. You don’t have a right to speak or practice faith.
There, fixed it for you.
My gosh...I’m a Christian, but if a Buddhist offered to pray for my sick child, I’d be very very grateful. I’m pretty sure that if I were an atheist, I’d feel the same way if a Christian offered to do the same.
The idea that this is “bullying” could only come from some really sick twisted educrat.
That isn’t remotely what I said. You’re setting up a straw man so you can knock it down. I’m saying that professionals hired to do a job should stick to professional topics (and perhaps discussion of the weather) unless invited to do otherwise. If a plumber comes to fix your toilet, do you want to hear about his marital issues? If you get a babysitter to watch your kids, do you want to hear all about her thyroid problem?
Religion is also a personal matter that you shouldn’t discuss in a PROFESSIONAL setting unless you’re sure it would be welcome. I’ve got no opinions about what this teacher does with her own time. It’s what she says and does when she’s ON THE JOB that have some legitimate boundaries.
If you have to keep your mouth shut about your faith, whatever it is, at any time, then it is a violation of the 1st Ammendment. The only reason why there are people and places where you get in trouble for it in America today is because Christians were silent when they were told to shut the F up.
Those days are over.
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