Posted on 12/18/2008 2:36:42 PM PST by Cindy
http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=14102&AlertID=934
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Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=14100&PRID=759
December 18, 2008
Sixth-Grader Penalized For Mentioning Jesus in His Christmas Paper at School
www.LC.org
Hattiesburg, MS – Eleven-year-old Andrew White wrote a poem about Christmas but received a deduction for writing about Jesus. His teacher, Latasha Atkins, insisted that mentioning Jesus was not allowed and asked him to write a new poem.
Andrew and his classmates were assigned a creative expression paper for the Winter Writer’s Board as part of his sixth-grade language class at Thames Elementary School in the Hattiesburg Public School District. He could choose among three topics, and he chose to write a poem about “what Christmas means to me.” After turning in his rough draft, Atkins circled the word “Jesus” and deducted one point from his grade. The teacher explained to Andrew that he was not allowed to mention Jesus at school and would need to rewrite the poem for his final draft without using the word “Jesus.” He attempted to rewrite the paper according to the teacher’s instructions.
Andrew’s parents discovered what happened because Andrew was late turning in the final draft and was notified by the teacher. Atkins sent an email to Andrew’s mother explaining the situation. In her email, she specifically stated: “He and another child did a poem about Christ. I know we can't discuss these type [sic] of things in school so I asked the two of them to do another poem of their choice.” Andrew’s parents encouraged him to use his original poem as his final draft.
Andrew’s poem, “A Great Christmas,” reads: “The best Christmas ever is when everyone is there. It is when everyone is laughing here and there. That is the Christmas I want to share. Christmas is about Jesus’ birth. About peace on Earth. This is what Christmas is about. It is when He lay in a manger. And the three wise men come to see. That’s what it means to me.”
Principal Carrie Hornsby sided with Andrew and his parents, changing his grade to a 100 and conceding that there was nothing improper in using Jesus’ name. Hornsby had each teacher send out a letter for all the parents to read regarding religious expression at school. The letter clearly explains that religious expression is permitted under federal guidelines. However, despite promises that these papers would be posted on the Winter Writer’s Board for all to see, Atkins has refused to post any of the papers from the class.
Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law commented: “Some educators need education that the story of Christmas is not banned from public schools. I am relieved that the situation was resolved by the principal but horrified that a sixth-grader was told by his teacher, ‘we can’t discuss these types of things in school.’ I don’t understand why some people don’t get it. Christmas is a state and federal holiday. Schools are closed to celebrate this holiday. Obviously, Christmas is constitutional.”
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Ain’t dat duh truf.
The problem doesn’t start with the teachers, no matter how high they are paid. The problem is the leftist indoctrination (via curriculum and textbooks) the teachers peddle to the children, whether they are conscious of doing this or not. I’ve met teachers who buffer as much as they can, but in the end they have to teach what they are told to teach. How much should one be paid to indoctrinate our children? I taught for 3 years so I don’t consider all ps teachers to be raging leftists, but a fair number of them are.
My mother’s been a pst for 30-plus years. Even she complains about the younger teachers and how absolutely clueless they are in every subject. Just because someone graduated from what now passes as ‘university’ doesn’t mean they’re competent, intelligent or even bright. I helped one at my mom’s school rewrite a project around election time. Fresh out of school with a newly minted Masters in Ed and this guy didn’t realize we live in a Constitutional Republic and he also could not identify the Bill of Rights.
I’m really glad everything’s working out for your children. Good choice of counties. What grades are your kids in, if you don’t mind me asking. I’d like to know if you see a big difference between elementary school and middle school in your district. Also if you notice any great differences between the older teachers and the younger ones. I pulled my kids out of Chesterfield in middle school for several reasons. I attended Richmond PS (ugh, yeah, my mom’s a RPS teacher) and the schools were crap from k-12 (I graduated in ‘88) and they’ve only gone downhill since then.
Freedom of religion, you know.
The point is, those teachers are seeking to indoctrinate young children into an anti-American groupthink with very few, if any, critical thinking skills beginning with homosexual desensitization in KINDERGARTEN.
Liberals would *pay* to indoctrinate *our* children into *their* political philosophy...but under this unconscionable scheme, we *pay* *them* 30 thousand a year.
((Although this is a lie. The average teacher is paid far *more* than 30 thousand a year. Shame on the poster to which you responded for LYING about their salary.))
Home-schooled children do best, on average.
Public-schooled children do worst, on average.
Public school teachers complain that parental involvement determines the level of success that students can achieve, postulating that perhaps those same home-schooled children would do better than they did had they gone to public schools.
The thing is...that the facts do prove something: The TEACHERS DON’T MATTER...THE PARENTS DO MATTER.
Get over it.
Sam,
Thanks for the ping.
There is no freedom *from* religion.
The concept directly violates the 1st Amendment.
Does Latasha give extra credit for mentioning Allah (or his prophet Obama)?
Post the pictures.
((Also note that I am Maelstrom not “Maelstorm”.))
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