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<b><i>About a Boy</i></b><br><br>
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Rather than teach vocabulary through what she considered boring, unnatural, and ineffective sentences, Sarah Miller, a teacher of an after-school language enrichment program, decided to read students Nick Hornby's <i>About a Boy</i>. Because she deemed it important to the plot, Miller did not to skip a scene in which the main character is mocked for not knowing a common euphemism for fellatio. The children questioned her about the term, and she explained, "It has to do with sex; it involves these two body parts; and [you will] not have to worry about it for a very long time." She was eventually let go after a parent complained bout her saying "inappropriate things" in class. Afterward, Miller wrote that "one person's discomfort is another's salvation. No one has ever died from discomfort."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Los Angeles Unified<br>
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<b><i>Kaffir Boy</i></b><br><br>
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After a parent complained about a scene in Mark Mathabane's book <i>Kaffir Boy</i>, Burlingame Superintendent Sonny Da Marto ordered teachers to immediately stop teaching it and to collect all copies. The contentious scene depicts Mathabane running away from a group of starving young boys lined up to be sodomized in exchange for money. "Resisting peer pressure is one of the toughest things for young people to do...That is the lesson of the prostitution scene. It's a lesson that seems to be lost on the people who want to censor my book," said Mathabane. On the district's blog, a mother of an 8th grade student wrote that her child was disturbed by the passage. Superintendent Da Marto ordered copies of the abridged version of the book, which was created specifically for middle school students and excludes the objectionable content. "I'm very concerned about the morals of our society and that children who don't have support are not prepared emotionally to read it...They're already exposed to violence and sex. As a public agency, are we going to contribute to it?" Da Marto said at the board meeting following the ban.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Burlingame<br>
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<b>Healthy Teens Act</b><br><br>
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State legislation intended to provide $1 million for districts to provide "medically accurate" health education caused controversy as advocates and opponents argued over whether the best way to protect teens was abstinence-only education or instruction that included contraception.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> State<br>
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<b>No R-rated Movies</b><br><br>
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Parents complained about a policy by which they were allowed to opt their children out of R-rated movies shown in class. Parents felt that the policy led to the harassment of children who were opted out of the viewings. In response to the parents' concerns, the Falcon School District passed a new policy which banned the showing of any such movies. The new policy would allow parents to opt their children in to seeing excerpts of R or PG-13 movies. Mary Louge, co-president of the teacher's union, said that she didn't understand the "need for extreme censor(ship)," and teachers complained that the policy would make it hard to use films like "Schindler's List" to bring history to life.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Falcon<br>
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<b>Whose Flags in Class?</b><br><br>
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Geography teacher Eric Hamlin was told in his first week at Carmody Middle School that he could not display flags of foreign nations. When he put up the flags of Mexico, China, and the United Nations, Assistant Principal Victoria Winslow told him that the display of any national flag not of the United States violated state law. The law, however, included a proviso allowing displays of "instructional or historical materials." Hamlin quit his job in protest and transferred to a different middle school where he displayed his flags. According to Education Week, "Hamlin says he resisted the order because the administration seemed more concerned about potential parent complaints than curriculum." Immigration had been the subject of nationwide protests during the previous spring.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Jefferson County<br>
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<b>Students Pushed to Challenge "Dominant Culture"</b><br><br>
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Denver Public Schools implemented a new system to evaluate teacher performance that requires teachers to "encourage" students to "challenge and question the dominant culture" in order to earn a "distinguished" rating. DPS stated that they wanted kids to emulate social and cultural activists. John Peterson, a history teacher at Denver's East High School, objected. "I really don't think it's the right place for the school district to expect teachers to push students to become activists," he said.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Denver<br>
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<b>Ideological Curriculum Changes?</b><br><br>
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In 2010, The Texas State Board of Education debated and voted on new state social studies standards. The Board's conservative members chose to revamp the state's social studies textbooks by crafting a narrative that they perceive to be less hostile toward America, religion, and capitalism, while decrying alleged liberal political bias in the teaching of history. Despite protests from critics, including many historians and academics, some of the changes include removing Thomas Jefferson from the legacy of the Enlightenment, replacing "free enterprise" with "capitalism," and portraying muckrackers and reformers negatively.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> State<br>
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<b>Arabic Classes</b><br><br>
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A Foreign Language Assistance Program grant gave Mansfield students the the opportunity to learn Arabic. However, some parents in the district had concerns. The classes were announced without informing any parents beforehand. "Why are we just now finding out about it?" asked parent Joseph Balson. Some were worried that the classes would teach Islam. "The school doesn't teach Christianity, so I don't want them teaching Islam," stated Baron Kane, another district parent.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Mansfield<br>
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<b>International Baccalaureate Un-American?</b><br><br>
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In 2010, two Coeur d'Alene schools adopted the International Baccalaureate curriculum for advanced students. "It's a program that approaches education from a global perspective, and it reinforces a rigorous curriculum with high standards," said Drew Deutsch, director of IB Americas. "The emphasis is on critical-thinking." The two schools were among 90 public schools nationwide that had adopted IB as of 2010. But the change prompted protests from parents like Luke Sommer, who worried that the program would undermine American values: "They want to change the way your child thinks, not feed your child's mind with information, and information about our history, heritage and why we believe what we believe." In 2012 the district announced that the IB program in one of the schools would be phased out, though the cancellation was due to budget and performance concerns rather than controversy over content.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Coeur d'Alene<br>
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<b>No Freedom to Use "Freedom Writers"</b><br><br>
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A teacher lost her job at Perry Meridian High School because she taught "The Freedom Writers Diary," a collection of essays from at-risk kids, without district approval. "Anything that gets kids to write is good, but these are kids' journals written in some very explicit language," said the district's attorney, Jon Bailey. "The core issue here is: does a school district have a right to decide its curriculum content, or do individual teachers have a right to take it in whatever direction they wish?" The teacher countered that journaling worked to get at-risk kids reading and writing, which was the educational goal.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Metropolitan School District of Perry Township<br>
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<b>Imposed Sex Ed</b><br><br>
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A meeting of the Westbrook School Committee brought out many people, (including some police) as the committee contemplated and approved a new sex education curriculum that included discussing of contraception with eighth-grade students. The police were called to investigate people handing out fliers on school grounds, and the committee went into recess when one opponent of the new curriculum wouldn't stop talking after he had exceeded his comment limit. Protesting parents were especially upset because they felt they had not been sufficiently included in decisions about the new curriculum. Westbrook parent George Rodrigues characterized the new curriculum as "the culmination of an agenda-driven effort by certain employees of the Westbrook school district who are seeking to impose their own values on the children of Westbrook." School officials contended that they had allowed more public comment on the new curriculum than was required and dismissed protesters as "a vocal minority."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Westbrook School Department<br>
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<b>Legalize Gay Marriage, Must Teach It in Schools?</b><br><br>
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As Maine debated legalizing same-sex marriage in both 2009 and 2012, opponents ran ads saying that legalization would result in gay marriage having to be taught favorably in schools. They argued that that had happened in Massachusetts. Gray marriage proponents disagreed, saying that legalizing gay marriage would not require that it be taught in public schools.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> State<br>
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<b>State Sex Ed Rejected</b><br><br>
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Rejecting a voluntary state curriculum, the Carroll County school board abandoned a proposal to start teaching about contraception in eighth grade. "I think the children need the information," said school board President Gary Bauer. Other members thought it was too much, too early. "My feeling is eighth grade is just a little too young," said board member Patricia Gadberry. The community appeared to be split as well. About three-quarters of surveyed parents with children under 18 favored comprehensive sex ed, while the remaining quartered preferred abstinence-only education.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Carroll County<br>
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<b>"Gum Game": Gross and Faith-based?</b><br><br>
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Montgomery county schools discontinued a sex education game students had played for years called the "gum game." The school enlisted the faith-based Rockville Pregnancy Center to run the program that included the game, which was intended to demonstrate the effect of peer-pressure and the benefits of abstinence. After a 2007 session, a parent complained about the sanitation of the game. "What this exercise showed is a terrible lack of judgment. It is disgusting on its face," said one parent. A pregnancy center official said they were disappointed in the school's decision: "We saw 6,500 kids last year, who is going to talk to them now?" The complaint prompted a review of all health related education in the district, while raising the question among some why the district outsourced teaching to an outside, faith-based group to begin with.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Montgomery County<br>
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<b>Defining "Jihad"</b><br><br>
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The American Textbook Council reported that some books approved by Montgomery County were dumbing down the curriculum and, for political reasons, redefining concepts related to Islam. "Textbook editors try to avoid any subject that could turn into a political grenade," wrote Council director Gilbert Sewell. He complained that textbooks had "adjust(ed) the definition of jihad or sharia or remov(ed) these words from lessons to avoid inconvenient truths." A scholar defended the supposedly "adjusted" definition of jihad, suggesting that the term was, strictly defined, about a personal struggle with evil, not warring with others.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Montgomery County<br>
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<b>Gay Marriage Indoctrination?</b><br><br>
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With the legalization of gay marriage in 2003, many Massachusetts parents say their ability to insulate their children from pro-gay material at school was greatly compromised. In 2006, two families launched a suit against the Lexington district for failing to notify them when their kindergarten-aged children were going to be taught about same-sex marriage and for having one of the fathers, David Parker, arrested when he refused to leave a Lexington school. "In many parts of the United States, we could have presented our concerns and objections, and it wouldn't have been a problem," said Tonia Parker. Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, denied that there is a pro-gay campaign in the schools, and said there were really just a few anti-gay marriage activists whom he said suffered from "narcissistic activist personality disorder." Amidst such strong feelings, Eliza Bayard of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network said simply, "One of the basic realities of American life is that all of us have to deal with beliefs we disagree with."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Lexington<br>
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<b>Sex Ed Battles</b><br><br>
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For several years, the Minnesota legislature grappled with bills to move from abstinence-only sex education to "age-appropriate" lessons on not just abstinence but also contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. None of that legislation was successfully enacted. Proponents of expanding the content argue that research has shown that comprehensive sex education reduces the incidence of teen pregnancy. However, Tom Prichard of the Minnesota Family Council noted, "We don't say use 'safe drugs,' we don't say use 'safe cigarettes,' we don't say use 'safe alcohol.'"<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> State<br>
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<b>Sex Ed: Too Much, Too Early, Too Together</b><br><br>
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Several Shakopee parents were upset by what they believed to be inappropriate sex education classes that were administered to sixth-grade children. The parents were concerned about the anatomical detail of the class and the fact that boys and girls were taught the material together. "These are children who in the morning were watching cartoons and in the afternoon were talking about STDs," said parent Giovanni Massard. Said district superintendent Jon McBroom, "We do the (curriculum) at a time when there are changes for young people."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Shakopee<br>
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<b>No "God-Given Rights" or "American Exceptionalism"</b><br><br>
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An administrative law judge ruled against a group of Minnesotans who had challenged the state's new social studies standards. The plaintiffs objected that the standards left out such concepts as "God-given rights" and "American exceptionalism." Defenders of the new standards said that such concepts were not widely supported by the social studies community. Judge Barbara Neilson ruled that as long as there was some "rational basis" for what was included in the standards, they were legally acceptable. She also noted, "It is inevitable that there will be disagreement between people about the content that should be included in academic standards, particularly where...the subject matter involves such controversial topics as economics, history, government, and 'human' geography."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> State<br>
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<b>"Story of Stuff": Biased</b><br><br>
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<em>The Story of Stuff</em>, a video focusing on the negative effects of human consumption, stirred up controversy in Missoula County. Mark Zuber's daughter was in one of the classes to which the video was shown. Mr. Zuber was angered by the video because it attacked corporations and contained "not one positive thing about capitalism." Mr. Zuber said that failing to provide a balance violated the district's standards on bias, and the school board voted 4-3 in agreement. Other people, however, argued that the video filled wide gaps in environmental education. "Frankly, a lot of the textbooks are awful on the subject of the environment," said Bill Bigelow, curriculum editor of <em>Rethinking Schools</em>.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Missoula<br>
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<b>Draft Social Studies Standards Disputed</b><br><br>
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Debate broke out when drafts of potential state social studies standards were accused of excluding "American exceptionalism" and including incorrect uses of terms like "democracy" and "republic." Nebraska Board of Education member John Sieler said, "We need to specifically reject this concept that all ideas are equal or all cultures are equal." Donlynn Rice, curriculum director for the state, responded, "We certainly want students to be aware there are many different cultures both in our country and across the world." American exceptionalism was eventually incorporated into the standards, and they were approved.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> State<br>
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<b>No Multicultural Views on Statutory Rape</b><br><br>
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Sex educators in Clark County were told to rewrite and replace a teachers' guide on statutory rape which was voted down by the school board 4 to 1. The guide called for the teaching of different points of view on the subject, such as perspectives from other cultures where older men marry younger women. Some school board members stated they had no problem with the topic of statutory rape being discussed, but did have a problem with children engaging in some discussions about it. "I certainly want them to know about statutory rape...but we're not comfortable with them participating in the suggested discussions," said board member Ruth Johnson.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Clark County<br>
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<b>Choose Your Own Curriculum</b><br><br>
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The New Hampshire Legislature overrode Gov. John Lynch's veto and enacted a law allowing parents to object to any part of a school's curriculum. According to the law, the objecting parent(s) would be responsible for paying for alternative lessons. The bill's sponsor, Rep. J.R. Hoell (R-Dunbarton), argued that the law could defuse heated controversies, such as disputes over reading material or sex education, by allowing people to choose the curricula that they want. Opponents argued that the bill would be unworkable. State Democratic Chairman Ray Buckley said that the bill would "end education in New Hampshire as we know it, allowing children to be removed from any lesson their parents choose."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> State<br>
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<b>No Candy in Safe-Sex Kits</b><br><br>
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At Monadnock Regional High School, officials banned the distribution of safe-sex kits after officials discovered that they included flavored lubricant, condoms, and candy. The candy was especially troublesome to district officials, as it had not been agreed upon, and its inclusion could perceived as encouraging sexual behavior. Susan MacNeil, director for the group that distributed the kits, said the candy was included because it "can help to break the ice when discussing a subject that might otherwise be uncomfortable." MacNeil's group was eventually banned from the schools.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Monadnock Regional<br>
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<b>IB Preserved</b><br><br>
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The International Baccalaureate program, depending on whom you ask, is either a great curriculum or a United Nations-backed effort to make all children "world citizens." Based on the latter belief, legislation was pushed in New Hampshire that would have prohibited school districts from implementing the program. "Do you want children to be indoctrinated to be world citizens or do you want them to be residents of this state and this country," said Rep. Ralph Boehm (R-Hillsborough), the bill's sponsor. Countered John White, a resident who testified against the legislation, "IB emphasizes critical thinking and writing skills. It insists on scholarship. It offers vibrant programs in language, history, and mathematics, hardly the stuff of subversion." The bill failed.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> State<br>
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<b>Dodgeball Too Violent</b><br><br>
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The Windham school board voted to eliminate dodgeball and similar "human target" games on the grounds that they are too violent and, as "elimination" games, do not keep kids sufficiently active. "We spend a lot of time making sure our kids are violence free," said Windham superintendent Harry LaBranche. "(Playing these games) seems to be counter to what we are trying to accomplish with our anti-bullying campaign." Board member Dennis Senibaldi, who opposed the ban, said, "We have rules that are set in place to deal with bullying. We don't need to ban an entire round of games just to enforce those rules."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Windham<br>
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<b>Conservative Values Essay Contest Panned</b><br><br>
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Students at Pierda Vista High School were invited to enter an essay contest (that would also count for class credit) in which they would have to write in support of either "marriage being between one man and one woman," or the need for "unborn children" to have "respect and protection." The school's promotion of the contest caused a student to complain to the ACLU. "It was a tactic to shape students' political views," said ACLU attorney George Bach. Notification about the national contest had been forwarded to all schools by New Mexico's Public Education Department, which routinely sends notices of such contests. However, education secretary Veronica Garcia said that the state allows local officials to determine the propriety of any contests before those officials pass the information on to students.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Farmington<br>
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<b>Veterans and Memorial Days Stay</b><br><br>
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A proposal that would have ceased mandatory teaching about Veterans and Memorial Day in public schools drew the ire of some veterans. "That's wrong," said World War II veteran Sam Stia. "We are just giving our flag away and our patriotism away." The goal of the legislation was to allow districts to control their own curricula. "I don't think the state should be in the business of telling districts every single thing," said state Senator John Adler (D - 6th Dist), sponsor of the bill. The effort failed.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> State<br>
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<b>Obama Song Called "Indoctrination"</b><br><br>
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When video of Burlington Township elementary schoolers singing a laudatory song about President Barack Obama--set to the tune of "Jesus Loves the Little Children"--emerged, a national furor arose over political "indoctrination" of children. Among the things celebrated in the song were Obama's support for "equal pay" legislation and his "great plans" to fix the economy. "We don't want to praise this guy like he's a god or an idol or a king or anything like that," said parent Jim Pronchik. Parent Andrea Ciemnolonski, however, was unconcerned. "It was Black History Month...It was something for the kids to celebrate," she said. The video inspired protests both for an against the song and nationwide debate.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Burlington Township<br>
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<b>Sex Ed Program Leads to Hacking, Stake-Burning Cartoons</b><br><br>
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The Clearview district was roiled over a sex ed program that had upperclassmen teach sex ed--including birth control and sexual harassment--to freshmen. Opponents of the program said parents were given insufficient information beforehand about what the program entailed, and some said the curriculum shortchanged abstinence. Supporters argued that the program was necessary to educate kids about the dangers of sexual activity, and that kids tend to listen more to other kids. The controversy eventually led to accusations of hacking against the website of a parent group opposed to the program and halted the publication of an edition of the high school newspaper which had a cartoon of an educator being burned at the stake.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Clearview Regional<br>
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<b>Textbook Too Conservative?</b><br><br>
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Kearny student Matthew LaClair raised concerns about the AP American government textbook his school used. LaClair complained that the book <em>American Government</em> by James Wilson and John Dilulio had a strong conservative bias. "I just realized from my own knowledge that some of this stuff in the book is just plain wrong," he said, including discussions of climate change and school prayer that downplayed the climate-change threat and the ability of students to pray in public schools. Wilson responded in a <em>Los Angeles Times</em> op-ed, noting that some material LaClair and others found objectionable had been taken out of context, and some was from old editions of the book that did not reflect more recent events and edits.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kearny<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
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<b>War Crimes "Trial"</b><br><br>
|
||
A war crimes "trial" for President George W. Bush was staged in a Parsippany High School classroom. Many people thought that the trial was inappropriate. "We're polarizing people in an area that we shouldn't be," school board member Frank Calabria said of the class project that had been approved by the school's principal. Parsippany Mayor Michael Luther, a Democrat, agreed, saying that it "breeds disrespect to accuse the commander-in-chief of being a war criminal." The president of the Parsippany teachers' union, however, said that administrators in the district who were criticizing both the project and the teacher in charge, Joseph Kyle, "just couldn't take the heat."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Parsippany-Troy Hills<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Slavery Lesson Offends</b><br><br>
|
||
Coinciding with Black History Month, a lesson plan for middle schoolers called on students to take on the roles of either slave owners or abolitionists and to create posters supporting their positions. Most offensive to many observers was a poster that read "Slave on the run, $1,700 reward to catch the Negro." School officials maintained that the object of the lesson was to raise student sensitivity about slavery, but many people nonetheless found the project offensive and demanded a public apology from the teacher who created it.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Penns Grove-Carneys Point<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Template to Challenge Accepted Science?</b><br><br>
|
||
At the request of the state school board, the Ohio Department of Education created a nine-page "Controversial Issues Template" designed to facilitate debate about scientific theories. Deborah Owens Fink, a board member, spoke in defense of the template. "Science is the process of inquiry and open discussion on any issue," Fink said. "True scientists don't mind debate and discussion." Lawrence Krauss, a physics professor at Case Western Reserve University, spoke in defense of evolution, global warming, and stem cell research, which were thought to be the targets of the template. "They are not controversial from the view of science," he said. He added that if every issue with uncertainty were debated, nothing would get taught. The template was not enacted.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Parental Consent Required for PG-13/R Movies</b><br><br>
|
||
Only three weeks after banning PG-13 and R rated movies--a result of parental complaints about in-class showings of <em>Glory</em>, <em>Saving Private Ryan</em>, and <em>Schindler's List</em>--the Marysville School District revised the temporary policy. Larry Zimmerman, the district superintendent, introduced a new policy requiring students to provide a signed permission slip before they could view PG-13 or R rated movies at school. Camy Cox, one of the leaders of a group of parents working for a stricter policy, criticized the new policy. "Our position is clear: If you're not old enough to see it in a movie theater, why should you be able to watch it at school?"<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Marysville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Court: Teacher Doesn't have Freedom of Speech</b><br><br>
|
||
Tippecanoe High School fired Shelley Evans-Marshall for giving her class an assignment based on the American Library Association's list of "The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books." Evans-Marshall challenged the district's decision to fire her, but a U.S. district court ruled that the district's right to control curriculum outweighed her expression rights. "Only the school board has ultimate responsibility for what goes on in the classroom, legitimately giving it a say over what teachers may (or may not) teach in the classroom," the court said in its opinion. When Evans-Marshall was fired in 2002, over 500 parents and community members had signed a petition in opposition to her use of what they considered to be indecent books.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tipp Exempted<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Porn Research Debated</b><br><br>
|
||
A Brooklyn teacher gave students an assignment requiring them to research the internet porn industry and relate their reactions to what they found. Several parents felt the assignment was inappropriate for high school freshmen and complained to school officials. After receiving the complaints, Brooklyn schools superintendent Jeff Lampert cancelled the assignment. By then, though, word of the assignment had gotten to the media, and it spurred days of intensive debate and news coverage. Lampert was not happy that the issue had blown up. "We didn't take this lightly," he said. "We are a partnership. If you have a concern, an issue, call me; call someone in the district."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Brooklyn City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Obama Song = Indoctrination?</b><br><br>
|
||
A video of Sand Hill-Venable Elementary School students chanting "change has come" and "yes, yes we can," shortly after President Obama's inauguration incited outrage when it was posted on YouTube. The video clip aired on many conservative websites and news outlets. Jan Blunt, a spokeswoman for the school district, said that the district received death threats in response to the video. "This was not indoctrination. This was a lesson in American history," said Blunt. Loren Lanter, the man who posted the video after obtaining it from a friend, said, "I felt like it was propaganda, and that's my opinion. Here's what your kids are learning."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Buncombe County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>More Climate Change, Less History?</b><br><br>
|
||
North Carolina's 2010 curriculum review involved a possible deemphasis of U.S. history and the introduction of a new course dealing with issues like climate change. Some teachers expressed concern that such a move would leave students with a deficient understanding of history. "If our students don't know what happened in world history, and if they don't know what happened in U.S. history from George Washington's presidency all the way up through the Civil War, then they will not be able to grasp the big picture," said Mike Belter, a history teacher. Rebecca Garland of the Department of Public Instruction said, "We are certainly not trying to go away from American history. What we are trying to do is figure out a way to teach it where students are connected to it." The revised standards that emerged did put an emphasis on environmental literacy, but still included two courses of U.S. history.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Biology Teacher Fired for Bible References</b><br><br>
|
||
Kris Helphinstine, a part-time biology teacher, was fired for including references to the Bible in his biology lessons and for giving a PowerPoint presentation that drew connections between Nazi Germany, Planned Parenthood, and evolution. Helphinstine said he did not teach creationism, but furnished supplemental material to foster critical thinking and give students "accurate information." John Rahm, who had a daughter in Helphinstine's class, became concerned when his daughter said she was confused by the material. "He took passages that had all kinds of Biblical references," he said. "It prevented her from learning what she needed to learn."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Sisters<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Creationism Bill in Oklahoma</b><br><br>
|
||
Oklahoma's Common Education committee passed the Scientific Education and Academic Freedom Act by a 9-8 vote. If enacted, the Act would have allowed teachers and schools to teach alternative theories without facing repercussions. The text of the Act specifically mentioned "biological evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning" as areas subject to debate. Rep. Gus Blackwell (R-Beaver), who introduced the act, insisted that the legislation's focus was not religious. "I proposed this bill because there are teachers and students who may be afraid of going against what they see in their textbooks," said Blackwell. The legislation was not enacted.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Flag-Stomping Teacher</b><br><br>
|
||
Scott Compton, an English teacher at Chapin High School, repeatedly stomped on an American flag as part of his lesson. According to his lawyer, Compton was attempting to demonstrate that the United States is an idea and that the flag is merely a representation of that idea. Mark Bounds, a spokesperson for the district, argued that "our flag is a symbol of our freedom, and so many people have fought and died for that liberty, and so we take this action very seriously." Compton resigned after the district recommended that he be fired. However, the school agreed to pay Compton $85,000 (plus attorney fees) to avoid a legal challenge to the firing.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lexington-Richland 5<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Sex Ed Standards</b><br><br>
|
||
An abstinence-oriented sex education bill passed the House but was killed by the Senate Education committee because of fears the bill would prohibit schools from including lessons on contraceptives. Students on both sides of the issue spoke out. Lincoln High School Senior Daniel Brunz said, "It doesn't make sense to give me a condom and say 'Go get them, tiger.'" Jenny Badger of Riggs High School countered, saying, "There are kids having sex. You can't stop everyone."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Textbook Accused of Anti-Semitic Bias</b><br><br>
|
||
A textbook used by Williamson County schools poses the following question: "If a Palestinian suicide bomber kills several dozen Israeli teenagers in a Jerusalem restaurant, is that an act of terrorism or wartime retaliation against Israeli government policies and army actions?" Parent Laurie Cardoza-Moore called the passage "blatantly anti-Semitic." Mark Freedman of the Jewish Federation said that "creating moral equivalency between specific acts of terror and legitimate territorial disputes that are political in nature serves to legitimize wanton and premeditated violence against innocent civilian victims." Director of Schools Mike Looney said that he does not believe the passage is anti-Semitic when considered in its context. He added, "These are highly intellectual, advanced classes that stretch students' minds...(a) focus on debating sensitive cultural issues is not something new."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Williamson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Tea Partiers Seek Curriculum Changes</b><br><br>
|
||
Members of Tennessee tea party organizations called for changes to laws governing school curricula. The organizations asserted, "Neglect and outright ill will have distorted the teaching of the history and character of the United States. We seek to compel the teaching of students in Tennessee the truth regarding the history of our nation and the nature of its government." For example, the organizations want students to learn that "the Constitution created a Republic, not a Democracy." There is also concern among tea partiers that textbook "portrayals of minority experience...obscure the experience or contributions of the Founding Fathers, or the majority of citizens."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Anti-Americanism in International Baccalaureate?</b><br><br>
|
||
A bill to fund International Baccalaureate programs passed unanimously in the House, but stalled in the Senate. Sen. Margaret Dayton said she was "opposed to the anti-American philosophy that's somehow woven into (the International Baccalaureate) classes." Rebecca Odoardi, director of Davis School District Gifted Programs, said that she has "seen nothing in any of these courses to indicate there would be any anti-American sentiment." The Senate eventually passed a smaller version of the initial bill, and the Senators most responsible for stalling the bill in the Senate changed their minds about opposing the funding. One of them, Sen. Darin Peterson, visited an IB class and said, "If all our local programs are like this West High program, they're actually a very good thing."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Mandatory Flags</b><br><br>
|
||
Sen. Allen Christensen (R-North Ogden) sponsored a bill that would require a displayed American flag and a Declaration of Independence in every Utah public school classroom. "Anything we can do to teach the younger generations to truly revere the flag and at least know something about the Constitution, I would love that," Christensen said. History teacher Mike Leavitt voiced his skepticism. "I don't necessarily believe (the bill's requirements) would raise the level of awareness for patriotism or for our Constitution," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Gun Safety in Schools?</b><br><br>
|
||
A Virginia law directed the state's school board to design a gun-safety curriculum for elementary school students. The law specified that the curriculum would incorporate the NRA's Eddie Eagle GunSafe program. Loris Haas, spokeswoman for the Virginia Center for Public Safety, said, "I personally don't think firearm safety has a place in the schools...That's up to parents to teach at home." The Eddie Eagle website says that the program does not promote firearm ownership or use, but rather treats them as "a fact of everyday life," like "swimming pools, electrical outlets, matchbooks, and household poison," with the goal of "promot(ing) the protection and safety of children."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Students Representing Taliban</b><br><br>
|
||
Principal Chrystal Forrester of Swanson Middle School canceled an assignment that would have asked students to represent the Taliban during a mock United Nations debate. "Recognizing the pain that has touched many of our families and neighbors due to the terrorist attacks...and acknowledging the sensitive nature of the conflict in Afghanistan...we have eliminated this topic," she said. Parent Chris Wilson was pleased with the decision. He was uncomfortable with the idea of his daughter searching the internet for pro-Taliban sites and information, and he questioned the morality of asking students to represent those views. However, another parent felt that the Forrester's decision deprived students of a learning opportunity: "It seems that you could not defend (the Taliban's) actions but understand their motivations," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Arlington County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teachers Disciplined for "Rights" Materials</b><br><br>
|
||
Two Norview High School Teachers were placed on paid administrative leave for showing a video and distributing a leaflet that taught students how to assert their rights in encounters with police. Action was taken against the teachers after a parent complained about the material. "(My daughter) came home recently and said, 'You won't believe what we are learning in government. They are teaching us how to hide our drugs,'" the parent said. School spokeswoman Elizabeth Thiel Mather said the teachers were being investigated for using unauthorized materials. The video's credits cite the Marijuana Policy Project as a sponsor, and the leaflet was produced by Crimethinc, which calls itself a "decentralized anarchist collective."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Norfolk<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Occupy" Song in Elementary School</b><br><br>
|
||
Kid Pan Alley worked with third graders at Woodbrook Elementary School to write "Part of the 99," the lyrics of which clearly promote the "Occupy" movement. School spokesman Phil Giaramita defended the song as the students' own creation, saying, "Students aren't told what to write by either school officials or by the people associated with Kid Pan Alley." However, Kid Pan Alley artistic director Paul Reisler admitted to inserting lyrics related to the "Occupy" movement. Kid Pan Alley clarified its lyrical guidelines and said it "does not promote or condone any personal or political agenda."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Albemarle County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Student Work Submitted to For-Profit Anti-Plagiarism Service</b><br><br>
|
||
Turnitin.com is a website that allows teachers to check for plagiarism in students' work by checking it against a database of millions of student-written papers. A paper submitted to be checked against that database also becomes a part of it. Some students felt that teachers' submissions of student papers to the site constituted a violation of students' rights. "We object to the mandatory use of our intellectual property by this website," said student Ben Donovan. "(W)e have the right to expect that our teachers will not...reproduce (our) papers electronically, especially not for a for-profit internet service." The students lost a lawsuit against the parent company of iParadigms. The judge wrote, "(While) iParadigms makes a profit in providing this service...iParadigms provides a substantial public benefit through the network of educational institutions using Turnitin.com."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fairfax County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Students Sent to White Privilege Conference</b><br><br>
