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Jewish students in Plano district report pressure to pick up New Testaments displayed at school
The Dallas Morning News ^ | May 3, 2008 | STACI HUPP

Posted on 05/21/2008 6:01:20 AM PDT by SJackson

Some Plano students who are Jewish say they were pressured or taunted to pick up copies of the New Testament from school display tables during recent weeks.

Their parents have called for changes in district policies that allow outside groups to distribute materials on campus.

"Probably the one I heard the most was, 'If the Bible touched you, like, will you burn or something?' " said Jeffrey Lavine, 16, a sophomore at Vines High School. "I sort of played it down as a joke and everything, which it was, but it was definitely a meaner comment than what we're used to."

Plano officials said they pulled aside some students to talk about respect and tolerance after the recent complaints, but no students have been disciplined.

The New Testaments were part of unmanned displays set up by Gideons International, a nondenominational Christian group that has visited a dozen Plano schools in recent months.

District officials said a judge's order prevents them from excluding groups based on their beliefs.

The ruling stems from a 1999 lawsuit in which parents claimed officials stopped them from handing out information that was critical of a district math program, said Superintendent Doug Otto.

"As long as some people have access to the distribution table, all people have access," Dr. Otto said. "That is the policy, and we're trying our best to make people aware of it. We certainly don't want people to think we endorse one religion over another."

(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: christians; jewish; jews; taunting
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To: Melpomene

Pure BS.

It’s sad to see Catholics grab for the victim mantle here in the US.

Jews too for that matter.

I went to a private Christian school with Jewish students who attended. They were exempt from Bible and Christian speakers. It wasn’t complicated.

One desires an identity/faith that sets them apart from 90% of the nation they live in they have to expect to rub up against something different from themselves on occasion.

They can deal with it, it’s not the first step to a pogrom for God’s sake. These kids are just taking a cue from their folks who stand an 80% chance of being lefty whiners.

If these folks in Plano can’t handle living in a sea of Christians as Jews then there is a place for Jews. They can go try that out and get a refreshing glimpse of what living alongside a hostile different religious group feels like. Might make them appreciate living here in overwhlemingly Christian US of A.


21 posted on 05/21/2008 6:35:23 AM PDT by wardaddy (Obama is for the Deliverance Was A Documentary crowd)
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To: SJackson

So does that mean those same students would be willing to steal something, or to sell drugs, or to cheat on a test because they were “pressured” to by other students?

How about eat some bacon?


22 posted on 05/21/2008 6:35:34 AM PDT by TheBattman (LORD God, please give us a Christian Patriot with a backbone for President in 08, Amen.)
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To: misterrob

Jesus said, “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE; NO ONE comes to the Father EXCEPT through ME.”

Christianity isn’t Christianity if it does not teach that Jesus is the only way. Yes, those claims are bold, and to many people, offensive. But, if you take ALL of Christianity, you MUST also take the words of Christ seriously; otherwise, He is a liar and a fraud.


23 posted on 05/21/2008 6:37:14 AM PDT by Arkansas Toothpick
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To: babyfreep

Boys used to settle things like this with their fists. Not allowed anymore. Now only girls can fist fight.


24 posted on 05/21/2008 6:46:12 AM PDT by DManA
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To: knarf

“Jews and Christians have enjoyed a blessed friendship/relationship in America since forever.”

Um...not really:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Frank


25 posted on 05/21/2008 6:46:24 AM PDT by Carpe Cerevisi
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To: livius

Well we’ve learned from Barack that one should be careful what one’s pastor says. There will be intolerant preachers as long as there is free speech. We don’t throw all under the bus because some are fools. High school kids should be ignored whenever possible.


26 posted on 05/21/2008 6:46:39 AM PDT by ontap (Just another backstabbing conservative)
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To: livius
But there is an unfortunate Know-Nothing streak that runs through some groups

You guys are so full of it. I'm 7th generation Southerner and never saw any anti-Catholic bigotry. In Jackson Mississippi we had maybe 10 Catholic schools and they did everything alongside the public schools even playing in the same sports league and all. No one thought diddly. Some of you Knights freepers act like you're living out the romance on Ulster here but the wily Evangelical minister has replaced Ian Paisley.

