Teacher accused of isolating atheist child now being sued for violating his constitutional rights

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

I'm so sorry NAT...

I'm over it now, and I'm okay. I just can completely see how it took three days for the parents to learn what was going on. The poor kid honestly thought he had done something wrong and the teacher had drilled that into him.

[decocker 7,198]

It only took the little boy three days to tell his mother. That says a lot, to me, that the parents DID care.

Honestly, I only stopped being bullied because, in 9th grade, I started pressing charges against everyone who hit me. It took a few police reports, but people just ignored me, after that. The teachers at my schools were not interested in helping. At one point, my principal actually bribed me with candy NOT to report when other children beat me up because it was extra paperwork for her.

It sounds like the parent in this case found out quickly what was wrong and intervened and the school responded, but the parent feels that the teacher needs to take personal responsibility for traumatizing the child.

i don't know that it's a matter of caring or not. the mom found out and got involved right away to defend her son which is as good as it gets in the real world imo. why the need to sue? why use words like 'traumatize'? do you think that what this kid went through was traumatic? i don't. all the stuff that happened to you, keeping it to yourself, for years..that is trauma.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

i don't know that it's a matter of caring or not. the mom found out and got involved right away to defend her son which is as good as it gets in the real world imo. why the need to sue? why use words like 'traumatize'? do you think that what this kid went through was traumatic? i don't. all the stuff that happened to you, keeping it to yourself, for years..that is trauma.

It may have been a minor trauma, but the child is apparently convinced everyone at school hates him now and no longer wants to go. That means that his longterm outlook for scholastic achievement has been impaired by the actions of the teacher.

[rmg-fg 32]

Most of my family practices Buddhist beliefs. My teens grew up in a theological manner based on knowledge of each religion. My daughter is Christian; we take her to church and gave her that choice. The church we attend is very welcoming with all of us knowing our beliefs. Buddhists only believe in respect to any other belief and the knowledge that any belief is considered. She also goes with us to meditate at our temple but talks to the other kids in the gardens while we are inside. Coming from living in Italy to the south here in the US (I am originally from NY) I was kinda shocked at how much influence Christianity has and how any other viewpoint is really just covered or shown to be bad (there is a sign in Gainesville on a highway with a large picture of Darwinism and a large X through it stating you should only walk with God). Religion is talked about even at work and once I had to calm the temper of a co worker screaming at me that I was an abomination that worshiped false Gods (this is not true-Buddha is one whom reached enlightenment; the buddha statue we have is a reminder of the original suffering of the first true destined Buddha-Sidhartha. The words of meditation are key words of love and rules of how to keep that with us. They are vows to ourselves. We truthfully study even the bible and teachings of Christianity). We believe in a path to enlightenment) when I never discuss my religious beliefs; it was discovered from another co-worker that I had talked to whom was aetheist.

We had a lot of problems in the schools here (my 18 year old is part of the lgbt group-again never was a problem at all in italy). Finally ended up finishing his schooling with a ged however even my daughter was bullied, and after hitting walls with the police down here, I pulled her to finish home school. Even home school groups are Christian based here and won't welcome us. We did find a secular one that is almost 2 hours away. While the teachers may not go as far as this one I would definitely say the systems have their way to advocate Christianity in a very creative way if the local authorities are on board.

[eieio 1,594]

i don't know that it's a matter of caring or not. the mom found out and got involved right away to defend her son which is as good as it gets in the real world imo. why the need to sue? why use words like 'traumatize'? do you think that what this kid went through was traumatic? i don't. all the stuff that happened to you, keeping it to yourself, for years..that is trauma.

I agree. These are the kind of things that happen in real life. Deal with it and move on.

Who are these 2nd graders who have such a strong belief in atheism? Aren't most of them just figuring santa claus isn't real?

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

I hope they fire the teacher , she really isn't stable enough to be alone with children. To think someone that is in an authority position such as a teacher would even come up with the concept that shaming the child like that was a solution should never have made it past week one of student teaching.

[Jacque67 7,328]

If the teaching profession got paid more, there might be a better selection of teachers than there are at present. The teacher seems to have been taking out her stress on the kid.

Edited July 1, 2015 by Jacque67

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Teachers usually get paid about what they are worth. They are no longer expected to know the core stuff, just teach the stuff the government wants about sex, environment or cater to the non English speaking , ignore the skills that get someone head in life and make sure everyone leaves with the same lack of any real education. The need to turn education over to a private industry and trash tenure and those long summer breaks.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Teachers usually get paid about what they are worth. They are no longer expected to know the core stuff, just teach the stuff the government wants about sex, environment or cater to the non English speaking , ignore the skills that get someone head in life and make sure everyone leaves with the same lack of any real education. The need to turn education over to a private industry and trash tenure and those long summer breaks.

Umm. Are you a product of the U.S. system? Serious question.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Teachers usually get paid about what they are worth. They are no longer expected to know the core stuff, just teach the stuff the government wants about sex, environment or cater to the non English speaking , ignore the skills that get someone head in life and make sure everyone leaves with the same lack of any real education. The need to turn education over to a private industry and trash tenure and those long summer breaks.

Turn education over to the private industry? You mean like Charter schools that are failing students all over the country? What a genius idea. NOT.

[Jacque67 7,328]

None of my friends have become teachers, as the pay is so bad. A few independently wealthy ones have become professors, but they have the economic power to tell their colleges to take a hike whenever needs be.

If the pay is bad, the best will not be attracted to the profession.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Turn education over to the private industry? You mean like Charter schools that are failing students all over the country? What a genius idea. NOT.

Not charter schools but not a system that is bound to keep teachers on because of tenure. A system that holds the schools accountable for the performance of the students on standard tests and that is unshackled from modern teaching methods and gets back to the subjects we need. Math and science should be pushed and we should stop trying to mainstream students that can't keep up. Primary children in 3rd world countries get a better education than US students.

[Operator 1,925]

This is a job for the North Carolina "Education Lottery"!!!!!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Not charter schools but not a system that is bound to keep teachers on because of tenure. A system that holds the schools accountable for the performance of the students on standard tests and that is unshackled from modern teaching methods and gets back to the subjects we need. Math and science should be pushed and we should stop trying to mainstream students that can't keep up. Primary children in 3rd world countries get a better education than US students.

You need to lay off the talking points. I have a child in the public school system and my child is learning just fine. She gets the support that she needs at home, we have regular and open communications with her teacher, participate in school events and discussions and that creates an environment in which she can thrive. Tenured teachers have thus far not held her back one bit. Can the education system be improved? Sure. Is privatization the way to do it? I have quite serious doubts.

[decocker 7,198]

It may have been a minor trauma, but the child is apparently convinced everyone at school hates him now and no longer wants to go. That means that his longterm outlook for scholastic achievement has been impaired by the actions of the teacher.

this is true. i just don't believe suing is going to fix the damage done.

I agree. These are the kind of things that happen in real life. Deal with it and move on.

natural consequences, i'm a big fan.