|
||
20 students from the Seattle School District were sent to a conference in Colorado that dealt with the issue of "white privilege." "White privilege" is the idea that white people have advantages over people of color and are insensitive to other cultures. The conference was intended to "examine and explore difficult issues related to white privilege, white supremacy and oppression." In a <em>Seattle Times</em> column, Seattle resident Matt Rosenberg accused the district of "putting retrograde, leftist politics ahead of academics, while the perpetrators of 'white privilege' are minimizing the capabilities of minorities." The trip was funded largely by a federal Smaller Learning Communities grant. Eric Earling, regional U.S. Department of Education spokesman, said that his department questioned whether sending students to the conference constituted an "allowable expense." District spokesman David Tucker said, "We do feel the money was used properly" and that the district would be found to be in compliance with federal guidelines.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Seattle<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Change to Sex Ed Law</b><br><br>
|
||
A new Washington law required sex education classes to discuss contraception as well as abstinence. Rep. Shay Schual-Berke (D-Normandy Park), a sponsor of the bill, felt that the state's abstinence-only curriculum was "subjecting too many of our students to misinformation," such as the idea that condoms are ineffective. However, others, like Kayla Fisher of the pro-abstinence organization AWARE, felt that a comprehensive sex ed curriculum would send the mixed message of "here are the condoms...here is how to do it." The controversy continued after the bill became law because of an $800,000 federal grant that came with the condition that the money be used for abstinence-only sex education. Washington's new sex ed law made the state ineligible to receive the money. Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe did not regret the changes enacted by the legislature. "I'm not chasing the dollar...The state of Washington made its decision...If the federal government will not agree to that and will not fund it because we aren't doing (abstinence-only education), I guess that's too bad," she said. LeAnna Benn of the abstinence-only advocacy group Teen-Aid was disappointed with the state's decision to push forward despite the loss of federal funds. "What message are we sending if the funding for encouraging (teenagers) to wait is cut, but increases are given to programs promoting contraceptive services and sexual orientation?" she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Abstinence-Only Sex Ed Returns</b><br><br>
|
||
The Wisconsin legislature revived a policy that would allow schools to teach abstinence-only sex education. The bill would not ban teaching about contraception, but would require teachers to emphasize abstinence as the only reliable way to prevent pregnancy and STDs. Sen. Mary Lazich, a chief architect of the bill, hoped that it would give local officials more control over the curriculum. "Values differ among school districts...Curriculum in Madison might not be best for Superior," she said. "We are trying to back away from...sex ed that was too nonjudgmental, too explicit, and at too young an age," explained Sen. Glenn Grothman." Parent Syte Reitz supported the bill, saying, "Self-control has served as the foundation of our society...Abstinence training works, but you have to train them." Sen. Jon Erpenbach felt that the bill would leave young people uninformed and unprepared. "What we're about to do is take a huge step back...We're taking a step back to the Flintstone era," he said. High school senior Ani Djaferian appreciated her comprehensive sex education. "Without our schools educating, my peers will turn to Google searches and gossip for answers regarding very serious matters," she said. Other opponents of the bill noted the empirical success of comprehensive sex education in reducing Milwaukee's teen birth rate. After it passed both houses, Gov. Scott Walker signed the bill into law.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Textbooks Offer Incomplete History?</b><br><br>
|
||
A Milwaukee Public Schools review committee recommended that some elementary school textbooks be dropped because they offered an incomplete and perhaps "whitewashed" history of the United States. For example, the textbooks may have lacked sufficient discussion of topics like slavery, racism, and anti-Semitism. Teacher Sherri Jones was disappointed that the "textbooks don't teach about social movements and how change really happens in America." However, she added, "The textbook is not the entire curriculum...Most teachers have to supplement. I don't rely on the textbook; I'm always trying to provide a balance of reading material." Columnist Eugene Kane felt that the focus on the textbooks was excessive. He agreed with Jones's distinction between a textbook and the curriculum as a whole. He also noted, "It's more important to get MPS students performing at their required reading levels before worrying about the content of history books they can't comprehend."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Milwaukee<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Middle School Assembly Features Pledge to Obama</b><br><br>
|
||
Many parents in attendance were outraged when a Hudson Middle School assembly for Peace One Day--a day intended to promote "global unity"--featured a video of several celebrities pledging to "be of service to Barack Obama." Said a district statement apologizing for the showing of the campaign-style video, "The reason the video was used was to show students small ways to make a difference in their communities. Unfortunately, the video also had a political slant." The district vowed not to show the video again.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hudson<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Reimagined <em>Goldilocks</em> Prompts Complaint</b><br><br>
|
||
Miguel Velez's third-grade son was assigned <em>Goldilocks and the Cops</em>, a play in which the titular fairy tale character is arrested for vandalism and breaking and entering. Velez said that the story is offensive to police and contains language that is inappropriate for third-graders. "I think that the story, within itself, had a total disrespect for parenting," Valez added. He complained to school officials and attempted to distribute copies of the play to parents as they picked up their children after school (the latter action, to Velez's embarrassment, attracted attention from school security officers). Principal Gail Kulick said that the play is meant to engage students and provoke critical thinking. "We are already competing with trying to keep their attention," she said. Kulick also explained that Goldilocks is arrested in the story because "she broke in and she vandalized, which is breaking the law."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> East Stroudsburg<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Freedom or Religion?</b><br><br>
|
||
Rep. Stephen Bloom (R - Cumberland) proposed legislation that would explicitly allow students to critique scientific theories including evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning. "In the real world, outside of academia, scientific theory is up for all kinds of argument...I don't think it's right to exclude any particular kind of argument prima facie. If a student wants to discuss a criticism, he or she should be able to," said Bloom. However, the National Center for Science Education criticized Bloom's proposal as being "anti-science." The NCSE and other critics argued that the legislation could open the door to the teaching of religious ideas like creationism and intelligent design in public school classrooms. "We do think that ultimately some teacher somewhere or students...will bring religious doctrine into public school classrooms," warned Andy Hoover, legislative director for the Pennsylvania branch of the ACLU.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Hammer and Sickle March</b><br><br>
|
||
The New Oxford High School Marching Band put on a halftime performance titled "St. Petersburg: 1917." As part of the performance, band members carried giant hammers and sickles. Some parents were outraged by the apparent commemoration of the Russian Revolution and the display of communist symbols. "I am sure the millions who died under communism would not see the joy of celebrating the Russian Revolution by a school 10 miles from Gettysburg...It would be tantamount to celebrating the music of 1935 Berlin," said an angry parent who asked not to be identified. Superintendent Rebecca Harbaugh said that the performance was "not an endorsement of communism at all." "I'm sorry that somebody took the performance in that manner," she added. Later, because "many people expressed concerns about the show," Harbaugh apologized for the performance, and significant changes were made. The show's new title would be "The Music of Shostakovich," and there would be no more displays of communist symbols.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Conewago Valley<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Move to Comprehensive Sex Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
The Pittsburgh school board voted 8-1 to replace the district's abstinence-only sex education curriculum with a more comprehensive program that includes discussion of contraception and alternative lifestyles. The decision came in response to a petition signed by nearly 720 residents who demanded comprehensive sex ed for students. Supporters of the change, including the NAACP, the Pittsburgh AIDS Task force, and New Voices Pittsburgh, argued that students would be safer if they were better informed about sex. As Oliver High School Senior Towan Hall said, "It's OK to talk about abstinence, but let's make sure it's more than that." Board member Randall Taylor voted in favor of the change because he felt that students were "desperate...for correct information." Some parents disagreed with the change. "This is a matter that should be kept in the hands and guidance of (the community's) parents," said one of those parents, Renee Lau. The only board member to oppose the switch, Mark Brentley Sr., said that the district had not garnered enough input from clergy and the public.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pittsburgh<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>International Baccalaureate on the Ropes</b><br><br>
|
||
With one school board member asserting that the International Baccalaureate program violates "Judeo-Christian" values, the Upper St. Clair district cut the program. IB is coordinated by the International Baccalaureate Organization in Switzerland and is generally considered very rigorous. Numerous residents begged the district to reinstate the program. Eventually, a group of parents sued the district and the five board members who had voted to cut the program. The parents claimed that the board members had axed IB to retaliate against residents who had opposed those members' election to the board. The parents also claimed that the members wanted to impose their religious and political beliefs on the district. Soon after, the board reinstated the program for at least two years. However, board president William M. Sulkowski said, "This agreement does not imply that the board's February 20 decision was erroneous...If the special interests of this community are unwilling to accept the change for which the people of Upper St. Clair voted, costs will continue to rise unchecked, taxes will continue to rise and our property values will decline."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Upper Saint Clair<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>9/11 Hijackers = "Freedom Fighters"?</b><br><br>
|
||
Students in a class at Lumberton High School were told to refer to the 9/11 hijackers as "freedom fighters." In addition, students were instructed to call the Holocaust an "ethnic cleansing" rather than a "genocide." Parents were also upset when a photo of students wearing burqas in class surfaced. However, student Madelyn LeBlanc felt sorry for her teacher. "At the very beginning she said she didn't want to teach it but it was in the curriculum," LeBlanc said. Another student recoiled at the idea that he would have to call the hijackers "freedom fighters." "Why do we have to call them that? That makes (what they did) sound okay, and it's not," he said. The teacher had no answer for him, other than to say the curriculum had to be learned for end-of-year testing. Regarding that curriculum, Madelyn's mother April said, "It's scary what they're teaching my daughter...How did our superintendent let this slip through the cracks?" However, the superintendent, John Valastro, defended the lessons. "We're trying to teach kids to discern for themselves that one thing can be called many different things...We might see it as terrorism, but from the Islamic side they might call it jihadist or freedom fighter," he said. Valastro used the Boston Tea Party as an example. "We were revolutionaries, but on the British side of the ocean we were destroying their content and they saw it as a terrorist attack."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lumberton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Quiz Blames U.S. for 9/11?</b><br><br>
|
||
Kara Sands's fifth-grade son received a quiz which asked, "Why might the United States be a target for terrorism?" The correct choice on the multiple choice quiz was, "Decisions we made in the United States have had negative effects on people elsewhere." Sands was appalled by the quiz. "I'm not going to justify radical terrorists by saying we did anything to deserve that; over 3,000 people died," she said. Sands met with her son's principal and contacted Safari Montage, the makers of the quiz and the video that the quiz covered. Safari Montage said they had already changed the quiz, but they stood behind the video. "In fact, the video was generated to convey a patriotic message, explaining the events of 911 (sic) and the way we memorialize it," said a statement from the company.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Flour Bluff<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Graphic Middle School Sex Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
Many parents were upset by a new sex education curriculum that they felt was too graphic for 12-year-olds. "I started looking at the curriculum and I got this sense of dread...I thought, 'oh my gosh, what is that they are putting in front of our kids?'" said parent Christine Kalmbach. "They're teaching them oral, anal, and vaginal sex...They're teaching them all kinds of sex. They're not focusing on abstinence," said Mayte Weitzman, another upset parent. Some parents supported the program. Tanya Manjarrez said, "Children now a days are having babies at 12 and 13 so they need to know...We have to give them that info. They need to be aware as much as it may hurt us, but they need to be aware." In response to parental concerns, the district revised the curriculum. The revisions included moving some materials into older students' lessons.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cypress-Fairbanks<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>CSCOPE Curriculum Controversy</b><br><br>
|
||
Texas's adoption of the CSCOPE curriculum system became controversial when parents began to identify aspects of CSCOPE lessons as being anti-American and pro-Islamic (however, one investigation of CSCOPE actually found a pro-Christian bias in the lessons). One lesson referred to Boston Tea Party participants as terrorists. As part of another lesson, students were asked to draw a flag for a new socialist country. Parents also disliked the fact that the lessons could not be made public because of intellectual property concerns. "The parents in my district are livid about the CSCOPE lesson plans that have been given to their students and their children," said State Board of Education member Geraldine "Tincy" Miller. The controversy around CSCOPE led Texas to discontinue its use of the program's lessons. Thomas Ratliff, vice chairman of the Board, opposed the decision. "I value and trust the professional staff and locally elected school boards to reflect the values and priorities of their local communities. This looks like a slippery slope to Internet filters, censorship, and other limitations on teachers in the classroom," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>More Parental Rights, or Less Learning?</b><br><br>
|
||
The state enacted a bill allowing parents to remove their children from any classes or lessons they felt might be "harmful" for reasons including sexuality, violence, or vulgar content. Said Senate President Russell Pearce (R-Mesa), "The bottom line is, there's a fundamental right to parenting." Senate Minority Leader David Schapira (D-Tempe) worried that the bill would enable parents to excuse their children from lessons about such topics as war. "It would create situations where we can have parents out there who are censoring kids from things that I think are very important to learn about our nation's history," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Creationism Bill Defeated</b><br><br>
|
||
Several Colorado Republican representatives sponsored a bill that would have afforded legal protections to schools and teachers that discuss creationism in the classroom. "(The bill) simply provides legal protections to those teachers who would like to provide their students with a complete education on both the strengths and weaknesses of these hotly debated scientific subjects," said Rep. Stephen Humphrey (R-District 48). Critics of the bill felt it was a backdoor attempt to promote the teaching of creationism. "The bill looks innocuous enough when you read it...but when you look beneath the surface it's pretty obvious it's...allowing science teachers to teach creationism and deny global warming," said Rep. Claire Levy (D-District 13). The bill was killed by a vote of the House Education Committee. However, the discussion continued. For example, months after the bill was defeated, Jessica Crane, a candidate for Montrose County School District Board, argued for creationism's inclusion in the curriculum. "I think it's part of science," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teaching Fermentation, or Boozing?</b><br><br>
|
||
A Ralston Valley High School teacher taught students about beer brewing and offered them extra credit for touring the Coors brewery. The teacher's goal was to help students understand fermentation. Parent Adrienne Moerz was not happy. "Their judgment isn't always what it should be at this age," she said. "I don't see any reason to teach a 15 year old the steps in brewing alcohol." The synopsis for the assignment attempted to deal with that concern, stating that "in no way does this assignment promote the use of alcohol, but rather a deeper understanding of anaerobic respiration." District officials said they would review the assignment.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jefferson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Students Taught to Surrender Rights?</b><br><br>
|
||
As part of a civics lesson, a fourth grade class at Cedar Hills Elementary School was instructed to write down the sentence, "I am willing to give up some of my constitutional rights in order to be safer or more secure." Parents Amy and Aaron Harvey were shocked to find the paper in their son's backpack. "According to the children, (the teacher) spoke the sentence and they had to write down what she said," explained Aaron. "I don't believe that any American or American child should be asked to write this." District superintendent Nikolai Vitti issued a statement explaining that the students had been engaged in a lesson about First Amendment rights. However, Vitti acknowledged a "possible concern" with one of the activities students were asked to do.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Duval County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Textbook Muslim Bias?</b><br><br>
|
||
People who believed that Volusia high schools were using a world history textbook that indoctrinated students with pro-Islamic content protested outside Volusia school board headquarters. "It's not an anti-Muslim issue," said activist Rick Sarmiento. "It's an anti-indoctrination of our youth regarding a religion that calls for the demise and destruction of America." Volusia superintendent Margaret Smith said that "we do not teach religions; we teach about religions." Meanwhile, Stetson University religion professor Phillip Lucas said protestors were likely "partisans of Christianity" who felt "threatened if a course is not taught with an anti-Islam or anti-Hindu slant."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Volusia County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Too Young for Sex Ed?</b><br><br>
|
||
Chicago Public Schools adopted a policy by which students begin sex education in kindergarten. "It is important that we provide students of all ages with accurate and appropriate information so they can make healthy choices in regards to their social interactions, behaviors and relationships," said Barbara Byrd-Bennett, CPS CEO. Under the new policy, kindergartners will learn about inappropriate touching and feelings. Starting in fourth grade, students will learn about puberty and HIV. Parent Melissa Diebold did not "think it's age appropriate. They have no concept of anything like that at that stage in life."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teacher Investigated for Sex Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
Biology teacher Tim McDaniel came under the scrutiny of the Idaho Professional Standards Commission over allegations he had taught sex education and information about birth control, shared confidential student files, told inappropriate jokes, and showed a video clip depicting a genital herpes infection. "As a parent, I want to be notified in advance that this content is going to be taught in class," said Katie Norman, one of the parents whose complaints led to the investigation. Said McDaniel: "Since I started working here about 17 years ago, I agreed to teach about the reproduction system because I was comfortable with it and (the health teacher) wasn't...This is the first time someone has objected to the material." Superintendent Neil Hollingshead said, "It is highly unlikely (the investigation) would end with his dismissal...Maybe a letter of reprimand from the school board." McDaniel said he would not sign such a letter because he had "done nothing wrong."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dietrich District #314<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Governor Bashes Zinn</b><br><br>
|
||
The revelation of emails between former governor Mitch Daniels and his staff prompted allegations that Daniels favored suppressing some viewpoints in schools. Of particular concern, according to an email Daniels sent to the Associated Press, were books authored by controversial historian Howard Zinn. "Zinn, by his own admission a biased writer, purposely falsified American history. His books have no more place in Indiana history classrooms than phrenology or Lysenkoism would in our biology classes or the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' in world history courses." Some were skeptical of Daniels's defense. "It is astonishing and shocking that such a person is now the head of a major research university, making decisions about the curriculum, that one painfully suspects embodies the same ignorance and racism (his) comments embody," said Cary Nelson, former president of the American Association of University Professors. Daniels admitted that he wanted to keep Zinn out of K-12 classrooms, but denied allegations that he sought to suppress academic freedom at the university level.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>National Science Curriculum Suit</b><br><br>
|
||
Citizens for Objective Public Education filed a lawsuit to stop Kansas from using multistate science standards that treat evolution and climate change as key scientific concepts. The organization's lawsuit was joined by 15 parents who want their children to believe that "life is a creation made for a purpose." Said attorney John Calvert, "The state's job is simply to say to students, 'How life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it.'" According to the suit, the new standards would force Kansas public schools to promote a "non-theistic religious worldview" in violation of the First Amendment. Joshua Rosenau of the National Center for Science Education disagreed with that perspective. "They're trying to say anything that's not promoting their religion is promoting some other religion," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Sixth Graders Learn about Jay-Z</b><br><br>
|
||
Sixth graders at Desoto Central Middle School spent several days learning about rapper Jay-Z. Some parents were upset about the school's choice of subject matter. "One of the songs listed on the paper that (my son) brought home was 'Big Pimpin'…Another song talked about thug life. My child was getting an education about thug life," said a concerned mother, who wished to remain anonymous. The mother contacted the school, but she felt that her concerns were dismissed. "They said the point of the assignment was because Jay-Z is successful...I asked him what that had to do with anything...Let's talk about somebody that is a success that has done good things--not thug life things," said the parent. The child's father explained his concerns in a letter to the school district. "(T)his page represented this thug in a positive way and calls him successful. Success to me doesn’t mean demeaning women, glorifying drugs and violence and flaunting money. Success should be about living decent and having respect for themselves and others," the father wrote. Regarding the school's decision to teach about Jay-Z as a role model, the mother said, "It really makes me want to either send (my son) to a private school or home school."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> DeSoto County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Curricular Flexibility or Backdoor Creationism?</b><br><br>
|
||
Rep. Frank Hoffmann (R-West Monroe) sought to pass a bill that would have shifted the responsibility for selecting textbooks from the state to the school districts. "We are asking school systems to meet certain standards...If we are putting those requirements on them, we need to allow them to do what they think is right to meet those goals," he explained. Some believed that the bill was an underhanded attempt to promote creationism. "Hoffmann continues to carry water for the Louisiana Family Forum, an out-of-the-mainstream group that opposes the teaching of human evolution...(The law) would...open the door to local boards to try to interject pseudoscience and creationism into the public classroom," said Charles Kincade, an attorney and ACLU member. The bill passed the House, but the Senate changed the bill's wording such that it would merely commission a study to examine Louisiana's textbook selection and approval processes. That bill became law.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Sex Ed by Opt-In Only</b><br><br>
|
||
Gov. Steve Bullock (D) signed a law changing the way Montana's schools deliver sex education. Previously, all students--except for those who had been opted out of sex education by their parents--received sex ed. Under the new law, parents who want their children to receive sex education will have to opt their children <em>in</em> to the lessons. Supporters argued that parents have the right to make decisions about the sexual education of their children. "What this does is it really protects the kids by forcing them, in a sense, to go to their parents and doing this opt-in," said Sen. Edward Walker (R-Billings). The superintendent of Helena Public Schools, Kent Kultgen, expressed concern. "If it's all opt-in, I do believe we're going to miss some of those students whose parents probably aren't offering that education, but yet aren't involved enough to give that opt-in letter," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>NRA Program for First Graders?</b><br><br>
|
||
Gov. Jay Nixon (D) signed a bill which allows schools to teach the NRA's "Eddie Eagle GunSafe" program to first graders. "There are too many kids who grab the guns and kill their cousins. I agree, I think they should know gun safety. It would be helpful," said parent Cathy Peters. In contrast, Kansas City blogger and mom Aimee Patton wrote, "I don't have a gun. My family doesn't have a gun. There is no reason for them to be teaching about gun safety when there are children with parents like me." She also objected to GunSafe program on the grounds that it "embeds the NRA into our Missouri Schools."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Mayor Bloomberg: Test Topic?</b><br><br>
|
||
A city-created exam administered to seventh graders asked students to read one of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's speeches and write about whether his career has been defined by success or failure. Some teachers and parents felt that the question unfairly put students in a difficult position, since Bloomberg is ultimately in charge of the city's schools. "It seems to be putting the kids in a weird, compromising position," said a Queens middle school teacher. Others feared the question was intended to promote the mayor to students. Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott defended the question. "You're asking our students to think critically about individuals and to write an essay...I mean, I'm not sure what the issue is. The mayor's not grading the test," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Anti-American Homework?</b><br><br>
|
||
Eighth-grade student Amanda Fisher felt that her homework had an anti-American bias. When she showed the worksheet to her parents, they were similarly distraught. The worksheet seemed to criticize the United States' use of nuclear weapons during WWII. "As if somehow the Japanese were the victims and the United States had no right to do what they did...It totally takes away from the sacrifices made by their generation and we won't stand by and not say something about it," said Amanda's mother, Sarah Fisher. "But even now, people are still dying from the effects of the atomic bomb...The effects were so awful it is necessary to ask the question, 'Why did the US drop the bomb when the war was nearly over?'" read the worksheet's instructions. Students were also given an assignment in which they were asked to write an argument "which you hope will stop the bombing." "We do think many public schools lean left--that they take history and put a liberal twist on it," said Sarah Fisher. The school did not respond to requests for comment.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Victor Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Secular Science Standards Prevail</b><br><br>
|
||
South Carolina's Board of Education approved new science standards. The standards sparked some controversy because they are entirely secular and make no provision for the teaching of intelligent design as an explanation for the origins of life. Deb Marks of South Carolina Parents Involved in Education derided the new standards. "This, in effect, seeks to indoctrinate rather than inform...Therefore, that is not objective education," she said. "Where is the opening for people who believe to stick by their beliefs, but at the same time show that they understand what you’re trying to teach them, but not necessarily adopting what you’re trying to teach them?" asked board member Raye O’Neal Boyd. College of Charleston biology professor Robert Dillon defended the secular science standards. "I have heard today that we scientists have a materialistic bias, that we are functionally materialistic...We are absolutely materialistic. Guilty as charged," he said, explaining that science deals with material facts, not religious or philosophical questions. Board member David Longshore did not view the standards as being antagonistic toward religion. "I don’t see science as competing with religion...It’s simply saying, based on what you observe, what conclusion can you make."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Pledge Cancelled over Fed Shutdown</b><br><br>
|
||
On October 7, 2013, Alliance High School Principal Pat Jones cancelled the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance because the federal government was partially shut down over a budget impasse. Jones apparently cancelled the Pledge to draw attention to the shutdown, and district superintendent Troy Unzicker said, "There were some positive aspects that came out of (skipping the Pledge)." However, the district heard heavy criticism from parents. One parent said that her son stood up in class and recited the pledge on his own. Unzicker stated that dropping the Pledge "is not something we will do again."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Alliance<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Freeze" Position Rebuked</b><br><br>
|
||
A group of parents with children at White Rock Elementary School strenuously objected to a position students were told to take to calm them down.The parents complained that the position, in which students have to put their hands on their knees, is "almost pornographic." Parent Heather Neuman also complained that the order "freeze with your hands on your knees" was "borderline militarization and unjust." The school agreed to stop using the position, and the parents moved their sites to the entire Folsom Cordova district. The district did not ban the practice elsewhere.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Folsom Cordova<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Disputed Treatment of Islam</b><br><br>
|
||
The state board of education cancelled a planned review of a dozen textbooks that conservative groups targeted as too friendly to Islam. State Superintendent Tommy Bice said he would examine the books and report back on his findings. Said Bice of the concerns, "It's not necessarily inaccurate information but possible perceived omissions and terminology that was not strong enough." Among the complaints coming from ACT! for America, one of the groups objecting to the texts, is that too much space is devoted to Islam. "Why is so much text devoted to Islam," said ACT! for America founder Larry Houck. "It appears to be a deliberate effort to proselytize for Islam."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Global Warming "Comprehension"</b><br><br>
|
||
Fifth graders at Fremont Elementary School were assigned a reading that portrayed the United States as largely underwater in 500 years due to human-induced global warming. It also asked students to answer, "How could the problems have been avaoided?" The assignment elicited national condemnation from conservatives who saw it as politicized, but the district insisted the reading was not intended to push global warming concerns. Priscilla Straughn, a district curriculum specialist, said the assignment was about "comprehension" with science fiction, and nothing more.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jefferson County<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b>7-year-old's Poem Offends</b><br><br>
|
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A 7-year-old girl's recitation of her poem--in which she condemned white nationalism and called people like Christopher Columbus and Charles Darwin "pirates" and "vampires"--prompted Peekskill City Schools officials to apologize to district parents. "We had a lot of kids who were really upset," said Superintendent Judith Johnson. However, the poet, Autum Ashante, made no apologies for her recitation: "I don't think there's anything wrong with my poem. I was trying to tell them the straight-up truth." The teacher who had invited Ashante reported that the child was "unofficially" banned from performing in the district again, on account of her controversial recitation.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Peekskill<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Pledge of Allegiance Given Short Shrift?</b><br><br>
|
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North Collins Central School Board member Rosemarie Troidl resigned after the rest of the board refused to require that elementary students recite the Pledge of Allegiance in unison. The students recite together an entire "character pledge" but only do the first line of the Pledge of Allegiance together. Superintendent Ben Halsey said the Pledge is done everyday, just not in its entirety over the school's loudspeaker so that students can recite at their own pace. Ms. Troidl and 250 people who signed a petition asking that the policy be changed said that they merely wanted the Pledge of Allegiance to "be given the same amount of respect as the character pledge." Troidl determined, however, that the district would not change its position. "Where's the democracy there?" she asked.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> North Collins Central<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Yearbook Hitler Quotes</b><br><br>
|
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Reportedly on a whim, two students at a Long Island high school submitted quotes from Hitler to go into the school's yearbook, and classmates lobbied to keep them in the book despite the yearbook advisor counseling against it. Once published, the quotes were condemned by Rabbi Ian Silverman of the East Northport Jewish Center, who said, "This is offensive not only to Jews but to all Americans." The principal of the school apologized for the quotes.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Northport<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Rosary Beads and Gangs</b><br><br>
|
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Raymond Hosier was suspended from Oneida Middle School because he wore rosary beads in violation of the school's dress code. The code prohibits the wearing of the beads because they are sometimes used as a gang symbol. For Hosier, however, wearing the beads was how he chose to honor his deceased brother and uncle. A settlement was eventually reached in federal court, with the district agreeing to pay $25,000 in damages, legal fees, and costs. The district also agreed to clear Hosier's record.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Schenectady City Schools<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Hitler Costume</b><br><br>
|
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When 16-year-old Walter Petryk wore a Hitler costume for Halloween, he knew it would be controversial (he wore a Charlie Chaplin outfit on his way to school to avoid trouble), especially in the heavily Jewish neighborhood surrounding Lean M. Goldstein High School. Naturally, school administrators also concluded that the costume would be controversial and demanded that he remove it. Petryk refused, saying that he intended to lampoon Hitler. Petryk also argued that being forced to remove the costume would be a violation of his free expression rights. He wore the costume again the next day in defiance of school administrators. Abraham Foxman, director of the Anti-Defamation League, took issue with Pretyk's expression argument. "This is not innocent First Amendment advocacy," he said. "He knew this outfit would offend and hurt and maybe even incite by the fact that he didn't wear it on the subway." The following year the district forbid students from wearing costumes.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Suspension for Bullying Video</b><br><br>
|
||
High school student Jessica Barba was suspended because of the video she created for an anti-bullying class project. The video's depiction of a 12-year-old girl's suicide caused at least one parent to complain to police. The district argued that the video created a "disruption." Barba contended that both the video and its accompanying Facebook page explained that the material was fictitious. Nonetheless, Barba was suspended for five days.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Longwood Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Obama Poster</b><br><br>
|
||
An oversize portrait of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama, with Dr. Martin Luther King and other black historical figures looking down at the future president, was removed from the entryway of Middle School 61 at the behest of the school district. The district maintained that the display constituted political favoritism. Teacher Asher Rison argued that the display merely "gave images of hope. It wasn't about politics."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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<b>Pledge Demanded</b><br><br>
|
||
Joe and Winnie Fischer found out their children did not recite the Pledge of Allegiance at PS 29 in Brooklyn. The parents immediately went to the school's principal and asked that the recitation of the Pledge be instituted. The school acquiesced. However, not everyone was happy with the change. One father worried that his children would be harassed for not saying the Pledge and called the in-school recitations "social coercion." Another parent argued, "One of the best things about New York City is the diversity, and I think having the Pledge in school could make kids from other countries unsure of their place here."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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<b>Teachers Endorsing Obama</b><br><br>
|
||
During the 2008 general presidential election, the United Federation of Teachers handed out thousands of pro-Obama campaign pins to members, prompting the district to remind teachers that staff were not permitted to wear the buttons at school. The union objected that that directive violated political speech rights, while the district maintained that teachers politicking in the classroom was unacceptable. A federal judge ultimately ruled that the district had the authority to set policy in this area but must "not take a sledgehammer to freedom of expression."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>"Vagina" Prohibited</b><br><br>
|
||
Three girls were temporarily suspended after saying the word "vagina" at a forum hosted by the John Jay High School literary magazine. The girls had read from the play <em>The Vagina Monologues</em>. According to school officials, the students were not suspended for saying "vagina," but rather for having done so after telling administrators that the word would not be used. That was insubordination, according to school officials, who feared small children who were not yet able to handle the word would be in the audience. After the fracas garnered national attention--including that of <em>Monologues</em> author Eve Ensler--district officials lifted the girls' suspension.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Katonah-Lewisboro<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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||
<b>Censoring Yearbook Jokes</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Hunter College High School threatened to sue the school in May after advisors cut jokes in the yearbook that had typically accompanied pictures of student clubs. School officials had the yearbook's printer excise the jokes because they could have been considered offensive. Students maintained that that decision violated their First Amendment rights. "My concern is that they are going too far," said editor Netta Levran. "It's not just the jokes but the bigger issue of losing something that makes Hunter unique," she explained.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Speaker Deemed Poor Role Model</b><br><br>
|
||
When a Brooklyn high school cancelled a speech by Lynne Stewart--the lawyer convicted of relaying messages from jailed bombing mastermind Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman to his followers--students at the school decried it as a violation of free speech. "The students wanted to hear what she had to say," said Gardith Edouard, president of the school's student government. Department of Education lawyers defended the decision on the grounds that Stewart was "not the type of role model that we would want to have speak to children."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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||
<b>"Hi Haters"</b><br><br>
|
||
