"Nope. Still Jewish.
Posted on 03/20/2005 8:43:29 AM PST by Former Military Chick
RALEIGH - A Cumberland County fifth-grader's family sued the county school system in federal court because her teacher used a Christian text that preached creationism and encouraged children to proselytize for Jesus.
The lawsuit was filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Raleigh. The school system acknowledged in a separate filing that the allegations were true.
Cumberland County officials said the religious materials that were employed by the Sunnyside Elementary School teacher wouldn't be used again.
One lesson the parents objected to said that "God's word tells us about a kind of odor only Christians have."
Once a judge signs the agreement, the school system could face federal criminal penalties for violating it.
"We made a mistake," said Cumberland County schools Superintendent Bill Harrison. "The only thing we can do is make amends and move on."
In November or December, Ashlee Nicole Smith, a school spelling bee champion, showed the scent lesson and one other to her parents, Troy and Mary Jane Smith of Fayetteville.
Principal's response
The suit says that when the parents complained to Principal Deborah Anderson, she asked, "What's the problem? Don't you and your family go to church?"
Anderson also told the parents she didn't understand their objections, because Ashlee earned perfect scores on the assignments, the lawsuit said.
Anderson promised that the practice wouldn't happen again, but in February the girl brought home a worksheet that referred to God's design as the reason why animals were colored to match their surroundings.
Harrison said Cumberland County schools have a policy, mandated by federal law, that bars teachers from endorsing any religion. He said that Kristie Griffiths, the teacher, is a visiting faculty member from Australia and did not understand U.S. standards.
She bought the text from a Christian publisher with her own money, he said. Harrison said the principal did not take the incident seriously enough and failed to make sure the teacher stopped using the text.
Anderson declined to comment, and Griffiths could not be reached. The teacher and the principal are still at Sunnyside, and Harrison wouldn't comment on what discipline they might face.
Jon Sasser, the Raleigh lawyer who represents the Smith family, said the parents filed suit because they wanted to make sure the practice didn't happen again.
He said the Smiths, who also couldn't be reached for comment, believe strongly in the separation of church in state.
"Ashlee's a fifth-grader, and she realized this was wrong," Sasser said. "This is light years beyond an invocation at a graduation or a moment of silence at a football game. When you're proselytizing fifth-graders, it's way over the top."
Teacher admitted it was wrong, why did she not stand up for what she did, oh yeah she wants her job.
I have never heard about a Christian "odor." Does anyone know what this refers to, if anything?
Oh geeze!
Of course, if she passed out condoms, that would be okay.
My question is this: Who was financially harmed?
Really, if this teacher wanted to teach about Jesus she should have taught at a Christian school! Creationism?
I personally believe that if a Christian town wants Christianity taught in THEIR school district, that's fine. But there was no vote, no school board meeting, and this teacher acted at her own discretion. I also think if a Jewish town wants Hebrew as a second language taught, that's Kosher too.
But creationism?! Come on!
I think it referst to 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 that reads:
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
"Nope. Still Jewish.
"You can smell they're saved!"
"See, I told you I was saved!"
Asking a teacher to throw 8 years of college and 15 years of a teaching career away is unreasonable; would you? Look in the mirror and ask you, yourself why you haven't done anything to stop this to occur in our society. Then look at your neighbors and fellow citizens and ask them the same question.
Will reconstruction never end? Please stop moving to the south.
To my knowledge, creationists agree that animals (and people), over time, adapt to their environments with regard to coloration. Am I wrong?
"To my knowledge, creationists agree that animals (and people), over time, adapt to their environments with regard to coloration. Am I wrong?"
To my knowledge it may be true that crationists agree on that, but the idea itself is incorrect.
1.Eskimos are clearly darker than Icelanders. Pigmys living in dark forests are often darker than neighbors living in sunnier areas. 2. You may have meant to say species, rather than "people" or "animals" otherwise we'd be back to the old Russian Lysenkoism. Species adapt and evolve. Individuals don't.
Creationists have no understanding of the matter of right and wrong. This is the reason why rules are needed.
Isn't that a tad inflammatory?
As I said "no understanding"
You've made your point.
It's inflammatory, but only because it's correct.
The courts forgot a long time ago that the 1st ammendment only applies to congress, not the various state and local governments.
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