Posted on 12/02/2004 3:56:16 PM PST by reportgirl73
GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (AP) - An elementary school bus driver was fired after sharing a statistic she had read about embryonic stem cell research with students, then encouraging them to tell their parents about it.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Rus, this is your neck of the woods...
I hope she sues them into the stone age...
It's my wife, I was just posting it..
NY-style "tolerance"...
who is your wife..?
Wow! AP picked it up, they called my wife this morning..
Kewl!!
I wonder if she would've been fired had she said something in support of embyronic stem cell "research"?
she is the one that got fired!
Probably not, she is mrs mayor..
OMG! I saw the name and did not even connect! I hope you guys make a mint off the law suit
Perhaps they should quibble with Mr. Gibson, not the lowly school bus driver. Or prove Mr. Gibson wrong.
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20041202/1063213.asp
GRAND ISLAND SCHOOLS
Bus driver loses job for discussing political issue with pupils
By EMMA D. SAPONG
News Northtowns Bureau
12/2/2004
School bus driver Julianne Thompson decided to shared what she considered interesting information on stem cell research with elementary pupils and encouraged them to pass it on to their parents.
They did, and days later Thompson, 42, was fired as a substitute school bus driver for the Grand Island Central School District.
She said she was told that her behavior was inappropriate and offered no further explanation.
A district official said he couldn't comment on Thompson's employment history with the district but said district policy doesn't allow discussion of political issues with students while employees are on duty.
Thompson said the bus conversation occurred with second- through fifth-graders on Nov. 1.
She said she only stated facts she considered age-appropriate and didn't share her opinions. The children were receptive and asked questions.
Thompson also said it was not uncommon for her to hand out "factoids" to pupils while transporting them.
But on Nov. 8, a district official told her that parents were upset about the discussion, and Thompson was let go.
Thompson said district officials also accused her of operating an unruly bus, which she denies.
"In the midst of all the misplaced outrage, is the story of the sad and disturbing success of a fraudulent social "conscience' that devalues life in favor of demonstrably failed science, wasting billions of dollars in the process, and one that pretends to champion tolerance, but punishes reasonable discourse," she said.
Thompson, who has been with the district for 21/2 years, said she is puzzled by her firing and is consulting lawyers.
She said she read an interview where actor/producer Mel Gibson explained that more than 20 years of embryonic stem cell research had not cured any diseases but more than 300,000 cures had been found with adult stem cells.
She was floored by the information, which she thought was pertinent and warranted a discussion with the pupils, who could share it with their parents. "It's an important issue that everyone should know about," she said.
But Superintendent Thomas Ramming said employees are not allowed to have such conversations with students.
e-mail: esapong@buffnews.com
Wouldn't do this to a teacher, academic freedom and all!
my wife had a perfect record as a driver, there were never any problems before this, except it is a union shop and she had a Bush sign in our car..
What a shame! Your wife was stating the positive truth about stem cell research and school bus authorities had to fire her! Hope you sue the whole bunch of idiots and WIN!
If she handed out colored condoms, they'd be hailing her as a model employee.
Not in my country. Not anymore.
Death to the thought police.
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