Right now, I am angry. Maybe angry is not the word. MAD!!! That's it!! I am good old-fashioned, southern-style SPITTIN' MAD!!! I am so mad I have heartburn. There is a situation that I have been following in the news. In a town near me an eighth grade science class got into an intense discussion about evolution verses creation. There were a few brave students who were willing to stand up and talk about what they believe in. I don't know their names but I am so proud of them. Well, these or this (I honestly don't know) student(s) decided to anonymously leave a bible on this teachers desk as a Christmas present. Again, I am very proud. This is where the story goes a little crazy. The teacher then proceeds to go on Facebook and call this action “a hate-crime” and say that this “crime would not go unpunished.”
There are a few points I want to make before I continue the story:
Now for the rest of the story. When kids, then parents, and finally the school board saw these comments the decided to suspend the teacher. . . with pay. Now let me get this straight she threatens a student (“This crime will not go unpunished”), and she gets a paid vacation. Yeah, that sounds about right. AREYOU KIDDING ME?!?!?! Well, I got a hold of myself after that. I understand that there had to be a investigation, and she was innocent until proven guilty of any wrong-doing. It would be unfair to her if it turned out she did nothing wrong and had to lose 3 months pay. I talked myself down from that one.
Then I watched the news this morning. I promise I'm trying to stay calm. The school board decided to remove her from the classroom and make her district coordinator for middle-school science instruction. That sounds nice doesn't it? She was removed from the classroom. . . and PROMOTED!!!! My husband didn't catch it the first time. We had to rewind it for him to hear it. He heard the “removed” part, but didn't catch the fact the she was moved from a local position to a district position.. She is now not just over the science education of eight grade students of one school but all middle-schoolers in the county! Her resume is going to read for x amount of years I was an eight grade science teacher then I was District Coordinator for Middle-School Science Instruction. Yep, that is definitely a promotion. SHE GOT A PAID VACATION AND A PROMOTION FOR THREATING A STUDENT! Can you scream it with me? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!!
Isn't it a relief to know that not only do our kids have to stand up and face ridicule for their religious and scientifically plausible beliefs, but that the people who ridicule them will be promoted? (I'm sure you get the sarcasm dripping from this remark.) Our beliefs about evolution and creation/intelligent design aside, this was wrong. No teacher should be promoted for ridiculing and threatening a child. No matter the subject behind it this should never happen!
There are a few points I want to make before I continue the story:
- When did it become a “crime” in America to share your faith? Well, so far it hasn't, but this incident is a very shaky step in that direction. I can see very clearly how easy it would be for this teacher and others like to her start lobbying congress. In Ted Dekker's book Sinner, he creates a not too distant future where congress has passed a “Tolerance Act” saying that you can believe anything you want, but sharing your beliefs with someone who doesn't believe them is not tolerant and therefore a hate-crime. I know it is fiction, but we are close, and could get there so easily.
- At some point people who believe in creation or “intelligent design” (as the scientific community is calling it now) need to stand up and demand that schools start recognizing it as a valid theory. You see, that's all evolution is, a theory. It has NEVER been proven. It has become the accepted theory on life, but it is not the only theory with scientific proof. Did you know there are many top scientists that believe in intelligent design, and many of these are not Christians. They just see things on the cellular level that are too complex to believe any kind of coincidence lead to them. Honestly if you study evolution, it takes a lot more faith to believe in the outrageous coincidences they say lead to life than to believe someone created it.
Now for the rest of the story. When kids, then parents, and finally the school board saw these comments the decided to suspend the teacher. . . with pay. Now let me get this straight she threatens a student (“This crime will not go unpunished”), and she gets a paid vacation. Yeah, that sounds about right. AREYOU KIDDING ME?!?!?! Well, I got a hold of myself after that. I understand that there had to be a investigation, and she was innocent until proven guilty of any wrong-doing. It would be unfair to her if it turned out she did nothing wrong and had to lose 3 months pay. I talked myself down from that one.
Then I watched the news this morning. I promise I'm trying to stay calm. The school board decided to remove her from the classroom and make her district coordinator for middle-school science instruction. That sounds nice doesn't it? She was removed from the classroom. . . and PROMOTED!!!! My husband didn't catch it the first time. We had to rewind it for him to hear it. He heard the “removed” part, but didn't catch the fact the she was moved from a local position to a district position.. She is now not just over the science education of eight grade students of one school but all middle-schoolers in the county! Her resume is going to read for x amount of years I was an eight grade science teacher then I was District Coordinator for Middle-School Science Instruction. Yep, that is definitely a promotion. SHE GOT A PAID VACATION AND A PROMOTION FOR THREATING A STUDENT! Can you scream it with me? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!!
Isn't it a relief to know that not only do our kids have to stand up and face ridicule for their religious and scientifically plausible beliefs, but that the people who ridicule them will be promoted? (I'm sure you get the sarcasm dripping from this remark.) Our beliefs about evolution and creation/intelligent design aside, this was wrong. No teacher should be promoted for ridiculing and threatening a child. No matter the subject behind it this should never happen!