Ten-year-old Remoni Tufono wore to school a shirt with a picture of Barack Obama and the phrase "hi haters." He was asked to either remove it or turn it inside out. "This is free speech. We live in America. That's what it's all about," said Remoni's Mom, Deminica. Assistant Superintendent Philip Alfano said "It's kind of a gray area. I don't think it violates our dress code directly. I think it's the word 'hate.'" Alfano said, "I did encourage mom to look at a more positive message--a picture of Obama and maybe the word 'change' for example. That would be appropriate for a fourth-grader."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Patterson Joint Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>"Jesus Freak" T-shirt</b><br><br>
|
||
Redwood Middle School student Toni Kay Scott was suspended for wearing Tigger socks and a denim skirt, and her sister was disciplined for wearing a "Jesus Freak" T-shirt. Another student was disciplined for wearing a breast cancer awareness pin. "We should be able to show everyone who we are and have a way to express ourselves," said Toni Kay. Her mother sued the school district over its prohibition of denim, stripes, and logos. "This is a public school and we are the public...The students have rights and those rights need to be heard," she said. On behalf of Scott, the ACLU sued the district. Napa County Superior Court Judge Raymond Guadagni ruled that the students "established a substantial likelihood of prevailing on their constitutional and statutory claims" and the district announced that it would drop its ban of clothing with non-solid colors, words or symbols. It continued to insist, however, that the original ban was both legal and appropriate, maintaining that the code helped to impose safety and discipline at the school while limiting gang-related distraction.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Napa Valley Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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||
<b>American Flags vs. Cinco de Mayo</b><br><br>
|
||
On Cinco de Mayo, Live Oak High School principal Nick Boden sent students home for wearing American flag-themed T-shirts. Boden felt that the apparel might set off conflicts on a day that is special to Mexican-Americans. Morgan Hill Unified School District superintendent Wesley Smith said, "The incident on May 5...is extremely unfortunate. While campus safety is our primary concern and administrators made decisions yesterday in an attempt to ensure campus safety, students should not, and will not, be disciplined for wearing patriotic clothing." A federal court eventually ruled that the principal did not violate the speech rights of three students who sued, and in 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case. In 2014, a protest to end the ban - and a counter-protest - continued the fracas.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Morgan Hill Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Anti-abortion around the School</b><br><br>
|
||
As students arrived for class at a Rancho Palos Verdes middle school, two anti-abortion activists drove around in trucks adorned with images of aborted fetuses. The photos depicted first trimester aborted fetuses and the word "choice" in quotation marks and big block letters. The activists aimed to inform people of "the reality of abortion." Assistant Principal Art Roberts said that he had to discourage a group of boys from throwing rocks at the truck. Roberts called the police, who ordered the activists to leave the area. In response, the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform sued the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department and school officials for violating the pro-life activists' 1st Amendment rights. "It is the off-putting speech that needs protection, otherwise there is no need for the 1st Amendment," said Robert Muise, a lawyer for the Center. A federal appellate court ruled in favor of the Center, noting that free speech cannot be limited based on listeners' reactions to the content.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Los Angeles Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Anti-gay T-shirt</b><br><br>
|
||
When Tyler Chase Harper wore a T-shirt that said "Homosexuality is shameful," he started a legal firestorm. The District asked Harper to remove the potentially inflammatory shirt. Harper said that doing so would violate his freedoms of religion and expression. In April 2004, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided 2 to 1 that the Poway dress code prohibiting students from wearing clothing with hurtful or potentially disruptive sayings was constitutional. In May, action took place on another suit Harper had launched against the district, this time accusing school administrators of acting improperly when they removed him from class for wearing the shirt. Poway Schools attorneys were feeling especially boxed in: The district recently lost a case brought by two homosexual students who accused school leaders of doing too little to fight harassment. "We are being sued for stopping it and we are being sued for not stopping it," lamented Poway Schools lawyer Jack Sleeth. In 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court turned down Harper's case, ruling that the by-then graduated plaintiff had lost his standing.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Poway Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Benching "Freedom for Iran"</b><br><br>
|
||
The ACLU filed a lawsuit against the San Diego Unified School District after La Jolla High School administrators painted over the words "Freedom for Iran" and other sayings written on benches on school grounds. Students regularly paint the benches with messages like "happy birthday." School administrators painted over political messages deemed too negative and not about school students or activities. In February 2012 the school rewrote its speech policy as part of a settlement with the ACLU, allowing speech as long as it is not obscene, libelous, slanderous, or a threat to disrupt school operations.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> San Diego Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
||
<b>Bike Flag</b><br><br>
|
||
Middle school student Cody Alicea was asked to take an American flag off of his bike after some students complained. The Alicea family felt that the school's action violated freedom of expression and wanted to meet with school officials. After being contacted by a local news station, the school superintendent decided to allow the student to keep the flag on his bike, but noted that the district's main priority is keeping children safe.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Denair Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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||
<b>Both Positive and Negative Speech?</b><br><br>
|
||
Students in many Sacramento-area schools were disciplined in the last week of April 2006 -- the same week that other students were participating in a "Day of Silence" to support gay and lesbian students -- for wearing T-shirts expressing disapproval of homosexuality. "I want other people to know the truth," said Anna Choban, a San Juan High School sophomore who was punished for refusing to take off a shirt with an anti-homosexual saying. San Juan High Principal Dave Terwilliger defended his decision to discipline Choban. "We celebrate the multicultural nature of our school, and an anti-gay or anti-lesbian T-shirt we don't find particularly tolerant," Terwilliger said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Sacramento Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Burning Flag in Newspaper</b><br><br>
|
||
The final issue of Shasta High School's student newspaper contained a picture of a flag burning and an editorial defending it as constitutionally protected speech. Principal Milan Wollard called the issue "embarrassing" and decided to discontinue the student newspaper. Responded editor-in-chief Connor Kennedy, "I find it terribly ironic a high school newspaper would be shut down for exercising free speech--particularly when the curriculum being taught was that this was free speech."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Shasta Union High School District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Censorship through Reassignment?</b><br><br>
|
||
"In a span of four months, they all but stripped me of my professional existence," said Darryl Adams, who was removed from his positions as newspaper advisor, basketball coach, and football game announcer after he refused to obey his principal's order to remove an editorial from the student newspaper. In response to administrators reassigning and disciplining journalism teachers due to articles in student publications, California passed a bill prohibiting administrators from retaliating against employees who support student speech that administrators dislike. State Senator Leland Yee, who proposed the bill, argued, "Allowing a school administration to censor in any way is contrary to the democratic process and the ability of a student newspaper to serve as the watchdog." Administrators, however, believe they need to be able to maintain discipline in their schools. "(We) have heard numerous situations whereby a teacher has used poor judgment under the guise of freedom of speech," said Laura Preston, legislative advocate for the Association of California School Administrators. "The school principal must be able to utilize discretion when coming in contact with these situations."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Sacramento Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Cyber-bullying Suspension</b><br><br>
|
||
At Beverly Hills Middle School an upset and humiliated 8th grade girl cried in counselor Janice Hart's office, saying that she couldn't possibly go to class. The night before, a classmate and a group of other 8th graders had posted a YouTube video calling her "spoiled," "a brat," and "a slut." After consulting with the district's attorneys, school officials cited "cyber-bullying" concerns, and punished the girl who posted the video with a two-day suspension. That student took the case to federal court, claiming that the district had violated her free speech rights. A U.S. District judge ruled in her favor, saying that "to allow the school to cast this wide net and suspend a student simply because another student takes offense to their speech, without any evidence that such speech caused a substantial disruption of the school's activities, runs afoul (of the law)."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Beverly Hills Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Fetus T-shirt</b><br><br>
|
||
On "National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day," a 7th grade girl wore a pro-life shirt with two pictures of fetuses and the words "growing, growing, gone." According to Mark Thiel, one of the girl's lawyers, the images were the same as those in a science textbook. No students complained about the shirt, but she was taken to the office and forced to change it. The school alleged that the girl had violated the school's dress code, which bans clothing with "suggestion of tobacco, drug or alcohol use, sexual promiscuity, profanity, vulgarity, or other inappropriate subject matter." In response, the girl's mother sued the school district for violating her daughter's First Amendment rights. The district paid $50,000 in August 2010 to settle the lawsuit.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Merced City School District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Keeping Logos Little</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Grossmont High School are no longer allowed to wear clothing with logos more than two inches in height. According to Principal Theresa Kemper, the ban aims to make the school safer and help students focus on their studies. Senior Jeff Walker and his father oppose the ban. "Instead of doing the work and saying, 'You can wear this, you can't wear that,' they just say you can't wear anything...In a way, it's laziness on their part," said Jeff Walker. His father, David Walker, said that the dress code takes away his discretion as a parent. "I understand what they're trying to do...But in order to get rid of the gang clothes or the baggy pants, their blanket rule has been overly restrictive," he said. Sophomore Vanessa Barnes said, "We should be able to decide what to wear and not let other people decide."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cajon Valley Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Metal Mulisha Clothing Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
The Metal Mulisha clothing company threatened to sue several California school districts after they banned its clothes. "When you look at the symbols, obviously they're identical to Nazi symbols," said Karen Parris of the Murrieta Valley Unified School District. "Students are threatened by that and our main goal is to provide a safe learning environment." The company argues that the ban violates free speech rights, among other things.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Riverside County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Flag Displays</b><br><br>
|
||
On the heels of the troubles in the Oceanside Unified School District, many California schools took extra precautions to guard against immigration protest-related disturbances. At Fallbrook High School, this allegedly led to sophomore Malia Fontana having an incident report placed in her file because she had a flag in her back pocket. Flags, she was told, had been prohibited at the school because they were being used to inflame animosity generated by the protests. Viewing this as a violation of her right to free speech, Malia's mother contacted the American Civil Liberties Union, which demanded that the school stop "censoring" student flag displays and remove the incident report from Fontana's file.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fallbrook Union HS District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Speak English Editorial</b><br><br>
|
||
The Novato High School newspaper published an editorial by student Andrew Smith where Smith wrote that any Latino who could not speak English was probably illegal and should be taken in for questioning. The school did not discipline Andrew, but following complaints the principal removed the article from circulation, held an assembly for parents and students, and sent parents a letter saying that the editorial violated school standards and should not have been published. Soon after, Andrew said he was physically attacked on campus. Andrew sued the district for violating his First Amendment rights. A Marin County judge rejected his claims, but an appellate court ruled in his favor, declaring, "A school may not prohibit student speech simply because it presents controversial ideas and opponents of the speech are likely to cause disruption." The district's lawyer argued that the ruling "greatly curtails the ability of school administrators to deal with incidents of violence which may be caused by students exercising their free-speech rights." The state Supreme Court rejected the district's request for an appeal.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Novato Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Speech vs. Truancy</b><br><br>
|
||
A lunchtime confrontation between police and Oceanside High School students who were trying to leave school to join late-March immigration protests culminated in 224 suspensions. In April, the National Lawyers Guild said that the suspensions were illegal because many of the students were charged with truancy, which according to the state Education Code cannot be punished by suspension. Oceanside superintendent Ken Noonan disputed the Guild's accusation, saying that the students were suspended for defiance of authority, not truancy. Regardless, Kate Yavenditti of the Guild's San Diego branch asserted that the issue was ultimately much more basic: "Really what they're doing is punishing kids for political speech and political actions."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Oceanside Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Parents Not Notified of Teacher's Sex Change</b><br><br>
|
||
Over summer vacation a Foxboro Elementary School music teacher underwent gender reassignment surgery, becoming a man. Many parents were upset and wanted to know why the district did not notify them. "All the information came straight from our kids and didn't come from the school board or the teachers...this has all been second-hand information," parent Melissa Oiland said. Superintendent Kate Gavlak said, "I understand what parents are saying, but...we have a legal obligation...to protect our employees." Parent Angela Weinzinger and fifteen other families transferred their children out of the music class and into a physical education class. "I wasn't given the opportunity to make a choice on what I wanted to do with the situation," Weinzinger said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Travis Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>T-shirt vs. "Aliens"</b><br><br>
|
||
In June 2006 high school senior Joshua Denhalter sued the Jurupa Valley Unified School District after he was suspended for wearing a T-shirt with a picture of Uncle Sam and the words "Illegal Aliens We Don't Want You!" and for handing out fliers about an off-campus rally on the same subject. His actions were in response to a school-sponsored assembly Denhalter felt had turned into a rally supporting immigrant rights. Denhalter believes his free speech rights were violated by the school. "The question you have to ask yourself is this: What is the 1st amendment worth to you?" District officials, however, saw the situation much differently. "This district is concerned with safety and security of students first without regard to race or point of view," said Superintendent Elliott Duchon. A district court initially upheld Denhalter's 1st Amendment rights, but the 9th Circuit Court later overturned the decision.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jarupa Valley Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Uniforms: Achievement vs. Expression</b><br><br>
|
||
The Fresno Unified School District decided against school uniforms at Bullard High for the 2011-2012 school year. Some parents wanted to opt out of their children wearing uniforms, while others felt that it would make the school safer and could boost academic achievement.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fresno Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Uniforms: Order vs. Expression</b><br><br>
|
||
As the Pittsburg and West Contra Costa school districts prepared to institute school dress policies in the 2006-07 academic year, opinions differed about the value and appropriateness of uniforms. Proponents argued that uniforms helped to curb violence and eliminate visible distinctions between rich and poor students, and cited a recent study that suggested uniforms raised graduation rates in Ohio. Sociologist David Brunsma, in contrast, argued that the uniforms would at best mask behavioral problems and social distinctions, and would violate kids' rights to free expression. "It's about much more than clothing kids," he told the Contra Costa Times. "It's about the rights of children."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pittsburg Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Armbands vs. Dress Code</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2006 numerous parents and students in the Watson Chapel district complained that the district's dress code was too restrictive and arbitrarily enforced. In October of that year, several students planned to wear black armbands protesting the policy. The district punished students who wore the armbands, and three students and their parents filed suit. In October 2007 a U.S. District judge ruled against the plaintiffs, saying the policy is constitutional because it is not intended to prohibit free speech. In September 2008, however, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that ruling, saying the punishments violated the students' First Amendment rights. In March 2009 the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case, allowing the appeals court's ruling to stand.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Watson Chapel<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Free Speech or Truancy?</b><br><br>
|
||
When an early afternoon march to protest proposed changes to federal immigration laws had students marching down a main thoroughfare, several Springfield residents called city hall to complain that students should be in school. Despite the fact that they were exercising their free speech rights, several students who took part in the march were cited for truancy.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Springdale<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Eagle Feathers in Grad Caps</b><br><br>
|
||
In mid-May, Native American students slated to graduate from Westwood High School were told that they would be prohibited from attaching eagle feathers to their graduation caps. This notice ignited a dispute between the school district, students, and the Salt River Prima-Maricopa Indian Community. The students wanted to wear the feathers because they considered doing so a rite of passage. District spokeswoman Kathy Bareiss, however, said that no graduating student would be allowed to wear anything showing affiliations or cultural associations because the graduation ceremony was intended "to honor all of the academic achievements of the whole class and not an individual affiliation." This policy was reversed after two days of negotiations. Mesa Superintendent Debra Duvall explained that she changed her mind because "this is a time-honored tradition...bestowing this feather is a designation of a major event, or a significant event, in the life of that individual." That decision, however, left other people unhappy. After the reversal was announced, school board member Rich Crandall complained that he feared the decision would let students display all kinds of symbols at graduation.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Mesa<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Forced Flags and Documents</b><br><br>
|
||
An Arizona law passed in 2007 required every public classroom to display an American-made American flag and historical documents. This put a financial burden on some school districts and some parents believe the law "is going overboard" and will not help students to learn more. This law affected not only K-12 schools, but also state colleges.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Republicans Hate Latinos"</b><br><br>
|
||
In May, Farmworker's Union activist Delores Huerta delivered a speech at Tucson High School. In that speech, she said "Republicans hate Latinos." That statement elicited an immediate response from many Republican state legislators. They suggested that the Tucson Unified School District might be "brain-washing" students. Defenders of Huerta's appearance responded by noting that the First Amendment protects freedom of speech and by suggesting that state legislators stay out of local affairs.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tucson<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Students' Religious Liberties Act</b><br><br>
|
||
In the wake of at least two high-profile incidents of Arizona public schools curbing religious expression, Rep. Doug Clark (R-Anthem) introduced the Students' Religious Liberties Act, which would prohibit schools from curbing religious expression if similar secular expression is allowed. "I'm not asking for special treatment," Clark said. "If the school has a policy that says 'no jewelry' or 'no insignia,' then that's fair.'' But, he argued, if secular expression is permitted, religious expression must also be allowed. Opponents feared that the legislation could legalize intimidating speech. "If someone wears a shirt that says that being gay or lesbian is an abomination, that is a direct attack on individuals,'' said Rep. David Schapira (D-Tempe), who opposed the legislation. The measure failed in 2008 but was reintroduced and signed by Governor Jan Brewer in 2009.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Bong Hits 4 Jesus</b><br><br>
|
||
On January 24, 2002, Juneau-Douglas High School senior Joseph Frederick refused to take down a sign which read, "Bong Hits 4 Jesus." The sign was displayed at a school-sponsored event. Frederick was not on school property, but because the event was school-sanctioned, Principal Deborah Morse felt that she had no choice but to punish Frederick for refusing to drop the sign (which appeared to endorse illegal drug use). Frederick, however, saw Morse's actions as a violation of his free speech rights. The case was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, which on June 25, 2007, ruled 5-4 against Frederick, finding that school districts can prohibit students from displaying messages that might promote illegal drug use. In November 2008 the school district settled with Frederick, agreeing to pay him $45,000 for claims not heard by the Supreme Court and to spend as much as $5,000 to hire a constitutional law expert to chair a forum on student speech.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Juneau<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>ACLU Deters Social Media Rules</b><br><br>
|
||
When Manchester interim superintendent Richard Kisiel proposed guidelines for employee social media use, it caught the ACLU's attention. The policy, which would ban posts the that district felt interfered with district work, harassed coworkers, or were otherwise problematic, was seen by the ACLU as likely to infringe on free speech rights. Said Quinnipiac University law professor William Dunlap, "I'm sure that board is acting in good faith in trying to prevent inappropriate interaction between teachers and students and other potential problems....It will be extraordinarily difficult to fashion effective rules that focus only on the problem speech without infringing on constitutionally protected speech."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Manchester<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Who Can Speak on Sexual Orientation?</b><br><br>
|
||
A Connecticut high school had a preacher critical of homosexuality speak after originally prohibiting her. The preacher came to provide the counterargument to the national "Day of Silence," which encourages respect and openness toward the gay community. Danbury High School Principal Catherine Richard initially rejected the request because she felt it would detract from school being a place where every student "can feel valued and wanted." But after the family that requested the speaker threatened to sue, the district relented. "The Day of Truth is to show love and compassion...and another point of view if they are willing to listen," said student Rosemary Shakro, who requested the speaker.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Danbury<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Class Officer's Negative Blog Punished</b><br><br>
|
||
Writing on her blog, Lewis S. Mills High School student--and class officer--Avery Doninger called school administrators "douchebags" for not allowing a battle of the bands to be held in the school's auditorium the day it was originally scheduled. The school removed Doninger from the next class election. Doninger sued on the grounds that her free speech rights had been violated. Especially because the post was written off school grounds Doninger believed her speech was protected. Two federal courts disagreed, ruling that the speech occurred in her capacity as a school officer, and her words could be disruptive. "We do not conclude in any way that school administrators are immune from First Amendment scrutiny when they react to student speech," wrote the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 2011. But, according to the court, the student's words were "potentially disruptive to student government functions."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Burlington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Bush = Hitler?</b><br><br>
|
||
When teacher Jay Bennish compared President George W. Bush's rhetoric to Adolph Hitler's, and said capitalism was "at odds with human rights," he likely did not know that student Sean Allen was recording him. When Allen's recording got out, Bennish found himself on administrative leave. The appearance, at least, was that he was being punished for saying unpopular things. However, district spokeswoman Tustin Amole announced that "this is not a free speech issue....It's about whether (Bennish) provided sufficient balance." A little more than a week after being put on leave, Bennish was reinstated, but not until the incident had set off a nationwide debate that highlighted schools' difficult task of balancing radical viewpoints with freedom of speech.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Aurora<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Camouflage Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
With immigration protests occurring all over the country, principal Myla Shepherd of Shaw Heights Middle School in Westminster banned all patriotic clothing at her school, including camouflage pants, believing that such clothing could instigate trouble. Shepherd said the move was precipitated by the arrival of about twenty students at school one day who were wearing camouflage jackets and pants, which she believed were intended to express some kind of controversial patriotism. "Safety is my first concern, so I'm going to do things to keep us from getting to a point where anybody is hurt or being suspended for fighting." Many parents and community members immediately protested the move. Eric Golgart, whose eighth-grade daughter was threatened with suspension if she did not change her clothes, organized a petition and rally against the ban. In doing so, he said he "was just standing up for the rights of every American."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Westminster<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Peyton Manning's Gangland Number</b><br><br>
|
||
In anticipation of professional football season, several students in Weld County began wearing Peyton Manning's number 18 jersey to support the Broncos. However, that conflicted with the county's policies prohibiting the wearing of the numbers 13, 14, 18, 31, 41, and 81, which are associated with gangs. Prohibited from wearing the jerseys, several students and their parents protested. Said one mother: "I'm pretty upset the schools have come down to this and I think they need to start paying attention to the education the children are getting rather than what they're wearing." In response, district spokesperson Roger Fiedler said, "We're Broncos fans ourselves; it has nothing to do with that. We're just wanting to set a consistent, solid example."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Weld County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Christian Valedictory</b><br><br>
|
||
Lewis-Palmer High School co-valedictorian Erica Corder was denied her diploma until she formally apologized for delivering an unvetted graduation speech in which she urged her classmates to explore Christianity. Though she sent an email to the student body explaining the situation and subsequently received her diploma, Corder filed a lawsuit. She argued that her free speech rights had been violated. Federal circuit judges dismissed the suit, and the Tenth Circuit Court upheld that decision. The Supreme Court refused to hear the case.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lewis-Palmer<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Free to Express Model Ambition?</b><br><br>
|
||
Sydney Spies, an 18-year-old high school senior, submitted a photo of herself to the high school yearbook. In the photo, Spies wore a thin black shawl, a yellow skirt, and a good deal of bare skin in between. Though the yearbook editors voted to keep the picture, school administrators thought it was inappropriate and in violation of the school dress code, so they censored it. Spies stated, "I really enjoy photography, and I think that this is a good thing to represent me, and I think they are taking away my freedom of expression." Spies continued to send more modeling photographs. None of the pictures were accepted by the yearbook staff, which eventually said that the deadline to submit photos had passed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Durango<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Patriotic Obama Critique?</b><br><br>
|
||
Daxx Dalton, a fifth grader at Aurora Frontier K-8 School, arrived at school wearing a homemade shirt that read, "Obama is a terrorist's best friend." The school encouraged kids to wear patriotic clothing, and Dalton's father, Dann, was the one who came up with the idea and the slogan. When asked by the school to turn the shirt inside out or face suspension, Dalton chose suspension. His father responded that "the idea that free speech is in someone else's hands...is just something I am not going to tolerate."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Aurora<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Yearbook Drugs and Alcohol</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2007, the Conifer High School Yearbook published pictures and quotes that displayed student alcohol and drug use. This offended many parents and members of the community. Even though some of the photos were presented in a cautionary context, many students and school officials still agreed that this crossed the line. Principal Pat Termin stated, "The issue quite honestly for me is there are some things in the yearbook that I don't feel like I can defend."In contrast, student Drew Daughtry argued, "It's a student point of view. It's out there. It's a part of life." Termin added that students enjoy free expression rights, except when local or state rules prohibit speech that encourages illegal acts.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jefferson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Guns, Cheerleaders, and the Student Press</b><br><br>
|
||
Some students felt that a skit performed at a pep rally at Nacogdoches HS was inappropriate. The skit featured cheerleaders executing of a rival team along the lines of a classic western. Some students felt the act improperly promoted guns. Indeed, several articles denouncing the skit appeared in the school newspaper. However, those articles were significantly edited by the school's principal, Nathan Chaddick, who defended the skit. "In a public school setting, you can't just publish anything you want to," Chaddick said. "There is going to be some censorship and some editing if there's something that's inappropriate." In addition, he said, "I got one parent who thinks it was so wrong that we had some plastic guns in the skit....I let her know, you're certainly entitled to your opinion and your personal own beliefs. One person's personal agenda is not going to drive what we do here at Nacogdoches High School."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Nacogdoches<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Prison Jumpsuits for Dress Code "Crimes"</b><br><br>
|
||
According to a Gonzales Independent School District policy, those who violated the dress code would be punished by being forced to wear blue inmate-made jumpsuits that are typically used in penitentiaries and mental institutions. While many parents and members of the community support the enforcement of a stricter dress code, there was a significant outcry against the punishment. "They're not little prisoners," complained one parent. Deputy superintendent Larry Wehde said, "We're a conservative community, and we're just trying to make our students more reflective of that." Fleming Terrell of the ACLU of Texas expressed concern. "Public school dress codes should be limited to what's necessary to guard against actual disruption to the educational process and threats to safety...The jumpsuits may be just as distracting as the clothing they're replacing," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gonzales<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Rosary as Gang Symbol</b><br><br>
|
||
Tabitha Ruiz, a 16-year-old high school student, was told that she would not be allowed to wear her rosary in the open at school. The school stated that the rosary is identified as a gang symbol among some Hispanic gangs. Ruiz and her mother filed a suit against the Dallas Independent School District. Her representation stated, "Seagoville High School's denial of Ms. Ruiz's right openly to wear her rosary while at school is a substantial burden on her free exercise of religion." The school board eventually sent a letter acknowledging Ruiz's right to wear her rosary to school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dallas<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Students Fined for Raising Flag</b><br><br>
|
||
Five teenagers, all members or former members of Austin High School's JROTC program, raised a Mexican flag at the school. On the eve of a Fiestas Patrias, the Mexican equivalent of Independence Day, the students raised the flag to show their pride in their heritage and culture. However, the five faced misdemeanor charges and were issued $200 tickets for classroom disruption. This comes in the context of an immigration bill that would clamp down on immigration across the Rio Grande. An HISD spokesperson said "Our number one job is to make sure children learn. In order to do that, children have to follow the rules. If they disrupt the classroom activities, they get a citation for it." The students were ultimately fined.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Houston<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Stars and Bars Barred</b><br><br>
|
||
Harby Junior High School officials confiscated a Confederate flag and a similarly-themed belt buckle from Robert Kaufmann and Marshall Alexander, respectively. Parents questioned why the students could not have Confederate flag items, since the school itself had a display case that held two items with the flag upon them. The items--a pin and a United Daughters of the Confederacy membership certificate--belonged to Grace Ward Harby, for whom the school was named. In an attempt to avoid offending anyone, the school removed the items from the display case. "She wanted those items in that school and she wanted students to ask questions about them so their teachers could teach them about what they meant," said Ron Strybos, who had known Harby. School board president J.B. Hensler said that Harby's family wanted the items to be moved to a local museum.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Alvin<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Marine Uniform at Graduation</b><br><br>
|
||
Rachael James, a senior and U.S. Marine who credits the Marines with turning her life around, requested that she be able to wear her uniform at her high school graduation ceremony. Her request was denied. "I want to walk across the stage in my dress blues," James said. Nonetheless, she decided that she was "not going to fight" the school's decision. Principal Ed Husk, a veteran with 15 years in the service, said military uniforms are "just not appropriate for a high school graduation."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gatesville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Can Students Protest?</b><br><br>
|
||
More than 200 students were arrested after they skipped class to participate in an immigration protest. Police alleged that the students had violated curfew. However, attorneys for the students stated that there was a provision to allow students to violate the curfew in order to participate in free speech activities. The suit against the City of Round Rock and Round Rock School District was filed on behalf of more than 50 students. Round Rock eventually settled the lawsuit by agreeing to pay more than $90,000 in legal fees and expunging the affair from students' records. Students were required attend a three-hour civics seminar. The settlement came after mediation. Mayor Nyle Maxwell said, "This settlement in no way is an admission of wrongdoing by any department."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Round Rock<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Stars and Bars: Purses</b><br><br>
|
||
Two high school students, Aubrie Michelle McCallum and Ashley Paige Thomas, brought into school purses decorated with the Confederate flag. They had received the purses as Christmas presents from their parents. When school officials barred the purses from the school, the two girls sued. "I want to keep going to school and get my education, but this is my life. I was born and raised in the South. Why is the flag so bad?" Paige said. District spokesman Richard Crummel remarked, "We don't want students to wear anything that might cause a disruption, and that symbol has done that in the past." The lawsuit was dismissed by a US District Court in April of 2008.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Burleson<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>T-Shirts Throwdown</b><br><br>
|
||
High School sophomore Paul Palmer wore a shirt emblazoned with the words "San Diego." School officials told him to change his shirt because it violated a school policy against messages displayed on clothing. In response, Palmer changed shirts twice: the first said "John Edwards for President 2008." The second: "Freedom of Speech." The school rejected each shirt, and Palmer decided to take the case to court. Palmer's attorney said, "Our public schools have a responsibility to teach students about constitutional principles not only as part of the curriculum, but also by faithfully applying them." The Fifth Circuit Court ruled in favor of the high school, and in 2010 the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Waxahachie<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Beatles-style Haircut a Disruption?</b><br><br>
|
||
Rather than cut his Beatles haircut, pre-kindergartener Taylor Pugh served in-school suspension for over a month. The Mesquite School Board's dress code banned such haircuts, claiming they were "designed to attract attention to the individual or to disrupt the orderly conduct of the classroom." Taylor's parents initially refused to pin his hair up in a braid, which they said would make his scalp bleed. "I don't think it's right to hold a child down and force him to do something when it's not hurting him or affecting his education," Taylor's father said. The principal of Floyd Elementary School sent Taylor's parents a letter in which the principal threatened to withdraw Taylor from school if he refused to comply with the rules. "Do the parents value his education more than they value a 4-year-old's decision to make his own grooming choices?" asked Mesquite School Board member Gary Bingham. The Pughs eventually pinned Taylor's hair in braids.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Mesquite<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Drug Article Prompts Censorship?</b><br><br>
|
||
McNeil High School principal Cindy Doty recalled the print editions of the school newspaper because of her objections to an article that claimed that the school had a pervasive culture of drug use. Doty argued that the article's assertions were unfounded and dubiously sourced. In an email to parents, Doty remarked, "I found that the content and sources could not be validated, that information from school counselors was misrepresented, and that it was not even known if the students' sources even existed, as the names used were aliases." Some questioned the principal's actions and likened them to censorship. "The picture of a government official collecting newspapers from preventing to be read is a disturbing one," said Mike Hiestand, attorney with the Student Press Law Center. A month later, the article was allowed to run--with an accompanying "factual response" from Doty.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Round Rock Independent School District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Pro-Military T-Shirt Violates Dress Code</b><br><br>
|
||
The daughters of Justin Perez-Gorda, an injured Afghanistan War veteran, wore Homes for Our Troops t-shirts to school to show their support for the organization. Masters Elementary School personnel asked the girls to change and wear something else. The girls' mother, Josie Perez-Gorda, argued, "These guys are fighting for our country and they should be able to wear something that honors their parents, especially if they are wounded." The school district disagreed, saying that the violation of the dress code prompted their decision. "We have a standardized dress code. Had the shirt had a collar, it would have been totally fine," said district spokesperson Aubrey Chancellor.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Judson<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Sagal's Play Dropped</b><br><br>
|
||
