Hate Crime? Buddhist student harrassed, ridiculed, told to accept it, leave school or convert

[RandySF]

Last edited Sun Jan 26, 2014, 09:49 PM - Edit history (1)

Like many people I have encountered who were raised in a Christian environment, I was indifferent to what I felt were minor infractions of the law that protects the separation of church and state. What's the big deal if teachers promote God in public schools? I didn't see any danger in official prayer during graduation or a football game, or in a science teacher mentioning her religious beliefs when discussing evolution. These were things that had happened when I was in school, and my experience was just fine. Even after I stopped being an active Christian, I didn't understand how any of this could be considered discrimination, as some people claimed. Didn't the Bible teach us to obey rules, and wouldn't that be a positive lesson for our children? Of course, I didn't realize the hypocrisy of breaking the law in order to teach children to obey rules.

But then, when my stepson, who has been raised a Buddhist, enrolled in the sixth grade at our local school, Negreet High, it became personal, and I could no longer turn a blind eye to the very real harms that occur when school officials violate the separation of church and state.

My stepson started at Negreet in the same class as one of my children. By the end of the first week of school, he was having serious stomach issues and anxiety. We couldn't figure out why. In the mornings, my wife would pull over on the side of the road as they approached school so he could throw up. At first, we thought he was sick and we let him stay home. Soon it became apparent that this was not a cold, but something much worse. Our children informed us that their teacher had been chastising and bullying my stepson for his Buddhist beliefs.

On a science test, their teacher had included a fill-in-the-blank question: "ISN'T IT AMAZING WHAT THE _____________ HAS MADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" When my stepson didn't know the answer ("Lord&quot , 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 stepson's 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.


https://www.aclu.org/blog/religion-belief/if-you-want-fit-public-school-just-become-christian

[immoderate]

1. Louisiana, it seems, has devolved into a theocracy.

This is serious, because no one can say what the SCOTUS will do.


--imm

[awoke_in_2003]

14. A lot of the st of the country isn't far behind...

The resurgence of fairy tales in this country for the last 30 years will be our undoing.

[MADem]

31. The SCOTUS had better side with the kid.

What can you expect from Louisiana--they don't have counties, they have PARISHES.

It's not that they've devolved; they've yet to Evolve...

[radicalliberal]

2. I'm a Christian, but this bullying and harrassment of the Buddhist student is despicable --

-- and absolutely reprehensible. It makes me sick! As someone who endured his own share of bullying at school (for different reasons, of course), my heart goes out to this kid. I'm absolutely appalled by the deluded and dangerous theocrats. They both frighten and disgust me! Separation of church and state was meant to protect all of us -- regardless of our faith and what we believe, or our lack thereof.

[LWolf]

3. If this report is accurate,

it's an obvious law suit.

Oh. IT IS a case in a law suit. Which, if our Constitution means anything at all, the ACLU and the plaintiffs will win.

That's the thing about the law; someone has to hold people accountable to it, or there are always those who will run roughshod over the top of it. Since school boards are elected locally, they tend to reflect the political make-up of the local community, and many ride the wave of anti-intellectual hate of actual education into local office. School boards, of course, are a great place to start a political career, and popular local board members can springboard that experience into larger office, riding that wave all the way to state and national offices.

The REAL problem here is that it took so long; that this school was allowed to build "a long history of proselytizing students and promoting religion" to begin with. It could be that they have been reflecting the local community, so nobody was going to call them on it before now.

[dickthegrouch]

4. Since republicans only respect extreme positions

And that teacher is in a very real sense committing assault, you should see how she reacts to constant threats of being sued for those assaults.

I too threw up at least weekly from the time I was 11 until I left home to go to college. It was from pure fear of the other kids at school. My parents were at their wits end and the doctor could suggest nothing that worked for more than about a week. I eventually told them I was gay and it did abate somewhat, but it didn't resolve until after I'd made it perfectly clear that I was a gay man and proud of it. I only give this as an illustration of what fear can do.

That teacher belongs in jail and she owes damages.

[Curmudgeoness]

5. "I was indifferent"

Isn't that the problem we have. Until it is personal, people don't care what is happening.

This teacher, and any teacher like her, should be banned from teaching. This is the lowest that any adult can do to a child. How horrible.

[Bigmack]

6. The school board...

...needs to be recalled.

At some point, somebody...ACLU, their own lawyer, somebody... pointed out to them that this is illegal.

Since they continued the policies, they knew that there would be a suit or suits. They have made their school district liable for unnecessary legal fees... maybe penalties, too.

Those fees and penalties comprise money that should have been spent on education.

Misfeasance/malfeasance....

[okaawhatever]

7. If you have the time go to the SPLC website and/or ACLU website to see the number of

lawsuits against the school system in Louisiana. They've lost many of them and don't care. The Dept of Justice has to oversee reforms and other things. It's insane, but the right wingers are in control right now. No one will recall the school board, that's probably why they were elected in the first place. Louisiana has shown zero interest in complying with the Constitution when it comes to their prisons or their schools.