I say you're just running on the fly playing the poor victim for all it's worth. That's what libs do to get special attention. The religious fights here are over dogma with the usual link to some crazy utterance Hagee said or last year when an otherwise decent Pope sorta mentioned non-Catholics were outside grace. Just look at the silliness here. Folks acting like Jews and Catholics are being persecuted in America today pell mell.....that's ridiculous. Btw, re-examine your own post. You decry prejudice but at the same time broad sweep your own self with a bigoted comment.

The overwhleming bigotry today in American culture is not directed by the media and entertainment at Jews or Catholics but at Fundamental Protestants and often by the very folks who claim they are the "victim".

27 posted on 05/21/2008 6:49:45 AM PDT by wardaddy (Obama is for the Deliverance Was A Documentary crowd)
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To: misterrob
Oh, I know that ... I'm one of them ... but that doesn't take from the reality of having a friendly relationship with Jews and others.

Born again Christians believe what they (we) believe because of what Jesus says about "Ye must be born again"

All whom call themselves Christians use the same Old Testament, and in that, we are in agreement.

28 posted on 05/21/2008 6:49:52 AM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
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To: L98Fiero

You have got to be kidding.


29 posted on 05/21/2008 6:53:38 AM PDT by Radl
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To: misterrob

Can’t that be said about any religion, why would one profess a belief in a holy being and believe otherwise.


30 posted on 05/21/2008 6:58:07 AM PDT by ontap (Just another backstabbing conservative)
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To: misterrob

Can’t that be said about any religion, why would one profess a belief in a holy being and believe otherwise.


31 posted on 05/21/2008 7:01:00 AM PDT by ontap (Just another backstabbing conservative)
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To: misterrob

Can’t that be said about any religion, why would one profess a belief in a holy being and believe otherwise.


32 posted on 05/21/2008 7:01:09 AM PDT by ontap (Just another backstabbing conservative)
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To: misterrob

Can’t that be said about any religion, why would one profess a belief in a holy being and believe otherwise.


33 posted on 05/21/2008 7:01:18 AM PDT by ontap (Just another backstabbing conservative)
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To: Carpe Cerevisi; knarf; dixiechick2000; Travis McGee; Yudan; WKB

Ok.

Do you really think you refuted knarf with one example of a Jewish guy lynched for rape who may or may not have been guilty.

That’s the modern mindset, pick out one exception and strike the rule.

Hogwash.

The only time in my life I ever saw friction tween Jews and Christians was in the south as a boy and it was over politics more than religion.

Liberal Jewish students from up north made up a big chunk of the freedom rider gang streaming down south to mobilize blacks (boy that’s rich irony ain’t it Barack) to vote. Some local klans in turn blamed local Jews too who mostly had either stayed out of it or were actually tacit supporters of segregation just like they had been (aghast) plantation owners too once.

Some temples were bombed and the FBI twarted a plan to kill a local Jewish notable in Meridian Mississippi. The non Klan Christian whites who were 99% of the local white community frowned very much on bombing and killing Jews and this actually led in some degree to their collapse...that and snitches.

About 5 years later, the Supreme Court forced busing in Jackson Missippi over Christmas break and immediately formerly white schools went majority black and let me tell you....it’s different, it’s no wonder there are the problems there are. No discipline, little home support...hence pandemonium.

After a year or so of that, private schools popped up everywhere and guess where Jews went just like christian whites?

to places like Jackson Academy, Jackson Prep, or St Andrews or even the now wholly scorned Citizen’s Council schools but guess what.....this is killing me..lol......not to the Catholic schools.

You folks here want to know about what really happened in the deep south and all the convenient bogeyman chatter just ping me. I was there unlike most here. It’s not something I read about in a PC book or got brainwashed about from a sissy media.