Peter Sagal's play <em>Game Theory</em> was initially slated to appear on a test that would be given to students in Texas. While Sagal was pleased that his play would be used on the test, test makers were concerned about the play's use of the phrase "For God's Sake." They sought to censor the phrase, which they felt could be offensive to some people. "I'm a little surprised with this particular phrase, but I guess our testing company was being extra cautious," said Texas Education Agency spokesperson Debbie Graves Ratcliffe. Sagal, on his blog, wrote that Texas had a reputation as being "the state that's leading the charge back into the middle ages in terms of educational standards." The play's use was ultimately scrapped because, as a consequence of the public controversy, students had the opportunity to study the play in advance of taking the test.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Anti-Homosexuality Belief Punished?</b><br><br>
|
||
Fourteen-year-old Dakota Pope was given in-school suspension for voicing his belief that homosexuality is wrong. In German class, the discussion veered towards the subject of homosexuality in Germany. When Pope told his classmate that his Christian beliefs compelled him to believe that homosexuality is wrong, the teacher "started yelling." The teacher had a history of promoting tolerance regarding homosexuality and had previously posted a picture of two men kissing. Pope's mother stated, "He should never have been punished. He didn't disrupt the class. He wasn't threatening. He wasn't hostile. He made a comment to his friend and the teacher overheard it." The district said Pope was not punished for expressing his opinion.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fort Worth<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teachers' and Social Media</b><br><br>
|
||
The Lewisville Independent School District drafted a policy that restricts teachers' use of social media. The policy prohibits employees from criticizing the district and from having an affiliation with the school system on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Some teachers saw the new policy as a violation of their First Amendment rights. However, the policy was prompted by numerous cases of students and teachers having inappropriate relationships. Julie Leahy, staff attorney for the Texas Classroom Teachers Association, said, "We advise (teachers) to delineate between their public and private roles. Most teachers recognize that school districts want to ensure appropriate content." Second grade teacher Angela Armstrong questioned the policy. "Are you really willing to take on the First Amendment of the United States Constitution?" she asked.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lewisville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Cheerleader Won't Cheer Assailant</b><br><br>
|
||
A high school cheerleader, known only as H.S. to conceal her identity, was kicked off her cheerleading squad when she refused to cheer for an individual member of the basketball team. H.S. claimed that said basketball player, Rakheem Bolton, with others, sexually assaulted her. Bolton and the others were indicted by a grand jury for the felony of sexual assault of a child. He was later charged with a misdemeanor for simple assault. A district judge and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals both refused to recognize H.S.'s First Amendment claims. H.S.'s attorney defended his client. "(She) engaged in clear symbolic speech for a moment against a man who has now pleaded guilty to having assaulted her," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Silsbee<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Uniforms in Cape Henlopen</b><br><br>
|
||
With more and more Delaware districts choosing to mandate school uniforms, Cape Henlopen contemplated instituting a uniform policy. Many students resist such policies on the grounds that they violate their freedom of expression, but many educators believe they cut down on discipline problems.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cape Henlopen<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Uniforms in Delmar</b><br><br>
|
||
With more and more Delaware districts choosing to mandate school uniforms, Delmar sent out a survey gauging parental interest in instituting a uniform policy. Many students resist such policies on the grounds that they violate their freedom of expression, but many educators believe they cut down on discipline problems. Delmar adopted uniforms for the 2008-2009 school year.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Delmar<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Uniforms in Indian River</b><br><br>
|
||
With more and more Delaware districts choosing to mandate school uniforms, Indian River sent out a survey gauging parental interest in instituting a uniform policy. Many students resist such policies on the grounds that they violate their freedom of expression, but many educators believe they cut down on discipline problems. Indian River District adopted uniforms for the 2009-2010 school year.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Indian River<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teacher's Facebook Private?</b><br><br>
|
||
High school American History teacher Jerry Buell was suspended after he posted opinions online that opposed gay marriage, calling it a "sin". The 22-year veteran teacher was disciplined after the school system received a complaint. Buell defended himself by saying,"It was my own personal comment on my own personal time on my own personal computer in my own personal house, exercising what I believed as a social studies teacher to be my First Amendment rights." Said Chris Patton, with Lake County Schools, "He has more than 800 friends. How private is that - really? Social media can be troubling if you don't respect it and know that just because you think you are in a private realm--it's not private." Buell returned to the classroom shortly after the incident.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lake<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Bullying or Free Speech?</b><br><br>
|
||
After Springstead High School JROTC student Heather Lawrence berated her classmate for, Lawrence said, not standing up during the Pledge of Allegiance and for wearing a hijab, school officials suspended Lawrence for five days. The district believed Lawrence's actions constituted bullying and harassment. There was some dispute over other potentially offensive comments Lawrence may or may not have made. Her parents were outraged and considered legal action. "You have someone in the States who is able to enjoy our educational and health care systems, yet it's okay for them to be disrespectful, and it's not okay for my daughter to speak her mind. That's her First Amendment right. That's her freedom of speech." The district eventually reduced the length of Lawrence's suspension.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hernando County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No "I Love Boobies" Allowed</b><br><br>
|
||
A Tomlin Middle School student wore a bracelet with breast cancer awareness messages on it, including "I love boobies," and "Keep A Breast." School officials decided that this was too distracting. The student, Frankie Rodriguez, stated that he merely wanted to support family members who have fought breast cancer. "They just took it as sexual, and it wasn't anything like that at all," he said. School spokesperson Linda Cobbe, however, remarked that "the student was disciplined for being disrespectful and inappropriate behavior" because he refused to take off the bracelet when asked. After being threatened with suspension, Rodriguez wore the bracelet no more.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hillsborough County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Evans v. Bayer</b><br><br>
|
||
Katherine Evans created a Facebook page that vented her frustration against one of her high school teachers. The page was named "Ms. Sarah Phelps is the worst teacher I've ever had." Though Evans took it down after two days, the school announced two months later that she would be suspended. Evans took the district to court, claiming that her free speech rights had been violated. The district defended its actions. It argued that Evans had engaged in cyberbullying. Courts ruled in favor of Evans, defending her right to free speech and calling for damages to be paid by the school. The Court also ordered that Evans's record be expunged.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pembroke Pines<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Ray-Hawk Forbidden</b><br><br>
|
||
When seventh grader Zachary Sharples, a diehard Tampa Bay Rays fan, styled his hair in a mohawk like many Rays players and fans, his school gave him the option of shaving it or taking in-school suspension until his hair grew out. The school stated that the dress code bars hairstyles that could be distracting, and though the style was not explicitly mentioned, the district still enforced the policy. Remarked Sharples' father, "He's not a bad kid, he doesn't get into trouble. All you see in the news right now is about the Rays. It's not offensive." Sharples completed his suspension, but moved to another school district a week later.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Alachua<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b><i>Vamos A Cuba</i></b><br><br>
|
||
A book tailored for kindergartners through second graders was banned in Miami-Dade because of its political message, or lack thereof. <i>Vamos a Cuba</i> presents life in Cuba in seemingly pleasant terms, including showing pictures of children celebrating the 1959 revolution with their communist uniforms on. "The Cuban people have been paying a dear price for 47 years for this reality to be known," declared Juan Amador Rodriguez, a former political prisoner who filed the initial complaint against the book. The ACLU sued to lift the ban and won. Said the ACLU's Howard Simon: "I'm worried that this could result in the creation of a road map on how to engage in censorship."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Miami-Dade<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Muslim Advocacy Group Denied</b><br><br>
|
||
A speaker from the Council on American-Islamic Relations addressed history students at Steinbrenner High School. The event was met with loud opposition due to alleged ties between CAIR and terror groups. Randall McDaniels, who opposes the group, said, "We do not have a problem with Islamic groups speaking with students, but we do have an issue with a group connected to terrorism speaking." Others have claimed that this is "fear mongering." Remarked Hassan Shibly, a Florida CAIR member, "This hatred and animosity only shows the importance of reaching out to the community. It's insulting for the students to think that one person can influence their beliefs. It's misleading."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hillsborough County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Islam is of the Devil" T-shirts</b><br><br>
|
||
When Alachua County students went to school wearing shirts that read "Islam is of the Devil," they were sent home. The district asserted that the shirts were offensive and distracting to students, impairing education. The ACLU, however, supported the students and the organization promoting them, arguing that the students had a right to free speech. A U.S. District Court eventually ruled against the students, declaring that the shirts were "not conducive to civil discourse on religious issues; nor...appropriate for school generally."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Alachua<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Big Desk, Little Desk, Pledge</b><br><br>
|
||
When Boynton Beach High School junior Cameron Frazier refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance his teacher demanded that he stand and said: "See your desk? Now look at mine. Big desk, little desk. You obviously don't know your place in this classroom." A few moments later, school officials took Frazier to the principal's office. Frazier, however, was prepared to fight, and the ACLU helped him first to sue the district, then the state Board of Education, so that the state law requiring students to stand for the Pledge could be overturned. Frazier's suit asserted that forcing students to stand conflicts with their free speech and due process rights. In June, a federal judge sided with Frazier.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Palm Beach<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Controversial" Dress Code</b><br><br>
|
||
Superintendent Michael Lannon proposed a dress code for the St. Lucie County district that would ban such items as T-shirts, flip-flops, and hooded sweatshirts. Lannon said his "Dress for Success" guidelines would help kids succeed in school. "I know this is controversial... But I believe every parent wants their child to find success." In 1999, when Polk County schools established an elementary and middle school dress code, parents filed a lawsuit against the district, and St.Lucie students started an online petition
|
||
against the proposed code. The code was eventually enacted.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Saint Lucie<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b><em>Cuban Kids</em></b><br><br>
|
||
Perhaps inspired by the successful effort to remove <em>Vamos a Cuba</em> from district schools, activist David Rosenthal called on the district to remove <em>Cuban Kids</em> as well, another book charged with portraying life in Castro's Cuba as too pleasant. This time, though, the board of education might have dodged a major fight, dismissing Rosenthal's complaint because he lives in Broward County, not Miami-Dade. Rosenthal, however, promised to fight on, saying that the dismissal was a result of "either ignorance on their part or a disingenuous attempt to quash the complaint."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Miami-Dade<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Criticism of Homosexuality Off-Limits?</b><br><br>
|
||
Miami Sunset Senior High starts each day with a student-run television broadcast. One such broadcast featured students and staff giving their views on homosexuality, with a few students and a teacher speaking against it. Teacher Donna Reddick's comments were particularly upsetting for many students. Reddick said that "God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their sexual sins, which included homosexuality." After the views aired district officials began to review their policies on expression, but Principal Lucia Cox nonetheless suggested that the critical comments from both Reddick and the students might have violated board policy because "we separate church and state" and "don't discriminate against sexual preference." Matt Staver, president of Liberty Council in Orlando, had a different viewpoint: "To censor or discriminate against this teacher because her viewpoint is objectionable to some is, in my view, unconstitutional."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Miami-Dade<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Banning "Droopy Pants"</b><br><br>
|
||
Alex Howard, Vice President of the Richmond County Board of Education, received multiple complaints about students wearing sagging pants at football games. Howard consulted the rest of the board to determine whether the district could ban droopy pants. "I want to see if there's anything we can do about it because it's embarrassing," said Howard. In support, students at Cross Creek High School held a "Pull your pants up!" rally. However, said one student, "During school or on an interview or at church, shirt's in, pants pulled up. But if you're out hanging with your friends, you can pull your pants down. You can have your shirt out." The board eventually decided that students would not be allowed to wear saggy pants to football games or other after school events.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Richmond County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Students Protest Uniform Policy</b><br><br>
|
||
Over 1,500 high school students in the Clayton County school district went to school without their uniforms as a form of protest. The district doled out varying punishments, saying that what the students did was "in direct defiance to school-level administrative instructions." Alieka Anderson, the chairwoman of the school board, said that the punishments were a necessary response to the violation of district policy. "It was a board-mandated policy," said Anderson. "It's about student achievement and not what you wear." Many parents were also upset with the uniform policy. Sammy Heath did not want his daughter to be forced to wear a uniform. "I wasn't down with that when they put that up for the vote, but we lost," he said. "I had to buy them so she wouldn't get in trouble." Other parents, however, are happy with the uniforms, arguing that it helps the children focus on their studies.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clayton County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Uniform Policy Abolished</b><br><br>
|
||
South Hall, a public middle school in Gainesville, Georgia, abolished its uniform policy after much debate among parents and teachers. Principal Paula Stubbs said she decided to cancel the policy because she found the administration spending too much time looking for minor infractions and too little time on education. Stubbs also said that surveys showed that only about half of parents and teachers approved of the uniform policy. The school council itself was also split on the issue. "As with every other issue, people were divided," said Stubbs. District superintendent Will Schofield said that although South Hall had made its decision, the district may implement a system wide uniform policy in the future.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hall County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Anti-Gay Editorial in School Mag</b><br><br>
|
||
Kell High School drew significant media coverage when its student magazine, Inkwell, published an anti-gay editorial. The publication of the editorial and the school's defense of the magazine began a debate over whether student-run, taxpayer funded publications should be censored by school administrators. Doug Goodwin, spokesman for the district, said that the administration had reviewed the paper before it went to print and decided to let it run. "Whether the content is popular or not, it's not up to us to decide what runs as long as it's not disruptive." However, sophomore Kurt Webster said of the piece, "it should not have been in the paper. It could hurt people's feelings."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cobb County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Modest" Censorship</b><br><br>
|
||
When East Coweta High School student Justin Jones wrote a provocative parody of the 18th-century essay "A Modest Proposal," and Managing Editor Caitlyn VanOrden wrote a piece criticizing a local beauty pageant, Principal Derek Pitts seized five-hundred copies of the student newspaper. Pitts argued that the school-funded newspaper was too negative, and he wanted to see more positive articles. VanOrden, who resigned her position on the paper, organized a free-speech campaign on Facebook and a First Amendment rally to counteract Pitts' actions.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Coweta County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Flag Mutilation</b><br><br>
|
||
Former Minico High School teacher Dan Luker was charged with "mutilating" an American flag when he threw one on the ground and stomped on it in retaliation for another teacher throwing away a Mexican flag on Cinco de Mayo. Luker said he was reacting to general mistreatment of Latino students at the school. He was charged under a 1981 Idaho statute banning the desecration of American flags, but the charge was eventually dismissed. "The First Amendment is alive and well even in Minidoka County, Idaho," stated Luker's lawyer.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Minidoka County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>MySpace, or SchoolSpace?</b><br><br>
|
||
In May 2006, Community High School District 128 became the first Illinois district to punish students for social network postings indicating that they have participated in "illegal or inappropriate behavior." The district will punish any students participating in athletics, fine arts, or other extracurriculars who are discovered to have participated in illegal or inappropriate behavior, because those students must agree to refrain from such behavior to participate. Sanctions will not apply to them alone, however; the district will investigate all students whose internet activity suggests that they have behaved badly, will inform their parents, and will discipline the students as necessary. "It's called 'MySpace' for a reason, not 'What-I-do-at-school Space,'" objected student Katy Bauschke. At least some parents saw things differently. "If the students are posting it on a public domain, it is open for anyone to read," said Cheryl Chrysler, president of the Cougar Parent Connection at Vernon Hills High School.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Community High School District 128<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Newsletter Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
In May, the Park Ridge Education Association, the Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 branch of the Illinois Education Association, filed suit against the district for prohibiting the union from placing its "Teacher Talk" newsletter in a take-home packet given to students every other Thursday. The union claimed that its first and fourteenth amendment rights were being violated. The district, however, maintained that the take-home packets are intended to include notes from individual teachers and information about school activities and student groups, not political or sectarian messages.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Park Ridge-Niles School District 64<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Blue Hair at Graduation</b><br><br>
|
||
Stephen Mack Middle School eighth grader Madison Smith was told to stay at home during her graduation day ceremony because she had dyed her hair blue. "We are upholding district policy," explained Superintendent Jean Harezlak. Connie Smith, Madison's mother, said that her daughter was a good child and that the school should not have the ability to make such rules. "It should be a parent's choice, not the school's choice, who can have their hair dyed. It's terrible that a couple of adults decide that a girl can work eight years and they won't let her get her diploma."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rockton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Anti-War Protest Suspensions</b><br><br>
|
||
Twenty-five students were suspended from Berwyn High School after staging an anti-war protest. Students also faced expulsion after engaging in a sit-in at Morton West High School. The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, a civil rights group, said that it would consider suing if the children were not allowed back. District spokesperson Dan Proft responded by saying that the dispute was a community issue. "We won't engage these demagogues. We'll engage the parents," he said. The students claimed they had a peaceful protest, but Superintendent Ben Nowakowski said the students were being very disruptive and that some had engaged in "mob activity." "I understand people want to make this about the war in Iraq and the First Amendment--it's not," said Proft. "It is solely an issue of children disrupting the school day."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Berwyn<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Disturbing" Essay Arrest</b><br><br>
|
||
A student at Cary-Grove High School was arrested after he wrote an essay with a reference to a shooting for a creative writing class. Although there were no specific threats, Allen Lee was charged with disorderly conduct after his teacher became alarmed reading the "disturbing and inappropriate" essay. Lee's father was not happy with the decision to arrest him. "We think they have been too harsh," he said. "Every story has two sides." The arrest came two weeks after the infamous Virginia Tech shooting, and some believed the arrest was driven by that. "You have to wonder whether (the charges were) an overreaction, given the events at Virginia Tech," said Ed Yohnka, a representative of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois. Another issue was that Lee was arrested for turning in a homework assignment, something that has historically fallen under "protected speech." Lee was released after police decided he was not a threat.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Community High School District 155<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Gay-critical T-Shirt</b><br><br>
|
||
Two students at Neuqua Valley High School took their school to court to fight a policy that banned shirts saying "Be Happy, Not Gay." The Alliance Defense Fund argued that "the school cannot silence speech merely because some people find it offensive." School district attorney Jack Canna responded that the policy was intended "to preserve the notion that kids shouldn't make negative or derogatory comments about other students." U.S. District Judge William Hart ruled in favor of the high school, but Alex Nuxoll, one of the students fighting the ban, filed for an injunction. In April 2008 the U.S. Court of Appeals reversed Hart's decision. "People do not have a legal right to prevent criticism of their beliefs or for that matter their way of life," said Judge Richard Posner.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Indian Prairie School District 204<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Prom Kilt</b><br><br>
|
||
When William Carruba requested that he be able to wear a kilt to his high school prom to honor his Scottish heritage the Granite City School Board said no because the "nontraditional" garb would violate the district's dress code that required the boy to dress like a man. Carruba eventually accepted the district's order, but not before it set off national debate.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Granite City School District 9<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Girls Hoops Coach Fired for Racy Book on Women</b><br><br>
|
||
Bryan Craig, the head coach of Rich Central High School's girls' basketball team was eventually fired after it was discovered that he had written a book--titled "It's Her Fault"--that included his opinions, among many things, on the vaginal differences between women of different races. Craig sued the district, arguing that his free expression rights were being violated. However, argued parent Dorothy Esco, "That's not appropriate for a high school teacher to be writing stuff like that if he still wants to teach kids and interact with young adults."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"The Teddy Bear Master"</b><br><br>
|
||
The Beard Memorial School expelled four students for making a film about teddy bears attacking a teacher who, among other things, was depicted as exchanging sex acts for extra credit. "They damaged my character as a teacher and a person," said the teacher. The parents of two expelled students– eventually joined by a third student–took the school to court for infringing on their expression rights and won, forcing the school to readmit the students and allow them make up all missed work. The fourth student accepted his expulsion.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> C A Beard Memorial School Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Profane MySpace Postings Protected Speech</b><br><br>
|
||
The principal of the Greencastle Middle School discovered a MySpace page, which erroneously appeared to have been created by him, that included derogatory, profanity-laden postings concerning the principal and the school's policy on body piercings. The principal accused the poster, a female student, of delinquent behavior, and a juvenile court placed her on nine months of probation. The student appealed the decision, claiming that what she posted was protected political speech. A Court of Appeals found that the original judge violated the student's First Amendment rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Greencastle Community School Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Principal Needs Warning of Controversial Piece</b><br><br>
|
||
Woodlan Junior-Senior High School teacher Amy Sorrell was forced from her journalism teaching position because of a pro-gay rights editorial that ran in the student newspaper that she oversaw. School officials--who had reprimanded Sorrell the previous year for an article on teen pregnancy--said the punishment wasn't specifically for the article's content, but failing to show the principal the controversial editorial before it was published. Sorrell eventually agreed to a reprimand from the district and a transfer to another school where should would teach English, not journalism.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Woodlan Junior-Senior High School<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Honking for Peace Gets Teacher Fired</b><br><br>
|
||
Clear Water Elementary School fired Deborah Mayer after she taught her students about the Iraq War and protests thereof. When a student asked about the "honk for peace" movement, she stated "I honk for peace." After she lost her job, Mayer challenged the school district in court, stating that it had violated her free speech rights. "If a teacher can be fired for saying those four little words--'I honk for peace'--who is going to want to teach?" she asked. The court ruled against Mayer, stating a teacher's speech is "a commodity she sells to an employer in exchange for her salary. The Constitution does not entitle teachers to present personal views to captive audiences against the instruction of elected officials." In 2007, Mayer was denied a hearing by the U.S. Supreme Court.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Monroe County Community School Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Uniforms: About Learning, or Control?</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2007 the Indianapolis School District enacted a dress code which required "solid-colored shirts and black, tan or navy slacks" and placed "restrictions on everything from undershirts to shoes." Said Superintendent Eugene White, "this is part of a three-pronged approach for the '07-'08 school year. We're going to change how we act, how we look and, thirdly, how we teach and learn." Some parents agreed that this policy was appropriate: "Children look better, they're more respectful, and they perform better in our classrooms." But other parents felt that the policy kept their children from expressing themselves. "We taxpayers voted this board in, and we can vote them out. This is not about school, it's about control...If this is the new Indiana Public Schools, it's worse than the old one," said one parent.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Indianapolis Public Schools<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pink Mohawk Barred from Basketball</b><br><br>
|
||
When Trevor Foster showed up for his 6th grade basketball tryout with a pink mohawk and a breast-cancer awareness ribbon design on the side of his head--which he wore to support his mother, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer--school principal Cynthia Frost prohibited him from trying out. She suggested he try something more sedate, such as pink socks. After the incident garnered significant public attention, Frost changed her mind. Said Foster's mom, "When parents have cancer we don't really understand what children go through. For him, it was his way of showing support for me all the way."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Stop Bullying? Change Clothes</b><br><br>
|
||
Openly gay student Darnell "Dynasty" Young was expelled after he brought a stun gun to school to ward off bullies. Young claimed he had to bring the stun gun because the school did nothing to stop ongoing harassment. Indeed, according to a suit brought against the Indianapolis School District by Young, the staff at his school told him to change his clothes from his mother's outfits to more stereotypically masculine garb. Young said that that demand violated his free expression rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Indianapolis Public Schools<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Death Threats with Emoticons</b><br><br>
|
||
Three eighth-grade students were expelled after joking on Facebook--their posts included smiley face emoticons--about which classmates they would like to kill. The ACLU sued the Griffith Public Schools on the students' behalf, claiming the punishment violated the students' free speech rights because the posts were not made on school equipment or during school time, and the posts did not cause a disruption in the school. As part of the the settlement that the school reached with the ACLU, the girls were allowed to return to school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Griffith Public Schools<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Tweeted F-Bomb Leads to Expulsion</b><br><br>
|
||
When Garrett High School senior Austin Carroll sent out a tweet containing the F-word, it was the straw that broke the camel's back for the school, which expelled him. Carroll had gotten in trouble previously for using a school-issued computer to send out profanity laced messages, and he caused a stir when he wore a kilt to school. But the tweet that got him expelled was apparently sent at 2:30 a.m. from his own computer, though the IP address was the school's. "If my account is on my own personal account, I don't think the school or anybody should be looking at it," said Carroll.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Garrett-Keyser-Butler Community School District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Can't Afford Dress Code Suit</b><br><br>
|
||
Laura and Scott Bell--the parents of five school-aged children--sued the Anderson Community Schools over a new dress code they said would take control away from parents and violate expression rights. They represented themselves and claimed that when the district asked for a change of hearing venue it overwhelmed them with motions and deadlines. A federal judge eventually dismissed the Bells' claim and ordered them to pay the district $41,000 in court costs. The Bells said they did not have the money and would not pay.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Anderson Community Schools<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Disputed Article on Oral Sex</b><br><br>
|
||
When the Columbus North Triangle--a high school newspaper--ran a story on the dangers of oral sex, School board member Russell Barnard likened the article to something "you might find in a magazine like Playboy or Hustler" and stated that it "should not be in a school newspaper." Columbus North Principal David Clark, while uncomfortable with the subject matter, nonetheless disagreed with Barnard. "If these kids . . . are coming to me saying they know it's a problem then I can't stick my head in the sand," he said. According to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (which gave an Edmund J. Sullivan award honoring "student journalists who have fought for the right to speak their minds" to the Triangle's staff), the row eventually resulted in calls for newspaper adviser Kim Green's resignation, and left "clergymen, community members, and school board members "divided."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gay Prom Attire Worse than Straight?</b><br><br>
|
||
Despite having worn women's clothes to school all year, gay West Side High School student Kevin Logan was kicked out of his prom in May for wearing a dress. District officials said the student was ejected for violating the dress code, not because he was gay. The ACLU of Indiana responded that the ejection was a violation of the student's First Amendment rights. "If my dress was disruptive . . .half of the other females up in there that was half-naked was disruptive, too," said Logan.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gary Community School Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>All Flags Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
Veterans were outraged when Logansport High School administrators banned flags of all nations from being brought to school on Cinco de Mayo. Many Hispanic students brought Mexican flags to school on the holiday the previous year, and administrators feared a repeat would lead to fights because of the intense national debate over rights of illegal immigrants. "I hope it never comes to the day when (the American) flag is banned anywhere in this country," said veteran Brian McAllister, "Especially at a school that is supported by taxpayer money."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Logansport Community School Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Some Want Uniformity</b><br><br>
|
||
A group of parents petitioned the West Des Moines School District to require students at Jordan Creek Elementary School to wear uniforms. While the principal and some parents and students supported the idea as a way to cut down on clothing costs and focus on academics, the school board did not approve of the plan. "I don't see any reason to limit the students' freedom of expression," said board member Susan Moritz.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> West Des Moines<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Student Can Tweet Governor Sucks</b><br><br>
|
||
Kansas Governor Sam Brownback apologized for his staff's overreaction to a tweet by a high school student who was angry at the Governor for cutting arts funding. The governor's office contacted the school district after seeing the student's tweet (which said Brownback "sucked" and used the hash tag "#heblowsalot"), and the student's principal initially required her to write an apology letter. The student refused and the district eventually backed her position, writing that "a student's right to freedom of speech and expression is constitutionally protected." The governor then issued an apology: "My staff overreacted to the tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teacher Too Conservative?</b><br><br>
|
||
When a Lawrence High School American history teacher's contract was not renewed, he claimed the decision was a consequence of his conservative political views. Tim Latham--who had a McCain-Palin bumper sticker on his car--was criticized for not showing President Obama's first inauguration speech in his class and was accused by one student of being too critical of the President. Latham argued that proper reviews of his teaching had not been performed and that he was being forced out of his position. In late June, the school district renewed Latham's contract after he filed a grievance. The district agreed that proper reviews had not been conducted.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lawrence<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Immigration Walkout</b><br><br>
|
||
In late March 2006, numerous students in Wichita left school to rally against proposed federal immigration laws. Those students brought truancy laws and the need for order in schools into conflict with expression rights. In Wichita, though, school officials blamed adults as much as students for truancy. "I think it's so outrageous...I'm prepared to press charges on those adults should I find out that there are any legal violations encouraging students to be truant," schools superintendent Winston Brooks said. Some students, however, said they organized the walkouts to exercise their free speech rights. "We saw rallies in California and Texas and wanted to do something," said 18-year-old Ana Romero. "We didn't walk out to be rebellious."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wichita<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Stepping on the Flag</b><br><br>
|
||
A Circle High School teacher apologized after stepping on an American flag as part of a lesson on the limits--or lack thereof--on free speech. The teacher's actions prompted a parental complaint. In addition, the principal said the lesson would no longer be allowed. But that did not stop dozens of American Legion motorcyclists from going to the school and putting on a display of American flags. "I think she should think before teaching things like that because it does tread on the American spirit," said rider Melani Claude. Senior Samantha Engles, however, said that while she understood the riders' point, the lesson had been about individual rights. "We need to know what our rights are and how to express ourselves...even though they might hurt someone's feelings," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Circle<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Anti-Harassment or Anti-Expression?</b><br><br>
|
||
A federal judge required the Boyd County School District to implement anti-harassment training for all middle and high school students as part of the settlement of a case brought against the district by the ACLU. That organization had sued the district for blocking a Gay-Straight Alliance at Boyd County High School. In December 2005, the ACLU asked that a federal court dismiss a lawsuit brought by families who contended that forcing students to attend the training violated their free speech rights because part of the training prohibited students from speaking critically about homosexuality. In February 2006, U.S. District Court Judge David Bunning found against the plaintiffs, arguing that case-law supports prohibitions on "harassing speech that disrupts the educational process."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Boyd County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Obama Photo Too Big for Jacket</b><br><br>
|
||
Two junior high students were barred from attending class as long as they wore jackets featuring large photos of then President-elect Obama and an American flag. Tanya Marshall, their mother, said she was told the jackets were distracting, and hence in violation of the school's dress code. She said, however, that after speaking with Pineville Junior High School Principal Columbus Goodman, she could get no explanation regarding why they were distracting. "I really believe my kids' rights are being violated," she said. However, Goodman said the size of the photo on the jacket was the problem. "We are about education, and the bottom line is that something was distracting," he said. "It has nothing to do with any other issues."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rapides Parish<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>HRC Backs off Single-Gender Ban</b><br><br>
|
||
The Maine Human Rights Commission proposed guidelines for how schools should accommodate transgendered students, contemplating a ban on single-gender restrooms, sports teams, etc. After considerable outrage from citizens, however, they backed off their proposal. Ken Trump, President of National School Safety and Security Services, expressed one among many concerns, saying, "The reality is, every day we're seeing more and more cases of exploitation of children and others, and this would be creating an environment where the risk is increased for that exploitation."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Confederate Flags</b><br><br>
|
||
A disagreement in a school lunch line between a black girl and two white boys--in which both sides reportedly escalated the conflict--resulted in one of the boys saying "Don't make me bring out the white sheets" and a district ban on displaying the Confederate flag. The ban, in turn, ignited debate over what the flag represents: essentially, heritage or hate. For district superintendent Bill AuMiller, the quandary about the flag was clear. "They have a First Amendment right to wear it," but using it to intimidate "crossed the line."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Allegany County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Memorials</b><br><br>
|
||
The Plymouth School Committee passed a policy--with memorial proposals pending--prohibiting the placement of memorials on school property, explaining that it is too difficult to say no to questionable proposals, especially when people are grieving. Barry Haskell, the Plymouth superintendent, remarked of the root problem: "Everyone has a different idea of what's appropriate and tasteful."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Plymouth<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Flip-Flops</b><br><br>
|
||
