A Colorado teacher is suing his school district claiming the district's only high school "operates largely to promote the evangelical Christian ideals" of a local church that operates in the school.
The pastor of that evangelical church, Randy Pfaff, does not seem to disagree with the teacher's accusation, but doesn't think it matters because:
"I don't believe the Constitution was meant to keep God out of the schools. That's absolutely absurd," Pfaff told The Denver Post on Tuesday in a phone interview. "This nation was founded on Christianity."
Well gee, at least he's being reasonable.
After all how could a teacher possibly be expected to understand what the Constitution says?
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| Pastor Randy Pfaff. |
Basevitz raised concerns to his school and district officials before preparing to file suit. But after filing a formal complaint with the district, officials transferred him to work at an elementary school.
The lawsuit alleges that Superintendent Rhonda Vendetti "has publicly supported Pastor Pfaff and Principal (Brian) Schipper's religious activities despite complaints of their illegality."
According to the teacher there are up to five school sponsored religious events a day. Which as most of us realize is a "no no."
Here is perhaps my favorite part:
Basevitz's attorney, Paul Maxon, said the school's involvement with the church created an environment where Basevitz, who is Jewish, felt excluded. According to the lawsuit, students have singled him out for being Jewish.
So for once it's not an Atheist filing a complaint about overtly religious materials in a school. This time it is simply coming from a person who feels that they are being discriminated against for having a different religious belief than the one being promoted on public school property.
Which of course is WHY we need the protection provided by the separation of church and state.
Why aren't there enough hours in the day for these fundamentalist kids to get religious training at their churches, or parish halls? Same goes for Hebrew School, or any other denomination that wants more-than-once-a-week reminders of
ReplyDeletetheir religion. Until there's a solid reason why solid a-policial subjects must be taught in school with a religious bent, then tree should be no religion in a PUBLIC school, open to all.
The public are not responsible for teaching religious beliefs in the middle of straight science, history, or other classes. They're at odds with the curriculum.
If these people want schools with intense religious indoctrination, then they should pay for and support religious schools. Period.
I grew up in New York in the '60s-'70s. Looking at an elementary school class picture of 28 kids, there were at least 14 different religions/ethnic backgrounds represented.
DeleteThe only religion the public schools could have taught would have been comparative religion....which might not be such a bad idea, come to think of it.
Never in science classes, though.
One doesn't have to be an atheist to care about separation of church and state. I'm a Christian, and IMO there should be separation of church and state.
ReplyDeleteWord.
DeleteWe should all be concerned about the erosion of this cornerstone of our constitution.
Lisa, I'm a Christian also and believe in the separation of church and state. I also believe the world is at least 4.5 billions years old, a woman's right to choose and that everyone should marry who they love. Not all Christians think the same about social and political issues.
DeleteI grew up in a Catholic elementary school where it was accepted that boys could tell me I could never be an altar boy or a priest, because boys were was acceptable to GOD himself.
DeleteChristianity is a corrosive environment for young girls.
The Cowboy Church at Crossroads... hahahahhhaaaaaaaaaaaa
ReplyDeleteIt's all fun and games with the cowboy hats and rodeo crap, next thing you know they get to duggaring :-(
DeleteI wonder if all the girls at that school are being subjected to a worldview that diminishes the role of females. Christianity can do a hell a lot of damage to girls in the guise of the "Lord's" words.
Delete@ 12:43.
DeleteProbably. It's true in most of those types of fundie or evangel "places of worship".
Of course if you asked the pastor the reason his church doesn't have to pay taxes-----he'd just say "Cause of Jesus'. These asses don't get the separation of church and state thing.
ReplyDeleteI say take that tax exemption away from this creep and see if he keeps interfering in the public school system. And maybe the principal and superintendent can get lower paying jobs at the religious school of their choosing.
WTF is a CHURCH doing operating inside a pub lic building anyway? At least when a fake church rents a public facility for Sunday morning, they are paying a fee. I'm betting these creeps are using the building, the facilities, the janitor...all at taxpayer expense. And no, GOP, this was never meant to be 'a Christian nation.' Read Thomas Jefferson instead of David Barton.
DeleteAmazingly, in Alaska you can have a church groups in the school before school and after school. Our high school allows this and despite a lot of people asking “why is this allowed to continue?” it is carried on without interruption. The School Board is loaded with people there specifically to quell any dissent about the groups’ ability to be on the school grounds. When I moved here 20 years ago I noted bumper stickers on kids’ trucks that were disgustingly homophobic; and thankfully that generated a pro LGBT group that took it on. Things have changed, but sometimes I think the hate just went underground in my little Alaska town.
DeleteI am neither a Jew nor an Atheist and I would sue too.
ReplyDeleteReligion has no business in a public school.
Well, I am neither Jewish nor atheistic but I would feel excluded in that school environment too. The Constitution and the writings of the Founding Fathers are very explicit about the separation of church and state. And public education is "state" education. Pastor What's-his-name is an idiot, like so many of his poorly educated fundamentalist ilk.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
This is a good read:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rawstory.com/2015/05/the-duggar-family-is-part-of-a-sex-cult/
Separation of church and state. What do they not get about this? They are constantly screaming about how their freedom and the constitution are being compromised, do they not READ? Maybe less time in their schools studying the bible and more on what the government, laws and the constitution are actually about would help with their confusion.
ReplyDeleteToo many lazy sheep in this country thanks to the dumbing down of the education in our society. Including many homeschoolers.
Mildred
I’m with you on the homeschoolers. The ignorance I’ve witnessed in Alaska homeschooling would make your head spin.
DeleteI'm sure it's not an accident that on the sign in the background of the photo, "Pastor Randy's" name is right in the center in a contrasting color and a larger font. Arrogant asshole!
ReplyDeleteHow can these CUFI christians deal with this? They make a big performance of loving Israel, and needing U,S. Jews, among U.S. Christians, to vote for their endorsed politician.
ReplyDeleteNow, a jewish teacher, who they pretend to support unconditionally, is feeling excluded and being harassed?
I knew it would come down to this. As a christian, I tried to dissuade these John Haggee types to stop pushing Church/State for this very reason. Instead of unify Jews and Christians, it could very well become another spark of anti-semitism. I hope and pray not.
This is all well and good, but it won't be remarkable until CHRISTIANS start insisting on separation between church and state. They must realize it's intended for the benefit of their own church, which in the future will not be the majority belief system.
ReplyDeleteI just abhor the arrogance of Christians. I once worked with a woman who referred to Jews as “those people” in the most condescending way. Nobody but me spoke up and I could tell management was more worried about a discrimination suit rather than the fact it was straight-up wrong to allow such behavior in the workplace. I honestly believe the amount of religious intolerance is more than we can even imagine, so I’m not surprised by this.
ReplyDeleteWe need more folks to speak up. This country never was and never will be a christian nation. The hubris and arrogance of some christians and other people of faith, is beyond the pale. Do they not see what happens when religion and the country go hand in hand? Look up Iraq, Iran, etc. and you've got your answer there.
ReplyDeleteWell I do not believe in a higher power but the separation of church and state has nothing to do with someone saying a prayer in class, it had to to with the State recognizing and setting a specific faith. Please read the constitution and the federalist papers and then maybe you will relax and take a deep breath.
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