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Professor bans students from thanking God in graduation statements
Campus Reform ^

Posted on 05/05/2014 7:01:09 PM PDT by bryan999

A professor at a public university in North Carolina forbade his students from thanking God in personal statements that will be delivered during their departmental graduation ceremony on Friday.

In an email obtained by Campus Reform, Assistant Professor Eli Hvastkovs, who teaches chemistry at East Carolina University (ECU), instructed his students to prepare a “family friendly” 35­ word personal statement that mentions future plans or “thanks someone.” The students, however, were explicitly forbidden from thanking God.

“I've had some submissions that needed to be edited. so [sic] here are some guidelines,” the email reads. “1. You can't thank God. I'm sorry about this – and I don't want to have to outline the reasons why.”

(Excerpt) Read more at campusreform.org ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cantthankgod; college; ecu; elihvastkovs; hvastkovs; northcarolina; students; thankgod
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To: bryan999
A professor at a public university in North Carolina forbade his students from thanking God in personal statements that will be delivered during their departmental graduation ceremony on Friday.

Can we offer a word of praise to Xenu?

61 posted on 05/05/2014 9:04:22 PM PDT by RansomOttawa (tm)
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To: bryan999

I suspect that some of the students that were not going to thank God now plan to do so.


62 posted on 05/05/2014 9:07:51 PM PDT by TruthWillWin (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.)
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To: bryan999

why are people paying, and paying big, for this crap?


63 posted on 05/05/2014 9:11:56 PM PDT by stanne
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To: bryan999
Someone needs to remind Professor Butt Head just who it is that pays his salary.
64 posted on 05/05/2014 9:33:39 PM PDT by jmacusa
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To: bryan999
When asked if the university allows students to thank God upon graduation, ECU Executive Director of Communication Mary Schulken told Campus Reform that “the First Amendment allows them to thank God, to thank any force or any individual that they so desire.”

After Hvastkovs’s interview with Campus Reform, Provost Marilyn Sheerer released an email advising students disregard Hvastkovs’s guidelines.

Sheerer's response told students that “[r]eligious references of any type will not be restricted,” and the “[u]niversity will only limit these expressions, as permitted by applicable First Amendment law.”

http://campusreform.org/?ID=5598

65 posted on 05/05/2014 9:40:22 PM PDT by expat1000
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To: bryan999

Let’s try to follow the logic.

We have a diverse student body. Hmmm... “I thank God the Father and his son Jesus for helping me in my studies and giving me the strength to carry on.”

Ok, someone is going to be offended - because...why exactly?

If someone wants to thank Peter Pan, or Frosty, or Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, what is the problem - and why exactly are you offended? Answer: you’re not

What if someone wants to thank mom & dad for all their help, love and support. Maybe we should give pause to this: not everyone has such a support system - they might be bitter, or offended. Should we ban the fortunate kids from thanking their parents for helping make their lives easier?
Answer: no

So, what if a kid thanks God for his help? I guess some other guy is offended - perhaps - because he doesn’t feel like God helped him - at least as much as he appeared to help the first kid.

So exactly why do we not want to mention God? Is it that he helps some more than others? Perhaps, but then we’d have to ban the thanking of parents.

Do we ban God because some “don’t believe in him”? Well, I fail to see how this is an offense - anymore than someone would be offended by a fellow student attributing encouragement to a fairytale creature.

Different culture? It’s anecdotal, but I have yet to hear of someone from another culture making a stink about anyone mentioning God - or even Jesus.

It seems that it’s always the atheists. Why do they put so much energy into someone invoking - ostensibly - a fairytale entity? Would there be such an effort made to halt all thanksgiving to Santa?

Perhaps in their heart of hearts they understand that God is all too real.

Perhaps the scene in Matthew 8:29 strikes close to the truth:
And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”


66 posted on 05/05/2014 9:51:50 PM PDT by jonno (Having an opinion is not the same as having the answer...)
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To: Jagdgewehr

Is the book burning going to be held before, or after the graduation ceremony?


67 posted on 05/05/2014 9:53:39 PM PDT by Hoodat (Democrats - Opposing Equal Protection since 1828)
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To: bryan999

If they tried that when we were that age it would be the surest way to make sure God was mentioned in every kids speak.

Are these kids complying with this request?


68 posted on 05/05/2014 10:43:56 PM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)
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To: Lurker

I second that emotion. FU to anyone who thinks he can tell me what to say and what not to say. Tell em’ to F off.


69 posted on 05/05/2014 11:18:40 PM PDT by itssme
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To: Gay State Conservative

Or you’ll make time explaining it my child’s lawyer.

Btw, Professor where do you think all those little molecules you study came from? Didn’t think so.


70 posted on 05/05/2014 11:24:53 PM PDT by bjorn14 (Woe to those who call good evil and evil good. Isaiah 5:20)
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To: tumblindice
You can be sure though that the Dr. Egghead and his colleagues invoke His name in their curses.

Since they most likely don't know His name, they probably use His title instead.

71 posted on 05/06/2014 12:38:40 AM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: GladesGuru; All

https://www.facebook.com/eli.hvastkovs

Probably him; from Casper WY. Mostly showing his family; one pic of them has a friend asking, “Next year’s Christmas card? Valentine?”

You mean his family celebrates those Christian-inspired holidays?


72 posted on 05/06/2014 4:36:55 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: bryan999
Thank God I'm not his student. I would face an assault and battery charge.

And I would Thank God for the opportunity.

73 posted on 05/06/2014 4:39:26 AM PDT by Lazamataz (Early 2009 to 7/21/2013 - RIP my little girl Cathy. You were the best cat ever. You will be missed.)
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To: raccoonradio

from linked in:
Eli Hvastkovs
Assistant Professor at East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

Previous
University of Connecticut
Education
University of Wyoming


74 posted on 05/06/2014 4:41:05 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: bryan999

Sounds like the University pulled the rug out from under this idiot!!!


75 posted on 05/06/2014 5:22:09 AM PDT by ontap
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To: bryan999

“1. You can’t thank God. I’m sorry about this – and I don’t want to have to outline the reasons why.”

But I have faith that I am right. /irony


76 posted on 05/06/2014 5:23:48 AM PDT by AppyPappy
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To: bryan999

Make the jerk “outline” the reasons why and then sue him in civil court.


77 posted on 05/06/2014 5:41:30 AM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like it)
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To: SuziQ
All the kids who want to thank God should use “Flying Spaghetti Monster”, as a code.

Here is the Flying Spaghetti Monster on the "Evolution" episode of Futurama:


78 posted on 05/06/2014 6:28:05 AM PDT by Peet (The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal. - Aristotle)
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To: apocalypto

Leftist HATE IT when you use their favorite attack words against them.

I sent him an email (please see my earlier post with email provided) calling him an intolerant bigot.


79 posted on 05/06/2014 8:00:46 AM PDT by diamond6 (Behold this Heart which has so loved men!" Jesus to St. Margaret Mary)
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To: PlateOfShrimp

“Isn’t this Mike Adams’ (who is frequently quoted on FR)university? I am sure he will have some choice remarks on this.”

Adams is at UNCW, which is Wilmington on the SE coast of the state a few miles north of South Carolina.

This Chem prof is at East Carolina which is about dead center of the state halfway between Raleigh and Hatteras.


80 posted on 05/06/2014 9:23:13 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Tagline: optional, printed after your name on post)
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