There is an interesting controversy in Fort Worth, Texas where Dakota Ary, an honors student was suspended for turning to another student in his German class and saying that he viewed homosexuality as wrong. The teacher at Western Hills High School became angry in overhearing the comment and accused Ary of being a bully.
After Ary was sent home and given a suspension, the family retained an attorney and the school district backed down from the punishment.
The exchange occurred when there was a question about the translation of homosexual terms in a discussion of the German words for the vocabulary for Christianity and the Bible. As society recognizes needed protections for sexual preference, it will inevitably deal with such conflicts. If, for example, a student had said something like this comment about race, there would not be such controversy over the punishment. Yet, homosexuality remains a moral as well as a legal controversy. To say that you believe homosexuality is wrong does not mean that you are threatening gay students.
I understand the concern of the teacher, but this sounds like a circumstance where a correction comment from the teacher would have sufficed — particularly in refocusing the class on language rather than morality. I have long believed in letting high school students talk through such divisive issues when they come up in a relevant class (not German class) while being guided by a teacher. These are kids who will soon be voting adults. I would prefer to guide a civil discourse than punish such expressions. In this case, it was not relevant to the class, but the reaction was out of proportion and unnecessary. I think a discussion on relevancy and civility would have done more for the class than the controversy.
Source: CBS
FFLP,
Well, since both people involved (the teacher in the other thread, and the student in this one) had their punishment revoked, and everybody on this particular forum that commented on both incidents treated them equally, I don’t really see the hypocrisy.
As for the theological aspect, I didn’t say Christians couldn’t be Creationists, I said the two beliefs aren’t equivalents. Oh, and you’re conflation Creationism the cosmological theory with other uses of the word. However, since I don’t really have a dog in that fight, I’m not nearly bored enough to want to argue about which edition of the D&D we should use.
Creation is the realization that God created the heavens and the universe, etc…. Christianity isn’t at odds with Creation. What is the difference? A Christian is one who follows God’s Son, and God Created. It all fits together.
I’m not really sure what happened with the teacher, as it sounds like there is something missing – like what he said and what the student said. But there is a double standard. The agenda being pushed has free reign, but if a student talks about God, especially Christianity, well that’s a big no-no. Islam gets a pass, as the agenda pushes that it is supposed to be “peacful religion” or whatever.
FFLP,
Just for kicks and grins here’s the first responses to this story (I skipped off topic comments by Raff and Lotta) of the people involved in both this and the discussion on the story you mentioned
“Anonymously Yours 1, September 23, 2011 at 11:27 am
I am in the mespo camp….” (The Mespo Camp is “Everyone has a right to say stupid things)
“Mike Spindell 1, September 23, 2011 at 11:34 am
What angers me is that this is clearly a First Amendment violation done with the best intentions, but with faulty premises. It gives fodder to the Fundamentalists, Tea Baggers and to the “haters” of society, who are given one more little anecdote about the excesses of “Liberalism”. In this case, based on the facts presented, the no-nothings would be correct. As other have rightly said schools should intervene against the bullies among their student body (and teachers too), but allow students to express their opinions if they are not directed at disparaging anyone.”
Hey look at that. They both said “this is a first amendment violation” So I guess that means they think that both things are protected speech.
Boy, that’s some hypocrisy, treating both cases the same.
Also, Christianity isn’t Creationism .
Ninth Circuit Appeals Court Rules In Favor of Teacher who Criticized Students view of Creationism
FFLP,
What article?
shano:
“I dont know anyone who thinks their great great great great great grandfather was a field mouse. Not even scientists believe this. Maybe a certain subsect of Furries?”
That was one of those “here one day, gone the next” brilliant “discoveries” of evolution.