If this is modern conservatism we are so screwed....no wonder we got McCain. We sound just like PC Dems did in the late 70s.


34 posted on 05/21/2008 7:07:45 AM PDT by wardaddy (Obama is for the Deliverance Was A Documentary crowd)
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To: wardaddy; livius
You guys are so full of it.

Yeah? Then what did I witness when the Pope was here in the DC area? Did I and thousands of others hallucinate the gauntlet of anti-Catholics that beraded people as they were walking out of the Papal Mass at the Nationals Stadium?

It's not a South issue. It's a sect issue.

35 posted on 05/21/2008 7:09:27 AM PDT by Pyro7480 ("If the angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion." -M. Kolbe)
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To: SJackson

If you are so unsure about your faith that you need protection from being exposed to other beliefs then maybe your faith is not as strong as you think and thus maybe you need to see other options.

In short if you are not Christian and seeing Christian material scares you so much in thinking you might actually find truth in it that you have to enact protection laws ( like in most ME goat herding countries ) then maybe your religion has run its course and you need to consider listening.

I am sure that Christians in other parts of the world are not pressured at all...


36 posted on 05/21/2008 7:13:55 AM PDT by Resolute Conservative
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To: wardaddy

Have you been on our own Religion Forum?

>>To: NYer
The Great Whore speaks!
Many of your Catholic predecessors will burn in hell for doing the works of their father the devil by martyring my protestant ancestors for believing the Word of God over the traditions of Rome. <<

This is there today.

Now I have to admit that sitting in front of a keyboard and not someone’s face can make one bold, but to sit back and say, “Oh you’re pulling the victim act.” is not correct. Groupspeak is just as emboldening.

Ya know, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that someone is not after you. And I’m a Catholic in a Prosestant family. I know both sides. You’re right, no one is being burned at the stake anymore, but these kids deserve to be educated not evagelized in school.

None of it should be tolerated in a school. Get all the “outside distributors” OUT and educate the kids.


37 posted on 05/21/2008 7:14:51 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am Ironmom. (but really made from Gold plated titanium))
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To: Resolute Conservative

>>If you are so unsure about your faith that you need protection from being exposed to other beliefs then maybe your faith is not as strong as you think and thus maybe you need to see other options.<<

Crap. This doesn’t belong in the school. Get the “Outside Distributors” out and educate the kids.

Reading, Math and Science.


38 posted on 05/21/2008 7:18:49 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am Ironmom. (but really made from Gold plated titanium))
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To: Pyro7480

So?

A few nutjobs and that proves Catholics are a persecuted class here?

I don’t have time but I’m sure I can find written vitriol from Catholics against Protestants here in the US but funny thing I sure don’t feel persecuted or like Catholic anti-Protestant bigotry is widespread any more than the opposite is true.

In fact as a 7th generation Prod from the Deep Deep South where Catholics were maybe 15%, I never saw any strife at all except where child rearing was an issue....and usually they just made a deal.

Now do some radical groups like Christian Identity/Klan/Posse Comitatus dislike Catholics? I reckon but how many CI are there? a few thousand nationwide

Now maybe up north in dense neighborhoods it matterd about this stuff but I grew up in a LITB 60s/70s neighborhood with plenty of Catholics and it didn’t mean diddly, we even ate fish with them on Fridays in public school just in case some of them were there and not at Catholic school.

I did notice though culturally they could deal with sin better....since forgivenes was more fluid. I envied that..lol


39 posted on 05/21/2008 7:19:51 AM PDT by wardaddy (Obama is for the Deliverance Was A Documentary crowd)
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To: wardaddy; livius
that proves Catholics are a persecuted class here?

I don't think that was livius' point, but I'll let him speak for himself.

40 posted on 05/21/2008 7:23:08 AM PDT by Pyro7480 ("If the angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion." -M. Kolbe)
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