Posted on 12/18/2009 2:31:09 AM PST by NYer
MESQUITE, Texas - Joe Mitchell says all he wanted to do was make crosses as gifts for friends when he signed up for a ceramics class at Eastfield Community College in Mesquite.
Instead, he says, the ceramics instructor compared the crucifix to a swastika in trying to explain why crosses were not permitted.
“I felt humiliated and that my spirituality was being demeaned,” said Mitchell, a retired Dallas resident and student at the public college. “The whole point of art is to express who you are.”
Mitchell says he was told on several occasions by instructors and administrative staff that he could not make ceramic crosses, concluding with an ultimatum ban on crosses this fall.
“Unfortunately, not everyone has the Christmas spirit or even a basic understanding of religious freedom,” said Kelly Shackelford, chief counsel of Liberty Legal Institute. “The government cannot ban crosses and religious symbols.”
Shakelford says college officials are not only banning crosses, but menorahs and other religious items from the class.
In response, the institute sent a demand letter on Tuesday on behalf of Mitchell, alleging the school has committed an unconstitutional attack on religious expression in the classroom.
Eastfield Community College officials issued a statement saying it's legal council will review the schools policy and language, quote:
"Eastfield College's current ceramics policy tells students that they should not use symbols, icons or other "cookie cutter" images. The purpose of those references is to compel students to create original works that express their artistic perspectives through projects assigned by instructors. The college has never intended to circumvent expressions of religious or artistic freedom or violate any laws with regard to religious freedom. "
The scum college administration lie to cover the a$$ of their scum professor.
Evil beyond redemption is coming after Christianity with a vengence...
Hmmm, the cross is a 'cookie cutter' image now?
Make a thousand crosses. We must confront and ignore such hate and ignorance every time, in every venue. We must put them down by being louder, stronger and outnumber the basterds.
“The college has never intended to circumvent expressions of religious or artistic freedom or violate any laws with regard to religious freedom.”
Which is why one of these tolerant wonderful people essentially compared a student to the Nazis.
This “instructor” knows exactly what sort of response his message is designed to provoke. It’s a page straight out of the Soviet agitprop playbook. He’s just another useful idiot of global communism.
Eastfield Community College in Mesquite. Is a pit, trust me I know.
Twaddle.
The class is for learning how to make ceramic stuff. Crosses aren’t as complicated apparently as the course curriculum would like. Nothing wrong with crosses but the next step would be to make a flat pancake and call it a masterpiece. The guy really needs to try harder and do a better job. Making crosses is one way to get out of doing any substantial work.
I don’t know anything about Mesquite. The school looked heavily black/Hispanic from the website, which is very poor by the way. The interim president is Jean Conway and I sent her an email expressing my negative reactions. jconway@dcccd.edu. Let them know the world is watching.
Says the eye of the beholder. Nice try at being an art critic. (other adjectives respecfully withheld)
A crucifix has a figure of Jesus’ body on it, so I guess this human form, celebrated in art and culture for millennia, is a cookie cutter image? I have seen thousands of crucifixes, often very original>
I guess if he had put them in jars of urine, it would have been OK.
The irony in all this is that it is the instructor who is acting quite Nazi-like in banning any form of religious expression.
Let’s say you are right. How is that reconciled with the swastika comparison?
The cross has been offensive for almost 2000 years now. A sign of God’s love and our sinfulness.
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