Posted on 05/27/2005 5:40:44 PM PDT by RWR8189
A federal judge Thursday turned down the request of a prominent suburban atheist's son to prohibit Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 from filling a teaching spot they had previously offered to him.
Richard Sherman, 23, appeared before Judge Charles R. Norgle to argue that he is being discriminated against by the school district because his father is an atheist.
"The district is not releasing me based on my teaching philosophy (as they claimed)," Richard Sherman, acting as his own attorney, told Norgle. Instead, Richard Sherman claimed, they were releasing him based "on what they perceive my religious beliefs to be."
Richard Sherman said the school district had offered him a position at Schaumburg High School to teach earth science, even signing a contract with him, before rescinding the offer after the district's superintendent got wind of it.
The superintendent, Roger Thornton, would not comment on the case specifically, but he noted that no job offer is official until the board approves it.
Richard Sherman, the son of atheist Robert Sherman of Buffalo Grove, asked the judge to prohibit the District 211 board from hiring anyone for the position at their meeting Thursday night. Outside court, Richard Sherman said he is not an atheist. He did not elaborate on his beliefs.
Richard Sherman claims he interviewed for the spot April 19 with Schaumburg High Science Chair William Lederhouse and Principal Sharon Cross. They offered him the job the next day. On May 18, Richard Sherman signed a contract as did Robert Grimm, the district's human resources director.
Grimm quizzed Richard Sherman about his father and about Robert Sherman's friendship with Schaumburg Village President Al Larson. Richard Sherman claims Grimm assured him the district hired on the basis of qualifications and not one's family.
"Otherwise, you wouldn't be sitting in this chair right now," Richard Sherman said Grimm said.
The next day, Richard Sherman spent the day at the high school, meeting other teachers and getting textbooks he'd use during the year.
But on May 23, Grimm called Richard Sherman in and told him Cross and Lederhouse had concerns about his "teaching philosophy," and that the district was rescinding the offer. But Richard Sherman said he then talked to Cross and Lederhouse, who denied they had any problems.
Richard Sherman showed a reporter a document outlining his teaching philosophy that he gave to the district. It included beliefs such as making learning fun and providing a safe place for students.
The district's lawyer, Steve Pearlman, indicated in court that the district would not be filling Richard Sherman's position Thursday night.
While Richard Sherman's injunction was not granted, the district must still respond to the suit within 20 days, the judge said.
"I do not mean to indicate any personal feeling that the court may have one way or the other," Norgle said in ruling, noting that he was ruling solely on the fact that the law Richard Sherman cited requires a defendant to establish a policy and practice by the district, which he had not done.
Richard Sherman said he will have a lawyer to represent him at his next hearing.
On the whole I have always been very pleased with this district.
I was also encouraged that all of my son's history and economics/government teachers were very conservative Republicans.
I'm happy to hear that you had a good experience with 211. Both my boys went there and I found it to be a nightmare. Talk about liberal PC nonsense! They had a few good teachers..and some horrible ones. The administration was totally enamoured with "zero tolerance" gestapo tactics. They didn't knowingly have a conservative teacher, but were treated to some liberal tirades. On the whole, they are both very glad to "get out of there"!
That's too bad.
Like I said we've never had trouble with Schaumburg, none of my kids have ever even had an openly liberal teacher.
I'm just glad they're showing Sherman the door. That guy has been causing trouble around here for the last 15 years, at least.
I will certainly agree on that! I hope they stick to their guns and keep him OUT of there. AND I hope no activist judge gets involved!
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