[packman]

8. I posted this today

and pointed out that it all relates to local politics. Those people who were too lazy to go out "Oh, it's only the school board - so what?" got a religious nut or two on the board who in term appointed a superintendent who mirrored their views, who in term appointed principals who think like them, who hired teachers who echoed their religious bigotry. Dominoes in action.

[LeftyMom]

11. Fundamentalists have been really good at starting low on the political ladder and climbing.

Research your low-level candidates carefully. Go beyond their paragraph in your voter's guide. Google anybody you aren't familiar with. Know your fundie buzzwords and be suspicious of any candidate statement or advertisement that uses them.

Also, look for the suggested ballot from your local dominionist organizations and DO NOT vote for anybody they endorse.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

9. Sounds like the middle east in reverse.

What do you think would happen if we all called the school and complained.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

16. Negreet High phone # [phone] share your views.

[trof]

10. And that's just one reason why I pony up 10 bucks to the ACLU every year.

I am a card carrying member.
You all should be too.

[Demo_Chris]

12. This teacher, as well as the administration, need to be terminated immediately...

This is child abuse. Period.

[JEB]

13. That fucking bigot isn't fit to mop floors in a school.

She needs to keep her wackadoodle beliefs to herself, especially at school.

[Springslips]

15. I am a X-ian too.

But if I was given that test I would answer "spaghetti Monster."

I hope they sue the Bejesus ( or Jesus) out of them.

[DeSwiss]

17. You've identified the ''essence'' of all our problems....

...we don't care, until it affects us personally. We don't see, until it affects us personally. We don't know, until it affects us personally. We won't do a damned thing, until it affects us personally.

- We're taught not to care about others in our society, but to compete with each other. And above all -- to fit in.

So I'm not surprised in the least at where we are. Where else could we be?

K&R

[davidpdx]

18. That pisses me off

The religious intolerance in the US is worse than ever. If you are not a Christian, then it's open season to mock you. The sad thing is those ignorant people have no idea what Buddhism is about.

Maybe we should go back to the era where Christians were fed to the lions. I hear those lions can get pretty hungry.

[Brigid]

19. These bigots don't seem to understand . . .

Last edited Sun Jan 26, 2014, 10:05 PM - Edit history (1)

That Jesus would strictly forbid this kind of harassment. Don't they actually read his words? In most Bibles, they are even printed in red!

[usspicard]

21. give that so called teacher a piece of your mind

[e-mail]

Thats her public email. I let her know what I think of her already.

[uppityperson]

22. DU Terms of Service says Do not post or link to any private/personal information about any person...

Do not post or link to any private/personal information about any person, even if it is publicly available elsewhere on the Internet.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=termsofservice


Please self delete by using the link down at the bottom of that post. Thank ou.

[RandySF]

23. Technically, that's NOT private/personal.

It's a public school system email address.

[usspicard]

24. correct

No different than posting any other public servants public contact info. Thank you.

[uppityperson]

25. FWIW, posts with public contact info have been hidden on DU. Not always, but often enough

that many don't want to risk it.

[hrmjustin]

26. That teacher should be ashamed!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

27. I've been told I'm going to hell for studying Buddhism.

Actually the ignoramus said, "If you don't stop meditating and worshiping Buddha, you're going to hell."

I said, "First of all that's your opinion. There is nothing wrong with meditation. It calms your mind. Secondly, if you knew anything about
Buddhism, you would know that we don't worship Buddha as a god. He is an enlightened man and he is revered. He is NOT worshiped."

Bible-thumper's response: "Ohhhhhhhhhhh!!!!"

[Lunacee_2013]

28. Wow....

This is actually a little hard to believe because it is just so over the top. People like this teacher should not be allowed near kids. What a bully! That entire school sounds nuts! How can people still believe that the earth is only 6,000 years old?!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

29. I believe it happens. That's the way lots of places are.

Churches on every corner. People with a big ugly cross in their yard. If they want to get fancy, they have three crosses.


I don't go to church so they make up crap about me & I have no friends and no social life. Also, I am a Democrat. Politics and religion. I am not too far from Shreveport myself.

I see lots of women wearing big cross necklaces, earrings, bracelets, purses with rhinestone crosses, advertising their apparent vampire problem.

They've probably never met a Jew or a Muslim, and they think that men with turbans and beards are Muslims. Actually, men with turbans and beards are Sikhs. They are very close to being Hindus. But these people don't know the difference and don't want to learn. Everybody that is different is BAD and to be feared and discriminated against.

[SoCalDem]

30. Frankly, I would be more worried about the lack-luster teaching in SIXTH GRADE

That science teacher asked a 2nd grade question

[seveneyes]

32. Holy book thumpers have no place in public education

Be they Koran, Bible or any faith. Ignorance and hate destroys societies.