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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Christian Right Loves A Bully
On a science test, their teacher had included a fill-in-the-blank question: ISNT IT AMAZING WHAT THE _____________ HAS MADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When my stepson didnt know the answer (Lord), she belittled him in front of the entire class. When he wrote in Lord Buddha on another exam, she marked it wrong. As she was returning that exam to students, one student proclaimed aloud that people are stupid if they think God is not real. In response, my stepsons teacher agreed, telling the class, Yes! That is right! I had a student miss that on his test. The entire class broke out in laughter at my stepson.
The same teacher also told our children that the Bible is 100 percent true, that the Earth was created by God 6,000 years ago, and that evolution is impossible and a stupid theory made up by stupid people who dont want to believe in God. Shes also told the class that Buddhism is stupid.
When they went to the school to complain, they found that the general environment at the school was one that encouraged this kind of Christian bullying. The school, for instance, is covered in Christian decorations.
Students are frequently led in prayer, and students are required to attend an annual See You At The Pole prayer event. Teachers routinely hand out Christian pamphlets that Lane describes as featuring he entire New Testament of the Bible as well as cartoons that denounce evolution and trumpet the evils of birth control, premarital sex, rock music, alcohol, pornography, homosexuality, sorcery, and witchcraft. Needless to say, when he told the superintendent about his concerns about his stepson being routinely bullied and humiliated for being Buddhist, the superintendent was dismissive and told us that we live in the Bible Belt and that this is just how things are.
Obviously, Lanes stepson is a victim of all sorts of human rights violations here, starting with his freedom of religion. But this is also a good example of why we need to be skeptical when conservatives, particularly religious right conservatives, swear up and down that they oppose bullying. In a lot of states, the Christian right is actively trying to fight against anti-bullying legislation because, they claim, that it will be used unfairly to target Christians who are peacefully expressing their views, specifically on homosexuality. Or, as we saw with the arguments regarding the abortion clinic buffer zone, conservatives are pretending that the people who holler and scream at women trying to enter clinics are just sweethearts there to counsel women. (The lawsuit itself disproves that notion, because if you are indeed trying to be polite and loving, then you start by not trying to force an interaction with an unwilling person.) But, in reality, they oppose anti-bullying laws because, as this lawsuit shows, bullying is a weapon that the Christian right loves and does not want to give up.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/23/the-christian-right-loves-a-bully/
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)Apparently the teachers in that school district are protected by a teachers bill of rights, which has the following language.
A teacher has the right to teach free from the fear of frivolous lawsuits, including the right to qualified immunity and to a legal defense, and to indemnification by the employing school board . . .
Seems like that school board has some big problems; hopefully this family can get justice.
Bryant
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)I see a huge lawsuit on the horizon.
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)The suit filed on behalf of the student is nothing compared to what else might be in store for the school system.
I'm fairly certain the ACLU is keeping Justice apprised of what they are doing as their suit goes forward.
NobodyHere
(2,810 posts)...as long as it is their bully.
If Obama started using bullying tactics on Republicans, DUers would be ecstatic.
phantom power
(25,966 posts)which is a different thing than being a bully.
NobodyHere
(2,810 posts)But if Obama were to go out and start bullying republicans around,
what do you think the response here would be?
catbyte
(34,398 posts)NobodyHere
(2,810 posts)People love a bully as long as it's their bully.
catbyte
(34,398 posts)el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)Republicans in America aren't weak.
Republicans can't be bullied.
Bryant
Orsino
(37,428 posts)Their culture is based on bullying.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,002 posts)Any religion that relies on bullying or laws or torture or murder to gain converts is automatically null and void and bogus and deserves to be flattened whenever possible by the full extent of the law and ridicule.