Wiccan teacher says religious beliefs led to loss of job at Osceola school

Orlando Sentinel ^ | January 30, 2003 | Susan Jacobson

[Cincinatus' Wife]

KISSIMMEE -- The Osceola County school district claims to pride itself on diversity.

But when administrators became aware that a rookie teacher was a Wiccan -- a follower of a neopagan religion that honors nature -- the teacher, Aaron Perry, soon found himself without a job.

Perry, 30, said that shortly after he was hired Jan. 13, students at Neptune Middle School peppered him with questions about the black clothes he wears and about a small Wiccan tattoo of eight arrows on his temple. It looks like a snowflake.

The situation reached critical mass when a student complained to a guidance counselor that Perry had told his eighth-grade ecology class that he was "Goth" and "anti-Christ." The girl also contended that Perry used profane lyrics by rapper Eminem in class.

"Everybody thought I was a Satanist," he said.

School superintendent Blaine Muse said the district does not have to give a reason for firing a teacher if it is done during a 97-day probationary period prescribed by law, and he said he didn't know why Perry was let go.

Perry admits telling the students that he used to like certain clothes and music associated with Goth culture. But he denies the rest of the allegations, which he said were made by a youngster from an evangelical Christian background who "interpreted everything I said as the word of the devil."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Boxers or briefs?

[AdA$tra]

"I have no doubt they dumped me because of my religious beliefs," he said.

Espousing one's beleifs in any public school classroom will get you fired no matter what one believes.

"Everybody thought I was a Satanist," he said.

IMHO Wiccans are satanists of a sort regardless of what they say or think.

[Lee Heggy]

GOTH!!!It doesn't suprise me that the school systems in this country hire losers like this guy.

Sorrow? Pain?. Sob, Sob? BARF!
Really, how many times can you go around these people before you become utterly bored? They never say anything NEW. "Enter my domain. I want to go to Paris. I want to be a vampyre. I want to die? life sucks."

They don't DO anything. They play stupid games like "Werewolf" and talk with their equally stupid goth friends. They are often depressed because they constantly bludgeon their psyches with depressing thoughts and images. They lie in the dark and moan around until X-Files come on.
So, what?s there to be so unhappy about?
"Oh sorrow! Sob, sob? I'm soooo unhappy! I'm sooo miserable. Boo hoo."

Only in America. A large portion of the youth spend all their time trying to be unhappy. For the most part, although there are probably Black, Asian and Hispanic 'Goths', ( a misanthropic life style for the intellectually marooned at best) they're white, middle-classed, well fed, and spoiled. What do they have to be unhappy about? Well, they are oppressed. They have curfews. They aren't liked by their peers. Mommy and Daddy put them in daycare when they were little. They're too thin/too fat.

Poor babies. Why don?t they put that energy into helping starving people in Africa or something? I have no patience for self-pity. Goths tend to be outrageously self-involved people, and like all purely egocentric people, they tend to be dissatisfied and unhappy with themselves.
Really, it's sort of sad?
Here you have this lost kid who's looking for an alternative role model, and they find the likes of Marilyn Manson. It's pitiful, and a great way to push yourself into really serious depression.

[Norman Conquest]

"I am Circe Nightshade, priestess of the primordial darkness and wielder of the cosmic forces. Would you like fries with that?"

[stuartcr]

In reality, He was probably just expressing his individuality.

[Protagoras]

You can try to set yourself in an artificial, neutral position when it comes to religion, as if all belief systems are equal and deserve exactly the same treatment.

They all deserve the same treatment in government schools. Eliminate government schools and the problem disappears.

[Darksheare]

Well.. finally.. they've gone after someone practising a religion that the local schools in my area contend isn't a religion.
If he'd been a Christian and had mentioned Jesus and the gospels, he'd never have gotten the job in the first place.
And Wicca is just witchcraft renamed and brushed over to look like a 'neopagan' religion. I wish the article writer had it correct.

So when are they going to enforce Freedom OF Religion instead of acting like it's Freedom FROM Religion?

[DannyTN]

youngster from an evangelical Christian background who "interpreted everything I said as the word of the devil."

You don't learn to spot a counterfeit by studying counterfeits. You learn to spot a counterfeit by studying the original. I bet this girl has a good knowledge of the scriptures and everytime he opened his mouth, she recognized one of Satan's lies.

[inflorida]

But when administrators became aware that a rookie teacher was a Wiccan -- a follower of a neopagan religion that honors nature

They honor nature? I was under the impression that wiccans think they are witches that possess magic powers.

[biblewonk]

He is probably also gay, most male wiccans seem to be.

[biblewonk]

The tattoo obvously represents the 8 sabots. I have 10 tattoos but facial tattooing is just begging for removal from the job force.

[biblewonk]

I wish there more Wiccans to argue with on the FR. It's my second favorite religion.

[verity]

They also make good gator bait!

[Indrid Cold]

Unfortunately, as a stereotype, your assessment is dead-on. There are Wiccans out there who make good money and who are relatively sane, but they're the exception, rather than the rule. I've been a Wiccan for 15 years or so, and often enjoy meeting others, but this guy just didn't have any common sense. Public school is no place to push his private agenda.

[Marysecretary]

I know. I feel the same way. When I went to school (in the olden days) that's how we were taught. We actually learned something. It wasn't touchy, feely, diversity, PC crap we have now. And we could play tag on the playground and musical chairs and do all that harmful stuff.

[Indrid Cold]

Yes, we honor nature and the gods of our (and your) ancestors. And yes, we believe that "objective" reality can be changed in accordance with will by using "unconventional" means. Christians believe they can get goodies from God, too, but their prayers almost never work. Ours almost always do. Which religion is crazier?

[Indrid Cold]

"Sabots" is spelled s-a-b-b-a-t-s. Glad to have ya here, and I'm always up for a little arguing if you've got the gumption.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

And we could play tag on the playground and musical chairs and do all that harmful stuff.

Bump!

[biblewonk]

Why are people down on Wiccans?

Wicca is probably the fastest growing religion so I don't think your statement is true. It's becoming very popular and trendy. Atleast people are coming up with new names for their non-christianity.

Because of people like this guy, shouting "persecution" every time something doesn't go their way and associating every facet of their lives with their religion.

I associate every facef of my life with my religion. Actually all people do.