Is it appropriate to wear flip-flops to school? That question became a major bone of contention in Westford when the principal of the Stony Brook School issued a declaration some saw as banning the footwear. There arose such a firestorm that Principal Peter Cohen had to issue a clarifying statement saying flip-flops were not banned--only discouraged. For some, the argument against flip-flops is that they offer poor foot protection, but for others the issue is that flip-flops do not convey an impression of seriousness. Conversely, many students and parents see flip-flops as an acceptable fashion statement in the country's more casual culture. Said Michael Atmore of The Footwear Group, "A lot of parents are in a predicament because they have participated in the casualization of America, wearing sweat pants and athletic shoes. It's hard to turn around and tell their kids to dress up."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Westford<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Palestinian Talk Put Off</b><br><br>
|
||
Tom Meyers, teachers' union president and social studies teacher at Andover High School, accused school officials of stifling free speech after they cancelled a talk by critics of the US and Israeli governments. The group, Wheels of Justice, planned to speak about its criticisms of the war in Iraq and Israel's treatment of Palestinians. Meyers said it is "highly problematic that a few people, because they don't like the ideas of the speaker, feel they have the right to shut that person down." School officials said they only postponed the talk to make sure the discussion would be appropriate for high school students. District lawyer Leonard Kesten said, "A high school is a not a soapbox in the park. Not everybody can just come in and say what they want." That did not satisfy physics teacher Ron Francis, who helped to arrange the talk. "The Zionists, by that I mean people who support a Jewish privileged state, the Zionists don't want people to be educated about the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Andover<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Pledge Reinstated</b><br><br>
|
||
When Sean Harrington arrived at Arlington High School, there were no flags, and there was no recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. The flags were eventually brought back to campus, but Sean had to fight to institute the recitation of the Pledge. After losing an initial school board vote on the question of Pledge recitation, Harrington said, "It's hard to think that something so traditional in American society was turned down." District officials, however, feared that it would be asking staff members to violate their beliefs if those staff members were required to lead Pledge recitations. "Patriotism is a very personal thing for all of us," said committee member Leba Heigham, "but I do not think it is in the school committee's best interest to mandate that any of our employees recite the Pledge." The district eventually chose to allow recitations of the Pledge. According to the new policy, staff members would not be required to participate in the recitations.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Arlington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Pledge Permission Slips</b><br><br>
|
||
The principal of the Edward Devotion School sent a permission slip to district parents to request their consent for their children's participation in the Pledge of Allegiance. The note stated that "under God" meant "there is one supreme entity for every citizen." Brookline superintendent Bill Lupini clarified that the paper was not meant to be a permission slip, and that no student would be compelled to recite the Pledge. The superintendent also suggested that the school's definition of "under God" would be retracted. Parents' attitudes about the school's approach to the Pledge varied. "It's uncomfortable. The Pledge is a promise, and I've always taught my kids to think very carefully before making any promise. It's not a decision I want them to make for them," said one parent. Another parent seemed to suggest that whole issue was overblown. "It’s PC ridiculousness...Remember when the presumption was that we were all good Americans and we all loved the country and we had no problem saying, 'Yes, I pledge allegiance?'" said Sean Bielat.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Brookline<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Who's the Bully?</b><br><br>
|
||
Many people protested the punishment of high school teacher Jay McDowell. McDowell was disciplined for allegedly suspending two students from his class when they expressed religious disagreements with homosexuality. The incident occurred on National Anti-Bullying Day. McDowell, who was wearing a purple T-shirt to bring attention to anti-gay bullying, asked a girl to remove a Confederate flag belt buckle. Another student objected, asking why it was OK to wear pro-gay symbols but not a Confederate flag. The student also commented that he did not approve of homosexuality due to his religion. The discipline letter from the district to the teacher read, "You went on to discipline two students who told you they do not accept gays due to their religion. After a failure of getting one student to recant, you engaged in an unsupported snap suspension, rather than allow the student his beliefs...This could be construed as teacher-to-student bullying, ironic of the Anti-Bullying Day intent." McDowell said he suspended the students for being disruptive, not because of their opinions. A federal judge eventually ruled that McDowell had violated one of the student's speech rights. However, the judge awarded that student only a dollar in damages.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Howell<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Punished for Expression on Day of Silence?</b><br><br>
|
||
In response to the National Day of Silence, an event meant to raise awareness about the harassment of gay students, Oakridge High School student David Gardner taped a sign to himself that read, "It's great to be straight." Two students in David's chemistry class taped their mouths shut in observance of the Day of Silence. Not long into class, a substitute teacher told the school principal that the three students were causing a disruption. The principal told the students that they could either remove the tape and sign or leave school. The two students with taped mouths reportedly removed the tape, but Gardner called his parents and left. After the incident, David's father sent out an e-mail to religious based Web sites saying that his son had been singled out for suspension while the two other students were allowed to stay and keep wearing tape. The e-mail drew attention nationwide. John Gardner later acknowledged that he was wrong about the suspension, but still maintained the other students were allowed to remain with tape over their mouths. "This is an emotional issue, and people may be reacting without getting the whole story," said superintendent Tom Paniucki.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Oakridge<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Facebook Comments Rebuked</b><br><br>
|
||
When Saline superintendent Beverley Geltner discovered students' Facebook posts that included highly disparaging remarks about her, she called the students in question (and their parents) into her office. There she reportedly discussed the students' "hurtful, ignorant" comments. Geltner did not punish the students, but some saw her actions as intimidation by a government official against students who had exercised their free speech rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Saline<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Dress Code Blues</b><br><br>
|
||
Brittney Porter, a student at Birney Middle School, was threatened with a suspension for violating the school's new dress code. She was wearing a shirt and pants with green on them. Her parents, along with many others, were angry about the code because they believed it to be an unnecessary cost that also infringed on their children's sense of individuality. Proponents of the new code believed it would help kids focus on their schoolwork and not the latest fashions. Said Southfield parent David Rosen, "If everyone dresses alike, I understand it will be less of a problem for teachers. But if a girl wears a blue dress and my daughter wears a green shirt, I don't see how that could be offensive or disruptive."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Southfield<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Religious Exemption for "Bullying" Speech</b><br><br>
|
||
Gay and Muslim groups were pleased after a Michigan lawmaker agreed to drop an amendment to an anti-bullying bill that would have explicitly protected expression of "sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction." The amendment would have addressed long-standing fears that a proposed anti-bullying law might infringe on protected speech. The Muslim and gay groups said that the legislation would have allowed gay, Muslim, or other minority students to face harassment. A spokesman for a gay rights group said, "We are grateful that this legislation moves forward without the license to bully based on an outrageous religious exception."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Truck Flags Beyond Protected Speech</b><br><br>
|
||
At Swartz Creek High School, school officials asked senior Brian Wendt to remove two Confederate flags from the back of his pickup truck. School personnel confiscated the flags after Wendt put them back up (the flags were eventually returned to the student). Wendt argued that he has routinely been allowed to wear a ring, a necklace, and a belt buckle with the flag. The district, however, maintained that the flags displayed on the truck would have proven to be too disruptive.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Swartz Creek<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Santorum Speech Blocked</b><br><br>
|
||
The local chapter of Young Americans for Freedom invited former Pennsylvania Senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum to speak at Grosse Pointe South High School with what they thought was the district's permission. A few weeks before the speech was to be delivered, however, the district announced it was cancelled. District officials maintained that the cancellation occurred because YAF refused to provide a copy of the speech to the district ahead of time. YAF suspected the cancellation was due to Santorum's conservative views on gay marriage and public education. When the district felt assured that Santorum would focus on leadership and community service, it allowed students to attend to speech with the permission of their parents.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Grosse Pointe<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Diversity Group Leads to Firing?</b><br><br>
|
||
A former Corunna High School teacher sued the district, alleging that she had been fired for advising an LGBT diversity club that displayed pictures of influential gays and lesbians. She was asked to take down the display in 2009. However, she was not fired until 2011, after receiving numerous poor performance evaluations. The teacher believes she was targeted because of her work with the club, and her suit alleges that her free expression rights were violated.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Corunna<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Rep Alleges District, City, Stop Speech</b><br><br>
|
||
State Representative Dave Agema sued the City of Allegan and the school district, alleging that officials had conspired to shut down a speech by former Muslim terrorist Kamal Saleem at Allegan High School. Agema claimed that this was a violation of Saleem's free speech rights. City and school officials maintain that the event had to be shut down due to safety concerns.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Allegan<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Vet Visit Cancelled</b><br><br>
|
||
A national tour featuring recent veterans--which organizers said was about, among other things, "rallying the country to complete the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan"--was stopped from visiting Forest Lake Area High School. Principal Steve Massey decided to cancel the event, claiming that it had become too politicized. Area parents had called Massey to say that they planned to protest the veterans' visit. Pete Hegseth, a Forest Lake grad and leader of Vets for Freedom, which sponsored the event, was disappointed that the school would "bow to the political pressures of outside groups." He understood that the event could be seen as political, but Hegseth's organization agreed not to talk about the progress made in Afghanistan and Iraq in order to avoid such implications.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Forest Lake<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Touching!</b><br><br>
|
||
Armatage Elementary implemented a "no touch" policy after receiving complaints from parents. Originally, the policy prohibited acts like hugging and hand holding, but it was later scaled back to include only aggressive touching. Principal Joan Franks said that she had gotten a generally positive response from parents. "We want to make sure every child has an equal opportunity to play without the fear of being hurt," Franks continued. Some parents felt that they should have had more input before the policy was implemented. Jamie Henriksen, who noted that her sons could be hugging one minute and wrestling the next, felt that the administration was punishing all kids because of the actions of a minority. Principal Franks captured the essence of the problem when she said, "We cannot have different rules for different children."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Minneapolis<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>What is a "Curricular" Group?</b><br><br>
|
||
On the grounds that the group Straights and Gays for Equality (SAGE) was not a "curricular" group, it could not access Maple Grove High School bulletin boards, the PA, or other privileges enjoyed by such clubs as the Spirit Council and Black Achievers. SAGE sued, claiming discrimination, and won in the Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in 2008. The Court ruled that the guideline used by the school to determine what was curricular--some connection to student government--was far beyond what was truly curricular. The district's attorney, Stephen Knutson, lamented that the decision put the district "in the untenable position of either closing their forum, or running the very real risk that you'll be subjected to multiple litigation."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Osseo<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Coach Suspended for Desire to "Fight" Obama</b><br><br>
|
||
Part-time wrestling coach and Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Jacob Volkmann was put on leave by White Bear Lake High School after he said, following a UFC win, that he would like his next fight to be against President Obama. "He's not too bright. Someone's got to knock some sense into him," Volkmann continued. The comment led to a two-week suspension from his coaching job, and some parents complained that Volkmann was wearing clothes with the school's name in some interviews. "I think it's kind of ridiculous that the school is pretty much saying you can't voice your opinion," said Volkmann.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> White Bear Lake<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>37 Words Not Enough?</b><br><br>
|
||
At 37 words, Minnesota is thought by many people to have the weakest state anti-bullying statute in the nation. However, efforts in both 2012 and 2013 to strengthen it failed. The bills would have instituted more specific definitions of bullying than provided by the current law, as well as new reporting, documenting, investigating, and disciplining policies. Opponents feared that the legislation was too micromanaging, and that it could curtail the free speech of some individuals, such as opponents of gay marriage.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Whose Literature Distributed?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Child Evangelism Fellowship of Burnsville asked that District 191 hand out information about the group's Good News Club at the start of the 2005-06 school year. The district refused to do so, saying that its policy is only to give out information about itself or local community-based groups with which it works. After the refusal, Liberty Council, a civil liberties group, joined the Fellowship in taking legal action against the district. "The concept of First Amendment legal access is pretty straightforward," said Liberty Council general counsel Matt Staver. "Whatever you do for one group you must allow for others." District superintendent Benjamin Kanninen responded that "the issue is not this organization. The issue is whether or not we are required to distribute literature from any organization."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Burnsville-Eagan-Savage<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Rosary in School</b><br><br>
|
||
Coon Rapids High School student Jake Balthazor was told he could not wear a rosary in school because it was sometimes a symbol of gang membership. Balthazor resisted, saying he wore the rosary to support his breast cancer-stricken mother. The school and Balthazor eventually agreed that he could wear the beads to school, but he would put them in his pocket if asked.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Anoka-Hennepin<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Obama Shirts after Election</b><br><br>
|
||
After President Obama's first election, students at Magee High School were prohibited from wearing clothing supporting Obama. "Racism at its best, that's really what this is," complained parent Paula Loften. School leaders feared conflict over the election result and required teachers to read a memorandum to students that said, in part, "Seeing history in the making and being part of that process is a wonderful thing. Many of you are excited because of this. Others are not. It is absolutely critical that we not use this election as a divisive event... Celebrations at school that cause disruptions are not acceptable and against the law therefore, this should not occur."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Simpson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Marine T-shirt Inappropriate</b><br><br>
|
||
Elementary school student Jordan Griffith was told by officials at his school that he had to turn the Marine T-shirt he was wearing inside-out because it had an anatomically correct picture of a male dog on it. Griffith and his mother were angry because the shirt was a gift from the boy's brother, who was serving in Afghanistan. "If you want to talk inappropriate and offensive, (the school's decision) was offensive to me," said Griffith's mom. Superintendent Tommy Parker said the picture fell into "a very gray area."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jones County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Confederate Flag "Divisive in Nature"</b><br><br>
|
||
Farmington High School student Bryce Archambo was suspended after refusing an order not to wear clothing with the Confederate flag on it. In response, he organized a rally to celebrate the flag. Said speaker H.K. Edgerton: "If you are Southern, this is your flag. It is a symbol of heritage and honor for all of the American soldiers who carried it, and these people have taken our flag and demonized it." Others disagreed. "I see the flag and I know what it stands for," said one student. "To me, it's about oppression and hate." A federal judge eventually ruled that the district acted legally in suspending the student because the flag is "racially divisive in nature." His ruling was upheld by an appeals court.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Farmington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No "Silver Arrow" Kilt</b><br><br>
|
||
More than 1,600 people signed an Internet petition demanding an apology from a high school principal who prohibited a student wearing a kilt from attending a school dance. Jackson High School senior Nathan Warmack attempted to wear a kilt to the school's "Silver Arrow" dance in order, he said, to honor his Scottish heritage. Principal Rick McClard, however, told Warmack he had to change. "This is my dance, and I'm not going to have students coming into it looking like clowns," said McClard. District superintendent Ron Anderson later explained that McClard had the authority to judge appropriate dress for the event in order "to protect from the possibility of a disruption." The district eventually apologized to Warmack.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jackson<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Play Selections Lead to Resignation</b><br><br>
|
||
In the fall of the 2005-06 school year, Fulton High School performed the musical <em>Grease</em>, and at least one group, members of the Callaway Christian Church, complained that they were offended by scenes showing students smoking, drinking, and kissing. For the spring, drama teacher Wendy DeVore planned to perform Arthur Miller's <em>The Crucible</em>, which depicts the 17th Century Salem witch trials. However, on the heels of the complaints about <em>Grease</em>, district Superintendent Mark Enderle told her to choose something else. She changed her selection to <em>A Midsummer Night's Dream</em>, but when administrators nonetheless told her that her contract might not be renewed, she announced her resignation. "It became too much to not be able to speak my mind or defend my students without fear or retribution," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fulton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Producer Too Conservative?</b><br><br>
|
||
Gerald Molen, producer of <em>Schindler's List</em> and <em>Jurassic Park</em>, among other films, was disinvited from speaking to the graduating class at Ronan High School because the school's principal thought Molen was a "right-wing conservative." District superintendent Andy Holmund said the decision was made by principal Tom Stack and did not reflect "the view of the district." Holmund also noted that Stack would not be working at the school the following academic year, but did not specify why.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Ronan<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Group Recitation of Pledge</b><br><br>
|
||
A state senator proposed a bill requiring that all students be led in group recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. The bill would not have forced all students to recite, but it would have required that the group recitation take place. The idea came from Lincoln businessman and former Marine Richard Zierke, who said, "I don't want to say my country is slipping away, but teaching patriotism and the flag is not being done." The bill was ultimately defeated, but the idea was later considered by the State Board of Education and approved in 2012. The ACLU of Nebraska called the move "disappointing" and warned that no student can be forced to recite the Pledge against his or her will.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Dress Codes and Speech</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2003, the Clark County School District adopted a standard dress code for all students and also allowed schools to adopt their own (even more strict) policies. Several students in different schools violated the codes (by wearing shirts bearing religious messages, in some instances) and faced suspension as a result. They sued, arguing that the district had violated their First Amendment rights. In 2008, a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the students. The court said the dress codes were permissible as long as the intention was to improve educational outcomes and not to restrain speech.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clark County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Yearbook Flower</b><br><br>
|
||
Merrimack High School officials rejected a student's yearbook photograph because the picture depicted her holding a flower. Officials claim they were simply following a school policy which dictates that no props are allowed in yearbook photos. Student Melissa Morin's mother said that she understood that the school was trying to enforce policy, but thinks that "benign" objects such as a flower should not be banned. Yearbook coordinator Sharon Cloutier said the photo could be printed, but only if Morin's parents bought an ad to display it.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Merrimack<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No "Criminal Threatening"</b><br><br>
|
||
A bill was introduced to add "criminal threatening" to a list of offenses covered by the state's Safe School Zones Act. Rep. Maureen Mooney (R-Merrimack), the bill's prime sponsor, said, "It's of the utmost importance to do everything within our power to ensure that safe school zones are exactly that: safe school zones." Claire Ebel, director of the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union, countered that while other offenses covered in the act involve violence or wrongdoing, a threat could just be a "simple act of stupidity." The bill became law.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Must Stand for Pledge?</b><br><br>
|
||
State Representative Harry Accornero (R-Laconia) proposed a change to state law that would have required all students, even if they did not recite the Pledge of Allegiance, to stand during recitation. Said Accornero, "Our Constitution is being thrown down the toilet. I thought this would encourage young people to appreciate what the flag means and the people who fought and died for it." Opponents thought the bill would, in fact, violate the Constitution. "We can't require people to stand up," said Rep. Seth Cohn (R-Canterbury). "Compelling someone to stand is clearly unconstitutional, especially for the pledge, because it says 'one nation under God.'" The bill failed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>School Outlaws "Unnatural" Hair</b><br><br>
|
||
Megan Lawrence, a student at Piedra Vista High School, was suspended for having pink hair, a violation of the school's policy regarding "unnatural" hair. The school allowed her to make a case for revising the rule in front of a leadership team of teachers and administrators, but the rule was upheld. "High school is a time for me to be...who I am," Lawrence said. The school's principal, Ann Gattis, headed the team that voted to uphold the rule. "We told her we would reevaluate this policy next year before printing it in the handbooks," Gattis said. Lawrence's suspension stood.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Farmington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Union Speech Near Students</b><br><br>
|
||
The Ramsey Board of Education adopted a policy banning staff from expressing political views on school grounds near students. The board said that the policy was meant to "control disruptive behavior," in response to teachers displaying posters in their cars urging "settle now," referring to contract negotiations. Teachers union president Richard Romains, however, said there was a lot of ill will stemming from the negotiations, and by curbing speech the district was "treating the symptom, not the underlying problem." The union looked into possible legal action against the district.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Ramsey<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Uniforms Cost Student Extracurriculars</b><br><br>
|
||
A sixth grader at the Bailey School was removed from the chess team, the band, and could not run for the student council because he did not wear his school's uniform. The school imposed the uniform to make it easier for kids to get dressed and maintain order, but the student said he was "standing on principle" by not wearing the uniform. Said his father, "I raised my kid to be an independent thinker--to be his own man--and this uniform takes away your individuality." A group of parents sued the Bayonne School Board over the policy, but the court ruled in favor of the district.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Bayonne<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Proselytizing? Goading? Where's the Line?</b><br><br>
|
||
Kearny High School was the site of a conflict over whether a student baited a teacher into talking about his religious beliefs, or the teacher imposed his beliefs on students. The teacher, David Paszkiewicz, was recorded by a student as saying, among other things, "If you reject his (Jesus's) gift of salvation, then you know where you belong." The student who recorded Paszkiewicz--Matthew LaClair--said he felt uncomfortable with the comments and complained to school administrators. However, some students claimed that LaClair "set (the teacher) up with leading questions." This, in turn, sparked debate about the limits of teacher speech and whether taping of classes should be allowed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kearny<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Hitler Youth Protest Buttons OK</b><br><br>
|
||
A federal district court ruled that two Bayonne grade school students could wear buttons depicting Hitler Youth to protest having to wear uniforms. The court said that wearing the buttons did not "materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school." School officials were disappointed by the decision and plan to fight it. "Images of racial and ethnic intolerance do not belong in an elementary school classroom," said a statement from the district.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Bayonne<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Jesus Costume Not Allowed</b><br><br>
|
||
A West Brook Middle School eighth grader was sent home because he dressed up as Jesus for Halloween. Principal Joan Broe said the costume, which attracted many interested students, "was disrupting the education process." The student was given the option of removing the beard and crown of thorns, but declined and was sent home. His father said, "I think the whole freedom of speech and expression has definitely had a damper put on it."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Paramus<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Former Adult Star Keeps Job</b><br><br>
|
||
Controversy swept Vineland when it was discovered that cafeteria and playground aide Louisa Tuck was formerly adult-film star Crystal Gunns. Some parents were upset. "Wow, I am basically speechless right now," said one. "I don't think that should be allowed. It's just not comforting to me as a parent of two beautiful girls." District officials, however, reluctantly determined that they could not fire Tuck for her past. "It's a constitutional privilege of free expression," said school board associate solicitor Frank DiDomenico. "She's employed by the school district, but that doesn't take away her constitutional rights."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Vineland<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Shorts, Yes Skirts</b><br><br>
|
||
To protest a district ban on wearing shorts between October 1 and April 15, 17-year-old Michael Coviello decided he would wear skirts to school. The district, however, ultimately prohibited him from wearing those as well, so Coviello contacted the ACLU for assistance. In January 2006, the ACLU and Coviello reached an agreement with the district that enabled Coviello to wear a skirt in order to continue his protest against the district's seasonal ban on shorts.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hasbrouck Heights<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Critical Website Punished</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2003, the Oceanport school district punished student Ryan Dwyer for creating a website critical of his school. Dwyer's punishment included a week-long suspension from class and a month-long suspension from the school's baseball team. In response, Dwyer's family contacted the ACLU of New Jersey, which helped them to sue the district. In 2005 they settled the suit, with the district agreeing to give Dwyer $117,500. The district nonetheless maintained that it had to punish Dwyer in order "to protect all of the children and the staff in the district." The ACLU's Grayson Barber objected. "Our schools should encourage debate and political engagement rather than punishing students who provide a forum for free expression," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Oceanport<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Criminals" Post Gets Teacher Fired</b><br><br>
|
||
When Paterson teacher Jennifer O'Brien posted to her Facebook page that she was basically a "warden for future criminals," she did not think that message would reach the entire Paterson community--but it did. She was eventually fired for the remark that led to protests by parents and other citizens. O'Brien maintained that her post was protected speech, but a New Jersey appellate court ruled against her in 2013, stating that her expression rights did not trump "the district's interest in the efficient operation of its schools."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Paterson<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pledge to the School</b><br><br>
|
||
For a decade, students pledged allegiance to Asher Holmes Elementary School and the Marlboro Township School District every Monday following the U.S. pledge, but in 2012 a parent complained. Supporters argued that parents and students valued the pledge, but it was not mandatory for students to recite. Opponents asserted that it undermined the U.S. pledge and was unpopular with many residents.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Marlboro Township<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Kindergartener Suspended for Mohawk</b><br><br>
|
||
A five-year-old student at Reid Elementary School was banned until he got rid of his new Mohawk haircut. The school explained that the haircut violated the district policy prohibiting any form of dress or grooming that is disruptive to class. "In this particular case, the student's hairstyle did provide disruption to the classroom," said Greg Morris, the district superintendent. The student's mother, Keshia Castle, disagreed with the ruling. "He's a five-year-old little boy who chose to wear his hair a certain way," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clark-Shawnee<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No "Jesus Is Not a Homophobe" Shirt</b><br><br>
|
||
Maverick Couch, a student at Waynesville High School, filed suit against his school for forbidding him to wear a shirt that read: "Jesus is Not a Homophobe." When Couch wore the shirt for the Day of Silence, a protest against the bullying of gays, principal Randy Gebhardt told the student that he could not continue to wear it because it was "indecent and sexual in nature." "I don't think it's sexual at all. I don't know how they can say that," said Couch. In his lawsuit, Couch sought permission to wear the shirt, along with attorney fees and nominal damages. A federal court ruled for Couch and required the district to pay him $20,000.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Waynesville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>High School Debates Dress Code</b><br><br>
|
||
When Northridge High School hosted a forum about a proposed stricter dress code, about 50 parents and students vocally opposed the new policy. Catherine Carney, the school's swimming coach and the parent of a tenth grader, said, "This is something that will polarize the community." Nathan Castle, a sophomore at the school, said, "What we need is to be bringing in people to talk about how it's OK to be different." Supporters argued that having a strict dress code would promote a better school atmosphere and higher achievement.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Northridge<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Uniforms Orderly, or Stultifying?</b><br><br>
|
||
Following the implementation of uniforms in elementary schools, in 2009 the Cleveland school board voted to implement uniforms in district high schools. Surveys of students revealed widespread concern that a uniform policy would stifle self-expression. However, that opposition did not stop the board from unanimously approving the policy. "It is my belief that appropriate student dress can have a positive influence on behavior," said board Chairman Robert Heard.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cleveland<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Protesting Violation of Protest Rights</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Newcomerstown High School, holding signs saying such things as "We Have Freedom of Speech," staged protests outside of the school. The students were protesting an alleged violation of their First Amendment rights. When a student was suspended for undisclosed reasons, other students wore T-shirts (also bearing the "Freedom of Speech" message) in support of the suspended student. The later protests came as a result of the school threatening to suspend the students who had worn the T-shirts."It's not fair," said student Jessica Little. "You can't punish us for having an opinion and talking to our friends." Jeff Staggs, the superintendent, said he could not legally discuss a student's suspension, but noted that the T-shirt protests would have caused "a disturbance in the educational process."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Newcomerstown Exempted Village<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Students Protest Dress Code</b><br><br>
|
||
Nearly 100 students were sent home from North High School for protesting the district's new dress code by wearing hoodies over their uniforms. The students were told to remove the hooded sweatshirts, and 30 suspensions were issued. Wesley Ridenour, a parent of children in the district's schools, commented on the dress code as it was being introduced a year earlier. "I don't think it's right," he said. "I think that it takes away the individuality of it." However, according to Forest Hill Community Learning Center PTA President Christina Cleveland, "A lot of the parents we've spoken to are very excited about the upcoming school year."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Akron<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Cyberbullying of Teachers Criminalized</b><br><br>
|
||
North Carolina made it illegal to "intimidate or torment" teachers online. Chip Douglas, a 10th-grade English teacher, fell victim to cyberbullying when his students created a false Twitter account using his name. "It was awful. It had this image of me as this drug addict, violent person, super sexual, that I wouldn't want to portray." Opponents of the law fear it could chill legitimate criticism of public schools because the law outlaws any image or speech--factual or not--that leads to the harassment of a teacher. ACLU of North Carolina attorney Chris Brook said it "is a terrible message to send to students...that accurate critiques of governmental employees could land you in criminal hot water."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Principal Forced to Retire after "Cute" Flap</b><br><br>
|
||
Jerry Bostic, the former principal of Brookside Elementary School, was forced to retire or accept a demotion after school officials deemed he wrongfully suspended a 9-year-old student who called his teacher "cute." Bostic maintained that the student was sexually harassing the teacher and had used inappropriate language in the past to describe other students. Bostic said, "I admit I made some errors in what I did, but to fire me or to demote me with 44 years in it, it just doesn't make sense." The student's mother, Chiquita Lockett, said, "This is something that everyone needed to see, just to see what's happening within our school systems."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gaston County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teacher Threatens over Obama Critique?</b><br><br>
|
||
Tanya Dixon-Neely, a teacher at North Rowan High School, was suspended without pay after she allegedly verbally attacked a student for criticizing President Obama. The incident sparked a national debate when a video of it went viral. The class was discussing reports that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney had bullied a classmate in high school. One of Dixon-Neely's students commented that President Obama had also bullied someone while in school. Eventually, Dixon-Neely asked the student, "Do you realize that people were arrested for saying bad things about Bush?" Many observers interpreted that question as a threat.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rowan-Salisbury<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Peace Activist Seeks to Counter Military Recruiters</b><br><br>
|
||
Sally Ferrell, a Quaker and peace activist, was barred from distributing materials urging students not to join the military. Ferrell sought and was initially granted permission to counter military recruiters in Wilkes County schools. However, that permission was revoked when superintendent Stephen Laws deemed her too critical of the military. "Why should we let a peace action group talk to students if they're going to make disparaging remarks about the military?" Laws asked. After the ACLU threatened to sue, an agreement was reached that allowed Ferrell to distribute her materials in the schools. "I look forward to providing truthful, job-related information about military careers--and alternatives to careers in the military," said Ferrell.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wilkes County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Schools Establish Strict Dress Codes</b><br><br>
|
||
New Hanover County high schools created strict dress codes for their students. The dress codes mandate that students wear collared shirts and pants or skirts that are blue, black, or khaki (jeans are permitted). Valita Quattlebaum, a spokeswoman for the district, said, "The uniforms would drastically reduce gangs' ability to identify themselves" through clothing. Some parents expressed concerns that the uniform policy would be too expensive, while students complained that the new dress code limits their ability to express themselves. Indeed, said Quattlebaum, "My own daughter is a rising freshman at Ashley. She said it's going to take away their creativity."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New Hanover County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Redneck School Bus Driver Fired</b><br><br>
|
||
Ken Webber, a bus driver for Jackson County School District 4, was fired for refusing to remove a Confederate flag bumper sticker displaying the word "redneck" from his truck when it was parked on district property. Webber sued, claiming his speech rights were violated, and a court ruling affirmed his right to display the flag. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke concluded, "The law establishing Webber's First Amendment rights is clearly established." Webber explained that he's not racist, merely a "backyard redneck." District officials were concerned that the flag was a symbol of racism and would violate the district's anti-harassment policy.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Phoenix-Talent<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Talent Show with Obama Mask</b><br><br>
|
||
Dru Lechert-Kelly, a fifth-grader, was banned from wearing a President Obama mask in his school's talent show. The mask, which the President wore in a "Saturday Night Live" skit, was deemed by the school to be inappropriate. Steve Powell, principal of Llewellyn Elementary, said, "I talked to the parents who are coordinating the talent show, and they feel it's inappropriate and potentially offensive." Lechert-Kelly, the adopted son of two gay men, disagreed with the decision. "We have some insight into this process of what is and what isn't offensive," said Paul Kelly. "There was obviously no intent to harm here--or really any possibility of offending anyone."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Portland<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Rosary or Gang Sign?</b><br><br>
|
||
Jaime Salazar, a 14-year-old student, was suspended for refusing to remove a necklace with a crucifix. Principal Chris Equinoa had mistaken the necklace for a rosary. The Greater Albany School District prohibits the wearing of rosaries, because they have been used by gangs as signs. "It's part of the look," said Victor Castro, who runs gang awareness training in Hillsboro. "They use it as a reminder of protection." Seth Murray, owner of The Rosary Shop in McMinnville, said that instead of seeking out symbols, authorities should focus on behavior.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>New Yearbook Policy Following Photo Fight</b><br><br>
|
||
