Good manners can now get you suspended

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

THen my original statement stands

On a side note: I find it interesting how many religious phrases work their way into language even for the non religious. Even goodbye is religious it evolved from god be with ye.

a reply to: halfpint0701

What the real reason of this whole nonsensical situation that has not been revealed is the fact that the student had a math test the next day and knew that they were not prepared. This excuse was simply a method of playing 'legal hookie' and not have the parents upset.

…or not….

a reply to: halfpint0701


Well, I'd be suspended because I will say "bless you" whenever I hear a sneeze. I don't care if it's appropriate or not to others; it's the way I was brought up. Just like if someone says hello to me, I'll respond back and acknowledge them.

Yes, I know it comes from an old superstition but I don't care.

It does remind me of the Seinfeld episode (I'm sure it's been mentioned in the thread but I haven't bothered to read the whole thing) where Jerry says "You're soooo goodlooking" instead of "God bless you." I wonder if that would incite a disturbance in the classroom as well?

In a polite society, there are rules. Either live by the rules, do something to change them, or face the consequences of breaking them.

I can't help but think this student would have been a LOT more successful if she'd talked to her parents and gone to the school board with her concerns.

But of course, she wouldn't have the attention of being a "victim of religious persecution" and we wouldn't be talking about it.

From the "Friendly Atheist"

So I called up Principal Peggy Dodds just a little while ago and got her side of the story before # hits the fan in the conservative world. According to Dodds, Turner was not given an in-school suspension. She wasn’t sent out of the classroom, either — she chose to walk out. And, most importantly, she wasn’t punished by the teacher for saying “God bless you” — however, the teacher did admonish her for “disrupting the classroom.”

But we’ve heard stories like this before, and they’re almost never accurate. It helps to hear what all sides have to say before jumping to any conclusions.

www.patheos.com...

They should have taken the kid who sneezed out of class.

You know... Ebola

a reply to: Annee

Wow so it's even worse for the girl than originally reported. I already considered the girl's story suspect, but apparently I didn't go far enough. Nice find.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Annee

Wow so it's even worse for the girl than originally reported. I already considered the girl's story suspect, but apparently I didn't go far enough. Nice find.

I don't think were reading the same article.

Or definitely not getting the same information.

Did you read the entire article? Or just the part where the kid tells her side.

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Annee

Wow so it's even worse for the girl than originally reported. I already considered the girl's story suspect, but apparently I didn't go far enough. Nice find.

I don't think were reading the same article.

Or definitely not getting the same information.

It isn't the same article as the one in the OP, but you shined some more light on the situation that is for sure. I've been arguing from the beginning against the girl's actions and you just showed that even those were exaggerated and embellished to try to paint her in a better light (albeit still a bad light as I pointed out originally).

originally posted by: Krazysh0t

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Annee

Wow so it's even worse for the girl than originally reported. I already considered the girl's story suspect, but apparently I didn't go far enough. Nice find.

I don't think were reading the same article.

Or definitely not getting the same information.

It isn't the same article as the one in the OP, but you shined some more light on the situation that is for sure. I've been arguing from the beginning against the girl's actions and you just showed that even those were exaggerated and embellished to try to paint her in a better light (albeit still a bad light as I pointed out originally).

OK. I drove all night til 3am.

Maybe I'm the one who's a bit fuzzy

a reply to: SuperFrog

'Gesundheit' also is the same as saying "bless you" since wishing good health to someone is a blessing.
Just like wishing harm on someone is a curse.

But yeah, I'm sure the teacher at this school would be too dumb to know and would have accepted 'Gesundheit'

The phrase "God bless you" is attributed to Pope Gregory the Great, who uttered it in the sixth century during a bubonic plague epidemic (sneezing is an obvious symptom of one form of the plague).

people.howstuffworks.com...

Apologies if this has already been brought up.

That being said, I would never endorse violence. But if it became politically correct to punch someone in the throat because they made an issue or complained about "Bless you" then that would be something I would support.

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed
a reply to: SuperFrog

'Gesundheit' also is the same as saying "bless you" since wishing good health to someone is a blessing.
Just like wishing harm on someone is a curse.