According to a new policy, yearbook photos submitted by Portsmouth High School seniors cannot contain props of any kind, including instruments, hobby items, or athletic equipment. The rule change is a product of the controversy over Patrick Agin's photograph, which depicts the Society for Creative Anachronism hobbyist wearing medieval armor and holding a sword. Principal Robert Littlefield rejected the photo, citing the school's "zero tolerance" policy toward weapons and sensitivity about violence in schools. However, the rejection was overturned by Department of Education, which considered the decision to be "arbitrary and capricious." The ACLU, which represented Agin against the school, called the ruling an "important victory for students' free speech rights."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Portsmouth<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Valedictorian Said "Hell," Denied Diploma</b><br><br>
|
||
When Kaitlin Nootbaar turned in the text of her valedictory speech to Prague High School officials, the text said Nootbaar did not know what the "heck" she wanted to do with her life. But when she actually delivered the speech, she said "hell," and that caused the district to refuse to grant her a diploma unless she wrote an apology. Nootbaar refused, citing speech rights and the generally positive response she received from the audience.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Prague<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Schools and "Government Speech"</b><br><br>
|
||
The Lexington 1 school system used its website to convey official positions on public policy issues. Resident Randy Paige argued that, because Lexington 1 collects and spends tax money, the district had an obligation to provide "equal access" to its communication system and to allow dissenting views from taxpayers. An attorney for Lexington 1 said that the school system "doesn't have to share the stage with a contrary point of view." Judge Cameron Currie sided with the district, saying that it was engaging in "governmental speech." The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed that "The government may express support for policies and initiatives that further its own interests without the agreement of all its constituents...citizens...have no First Amendment right not to fund government speech."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lexington 1<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Confederate Flag Clothing in School</b><br><br>
|
||
15-year-old Candice Hardwick wanted to wear clothing to school with the Confederate battle flag on it in order, she said, to honor her ancestors who fought in the Civil War. Her school would not allow such clothing because of the negative associations many people have with the Confederate flag. Hardwick was suspended her for wearing it. In response, she staged a protest. One of her most visible supporters was H. K. Edgerton, a black man who chaired the board of the Southern Legal Resource Center, a group that filed a lawsuit on Hardwick's behalf. "She made a stand for the Southland," said the former National Association for the Advancement of Colored People local leader in North Carolina. Hardwick's case wended through the judicial system and was eventually dismissed by a federal appeals court, leaving in place a ruling that the district had leeway to control behavior.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Latta<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelets Spark Controversies</b><br><br>
|
||
Many schools across the country have banned a popular bracelet which is intended to promote breast cancer awareness. The message written upon the bracelet--"I love boobies"--has been deemed "sexually suggestive" by some schools. Baltic High School joined the list of schools which have adopted policies against bracelets. School officials said that there are better ways to raise awareness. Parent Ann Aberson has relatives who have dealt with breast cancer. She said that she has no problem with her daughters wearing the bracelets. The "I love boobies" bracelets were created by the Keep A Breast Foundation, which uses the proceeds to fund its awareness programs. Founder Shaney Jo Darden says that "the whole idea (is) getting people to talk about breast cancer...the bracelet is doing what it's meant to do."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Baltic<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>School: No Confederate Flags</b><br><br>
|
||
Tommy DeFoe argued that Anderson High School's dress code, which bans Confederate flag apparel, violated his free speech rights. "I am fighting for my heritage and my rights as a Southerner and an American," said DeFoe, whose great-great uncle "died for the South" in the Civil War. School officials said they feared that allowing the Confederate flag could make some students feel intimidated, or even lead to violence, especially at schools (like Clinton High) which have relatively large proportions of black students. "If he had worn at Clinton High what he wore at Anderson High, it would have been a riot...Somebody would have clobbered him," said school board chairman John Burrell. A district judge ruled that, in the name of safety, the school had a right to restrict students' free speech rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Anderson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Confederate Flag Prom Dress</b><br><br>
|
||
Texanna Edwards, a Gibson County High School senior, was turned away from her prom because her Confederate flag-themed dress was deemed "offensive and inappropriate." Eddie Pruett, director of schools for Gibson County, said, "(A)s a school district, we have to look out for the best interest for all students...Because of past incidents, (the assistant principal) felt that by admitting that dress it could cause a problem." Edwards was surprised that her dress was an issue. "I didn't talk with the administration because we wore rebel flags all through my four years at Gibson county...I didn't ask for approval because I didn't think I needed to," she said. "I had one teacher tell me it was a bad idea, but I thought she only said that because it would offend people. But I asked a bunch of people before I had the dress made, and they all loved the idea."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gibson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Jena Six" T-Shirt</b><br><br>
|
||
Danielle Super arrived at Smyrna High School late after attending a march in support of the "Jena Six," six black students accused of beating a white student unconscious in Louisiana. When Super arrived at school, she was still wearing her "Free the Jena Six" T-shirt. School officials feared that the shirt would be disruptive, and, in the name of safety, asked Super to change. Super said that she was merely trying "to support (the Jena Six)." She sought an injunction against the school that would allow her to wear the T-shirt.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rutherford County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Student Newspaper Confiscated</b><br><br>
|
||
Administrators at Oak Ridge High School discovered that the <em>Oak Leaf</em>, the student newspaper, contained articles about contraceptives and tattoos. The administrators confiscated the newspaper from classrooms, lockers, and mailboxes. Superintendent Tom Bailey said the article on contraceptives needed to be edited to be acceptable to the whole school, and the tattoo story could not run because it contained a photo of a tattoo about which the student had not yet informed her parents. While Bailey felt that the school did "the right thing," University of Tennessee journalism professor Dwight Teeter was critical. "Either the students are going to have a voice, or you're going to have a PR rag for the administration, " he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Oak Ridge<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Suspended for Planning Silence</b><br><br>
|
||
Curtis Walsh of David Crockett High School was suspended for three days after a newspaper reported that he was organizing local participation in the National Day of Silence. The Day of Silence is meant to raise awareness about bullying and harassment of LGBT students. Principal Henry Marable said he suspended Walsh to protect him from students who might react negatively to his protest. Hedy Weinberg of the ACLU disagreed with the decision. "Schools don't get to take away students' rights to free speech just because they fear others might react badly to that speech," he said. Walsh's mother said that her son's suspension did not protect him, but actually prompted harassment from other students.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Washington County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Town Divided Over Pledge Place</b><br><br>
|
||
In response to parent Ted Tedesco's petitions, officials at Woodbury Elementary School revived the tradition of a daily Pledge of Allegiance recitation. However, the Pledge was not to be recited in the classrooms, but rather in the gymnasium and only by those students who chose to go there. "We don't want to isolate children every day in their own classroom, or make them feel they're different," explained Principal Michaela Martin. She and School Board Chair Retta Dunlap said the practice restored the tradition without infringing on the rights of students who did not want to participate. Parent Ellen Demers was satisfied with the compromise, saying she "was happy to have it upstairs." However, this solution did not please Tedesco and others who had signed his petitions. "Asking (students) who want to say the Pledge to leave their classrooms to do so is neither convenient nor traditional," he said. Parent Heather Lanphear commented, "The whole thing is tearing our community apart."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Woodbury<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Student's Shirt Censored</b><br><br>
|
||
Zachary Guiles was suspended for wearing a shirt upon which were images of cocaine, a martini glass, and numerous anti-George W. Bush political messages. Principal Kathleen Morris-Kotz said that the school's dress code prohibits clothing that promotes drug or alcohol use. Guiles, with assistance from the ACLU, argued that his shirt was not promoting drugs or alcohol, but rather making a political statement. The Supreme Court agreed and rejected the school's appeal of a lower court's ruling that the school had violated Guiles's First Amendment rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Williamstown<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Nose Piercing Problem</b><br><br>
|
||
Suzannah Pabla of Bountiful Junior High School was removed from class and taken to the principal's office on account of her nose ring. Pabla, who is half-Indian, said she got her nose pierced "to feel close to her family" and honor her heritage. District officials said that the school was simply adhering to its "ears only" piercing policy. District spokesman Chris Williams added, "If it were a religious tenet, we would accommodate...But it's clearly not a religious tenet. It's a cultural tenet." However, Rajan Zed, chairman of the Indo-American Leadership Confederation, argued that Indian religion and culture are intertwined with one another. "It may not be in the scriptures, but it's tradition," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Davis<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Student Removed for Dyed Hair</b><br><br>
|
||
Rylee MacKay of Hurricane Middle School was sent to the office after an administrator said her hair looked pink and purple in the sunlight. According to district policy, students' hair "should be within the spectrum of color that grows naturally." Rylee, who said she had been dying her hair the same color for months, was told she had to work "in the office so nobody could see (her)." Principal Roy Hoyt said, "When students are out of compliance with the dress code, we attempt to find a resolution. Students are welcome to return to class when the issue has been satisfactorily resolved." Rylee's mother supported her daughter, saying, "Changing her hair really changed her; she really blossomed."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Washington County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Controversy over Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelets</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Hunter High School were told that they could not wear popular bracelets meant to promote breast cancer awareness. The message on the bracelets reads "I (heart) boobies." School personnel decided that that language was inappropriate. Students contacted the ACLU, which informed the Granite School District superintendent that the ban ran afoul of the First Amendment. Superintendent Martin Bates agreed and overturned the ban. "Wearing these is going to help people be more open about (discussing breast cancer)," said student Corbin Barber.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Granite<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>On the Agenda: Anti-Gay Presentation?</b><br><br>
|
||
After learning that homosexuality would be discussed alongside pornography, American Fork High School Principal Carolyn Merrill canceled a meeting at which a representative from the Standard of Liberty organization was scheduled to speak. Utah Pride Center spokeswoman Yana Walton described the rhetoric she found on Standard of Liberty's website as being anti-gay, and she hoped her organization would be given a chance to speak at the meeting as well. Stephen Graham, president of Standard of Liberty, said that his organization does not hate gays, but does stand against "homosexuality as an activity and accepted mindset." Alpine School District spokeswoman Rhonda Bromley said, "American Fork High School isn't taking a position that's either pro-gay or anti-gay." The presentation was later held at a local library instead of the school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Alpine<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Student Magazine Recall</b><br><br>
|
||
Copper Hills High School principal Todd Quarnberg recalled <em>Chasms</em>, a student magazine, before it was released. "I just want an opportunity to review it before I send it out, to make sure it's age appropriate," he said. Student Katie Ainge was "really disappointed" and could not "imagine what was so objectionable." Legally speaking, "A principal can't just tuck the publication inside his desk and let it collect dust," said Frank LaMonte, executive director at the Student Press Law Center. Quarnberg eventually allowed the magazine to be released, but students were required to have parental permission in order to purchase it.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jordan<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Kilt Construed as Cross-Dressing?</b><br><br>
|
||
Gavin McFarland wore a kilt to Rocky Mountain Junior High School. The kilt was meant to be a prop for an art project. However, Principal Craig Jessop said that wearing a kilt could be misconstrued as cross-dressing, and he ordered McFarland to change. "It's ridiculous," said Paula McFarland, Gavin's mother. "A kilt is a distinctive garment. Nobody mistakes it for a skirt." Weber County District spokesman Nate Taggart recognized that the kilt was an expression of Gavin's cultural heritage but maintained that wearing the kilt to school was inappropriate. The district required Jessop to apologize to the student.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Weber<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Cross-Dressing Ban</b><br><br>
|
||
The Suffolk Board of Education considered banning student cross-dressing. The proposal was a response to reports that male cross-dressing students had had to use faculty restrooms because of safety concerns. Board Vice Chairwoman Thelma Hinton said, "My main concern is (the) safety of the those individuals...Freedom of expression is good, but there is a limitation. Anytime there is a threat upon a child, to me, that's where you draw the line." Attorney John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute opposed the ban. "The students don't care (about cross-dressing), it's one or two teachers...We have to teach (students) that they have these (First Amendment) rights, or else they'll grow up and think they don't have them," he said. Student Sean Artis also opposed the ban, saying, "I've talked with (a cross-dressing student) and he's perfectly fine...There is nothing wrong with him. It's just the way he feels and if he feels he can express himself that way, he should." The district ultimately adopted a dress code without gender-based rules.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Suffolk County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Zero Tolerance for Touching?</b><br><br>
|
||
Henri Beaulieu ran afoul of Kilmer Middle School's "no touching" policy when he put his arm around his girlfriend. In a letter to a colleague, Principal Deborah Hernandez defended the policy, writing, "Allowing students to physically touch one another…--especially with the boys--causes many, many potential dangerous horseplay incidents that elevate into full-scale fights." She added, "You get into shades of gray...The kids say, 'If I can high-five, then I can do this.'" Beaulieu feels differently about the zero tolerance policy. "How do kids learn what's right and what's wrong?" he asked. "They are all smart kids, and they can draw lines. If they cross them, they can get in trouble. But I don't think it would happen too often."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fairfax County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Suspension over Lesbian Symbol?</b><br><br>
|
||
Bethany Laccone of I.C. Norcom High School was threatened with suspension if she did not cooperate with demands to cover a T-shirt depicting two interlocking Venus symbols, an image the ACLU described as a "well-known and historic signifier of lesbian pride and female solidarity." An assistant principal defended the censorship on the grounds that the T-shirt upset Laccone's teacher so much that it interfered with her ability to teach. The assistant principal said that the T-shirt violated a dress code ban on "bawdy, salacious or sexually suggestive messages." The ACLU sent a letter to the school on Laccone's behalf, and the school agreed that she should be allowed to wear the shirt.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Portsmouth City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Threatening Shirt?</b><br><br>
|
||
When Hunter Spain wore a T-shirt to Dinwiddie High School that read, "I Will Hurt You Physically and Metaphysically" -- a line from the TV show <em>Duck Dynasty</em> -- school principal David Clark ordered him to turn it inside-out. Clark feared that some students would feel the shirt was threatening violence. Spain's mother said the shirt was a gift from the boy's grandmother, "who would not even buy my daughter ripped jeans to wear to school. She viewed that as inappropriate." Superintendent David Clark explained, "If you are a Duck Dynasty fan you understand the meaning of the shirt. But if you haven’t watched Duck Dynasty you may question if the shirt implies violence. As a school division, we would like to keep our slogans on student shirts as non-violent as possible."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dinwiddie County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Acquitted, but Excluded</b><br><br>
|
||
Joshua Thornborough was expelled from the Peninsula School District because of his alleged role in an unexecuted "Columbine-style" plot. He was acquitted of conspiracy to commit assault, but the school district nonetheless refused to readmit him. "While recognizing that Joshua was acquitted of criminal charges, I determined that the evidence uncovered during the district's investigation supported the conclusion that Joshua was involved with (the plot)," said Superintendent Terry Bouck. Joshua's mother, Tricia Robins, was frustrated by the district's stance. "The school district said they want him to go through counseling, and basically an admittance of guilt for something that he never did...The only counseling Josh needs anymore is for what the school district putting him through," Robins said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Peninsula<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>3rd Grade <em>Odyssey</em> Canceled</b><br><br>
|
||
An unnamed TOPS K-8 parent complained about some language in an abridged version of Homer's <em>Odyssey</em> that third grade students were going to perform. The principal responded to the complaint by asking the director to edit the script. The director rejected the request, so the principal canceled the play, pending the completion of his own editing. "He worked with the kids to rewrite the script, and they're going to go home and practice their lines. They hope to put (the play) on next week," said district spokeswoman Teresa Wippel. Not everyone was satisfied with the course of events. "I fully agree with the director," said parent Matthew Strako. "To alter your play for one person's opinion is not being true to your craft."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Seattle<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Suspension for Classroom Video</b><br><br>
|
||
Gregory Requa was suspended for his alleged role in the production of a hidden-camera classroom video that was later uploaded to YouTube. Requa's lawyer argued that even if Requa had been involved in the production of the video (something Requa denied), it is speech protected by the First Amendment. Kent School District lawyer Charles Lind said that Requa was not being punished for his speech, but for contributing to a disruptive classroom environment. "It's quite clear that the district is talking about conduct in the classroom and not the videotape," he said. U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman sided with the school, saying, "(Requa) failed to establish or raise serious questions that his punishment is for his protected free speech and not for the classroom conduct of which he is accused."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kent<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Student Newspaper Subject to Review</b><br><br>
|
||
Claire Lueneburg and Sara Eccleston of Everett High School independently published a nearly blank newspaper featuring a photo of themselves with tape over their mouths. The paper was meant to protest what the students saw as censorship after the new principal, Catherine Matthews, insisted on reviewing the school's student newspaper before publication. The student paper had been critical of Matthews's candidacy for the principal position. "No principal had asked to review (the paper) before," pointed out Lueneburg, though she acknowledged that district policy provided for such action. The students filed a lawsuit, but the court ruled that the school did have the authority to review the newspaper.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Everett<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>State Cyberbullying Law</b><br><br>
|
||
Washington's legislature passed a law aimed at curbing cyberbullying. The law would integrate cyberbullying into school districts' harassment policies and require schools to inform parents about the relatively new form of bullying. Nancy Willard, executive director of the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use, said, "(Cyberbullying) is happening 24/7, and the harmful material is being far more widely disseminated." She also pointed out that the potential anonymity involved can be a challenge: "If you have no idea who is bullying you, it can damage your relationships with everybody...You don't know which one of those people walking around the school put that site up or sent that text." Some lawmakers had reservations. Sen. Don Benton (R-Vancouver) felt that the law put an unnecessary (and unfunded) burden on schools. Sen. Bob Morton (R-Orient) said that existing harassment policies were adequate, and that the new law could infringe on students' free speech rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pledge of Allegiance: Required?</b><br><br>
|
||
To protest the Iraq War, Kyle King of Monroe High School refused to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance along with his classmates. King's music teacher, Katie Lenoue, insisted that King was legally required to participate. According to the student's mother, Lenoue also "questioned (Kyle's) patriotism" and "challenged his religious beliefs." District spokeswoman Rosemary O'Neil said that the teacher had been mistaken: "District policy is very clear...There is no requirement to be involved in the pledge."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Monroe<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>New Dress Code for Teachers</b><br><br>
|
||
The Lewis County School Board established a new dress code which barred teachers from wearing blue jeans, faded jeans, and shorts. Some teachers were upset about the new rules. "I'm very disappointed," said Carmen Shafer. "I think I give 200 percent of myself for this county, and I don't feel like they have given me any respect back. They said they're doing this to protect us from the few people that didn't follow the dress code...(F)rom my understanding, blue jeans was never involved in that. So I don't understand why they are taking away the blue jeans." BOE President Paul Derico defended the new dress code: "We've had a lot of comments, or at least I have personally, and that comment is, 'I'm glad you board members are doing something about the way teachers dress.' I think we are trying to be considerate of the teachers and the public at the same time." Jeff Blaydes, a lawyer for the American Federation of Teachers, said the union would likely sue the district for violating teachers' expression rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lewis County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Student Wearing NRA Shirt Arrested</b><br><br>
|
||
Jared Marcum of Logan Middle School was told to remove his NRA T-shirt, upon which was the statement "Protect Your Right" and a picture of a rifle. "What they're doing is trying to take away my rights, my freedom of speech and my Second Amendment," Marcum said. When he refused to change his shirt, Marcum was arrested and charged with disrupting the educational process. Because of his refusal to stop talking during the arrest, Marcum was also charged with obstructing an officer. However, both charges were dropped later. Moreover, the Logan County school district said that Logan's shirt did not violate the dress code, implying that officials at the middle school had been mistaken in attempting to force Marcum to change his shirt.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Logan County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Anti-Gay Adoption Column Prompts Censorship</b><br><br>
|
||
Brandon Wegner authored a school newspaper column which argued against gay adoption. Among other potentially inflammatory statements, Wegner pointed out that, according to the Bible, homosexuality is a sin and that gays "shall surely be put to death." When parents Nick Uttecht and Michael McNelly saw the article, they were appalled. "This is why kids commit suicide," said Uttecht, who first saw the article after his 13-year-old son asked about it. Uttecht talked to the superintendent, who apologized for the column and said, "Proper judgment that reflects school district policies needs to be exercised with articles printed in our school newspaper. Offensive articles cultivating a negative environment of disrespect are not appropriate or condoned by the Shawano School District." The school administration also started removing the column from newspapers. However, there was concern about the implications of the administration's decision. "Hopefully, student journalists don't have to fear they'll be squashed if they take a controversial view...Freedom of speech includes speech about religious viewpoints...Any controversial issue is a lightning rod for censorship," said the First Amendment Center's David Hudson.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Shawano<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"U-S-A" Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
Baraboo High School officials banned the popular "U-S-A" chant at athletic events. According to the officials, the chant has a double meaning to some students: "You Suck (expletive)." School Board President Kevin Vodak said that "the Badger Conference approves only positive cheers for your team...(T)he hidden meaning was well-known among students and it's gotten out of hand." Parent Mary Williams felt that the school overreacted. "Any cheer you can come up with, if you want, can be perceived differently," she said. "In my opinion, it stands for 'USA.'" Williams added, "Truly, (Baraboo student fans have) been having more fun when they're not in their home gym because they can cheer."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Baraboo<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"I (Heart) Boobies" Bracelet Battle</b><br><br>
|
||
Kollin West started wearing a bracelet with the breast cancer awareness message "I (Heart) Boobies" after witnessing women seeking treatment for the disease while his father underwent chemotherapy. Some teachers thought the message was inappropriate, and they expected students to turn their bracelets over in order to hide the words. When West wore his bracelet with the words showing, he was sent to the office of Laramie Junior High's principal, Kelly Carroll. "We could take the expression that's on this wrist band, and used inappropriately, I (sic) could make a very uncomfortable environment for girls, for women, for whomever," Carroll explained. Kollin's mother Tina West thought Carroll was wrong. "(Kollin's) supporting a good cause," she argued. "(With) everything we've been through since November (when West's father was diagnosed with cancer), I think wearing the bracelet is a way he can express himself, to support it, but not have to be very vocal." The West family and the school district eventually came to an agreement that would permit elementary and high school students, as well as middle school girls, to wear the bracelets.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Albany County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Face Paint to Celebrate Death of bin Laden? Not Allowed.</b><br><br>
|
||
After the killing of Osama bin Laden, Jennifer Tressler's son Connor went to school with his face painted in order to commemorate the event. The paint depicted an American flag, the letters "U-S-A," and the date of bin Laden's death. Connor's mother removed her son from school for the day when he was told that he would have to wash the paint off of his face. According to district spokeswoman Shannon Leib, the face paint was a violation of the dress code. "(Students) must adhere to a scholastic atmosphere, and the face paint was causing a distraction within the school," she said. ACLU attorney Mary Catherine Roper disagreed, saying, "There's a difference between discussion and debate, which schools should encourage, and a breakdown of discipline in the classroom."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Central Dauphin<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"I (Heart) Boobies" Ban Struck Down</b><br><br>
|
||
Easton Area Middle School students Brianna Hawk and Kayla Martinez were suspended for wearing bracelets with the message "I (Heart) Boobies" upon them. The bracelets, distributed by the Keep A Breast Foundation, are intended to promote breast cancer awareness. Officials banned the bracelets to "encourage decorum...and preserve the civility of discussion in the classroom," according to district solicitor John Freund. Freund mentioned an inappropriate comment inspired by the bracelets as an example of their distracting potential. The ACLU, and ultimately the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, disagreed. "The court's decision today is an important reminder to school administrators that they can't punish students for speaking out just because their speech might be uncomfortable or misunderstood," said Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. The district decided to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused the case.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Easton Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Parodies of Principals Protected</b><br><br>
|
||
The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that schools could not punish two students who had used home computers to create MySpace parodies of their principals. The court decided that the parodies were not likely to cause a "significant disruption" at school and were therefore protected speech. "Today's court decision states that you cannot punish students for off-campus speech simply because it offends or criticizes (school officials)," said Witold Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. "We do not think that the First Amendment can tolerate the School District stretching its authority into Justin's grandmother's home and reaching Justin while he is sitting at her computer after school," the court wrote of Justin Layshock's case. However, there were several dissenting justices in the similar case of the other (unnamed) student. "(The decision) allows a student to target a school official and his family with malicious and unfounded accusations about their character in vulgar, obscene, and personal language," wrote Judge D. Michael Fisher. Fisher called the distinction between off-campus and on-campus speech "artificial and untenable in the world we live in today," because of advances in technology.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Blue Mountain<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Parody of Principal Protected</b><br><br>
|
||
The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that schools could not punish two students - one at Hickory High School - who used home computers to create MySpace parodies of school principals. The court decided the parodies were not likely to cause a "significant disruption" and were therefore protected speech. "Today's court decision states that you cannot punish students for off-campus speech simply because it offends or criticizes (school officials)," said Witold Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. Dissented Judge D. Michael Fisher: "(The decision) allows a student to target a school official and his family with malicious and unfounded accusations about their character in vulgar, obscene, and personal language." Fisher called the distinction between off-campus and on-campus speech "artificial and untenable in the world we live in today."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hermitage<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teacher's Tea Party Speech is Free Speech</b><br><br>
|
||
Spring Cove government teacher Philip Waite spoke at a Blair County Tea Party rally. Waite's speech drew controversy for what some saw as a comparison of Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler. Waite discussed the rise and fall of Nazi Germany, but he said he did not mean to imply that "President Obama agrees with what Adolf Hitler stood for." However, Wait did refer to "a slick, quick talker and someone who said, 'You don't need to worry about responsibility, we'll take good care of you.'" Waite's speech was publicized by a Huffington Post article. In addition, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party put a video clip of the speech online. Once it was publicized, Waite was heavily criticized for his speech. However, the Spring Cove School District said that the speech was not a school concern, and the Spring Cove Teachers' Union confirmed that it has no policy restricting what its members can say in public.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Spring Cove<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Fired for Belittling Blog?</b><br><br>
|
||
Natalie Munroe, a former Central Bucks High School teacher, said she was fired because of her personal blog, which contained harsh language and disparaging comments about students. Munroe had hoped to keep the blog anonymous, but she was suspended when it came to the attention of administrators. Not long after the suspension, Munroe was fired for poor performance. The school board said the firing was not related to Munroe's blogging. "Ms. Munroe was, at best, a satisfactory teacher and was experiencing performance difficulties well before her blog became an issue," said the board's president, Paul Faulkner. Munroe's lawyer, Steven Rovner, suggested that board was being disingenuous. "(Her termination) is a result of what she said in her blog which is protected speech...(The District) spent the whole year setting her up to fail," Rovner said. On her blog, Munroe posted a link to an article which described the glowing evaluations she had received before the blogging scandal.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Central Bucks<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>Judge: Religious Flyer Distribution Allowed</b><br><br>
|
||
Judge A. Richard Caputo of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania decided that an 11-year-old student must be allowed to hand out religious flyers at her school. The flyers that prompted the case invited students to a Christmas party at a church. School officials initially prohibited the student from distributing the flyers, but her father filed a lawsuit which alleged that the school's actions violated his daughter's First and Fourteenth Amendment Rights. Caputo came to his decision by applying a precedent from <em>Tinker v. Des Moines</em>. According to that precedent, schools can only restrict student speech that causes a substantial disruption or invasion of the rights of others. "Here, defendant's generalized safety concern over solicitation does not serve as an adequate justification to ban all materials which may contain personal student expression," ruled Caputo. John. E. Freund III, the district's attorney, argued that the judge had "misapprehended the law." He said that, according to district policy, flyers needed approval from the superintendent (who did not give approval to the flyer in question because it was unclear who would be at the party).<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pocono Mountain<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Kaffiyeh Controversy</b><br><br>
|
||
Mohammad al-Abbasi and Ahmad al-Sadi, seniors at Gateway High School, were told that they could not wear the traditional Arab scarves known as "kaffiyehs." After wearing the scarves for years, the students were told that they had to either remove the scarves or leave school. The administrators' demand came after other students and parents complained that the scarves symbolized hate and terrorism. "It's my culture, my ancestors wore it...It's my roots. It's not political. It doesn't have any message," said al-Abbasi. However, that same student had recently worn a T-shirt emblazoned with an anti-Israeli message. Al-Abbasi admitted that he "shouldn't have worn that to school." Indeed, the school's dress code prohibits clothing which promotes "ethnically/racially inappropriate behavior" or violence. After meeting with the students, civil liberties organizations, and religious leaders, the school administrators decided that the scarves did not violate the dress code and would be permitted.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gateway<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>Student Jailed for Bathroom Wall Writing</b><br><br>
|
||
19-year-old William Plaice was arrested and charged with making terrorist threats because of a message he wrote on a bathroom wall. The message read, "It's people like you, that make people like me bring guns to school, to hug people like you." Plaice's supporters said he was reacting to racist and anti-Semitic comments written on the wall. "He was sticking up for everyone who is discriminated against," said Mara Foley, Plaice's girlfriend. However, District Superintendent Gary Cooper said that the wall "was clean the night before," and that the other comments were written after Plaice's. At least one parent did not care why Plaice had written the message. "He went in and wrote what anyone looking at it would view as a terrorist threat...We just can't take the chance that this fellow really meant it--the consequences of that are catastrophic," said Robert Koons, who hoped Plaice would be expelled in order to powerfully convey the message that what he did was wrong. Plaice was eventually released and went on to graduate from high school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Radnor<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
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<b>Punished for Columbine Remark</b><br><br>
|
||
During a New Brighton Area High School assembly, Harlem Globetrotter Melvin Adams dubbed senior Cory Johnson "Osama bin Laden." After the assembly, students continued to call Johnson (who is part Lebanese and has a goatee) "Osama." "At first, it was funny, but then it got annoying...I was getting kind of tired of it," said Johnson. When one of Johnson's friends said, "Hey, what's up Osama?" Johnson replied, "If I were Osama, I would already have pulled a Columbine." A teacher overheard the remark and reported Johnson. Although Johnson insisted he was joking, he was suspended for 10 days for making "terroristic threats." Johnson, with the help of the ACLU, sued the district. The ACLU's Sara Rose pointed out that the school did not take the threat seriously since it never searched Johnson's locker, recommended counseling, or called the police. A court found that Johnson's comment was not protected speech and upheld his punishment.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New Brighton Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
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<b>Flier Kerfuffle</b><br><br>
|
||
Sarah Hollen, a sophomore at Penn Cambria High School, sued the school district after she was told that she could not pass out her anti-abortion fliers. Matt Bowman, an attorney from the Alliance Defense Fund, represented Hollen. He said that the district had invented rules to prevent the distribution of the fliers because they were "controversial and might start a fight." Superintendent Mary Beth Whited disputed that claim, saying that no one had ever tried to stop Hollen from speaking out against abortion (which she does frequently, verbally and through messages on her clothing). However, Whited said Hollen did not clear her fliers with the principal as required by district policy. In addition, Hollen distributed the fliers during class time, which is also against the rules. Hollen and the school came to an agreement by which she would be allowed to pass out the fliers, provided that the principal saw them in advance, and that there would be no distribution during classes.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Penn Cambria<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>"Reckless" Reaction to Flag Ban</b><br><br>
|
||
Susquehannock High School officials prohibited the display of the Confederate flag after several students complained that they were upset by its symbolism. "We respect students' First Amendment rights. But students cannot engage in expressive conduct that materially disrupts the educational environment, undermines mutual respect for other students or promotes unlawful activities," said York County School District Superintendent Thomas Hensley. He added, "The school district is committed to offering all students an environment that is free from threatening or harassing behavior." Several students who were upset by the flag ban left school, then returned later in two pickup trucks. They drove recklessly, waved Confederate flags, and shouted racial slurs, according to Southern Regional Police Chief James Childs. "To me, this is a hate crime...I'm not going to tolerate it," Childs said. Childs noted that the district was "taking flak" for its decisions because the disciplined students' parents complained.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Southern York County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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<b>Philly Uniform Policy Fight</b><br><br>
|
||
Stephanie Cruel's daughter, Rae-Evelyn, could not wear the typical Northeast High School uniform. As a result, she was pulled from classes most days since the school began enforcing the policy. "Exclusion from school becomes a problem," observed Mary Catherine Roper of the ACLU. A heavy and irregular menstrual cycle made it difficult for Rae-Evelyn to wear the school's light-colored uniform. District spokesman Fernando Gallard acknowledged that "(Cruel) informed the school...that...the condition prevents (Rae-Evelyn) from wearing the uniform." But, he said, until officials can verify the note, "(She) has to follow this uniform policy." Cruel also criticized the uniform policy for imposing an undue financial burden on parents. Because of her outspoken protests against the uniform policy (which administrators say created a "hostile and unsafe school environment"), Cruel was banned from school grounds and from speaking about the uniform issue at parent forums. Roper expressed skepticism about that legitimacy of that decision, saying, "If this is a forum for parents to voice their concerns over issues, she can talk about anything." Gallard argued that Cruel had already been provided with ample opportunities to express her concerns, including a meeting with Superintendent Arlene Ackerman. "We have provided her with assistance and opportunities to bring this situation to a close...She hasn't taken part," Gallard said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Philadelphia<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Uniform Policy: Useless?</b><br><br>
|
||
Friendship Elementary School instituted a uniform policy which, according to some parents, was useless and aggravating. After the uniform policy was implemented, there was a 2% decrease in absences, but there was also a 1% increase in discipline cases. The school failed to meet No Child Left Behind benchmarks. The district's director of elementary education, Camie Arvay, admitted, "(W)e don't have definitive information to say uniforms made a difference." Parent Lisa Lovelace complained, "Parents say the kids look cute and that it's 'easier' not to have to make decisions...Are they going to come to my house and tell me what to cook for dinner, too?" Kathie Sera's daughters hate wearing "boy clothes," (which are also expensive, Sera says). Mary Damiani's first grader has Asperger's syndrome and feels best in clothing that is tight, unlike the loose-fitting pants that are part of his uniform. Still, Friendship principal Jason Palaia speaks highly of the uniform policy. "My faculty wholeheartedly believes we're more unified...Students feel proud of themselves, more confident. They walk with their heads held high," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Coatesville Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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<b>Mexican Pledge Recitation Required</b><br><br>
|
||
Brenda Brinsdon of Achieve Early College High School refused to recite the Mexican pledge of allegiance and national anthem. The recitations were a required part of a class taught by Reyna Santos. When Brinsdon refused to yield, Santos gave the student the alternate assignment of writing a half-page essay on the history of Mexico's independence. However, Brinsdon was inexplicably given failing grade on the 3/4-page paper that she wrote. Brinsdon felt she was being punished for refusing to pledge her allegiance to Mexico. The Thomas More Law Center filed a lawsuit on Brinsdon's behalf. "It's astonishing that this Texas school would deny Brenda her right of conscience and free speech not to pledge allegiance to a foreign country," said Richard Thompson, president of the Center. Interestingly, the school district has a policy that forbids compulsory recitations of the American Pledge of Allegiance.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> McAllen<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Valedictorian Cut Off</b><br><br>
|
||
U.S. Naval Academy appointee Remington Reimer's valedictorian speech was cut short when school officials silenced his microphone. Reimer had deviated from his school-approved speech by talking about his faith and Constitutional rights. Hiram Sasser, director of litigation for the Liberty Institute, said that Principal Mick Cochran met with Remington's father and informed him that the school "intended to punish Remington for his perceived misdeed...Specifically, he threatened to send a letter to the United States Naval Academy advising them that Remington has poor character...The principal said he wanted to try to ruin (Remington) for what he did." "It was intimidating having my high school principal threaten my future because I wanted to stand up for the Constitution and acknowledge my faith and not simply read a government approved speech," Remington said. Initially, the Joshua Independent School District issued a statement which read in part, "When one student's speech deviated from the prior-reviewed speech, the microphone was turned off, pursuant to District policy and procedure." In addition, Principal Mick Cochran said, "The district has reviewed the rules and policies regarding graduation speeches and has determined that the policy was followed." However, Superintendent Fran Merek also issued a statement in which she said, "On behalf of the school district, I...apologize to (the Reimers) for any interpretation of a threat by Mr. Cochran...The District has never intended nor will take punitive action against Remington Reimer for deviating from the prior-reviewed speech."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Joshua<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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<b>Picture of Gun = Suspension?</b><br><br>
|
||
Daniel McClaine, Jr. was suspended for saving a picture of a gun on top of a flag as the desktop background on his school-issued computer. According to district computer use policy, students are prohibited from "sending or displaying offensive messages or pictures" and cannot access, send, or create "harassing, threatening, or illegal" pictures. McClaine did not believe he had violated that policy. "This gun wallpaper does not show anything that's violent. It's not showing anybody getting shot in any way. It's just a picture of a gun," said McClaine. District spokesperson Dana Hawman released a statement saying, "Although we cannot specifically discuss student discipline, we can certainly agree that violence in schools is a sensitive and timely issue. Students, parents and staff are on edge, and the daily news delivers more reasons for caution. All of us must work together to protect our kids and to cultivate an environment that is conducive to learning."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Florence Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Pre-Approved Comments Only?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Bentonville School Board considered changing its public comment policy such that members of the public would have to fill out forms before being allowed to comment during meetings. Board president Travis Riggs said the forms would let the board know what issue the commenter would be addressing. "Requiring them to register beforehand is not taking away their right to speak," Riggs said. Board member Grant Lightle felt that the practice would amount to an attempt at comment content restriction. Richard Drake, who authored a piece in the "Arkansas Times," agreed. "Without public comments, elected bodies work in a bubble, he wrote. "The whole notion of having to have your comments 'approved' by the body you wish to address is distasteful at the very least."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Bentonville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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||
<b>Suspended for Writing Poem</b><br><br>
|
||
Courtni Webb was suspended from Life Learning Academy for writing a poem about Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter. In her poem, Webb said she "know(s) why he pulled the trigger" and that she "understand(s) the killing in Connecticut." A teacher found the poem in one of Courtni's personal notebooks and gave it to the principal. Webb said the poem was therapeutic self-expression, and her mother felt the school overreacted. "(M)y daughter doesn't have a history of violence. She didn't threaten anybody. She didn't threaten herself," she said. The school said it had to suspend Webb because of its "zero tolerance" policy with respect to violence. "(W)e discovered a note that contained deeply concerning, and threatening language related to the recent school shooting in Newtown...Our concerns are for both the safety of our school community and for Courtni herself," read a letter sent from the school to Webb's mother.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> San Francisco Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Who Has Final Say on Ads?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Roseville Joint Union High School District board voted to give the superintendent the power to approve advertisements for school newspapers and yearbooks. Adam Goldstein of the Student Press Law Center said that the new policy could prompt lawsuits from both students and advertisers who felt their speech rights were being violated. "The district is opening themselves up to a lot more liability than they are protecting themselves from," Goldstein said. The new policy also prohibited religious imagery in advertisements. The policy was based on an example provided by the California School Boards Association. A CSBA attorney, Elaine Yama-Garcia, said that Goldstein was "misinterpreting the law" by expecting advertising to be given the same treatment as editorial content. Laurie Weidner, a spokeswoman for the CSBA, said that the Roseville board is "the local steward and they should fashion the policy for their communities." The board eventually reversed the changes it had made.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Roseville Joint Union High School<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Social Media Censorship?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Lodi Unified School District began requiring students to sign a "social media contract" in order to participate in sports and extracurricular activities. Among other stipulations, the contract stated that any use of social media deemed "inappropriate" by administrators would have consequences. School officials defended the contract as a necessary measure to fight cyberbullying. "Online bullying is a problem, and we are looking to safeguard our students, because it is rampant," said Bear Creek High School Principal Bill Atterberry. Students disagreed. "We are worried about it, because it says, 'anything deemed inappropriate by administrators'...It allows them to misinterpret things," said student Zachary Denney. Student Jacob Williams said, "I will not give up my rights for any reason. I may be a minor, but I will not waive rights as an American citizen." The district suspended the policy.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lodi Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Suspension over Tweet</b><br><br>
|
||
A Cathedral City High School student suggested--via Twitter--that his high school football team should provoke a fight in hopes that the opposing team would have to forfeit. The school suspended the student, even though most of his peers saw the tweet as a joking reference to an incident that had occurred earlier in the season. Many students sent out tweets marked with "#freemichael" to protest the suspension. Principal Guillermo Chavez saw the matter differently. "Freedom of speech crosses the line when a threat of violence is made," Chavez tweeted from the school's account.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Palm Springs Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>"Crunk Bear" Fired</b><br><br>
|
||
23-year-old Carly McKinney was fired from her position as a math teacher at Overland High School after she issued a series of inappropriate tweets. Under the name "Carly Crunk Bear," McKinney tweeted half-nude photos of herself and messages about drug use. "Watching a drug bust go down in the parking lot. It's funny cuz I have weed in my car in the staff parking lot," read one of her tweets. McKinney maintained that the Twitter account was a parody, that her friend was responsible for the offending tweets, and that she never brought illegal drugs onto school grounds. She also defended the Twitter account on free speech grounds. McKinney was placed on administrative leave when school officials learned of her tweets. Despite her protests (and those of her many Twitter followers), she was fired shortly thereafter. "The Overland High School teacher, who was placed on administrative leave after allegations of impropriety arose, is no longer employed by the District," read a brief statement from the Cherry Creek School District.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cherry Creek<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Superintendent Letter Prompts ACLU Warning</b><br><br>
|
||
The Connecticut chapter of the ACLU warned Torrington superintendent Cheryl F. Kloczko that a letter she sent to parents may violate the free speech rights of students. Kloczko's letter said that "use of social media by Torrington students to disparage other Torrington students is entirely unacceptable...Any inappropriate comments made against a student or a staff member, whether made in or out of school may subject a student to discipline (including the possibility of suspension or expulsion)." Kloczko sent the letter in response to Torrington High School students' comments about a case involving four high school students accused of raping two 13-year-old females. Students had used social media to defend the accused and criticize the victims.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Torrington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Anti-Gay Shirt Ok</b><br><br>
|
||
Wolcott High School student Seth Groody wore an anti-gay shirt to school on a national "Day of Silence," a day meant to raise awareness of bullying and harassment of LGBT students. Groody's shirt featured a rainbow with a slash mark through it. Groody complied when a school administrator ordered him to change shirts. The ACLU prepared a lawsuit demanding that the school change its policy and that no disciplinary action be taken against Groody. In response, school attorney Christine Chinni wrote a letter to the ACLU stating that Groody would be allowed to wear the shirt in question. The First Amendment "is not merely a theoretical discussion topic but a real and vital guarantee (of free speech rights)," explained Sandra Staub, legal director of the ACLU of Connecticut.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wolcott<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Redskins Clothing Must Go?</b><br><br>
|
||
Principal Pete Cahall of Woodrow Wilson High School said that he would ask the student government to debate banning Washington Redskins clothing. His decision was prompted by the complaint of an American Indian student who said she found the team's name offensive. "I'm going to bring to (the student government) a concern of a student they represent, and let them debate and discuss and come up with a proposal, or not," Cahall said. Jack Price wrote in his school's newspaper, "If you support the team and want them to keep the name, you are racist. But that doesn't mean that the Wilson administration should be allowed to ban students from wearing team gear, or anything for that matter."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> District of Columbia<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Debate: "Inspirational Message" at Graduation</b><br><br>
|
||
The Florida legislature passed a law which permits school boards to "adopt a policy allowing an inspirational message to be delivered by students at a student assembly." Because of the new law, some residents wanted St. Johns County School District to plan on having a prayer at graduation. "You can allow it and you can vote on it," Kim Kendall wanted to tell the school board. There was a prayer at Nikita Storey-Burch's high school graduation in 1992, but she lamented the fact that her son's 2012 graduation had gone "the atheist way." However, board chair Tommy Allen worried about exposing the district to a lawsuit and giving students a platform upon which they could say something controversial. Board attorney Frank Upchurch agreed that adopting an "inspirational message" policy could raise constitutional concerns and put the district in a position where it was powerless to control what students said. The Freedom from Religion Foundation said it would sue the district if an "inspirational message" policy was adopted. The Liberty Counsel countered by saying it would a provide a pro bono legal defense to the district if such a lawsuit were filed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Saint Johns County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Suspended for "Day of Silence"</b><br><br>
|
||
Amber Hatcher sued DeSoto County High School's principal, the dean of students, and the school board after she was suspended for participating in the national "Day of Silence." Participants take a daylong vow of silence to raise awareness about bullying and harassment of LGBT students. Hatcher had sent a letter to Principal Shannon Fusco asking for permission to participate. "Peaceful protests are against district policy," was Fusco's response. Hatcher appealed the decision to the school board, which denied her appeal, and Fusco warned Hatcher that if she chose to participate in the DOS anyway, "there would be disciplinary consequences." Hatcher took part in the protest and was sequestered in the school's intervention room as a consequence. After the lawsuit was filed, the school reversed its position and told Hatcher she would be allowed to participate in the DOS.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> DeSoto County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Sent Home for "Unnatural" Hair</b><br><br>
|
||
16-year-old Mabry Anderson was sent home from Tavares High School because she had dyed her hair an "unnatural" shade of red. According to district spokesman Chris Patton, Principal Janice Boyd informed students that they were not allowed to have such hair colors. Anderson was told not to return to school until she had changed her hair. "It's definitely a freedom of expression issue, "Anderson said. She stayed home for two days and gathered hundreds of supporters on a Facebook page. "I'm letting her fight her fight...And the kids are standing behind her," said Cate Rettig, Anderson's mother. When Anderson returned to school with her hair unchanged, Principal Janice Boyd allowed her to stay. Anderson explained that the principal had decided that the red hair, while unnatural, was not disruptive.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lake County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Forced Pledge</b><br><br>
|
||
Explorer K-8 School teacher Anne Daigle-McDonald was suspended after she forced a Jehovah's Witness fourth grader - who is forbidden from worshipping objects - to salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance on September 11, 2013. According to a district report, several students said that the teacher announced, "In my classroom, everyone will do the Pledge; no religion says that you can't do the Pledge." The Hernando County School District suspended the teacher for violating the child's right to opt out of the Pledge. Daigle-McDonald said her action was about getting "students to respect the day," the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hernando County<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>Reprimanded for 5th Amendment?</b><br><br>
|
||
Batavia High School teacher John Dryden told his students that the 5th Amendment gave them the right not to take a school survey which asked about alcohol and drug use. According to the school board, however, that was "inappropriate and unprofessional," and Dryden was officially reprimanded. "As a result of your misconduct, it is unknown how many students who may be in need of emotional and social interventions will go without available assistance or interventions because they heeded your advice to refuse to answer, or provide false answers to survey questions," read a letter from the board. Dryden defended his actions. "This un-vetted survey was and is a massive invasion of privacy and students do have a Fifth Amendment right not to give to a state institution any information that might incriminate them regardless of the intentions of that institution," he wrote.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Batavia Unified<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Fired for Protest Lesson</b><br><br>
|
||
Elizabeth Parsons was fired from George Washington Elementary after teaching a lesson about free speech. Parsons asked her students if they wanted to speak out on any particular issue, and they said that they wished to have a voice in the debate over lengthening the school day. Parsons and her class discussed the issue and created protest signs and chants. The teacher then took her students outside while they carried signs protesting a longer day. "I knew I'd pushed it<69>I also knew it was the most amazing day of teaching I'd had," said Parsons. She was called into the principal's office, where she apologized for taking the students outside without permission. The principal filed an incident report, and Parsons was charged with "Conduct Unbecoming a Board Employee." At the conclusion of an investigation into the incident, Parsons was terminated for "creating an improper disruption."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
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<b>"Rocky Top" Too Boozy?</b><br><br>
|
||
Dan Tyree, superintendent of the Plymouth Community School Corporation, decided to ban the singing of "Rocky Top." "We have a hard time seeing how we can continue to let our whole…student body celebrate to a song that's about alcohol," Tyree explained. The song mentions "a moonshine still" and "get(ting)...corn from a jar." Traditionally, students have sung along while the band played the tune. After the ban, students continued to sing without the help of the band. "The parts that (were) played don't have the (alcohol references)...so we're just kind of dumbfounded," said student Mack Mercer. A petition to rescind the ban garnered some 600 signatures. Tyree was not swayed. "It probably should have never started, but it did and I just put an end to it," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Plymouth Community<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
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<b>Cyberbullying or Free Speech?</b><br><br>
|
||
Rep. Eric Koch (R-Bedford) authored HB 1015, a bill aimed at fighting cyberbullying. "Our existing laws were written before today's technology existed. The laws are no longer adequate to allow administrators to handle the cyberbullying issue," Koch explained. The bill would have given administrators the power to punish students for "delinquent, criminal or tortious" out-of-school activities aimed at other students or teachers, as well as for "juvenile" acts. Critics of the bill felt that it was too broad and violated students' First Amendment rights. Frank LoMonte of the Student Press Law Center explained, "If a student wants to post 'school is a horrible place,' they could be punished." Before becoming law, HB 1015 was reduced to a mere study of school discipline and safety issues.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Bullying Bill</b><br><br>
|
||
Some Iowa lawmakers sought to pass an anti-bullying bill in 2013 that would have expanded Iowa's law to encompass social media abuse and other issues. "No child deserves to be bullied," said Rep. Chris Hall (D-Sioux City). However, according to Rep. Sandy Salmon (R-Janesville), the bill improperly defined bullying, threatened free speech, gave school officials too much power to punish students, and undermined local control. The bill died after failing to meet legislative deadlines, but a similar bill was brought forth in 2014. Some senators objected to that bill on speech and equal protection grounds. "Bullying is bullying regardless of who you are. We should be protecting all kids in Iowa, not just 18 enumerated characteristics," said Sen. Jake Chapman (R-Adel). Sen. Mark Chelgren (R-Ottumwa) said, "I don't believe the proper constitutional protections of free speech are addressed (by the bill)." The bill passed the Senate.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Drill" Tweet a Threat?</b><br><br>
|
||
Before football practice, Tyson Leon tweeted, "I'm boutta drill my teammates." According to Leon, the tweet simply meant that he intended to practice hard and tackle his teammates. Shakopee High School officials saw things differently. "Every single school administrator who read (the tweet) believed that (Leon) was threatening harm," said Carla White, a Shakopee Public Schools attorney. Administrators told Leon that, because of his tweet, he would not be allowed to play sports for the rest of the year. Leon, who hopes to attend college on a wrestling scholarship, filed a lawsuit against the school. "(The school is) trampling (students') constitutional rights," said Leon's attorney, Meg Kane. Judge Susan Richard Nelson ruled in Leon's favor and he was able to return to his school's sports teams.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Shakopee<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Can't Pray Aloud on School Steps</b><br><br>
|
||
On the steps of Concord High School, Lizarda Urena delivered speeches consisting of prayers and Bible readings. Urena, an anti-bullying activist, arrived at the steps before the start of the school day so that she could speak as students were entering the building. The Freedom From Religion Foundation complained that the district was permitting Urena to pray publicly on school property. Matthew Sharp, general counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, did not see anything wrong with the district's tolerance of Urena's actions. "Students and community members that are allowed to come on campus and participate in a neutral thing are allowed to express religious viewpoints...The students know it's the mother and her own speech—something that the First Amendment protects—and that it is not the school mandating this woman to do it," he said. Devon Chafee of the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union disagreed. "The real question here is whether the acquiescence of the school in permitting these prayers reaches the level of sponsored speech...her presence does give the impression that the school condones and endorses her activity," he explained. Superintendent Christine Rath decided to put a stop to Urena's speeches. The president of Concord's school board, Kassandra Ardinger, supported the superintendent's decision. "To be fair to all the kids in the school, it is probably best for the principal to say that she shouldn't be speaking out like this and proselytizing on school grounds," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Concord<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Rainbow Loom Bracelets Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
PS 87 banned Rainbow Loom bracelets--an accessory which children craft from kits containing colored rubber bands. "The children are playing with the bracelets during class without permission from teachers. (They) are playing with them at recess, and it is causing conflict between children," said Principal Suzan Federici. There were mixed reactions to her decision. "This is ridiculous. There is nothing illicit about Rainbow Looms," said one parent. But another parent commented, "If they're finding it distracting, they've got to do what they've got to do. It's too bad, though. It's such a creative thing."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Student Journalists Charged, Story Blocked</b><br><br>
|
||
West Islip High School journalism students Paula Pecorella and Nicholas Krauss sought to expose the inadequate security of their school. Two of Pecorella's friends (who did not attend West Islip) were able to enter, walk through, and leave the school without arousing any suspicion. Pecorella and Krauss decided to repeat the experiment themselves at North Babylon High School. The student journalists were initially denied access to the building. While they were able to enter through a different door, they were quickly stopped by security. Suffolk County police officers were called and the teens were arrested. (Both students later accepted deals by which the trespassing charges against them would be dismissed provided that the teens were not arrested again within six months.) The students completed their exposé, but Principal Anthony Bridgeman refused to let the students publish the article in the school newspaper. According to Superintendent Richard Simon, Bridgeman felt that the article was too focused on North Babylon and "kind of glorified their being arrested." Pecorella disagreed with that characterization. She said that Principal Bridgeman "absolutely did not want us to print anything about the topic of security; he was not willing to work with us to change the story." The students felt they were being denied the credit that they deserved for exposing flaws in the school's security.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> West Islip<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Suspended for Tweets</b><br><br>
|
||
Curtis High School Senior Erik Nielsen was suspended for four days after tweeting a picture of a teacher's van parked next to a "No Parking" sign. Along with the picture, Nielsen tweeted, "I hope Mr. Pillarella gets towed." "You are over the line. Was this ever funny? It's not now," the teacher replied. "It's only funny if you get towed," Nielsen tweeted back. The teacher may not have been parked illegally. Pillarella's daughter uses a wheelchair, and New York City disabled parking permit holders may park in "No Parking" spots. However, those who have only a New York state permit may not do so. Reports also noted that the city's Department of Education prohibits teachers from communicating with students via social media sites like Twitter, except in emergencies.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Playoffs for "Harlem Shakers"</b><br><br>
|
||
School administrators pulled the Nyack-Tappan Zee hockey team from its first round playoff game as a punishment for the team's uploading of a "Harlem Shake" video to YouTube. In the video, the scantily clad team dances in a sexually suggestive manner. One player was naked but for a carefully placed sock. Dr. Craig Aronson, the father of one of the players, argued that despite the sexual connotations of the video, it was still an expression "protected by our Constitution." "The school is looking to educate children on what's right and wrong, and I don't think making this decision so quickly is really educating them," he added.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Nyack/South Orangetown Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Tweet Prompts Suspension</b><br><br>
|
||
Student Pat Brown served a three-day suspension for suggesting--via Twitter--that the his school's principal should be cut in order to resolve budget problems. Brown's alleged infractions included using a cell phone during class and "inciting a social media riot that disrupted the learning environment." "I said we should cut (the executive principal), because I don't think she does a good job. But that's just my opinion I was sharing on Twitter," Brown explained. He said that he wanted the suspension removed from his record and felt that school board members should "choose their battles better." He could not understand why "a 45-year-old man can speak his opinions about the school district," but a student could not. North Syracuse Central School District Superintendent Dr. Kim Dyce Faucette said that Brown had violated the district's student code of conduct. "Students and parents know the expectations of this policy, and whenever a situation arises where a student does not meet those expectations we deal with it accordingly," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> North Syracuse Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Counselor Fired over Steamy Photos</b><br><br>
|
||
37-year-old Tiffany Webb was fired from Murry Bergtraum High School because of photographs of her that had been taken when she was between the ages of 18 and 20. Unfortunately for Webb, the modeling photos--in which she is scantily clad--remained available on the internet. Webb had disclosed her modeling career to school officials and had been cleared to teach after several Department of Education investigations pertaining to the photos. However, after a student showed the pictures to former principal Andrea Lewis, Webb was terminated for "conduct unbecoming" a DOE employee. A committee ruled 2-1 that "the inappropriate photos were accessible to impressionable adolescents...That behavior has a potentially adverse influence on her ability to counsel students and be regarded as a role model." The dissenter wrote, "Her professional work as a guidance counselor has been outstanding, and she should not be punished for something that happened years ago." Webb filed a lawsuit that charged the DOE with wrongful termination, sex discrimination, and violating her First Amendment rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Suspended for Poem</b><br><br>
|
||
Rittman High School student Nick Andre was kicked off of the football team and suspended for four days because of a poem he wrote for his English class. Andre was assigned to write about something that made him angry. He chose to write about his frustrations with his 1-7 football team. The school's principal said Andrew "wrote a mean and disrespectful poem about another student and our athletic director/head coach." The principal referred to the poem as "hazing" and "harassment." Julie Andre, Nick's mother, did not agree with that characterization. "All (the principal) could refer to was bullying. This poem was bullying, and my comment was, 'Why would the teacher entertain this assignment' because you know, you don’t know what you may get from teenage kids, so to me, I couldn’t understand bullying," she said. Civil rights attorney Avery Friedman believed that the school had violated Andre's rights. "The breadth of expression, even in public schools, is virtually limitless, unless speech is creating material disruption to the educational process, which certainly isn’t here," he said. Superintendent James Ritchie eventually reversed the punishment.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rittman Exempted Village<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Booted for Breast Cancer Awareness Shirt</b><br><br>
|
||
In collaboration with the local Twin Peaks Restaurant, Southmoore High School student Deric Winters designed a shirt meant to raise awareness about breast cancer. Proceeds from the shirt would go to Oklahoma Project Women. The front of the shirt read, "Twin Peaks," and the wording on back read, "Save the scenery." Winters said several female teachers bought the shirt. However, the school's principal felt that the shirt could be offensive to women. Junior Jeremy Alexander was sent home from school for wearing the shirt. "(The shirt is) supporting breast cancer. You shouldn't tell students no," said Deric. Jeremy said he "was wearing it for a good cause, which is all that should matter."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Moore<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Free Speech Punished?</b><br><br>
|
||
A 15-year-old Stevens Point Area Senior High School student identified in court records as "Kaleb K." uploaded a vulgar rap about his Spanish teacher to YouTube. Portage County Judge Thomas Fluguar said the video was among the most obscene and hateful things he had ever seen. On account of the video, the student was found guilty of disorderly conduct and unlawfully using a computerized communications system. This verdict was upheld by Fourth District Court of Appeals Judge Gary Sherman. However, the judge also ruled that the video was protected speech. The student's attorney, Eileen Hirsch, argued that if the video was protected speech, her client should not have been subject to prosecution. Sherman maintained that posting the video to YouTube was tantamount to sending the video to the teacher. Computerized communication statutes prohibit sending messages meant to frighten, intimidate, or abuse if it is expected that the target of the message will receive it.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Stevens Point Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Hoes" Inappropriate Word, or Look?</b><br><br>
|
||
School Support Officer Tameca Richardson told female students at a Jack Yates High School assembly that they have been dressing like "hoes," eliciting anger from some parents and an apology from the district. "You don't know what kind of home half of these girls are coming from...You don't know their living condition and you don't know their parents' financial state. That may be the only thing they have to wear," complained one parent. But others felt the statement might have been good. "If the young ladies were dressed in such a way that portrays the way 'hoes on the street' are dressed, I think it was appropriate that the administrators bring it to their attention," said parent Mary Owens.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Houston<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Cheering for the Girls</b><br><br>
|
||
After a Binghamton mother complained to the U.S. Department of Education that girls' sports were not receiving the same treatment as boys' sports--especially with respect to sideline support--schools were required to supply cheerleaders for both boys' and girls' games. Part of the result was that many cheerleaders quit the program because they did not want to cheer at girls' games. The problem was exacerbated by the district's cost-saving decision to only have cheerleaders at home games. That decision eliminated the travel that enticed some students to participate in cheerleading. Not having cheerleaders at girls' games "sends the wrong message that girls are second-class athletes," said one area parent. One senior cheerleader complained, "We joined sports to have fun, but they're basically taking the fun away."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Whitney Point Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Ending Single-Sex Education</b><br><br>
|
||
The ACLU sent Open Records Act requests to ten Alabama school districts inquiring about their single-sex education programs. According to the ACLU, nine of those districts had ended such programs as of early July 2009, when the Lawrence County School District agreed to end its single-sex classes. That district had been accused of teaching boys' and girls' classes differently, based on gender stereotypes. Supporters of single-sex education say the separation allows teachers to tailor instruction to different learning styles of boys and girls, decreasing misbehavior and improving academic outcomes. Some districts have settled with the ACLU.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Homecoming Queen</b><br><br>
|
||
When North Dallas High School senior Andy Moreno submitted her name for homecoming queen, Dinnah Escanilla, the school's principal, refused. Moreno is a transgender teen, biologically male, who wanted her sexuality to be accepted. With no specific gender policy for the homecoming court, however, the decision lay within the discretion of the principal. "I just want a fair chance and to let the students decide, not the principal. The students treat me like any other girl. Why can't the administration?"<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dallas<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Single Gender Classrooms</b><br><br>
|
||
Clearwater schools began an experiment with separate classes in elementary schools based on gender, with evidence that both boys and girls benefited from single sex classrooms. Some people, however, thought the program reinforced gender stereotypes, such as girls needing more vocal instruction and boys not working well in groups. A third-grade teacher objected to that concern: "We're not teaching boys to be a certain way or girls to be a certain way. We're simply using what we know about how their brains work to help them be as successful as possible."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pinellas County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gender Divided School Board</b><br><br>
|
||
The Miami Dade School Board elected two men, Agustin Barrera and Martin Karp, over two women to be chairman and vice chairman. The votes, 5-4 for both men, divided strictly on gender lines. "As a female, I'm offended," remarked board member Ana Rivas Logan. "I feel like we've just gone back to the 1900s."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Miami-Dade<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Single-Sex Education</b><br><br>
|
||
The ACLU brought suit against the Breckenridge County School District after a middle school allowed parents to choose single-sex math or science classes. That policy was eventually expanded to include other types of classes. The ACLU said the single-sex education policy violated Title IX gender equality law and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The board of education said its single-sex classes were "helping improve the educational achievement of our students." In 2011, a U.S. District Court ruled in favor of the school district.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Breckenridge County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Mandatory Single-Sex Classes</b><br><br>
|
||
Driven by emerging research suggesting students in single-sex classrooms performed better, the Livingston Parish school district planned to implement sex-segregated classes in two middle schools in 2006. The district cancelled the plan just six days before school started, however, after the ACLU, on behalf of a student and her parents, filed a lawsuit to prevent the change. The school board felt it couldn't risk starting school under the shadow of the lawsuit. The ACLU cheered the decision, calling it "a major victory against mandatory single-sex classes."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Livingston Parish<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Feature" Discrimination?</b><br><br>
|
||
Numerous girls were turned away from the prom at Higgins High Schools for having dresses a teacher deemed too revealing and, therefore, in violation of the school's dress code. The most common violation was revealing too much cleavage. The district's dress code stated that "a student will not wear clothing that exposes the student's back, chest or midriff." At least one student, whose date was barred from entering, considered the action discriminatory. "I think it was discrimination toward a woman who has features," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Higgins High School<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Single-sex Education in Boston</b><br><br>
|
||
Boston school superintendent Carol Johnson wanted to create two single-gender academies, but her proposals were put on hold when the ACLU questioned their legality under state law. Some evidence suggests that single-gender schools may have significant academic benefits, and where they exist girls' schools have been heavily in demand (though boys' schools have sometimes struggled to find students). But the research is disputed, and as ACLU-Massachusetts staff attorney Sarah Wunsch noted, "Kids need to learn to work with students of different gender, religion, national origin and race." In 2012, a Massachusetts bill that would have allowed single-sex schooling failed to become law.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Boston<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Single-Sex Education in Detroit</b><br><br>
|
||
State lawmakers took up legislation that would allow single-sex schools in Detroit, a move aimed at stopping Detroit's hemorrhaging of students and giving parents a new educational choice. Detroit Public Schools spokesman Lekan Oguntoyinbo said there was "tremendous support" for letting parents choose single-sex schools, and parent Shari Lemonious's reaction to the idea substantiated that. "It takes away a level of distraction," she said. "Boys definitely (would not be) competing to get the girls and vice versa." The ACLU, however, threatened to go to court if the legislation were passed. "It's segregation--segregation based on gender rather than race," said Shelli Weisberg of the ACLU's Michigan chapter. The legislation was signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm (D).<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Detroit<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>ACLU Opposes Same-Sex Schools</b><br><br>
|
||
The ACLU requested that the Cleveland school district eliminate five new, single-gender schools, claiming that the schools were discriminatory. "Americans have long since learned that separate is not equal when it comes to educating our young people," said Jeffrey Gamso, legal director of the Ohio ACLU. Joseph Flannery, a music teacher at one of the new all-boys academies, praised the single-sex schools a year after their creation. "The boys do so much better compared to a mixed group," he said. "They're much more involved." Parents of students at the schools expressed high levels of satisfaction.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cleveland<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Single-Sex Schools in Wake County</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2012, Wake County opened single-sex public schools. Veronica Cathey, the mother of a 12-year-old attending the county's first all-boys school, thinks that "it's a good concept to have all girls and all boys. They're wired differently." Several organizations, however, spoke in opposition to the schools. "When resources are limited, it seems to make more sense to focus on things that work, like smaller class sizes, more teacher training, increased parental involvement," said Sarah Preston of the North Carolina ACLU chapter. Preston also expressed concerns that the schools would promote gender stereotypes.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wake County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Ban on Father-Daughter/Mother-Son Events</b><br><br>