I'm pretty sure that was the joke that Superfrog was pointing out.

Good for her I'm proud of what she did. She stood up for her beliefs and was polite at the same time. As for her school's policy just another case of pc bull# at work.

originally posted by: Aural
On a side note: I find it interesting how many religious phrases work their way into language even for the non religious. Even goodbye is religious it evolved from god be with ye.

Agreed. I say "bless you" and "Merry Christmas" and even "bless his heart"... It's what my mom said.

I think having a rule that kids aren't allowed to say "bless you" is stupid. They could have a "disruption" rule that would take care of anyone making a big a scene out of anything, without going after certain phrases.

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic

originally posted by: Aural
On a side note: I find it interesting how many religious phrases work their way into language even for the non religious. Even goodbye is religious it evolved from god be with ye.

Agreed. I say "bless you" and "Merry Christmas" and even "bless his heart"... It's what my mom said.

I think having a rule that kids aren't allowed to say "bless you" is stupid. They could have a "disruption" rule that would take care of anyone making a big a scene out of anything, without going after certain phrases.

I agree. I say Bless You, Merry Christmas, and just general phrases both us atheists grew up with. I am aware I'm saying them.

However, there is that little word used in law "Intent". If there was intent to be disruptive by expressing religion in an environment that has been defined as secular ------- then I do see a problem.

It sounds like this teacher has made it clear and established the rule that her classroom will be secular.

This student did challenge that rule.

“We will not have Godly speaking in my class!”

Says it all right there...

Sounds just like the teacher from 'God's Not Dead'...

Professor Radisson: “In that classroom, there IS a god. And I’m him.”

FYI to Kendra's teacher: things did NOT go well for Professor Radisson.

I am blown away that in a society that claims itself to be so progressive and free, we have stripped away our religion so far down to the roots that our kids cannot say Bless You without fear of retribution.

I was so shocked about this situation that I asked Kendra to reach out to me and she did.

Here’s what Kendra says happened…

A girl sitting right next me sneezed in class. I said “Bless You!” My teacher, Mrs. Kindle, asked “Who said that?” I said “me.” She said “Why did you say that?” I said “Because it is courtesy.” She said “Says who?” I said “Says my pastor.” She said “Well we don’t say that in my class.”

I asked her why it was a big deal to her. She yelled at me and said “We will not have Godly speaking in my class!” That is when I stood up and said “My pastor said I have a constitutional right -1st amendment freedom of speech.” She said “Not in my class you don’t.”

I said “I will defend my religion.” She said “You will not in my class because I trump everyone.” Then another student stepped in and said “You don’t over trump God.” So she sent me to the office and the assistants principal said “if I didn’t want to respect my teachers rules then maybe My pastor should teach me because my freedom or speech and religion does not work at their school.

Then they sent me to ISS (in school suspension). After I left the class room all my class mates stood up and defended me the teacher had to call assistants principal to control the class.

www.momdot.com...

a reply to: Murgatroid

And here's what the Friendly Atheist says about the students version.

That reads like a draft page from Todd Starnes‘ next book… Obviously, there’s no recording of what happened, so this is inevitably the student’s word against the teacher’s, and the student got her side out before anyone else could respond.

www.patheos.com...

Since I can’t verify the specifics of what was said (including the remarks about “Godly speaking”), let me offer this hypothetical: The class was supposed to be quiet. Someone sneezed. Turner said *something* in response (it doesn’t matter what) and the teacher asked her to be quiet. Turner took that as a knock on her faith and felt the need to defend against it. The teacher only saw this as a further disruption and the situation escalated. The student, clearly frustrated, ran out of the classroom and, not long after that, posted something on Facebook.

I’m not saying that happened, but it’s plausible. There’s probably a lot of misunderstanding all around. Add to all of that the fact that the school year only began a few weeks ago, so teachers and students don’t know each other very well yet.

www.patheos.com...

At this point, I just hope the administration supports the teacher in her choice to clearly establish a secular classroom.

This is in Tennessee. I think this teacher knows what she's up against.

The Trickster is laughing its ass off.