|
||
The Cranston school district banned future father-daughter dances and similar parent-child activities after a parent complained to the ACLU. The parent said her daughter, who has no father figure in her life, felt left out by such activities. In a statement, the ACLU added, "In the 21st Century, public schools have no business fostering the notion that girls prefer to go to formal dances while boys prefer baseball games. This type of gender stereotyping only perpetuates outdated notions of 'girl' and 'boy' activities and is contrary to federal law." Superintendent Judith Lundsten "believe(s) that no one intended to hurt anyone's feelings with this, that they wanted to be inclusive, but they also liked these-traditional type activities."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cranston<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Single-Sex Schooling</b><br><br>
|
||
State Superintendent Jim Rex promoted single-sex education in public schools as a way to improve student performance, reduce discipline problems, and give parents more options. "Their self-esteem is up. They're enjoying class. They're enthusiastic," said one school principal about students in single-gender classes. By 2008, 97 state schools had embraced single-sex schooling. However, critics like Emily Martin of the ACLU worried that single-sex education promotes gender stereotypes and could pull the best, most energetic teachers away from co-ed classrooms. "There are real problems in segregated schools," she said. "And there is little evidence that sex segregation, per se, has some magical effect on test scores."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Single-Sex Classes Halted</b><br><br>
|
||
On behalf of a parent, the ACLU of West Virginia sued Wood County Schools on the grounds that the district's single-sex classes were discriminatory--in violation of federal law. The ACLU alleged that the single-sex program was "based on discredited theories" and that the school provided no practical alternative for families who did not want to participate in single-sex education. The district defended its use of single-sex education: "We believe our program is in compliance with the law and that we are conducting ourselves in a legally proper fashion." U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin disagreed, and Wood County was barred from instituting any single-sex programs for two years.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wood County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Value of Single-Sex Schools Questioned</b><br><br>
|
||
Pittsburgh Public Schools officials debated plans to create single-sex schooling programs within the district. Some argued that single-sex schools eliminate social pressures that hamper learning and academic performance. In addition, Derrick Lopez, assistant superintendent for the city's secondary schools, said, "(F)or low-income kids of color, a single-gender school model has added value." According to Lopez, teachers in such schools have more personal interaction with students and are better positioned to resolve academic and behavioral issues. Sara Rose, staff attorney with the ACLU of Pennsylvania, pointed out that the research does not necessarily indicate that single-sex schooling promotes better academic performance. Rose was also skeptical of the legality of single-sex public schools. Parent Annette Werner raised another concern: "The real danger here is that we create schools that build upon stereotypes like boys are competitive and girls are passive...I am bothered by the message we could be sending to our children."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pittsburgh<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Boys in Field Hockey?</b><br><br>
|
||
The West Chester school board took up a proposal to ban boys from playing girls' field hockey, and to keep girls' teams from playing against squads with boys. The fact that men already have more athletic opportunities than women is one good reason to keep boys out of field hockey, said Donna Lopiano of the Women's Sports Foundation. Another? "Do you want to put that boy hitting a ball that's harder than a baseball in front of that girl? Do you want to take that chance? The answer for most school districts should be no." For boys who want to play field hockey, the issue was about being able to play their sport, which is generally not offered for boys.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> West Chester Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Single-Sex Schools</b><br><br>
|
||
The Austin Independent School District made plans to convert two failing middle schools into single-sex schools. Trustee Cheryl Bradley was the leading advocate for the conversion. She saw the schools as being desperately in need of change, and "no one else offered a solution." "What I'm hoping the change will accomplish is the pipeline to prison for minority students to disappear...I want to see rigor increase. I want to take out all the distractions and focus on curriculum," she said. However, the idea faced opposition. Adriana Piñon, an ACLU attorney, said that the idea of separating students based on gender "raise(s) constitutional concerns." Piñon also said that there was no data to support the notion that the problem with the failing schools in question was coeducation. Indeed, a paper titled "Pseudoscience of Single-Sex School" was published in the journal <p>Science</p> a few months before the district made its plans. After the schools were opened the ACLU filed a civil rights suit against the district.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Austin<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Boy Suspended for Purse</b><br><br>
|
||
Eighth-grade student Skyler Davis was suspended from Anderson County Junior-Senior High School for refusing to stop carrying his Vera Bradley purse in school. Davis's mother believes the suspension is a case of gender discrimination, and Skyler said, "I don't think everyone should be treated differently. Everyone should have the same privileges." District superintendent Don Blome said there was no discrimination involved, and that all students are required to stow their bags in lockers during class time. "We strive to make sure we treat every kid alike," he said. The Davis family, however, maintains that the bag-carrying rules appear nowhere in the student handbook and girls are allowed to get away with different things than boys.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Anderson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Creationist Night Class in Public School</b><br><br>
|
||
Robert Harrison taught a "creation science" course in an adult education program held at a public school building. To Harrison and the school district, allowing the class was a matter of equal access to the building. For the New York Civil Liberties Union, the class was a violation of the establishment clause of the First Amendment. Said the district's attorney, Warren H. Richmond, the district was in a "damned if it does, damned if it doesn't" situation, with either party likely to sue if the other gets its way.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Northport-East Northport<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Philosophy of Design"</b><br><br>
|
||
At a special January 1 meeting, the El Tajon Unified School District approved a one-month, elective course called "Philosophy of Design," which would have discussed evolution and "the scientific, biological and biblical aspects that suggest why Darwin's philosophy is not rock solid." Proponents of the course asserted that because it was called a "philosophy" class it would be legal. A group of 11 parents, however, disagreed, and contacted Americans United for the Separation of Church and State to bring a suit against the district. On January 17, faced with the legal action, the district cancelled the elective course.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> El Tajon Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teacher Attacks Creationism as "Superstitious Nonsense"</b><br><br>
|
||
When teacher James Corbett told his students that creationism is "superstitious nonsense," student Chad Farnan did not take well to what he saw as an attack on religion by a government employee. Farnan sued, and in August 2011 a federal appeals court ruled that Corbett's comments did not violate the Constitution's establishment clause, reversing a lower court. Wrote Judge Raymond Fisher, "In broaching controversial issues like religion, teachers must be sensitive to students' personal beliefs and take care not to abuse their positions of authority. But teachers must also be given leeway to challenge students to foster critical thinking skills and develop their analytical abilities. This balance is hard to achieve."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Capistrano Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Disputing Science Texts</b><br><br>
|
||
In March 2007, a textbook selection committee recommended twenty-one science textbooks for use by the Rogers School District. However, Dan Eckard, the committee's lone community representative, objected that the books offered only one side of the evolution debate. Eckard and former Pea Ridge science teacher Mark Moore eventually argued that supplemental material addressing controversial questions should also be adopted, but the school board adopted the recommended textbooks and turned away the supplemental material.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rogers<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Advisory Council Recommends ID</b><br><br>
|
||
Prompted by the Mat-Su student advisory council's recommendation that intelligent design be taught in district social studies classes, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough school board briefly discussed incorporating intelligent design into the curriculum, but made no final decision. The student advisory council's decision was controversial for members, who, according to member Kenni Psenak, "had to tread carefully" because "there were strong opinions on all sides." For the school board, member Larry DeVilbiss said he was unsure if the issue would be too hot for the board to take up next year.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Matanuska-Susitna<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Textbook Disclaimer</b><br><br>
|
||
The Alabama Board of Education voted unanimously to continue use of a disclaimer in biology textbooks stating that "evolution is a controversial theory," despite consensus among scientists that learning Darwin's theory of evolution is crucial for understanding the development of life on Earth. Many critics of the ten-year-old disclaimer were relatively mum in the discussion about keeping it, but remained opposed. "They know nothing is going to be done about it," explained opponent Randall Johnson. The disclaimer has been supported by religiously conservative groups, which argue that biology textbooks push unproven Darwinism at the expense of other possible explanations of life's origins.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Opposed Intelligent Design, Asked to Resign</b><br><br>
|
||
Christine Comer, an expert on science education in the Texas Education Agency, was fired after forwarding e-mails which informed her colleagues about an event featuring an anti-intelligent design speaker. After 27 years as a science teacher and nine years as the TEA's director of science, Comer was asked by superiors to either send a retraction or be forced to resign. "Any science teacher worth their salt that has any background in biology will tell you there is no controversy," Comer said. The TEA, however, said it must remain neutral on the issue of intelligent design. The agency maintains that Comer was asked to resign because of "misconduct and insubordination." A federal judge dismissed Comer's suit in 2009, and an appeals court ruled against her in 2010.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Creationists Denied</b><br><br>
|
||
The Institute for Creation Research, a Dallas-based research institution advocating the teaching of scientific creationism, was given preliminary approval to grant masters degrees online in science education, only to have the approval denied by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The affair sparked controversy, with many disapproving of creationism as science. "Approval of this sort of nonsense as science in Texas will have a significant negative impact on our ability to attract the best minds to the state," said Alfred Gilman, UT Southwestern Medical School's dean and Nobel Prize winner in medicine. Kent Davey, science at UT-Austin's Center for Electromechanics, said, "I am persuaded that the creation worldview has a firm place in science." The Institute was ultimately denied the right to offer the degree.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Creationism, Evolution, and Fossils</b><br><br>
|
||
Texas' State Board of Education voted to change its science curriculum by dropping a rule that required students to address the "strengths and weaknesses" of evolution. Some people feared that the word "weaknesses" was an underhanded way to promote creationism. However, the Board instituted a requirement that students analyze types of fossils and evaluate the arguments against universal common descent, a pillar of evolutionary theory. Many scientists worried that the measure would make Texas look backward. Steve Schafersman, president of Texas Citizens for Science, remarked, "It's really unscientific. It promotes creationism. It says that students will be required to learn arguments against common descent or ancestral connections." Barbara Cargill, a former science teacher in favor of the fossil examinations for students, said, "This isn't about religion. I don't know how many times we have to say it before people accept it. It's about science."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Appointment of Conservative Christian</b><br><br>
|
||
After State Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy was voted out of office, likely for his vocal support of teaching creationism in the schools, there was speculation that Gov. Rick Perry would appoint Cynthia Dunbar to the post. Dunbar is an ardent conservative who believes in a "biblical litmus test" and called the public schools unconstitutional for their supposed usurpation of family rights. The possibility of Dunbar's appointment upset many observers. Kathy Miller, head of the Texas Freedom Network, said, "If the governor really decides that selling out our kids like this is a good reelection strategy, then this state has an even bigger problem than we thought." The post eventually went to Gail Lowe, a who is a more moderate creationist than Dunbar.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Standard with Evolution, Trouble in Polk</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2007, Florida proposed new science standards, which mentioned specifically for the first time the word "evolution." A Polk County School Board member, Kay Fields, insisted that the curriculum should also mention creationism and intelligent design or not be adopted by Polk. "You need to show both sides," said Fields. However, Jonathan Smith of Florida Citizens for Science argued, "You can't teach two sides when there isn't a second side." A revised form of the proposal was passed. Under the revised proposal, students and teachers are allowed to openly question the validity of the theory of evolution as it is taught in classes. Fueled by outrage over the revised policy changes, the controversy continued.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Polk County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Evolution in Textbooks</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2002, the Cobb County school board ordered that all high school biology texts bear a sticker stating, "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered." After years of court decisions, in 2006 the school district decided to remove the stickers. Marjorie Rogers, a parent who had the school place the stickers in the textbooks, said, "The stickers were just a compromise the school board made to satisfy those of us who were offended by the material in the textbooks." Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the district made the right decision. "Students should be taught sound science, and the curriculum should not be altered at the behest of aggressive religious groups," said Lynn.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cobb County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Wasting" Money on Evolution?</b><br><br>
|
||
Pat New, a biology teacher at Lumpkin County Middle School, was challenged by several district parents--sometimes, she said, loudly and sarcastically--over her teaching of evolution. In addition, according to New, district administrators put pressure on her to ease off of evolution. At the very least, district superintendent Dewey Moye argued, "It's a public school. In a democracy people can ask questions." Mrs. New responded that state standards required that evolution be taught, and that it is crucial to understanding biology. New eventually filed a complaint with the state that she was being harassed for teaching the standards. Moye then changed his tune. Regarding parents, he said, "'You can believe what you want, but we have to teach the standards.' If they're upset, they can take it up on the state level."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lumpkin County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Controversy over Creationism</b><br><br>
|
||
Beau Schaefer, a teacher in Community High School District 128, ignited a controversy by teaching creationism alongside evolution. Parents and students were torn on the issue, with some arguing that Schaefer should be fired and others supporting him. Superintendent Prentiss Lea said that the school would not fire Schaefer because the issue was something that could be resolved, though he made it clear teaching creationism was not acceptable. "Regardless of our professional or personal opinions, in this area, there is no gray area," said Lea. "The teacher in question is a long-standing D128 instructor. We will not be recommending his termination as this is remediable behavior."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Community High School District 128<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Creationism Bill</b><br><br>
|
||
In early 2012, State Sen. Dennis Kruse (R-Auburn) introduced legislation that would have given school districts permission to include creationism alongside evolution in science classes as long as multiple accounts--Christian, Buddhist, etc.--were taught. The measure passed the Senate but was not brought up for a vote in the House, where Speaker Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) said, among other things, that recently passed school choice legislation would enable people to freely choose schools that teach creationism. In addition, districts already had the authority to control their own science curricula.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Intelligent Design Bill Derailed</b><br><br>
|
||
In November 2005, state representative Bruce Borders (R-Jasonville) said he would introduce a bill mandating the teaching of intelligent design in Indiana schools. The Republican was not alone in calling for such legislation--he even got support from across the aisle. "Evolution was designed by God," said Rep. Jerry Denbo (D-French Lick). "I really think that should be taught." Despite such bipartisan support, the Indiana Civil Liberties Union said it would likely oppose any bill akin to the one proposed by Borders because it would violate the separation of church and state. In the end, the ACLU didn't have to act. In light of a December federal court ruling in Pennsylvania against the teaching of intelligent design, Borders introduced a bill in January that called only for "accuracy in textbooks."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Evolution Wars</b><br><br>
|
||
Between 1999 and 2007 Kansas road a roller-coaster ride of state standards on human origins, with rules going back and forth between questioning and leaving unchallenged human evolution. Since 2007 the State Board of Education has been in the hands of a majority that has not challenged evolution, but there continues to be fairly broad support for letting students criticize the theory of evolution.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Science Test Against Majority</b><br><br>
|
||
In letters to State Education Commissioner Terry Holliday and the Kentucky Board of Education, Hart County superintendent Ricky Line objected to an under-development state biology test, arguing that the test did not include any elements of creationism and made evolution sound more like fact than theory. Line wrote, "my feeling is if the Commonwealth's site-based councils, school board members, superintendents and parents were questioned ... one would find this teaching contradictory to the majority's belief systems." Those opposed to the superintendent argued that Kentucky did not require that evolution be taught as fact and that creationism should not be presented in science classes because that would be tantamount to teaching religion in school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hart County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Intelligent Design</b><br><br>
|
||
Kentucky law permitted teachers to discuss Biblical creation when teaching evolution. A statewide debate still emerged, however, when Senate President David Williams (R-Burkesville) said that he and other Republicans discussed pushing schools to teach intelligent design, and Governor Ernie Fletcher briefly plugged intelligent design in his State of the Commonwealth address. Supporters of injecting at least some discussion of intelligent design into Kentucky public schools portrayed doing so as a matter of free speech. "Any time you have a free and open conversation about theories that people have...I think that's very positive," said Williams. Miriam Steinitz Kannan, a microbiology professor at Northern Kentucky University, however, saw the drive for intelligent design in public school curricula as a religious assault on science. "The moment we throw faith in there and tell students not to think, then we're in trouble," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Texts Incomplete without Evolution Critiques?</b><br><br>
|
||
In October 2010, the State Board of Education adopted several science textbooks, but put off voting on high school biology and environmental science texts until a review could be completed by a special advisory committee. A few board members objected, in particular, that the biology texts were not complete because, as member Dale Bayard said, they "did not include all science currently available on the subject." Bayard was referring to intelligent design and other critiques of evolutionary theory. Bayard said his objection was driven by science, not religion. "It has absolutely, positively nothing to do with creationism....The anti-Christian movement in this country wants you to think that." Eventually both the advisory and full committees adopted the disputed textbooks by substantial majorities.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Intelligent Design: Science or Social Studies?</b><br><br>
|
||
For two years, Julie Olson and Dawn Wenzel, middle school teachers in the Gull Lake Community Schools system, taught intelligent design alongside evolution. In that time, they also added the pro-ID book <em>Of Pandas and People</em> to the district's textbook list and added a lesson on the book to the district's science curriculum, both of which the school board approved. A parent complained and the district put together a committee, which included the two teachers, to determine whether ID belonged in the curriculum. In May 2005, the committee voted against including ID and the teachers turned to the Thomas More Law Center to contemplate a lawsuit. Wenzel said, "As far as my academic freedom goes, that's being stifled." Gull Lake Superintendent Rich Ramsey was willing to have ID discussed, but in social studies class. "I don't think intelligent design ought to be banned from being talked about," he said. "It has value in the appropriate setting."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gull Lake<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Pawlenty OK with ID</b><br><br>
|
||
Governor Tim Pawlenty ignited controversy when he said on national television that intelligent design is "credible" and "plausible" and that districts should be allowed to teach it. Critics such as Minnesota 2020 fellow John Fitzgerald said that the theory was "widely discredited" and should not be taught--at least not in science classes.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Law Little Help with Human Origins</b><br><br>
|
||
A 2006 state law said that school officials cannot prohibit students or teachers from discussing how life began. In general, however, local school officials have said they have not had much trouble handling evolution, and they fear that the new statute is so vague it invites lawsuits. The problem, perhaps, is that an early version of the law was too specific--and controversial. It stated that schools could not prohibit discussions about the "flaws or problems which may exist in Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution and the existence of other theories of evolution, including, but not limited to, the Intelligent Design explanation of the origin of life." That version was rejected in the House and the language eventually enacted was a compromise: "No local school board, school superintendent or school principal shall prohibit a public school classroom teacher from discussing and answering questions from individual students on the origin of life."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teaching the Controversy</b><br><br>
|
||
A Missouri lawmaker offered legislation requiring all public schools to teach intelligent design, in addition to evolution, in their science classes. Rep. Rick Brattin (R-124) argued that teaching both sides of the debate is necessary, but critics say that doing so would insert religion into public schools. Josh Rosenau of the National Center for Science Education said, "Intelligent design is a religious philosophy, not a science." Brattin disagrees. "I'm not advocating that we teach Adam and Eve in schools," he said. "But we don't know what happened a billion years ago, so why not have a fair discussion about all the possibilities?"<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Evolution Doubt Petition</b><br><br>
|
||
Steve Brown, a Las Vegas masonry contractor, filed an initiative petition aimed at passing an amendment to the state constitution. The proposed amendment would have required all schools to tell students before the end of 10th grade that most scientists believe that the theory of evolution is "well supported," but "a small minority of scientists do not agree." The amendment would also have required, among other things, that students be told that some scientists believe "it is mathematically impossible for the first cell to have evolved by itself," and that the origin of "sex drive is one of biology's mysteries." Brown failed to collect sufficient signatures to put his initiative on the ballot.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teach Darwin's Ideology?</b><br><br>
|
||
The New Hampshire legislature considered bills that would have required alternatives to evolution to be taught in schools. The legislation would also have required students to be told that being scientific means "not committing to any one theory or hypothesis." One of the bills would have mandated that evolution theorists' "political and ideological viewpoints and their position on the concept of atheism" be taught. One of the bills' sponsors, Rep. Gary Hopper (R-Weare), argued that the legislation was needed to protect teachers who might teach alternatives to evolution. Opponents feared that the legislation diminished local control of curriculum, promoted religion, and contradicted established science. The bills died in the House.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Reasonable People" May Officially Disagree</b><br><br>
|
||
The Rio Rancho School Board approved a policy intended (according to the policy's supporters) to allow students and teachers to discuss origin of life theories that are alternatives to evolution. Opponents objected that the last line of the new policy was a backdoor attempt to introduce intelligent design into biology classes. The line read, "When appropriate and consistent with the New Mexico Science Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Performance Standards, discussions about issues that are of interest to both science and individual religious and philosophical beliefs will acknowledge that reasonable people may disagree about the meaning and interpretation of data." After months of rancor over the new policy, the board revisited it and ultimately amended the last line to read, "Students shall understand that reasonable people may disagree about some issues that are of interest to both science and religion (for example, the origin of life on earth, the cause of the 'big bang,' the future of the earth)." Not all of the board members were happy about the revision. Member Margaret Terry said that district teachers were "not qualified to teach my religion in a public school." She added, "(I)f you want it (intelligent design) taught, create your own school."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rio Rancho<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Governor Says Creationism "Local Decision"</b><br><br>
|
||
Governor Chris Christie said that the matter of whether or not schools ought to teach creationism should be a "local decision." Christie said his position did not indicate that he advocates the teaching of creationism, only that he thinks it is "really a dangerous area for a governor who stands up from the top of the state to say, 'You should teach this, you shouldn't teach that.'" When asked whether he believes in creationism or evolution, Christie responded, "That’s none of your business."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Board Member Proposes Creationism Instruction</b><br><br>
|
||
Springboro Community Schools board member Kelly Kohls proposed that the district consider offering optional instruction in creationism. Kohl's proposal was supported by two other members. The ACLU and the Freedom From Religion Foundation advised the district against it and threatened litigation. After significant public discussion, Kohls changed her position. Rebecca Markert, an attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said, "It is wildly inappropriate for the religious beliefs of a few school board members to be pushed on a captive audience of public school students." Kohls later explained that she thinks school choice programs would be the best thing for parents who want their children to receive a religious education. "I think people should have options," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Springboro Community<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Intelligent Design Debate</b><br><br>
|
||
On the grounds that the subject is too controversial, the North Dakota High School Activities Association said it would not make intelligent design a debate topic. "We were going to exclude kids from the state and public forum debate if we stayed with intelligent design," explained association spokesman Bob Hetler. "Some schools were afraid parents wouldn't allow their kids to do this one." Hetler said about 5 of North Dakota's 15 schools that offer debate programs took issue with the topic. Mandan School District superintendent Kent Hjelmstad said, "The message is that you want the experience of an academic challenge, but you don't need to have objectionable discussions to get that challenge." Others were struck by debaters dodging such a heavily argued subject. "It's unfathomable that we're not going to allow some of the brightest, most articulate kids you can find have an intelligent discussion on intelligent design," said Adam Burnside. Burnside is the debate coach at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, a Minnesota district that often competes with North Dakota schools.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>County Stops Project on Creationism</b><br><br>
|
||
A teacher at Wakefield Middle School was told to stop offering an extra-credit assignment for which students could complete a project on either evolution or creationism. "The courts have been pretty clear that public schools can't teach about creationism in science classes," explained Ann Majestic, a lawyer representing the school district. The Wake County school system investigated the incident after a parent complained about the assignment. Russell Capps, a former state representative, defended the assignment. "Evolution is certainly something that students can be taught, but it's not the only theory. Students should also have the right to learn about creationism," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wake County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Education Department: Intelligent Design Is Not Science</b><br><br>
|
||
With intelligent design a hot issue all over the country, officials at the Oregon Department of Education thought it best to reiterate official policy: creationism can be discussed in comparative religion or literature classes, but not in science classes. "It's a classic disconnect between science and religion, and the state has no problem coming out on where schools should be," said Department of Education spokesman Gene Evans. Not all Oregonians agreed. Said Bend La-Pine School Board member Brian Gatley, "A number of scientists are looking at intelligent design, and I see no reason to not have it brought into school."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>State Approves Textbook Despite Evolution Controversy</b><br><br>
|
||
10 of 17 members of the State Board of Education voted to approve a widely-used high school biology textbook, despite controversy over its emphasis on evolution. Board member Charles McKinney, who sees evolution as "an incomplete mystery," was critical of the book, saying it "distorted science opinion as truth." Co-author Ken Miller, joined by science teachers and college professors, defended the book's content, and argued it was necessary for students' college preparation. Board member Trip DuBard III said, "It's almost shameful to me that we spent so much time questioning whether evolution should be taught in 2008 in South Carolina Schools. I thought we were beyond that."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Necessary Protection, or "Backdoor Creationism"?</b><br><br>
|
||
By neither signing nor vetoing it, Tennessee governor Bill Haslam allowed what critics called "the monkey bill" (referencing the "Scopes Monkey Trial") to become law. The law allows teachers to "help students to understand, analyze, critique, and review...the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories." The "theories" in question include evolution, human origins, and global warming. Sen. Bo Watson, who sponsored the bill, said, "Teachers should be able to answer (questions) without feeling they violate the curriculum standards." Critics say the law is a "backdoor" means of promoting religion in the classroom. "This is just the latest attempt by politicians to replace scientific principle with religious ideology," wrote the editorial board of the <em>Tennessean</em>. "They want to discredit scientific study while presenting their religious beliefs as fact."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Ape-to-Man</b><br><br>
|
||
Saying he was "not willing to continue to get e-mails and faxes from parents saying, 'Why are they teaching my kid we evolved from apes in school as a fact,'" Senator Chris Buttars (R-West Jordan) pushed for legislation that would have prohibited teachers from telling students that they evolved from apes, and would have required that students be told that while there was some evidence for the ape-to-man inference, it was not an indisputable fact. Opponents feared the bill would open the door to teaching intelligent design and religion in the schools. "We always (try to) separate in this state very carefully our religious beliefs (from state operations). That general philosophy, it seems to me, needs to continue," said state board of education chairman Kim Burningham. A House version of the bill was defeated.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Mention Creationism to Curriculum?</b><br><br>
|
||
Patty Kubetz, whose husband serves on the Kiel School Board, wrote a letter to that board to ask that it consider adding mentions of creationism to the district's science curriculum. Patty felt that the science curriculum would be more "balanced" if it included mentions of theoretical alternatives to evolution. "My concern is we're only teaching evolution," she said. "We're not teaching any of the other ideas of the origin of life out there that are common...All I'm asking is that you mention them. I'm not asking they be taught." Patrick Elliot of the Freedom From Religion foundation vehemently opposed the changes Patty sought. "This is unconstitutional to be teaching these creationism theories in the schools," he said, adding, "It's very unwise for schools to be teaching religion alongside science classes." The school board decided against adding mentions of creationism or alternative theories to the science curriculum.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kiel Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Intelligent Design in Science Classes</b><br><br>
|
||
With polls showing increasing support for teaching alternatives to evolution, state representative Terese Berceau (D-Chippewa) decided to introduce a bill requiring anything taught in Wisconsin public school science classes to be "testable," describe "only natural processes," and be considered "science" as defined by the National Academy of Sciences. Intelligent design, importantly, did not fit the bill, but Berceau noted that her measure would not ban discussion of the disputed theory in schools (only in science classes). Debi Towns (R-Janesville), who chaired the Assembly Education Committee, said right away that she would not support the bill.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Of Pandas and Intelligent Design</b><br><br>
|
||
A Dover school district policy required biology students to be told that Darwinian evolution is a theory, not a fact, and directed them to the intelligent design book "Of Pandas and People." Federal judge John E. Jones III ruled that that policy was unconstitutional. Jones stated that he found intelligent design to be "a religious view, a mere relabeling of creationism, and not a scientific theory." Despite the closure Jones's ruling might have brought to the people of Dover, who had fought over the policy since it was adopted in October 2004, a great deal of social and personal damage had already been done. Many Dover citizens were so divided by the policy that they reported refusing to speak to neighbors who held opinions that differed from their own.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dover Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Excessive Creationist Input?</b><br><br>
|
||
A Texas biology textbook review panel drew national attention because of several of the panelists' creationist beliefs. State Board of Education Chairwoman Barbara Cargill criticized the lack of creationist content in textbooks. "I couldn't find anything that might be seen as another side to the theory of evolution. Every link, every lesson was taught as: 'This is how the origin of life happened. This is what the fossil record proved.' That is all fine. But that is only one side," she said. "There should be room for students to have a meaningful discussion to evaluate all scientific theories, including evolution," said Jonathan Saenz of Texas Values, a social conservative group. Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, complained that the review panel included "evolution deniers" from various non-biology backgrounds. "What our kids learn in public schools should be based on mainstream, established science...It should not be based on the personal views of ideologues. That especially includes those who are grossly unqualified to review a biology textbook in the first place," she said. Josh Rosenau, programs and policy director for the National Center for Science Education, was also disappointed by the composition of the panel. "I know a lot of people who are professors and teachers (who were nominated), but somehow there was more room for creationists because (state) board members have been able to say 'I want these people,'" he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Creationist Presentations Disputed</b><br><br>
|
||
Members of the Creation Truth Foundation were invited to speak at Hugoton schools, but the ACLU objected. "America's only hope...was for the Bible believing public of our land to awaken to the reality of a true Biblical faith," reads the Foundation's website. Foundation instructor Matt Miles said that creationism and other religious topics would not be discussed at any events that occurred during the school day. "We're going to come in and talk about dinosaurs, so nothing Biblical," said Miles. The ACLU was still skeptical. "You could conjecture all you want that they will dumb it down or they will remove their Biblical creationism...I doubt it. I think it will be impossible to do in a constitutional way," said Doug Bonney, an ACLU legal director. Superintendent Mark Crawford refused to cancel the assemblies. "I needed to be an example to Hugoton students of how to handle a bully...(the ACLU) was misinformed, and their main objective was to intimidate me and my BOE and shut the school assemblies down," Crawford said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hugoton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teaching HIV</b><br><br>
|
||
The New York City Department of Education announced that children as young as five years old would learn about HIV. Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the move. "We're making sure that it's age-appropriate" he said. "For the kids in first, second, third grades, you teach 'em about germs and to wash your hands. And as you move up, you try to tailor the education to the maturity of the students." Many critics, however, thought kindergarten--when kids would be told that HIV is a "germ"--was way too early to introduce the subject. "This is entirely too young, and the city of New York should really hang their heads in shame," said Conservative Party chairman Michael Long. Catholic League President Bill Donohue told Catholic parents to pull their children out of the classes.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No More Abstinence-only Sex Ed Funding</b><br><br>
|
||
New York State rejected roughly $3.5 million of annual federal funding for abstinence-only sex education on the grounds that there was little evidence that the program had been effective in reducing teen pregnancies. Advocates of the program argued that it was necessary to protect students who try to abstain but face strong peer pressure to be sexually active.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Abstinence vs. Contraception</b><br><br>
|
||
A proposed health curriculum that would push abstinence and barely address birth control created conflict in Santa Ana. Parents who favored giving children more information about contraception and birth control clashed with parents and school board members who wanted abstinence-only education. "It's good to have the AIDS and HIV (education), but that's not enough," explained Stave Delgadillo, a parent who had two daughters become pregnant at age 17. School board member Rosemarie Avila disagreed. "Children need to have a consistent message from adults...that marriage is to be honored and that's why you have sex," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Santa Ana Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Graphic Sex Ed?</b><br><br>
|
||
In June, the Kyrene School Board came under significant criticism by parents and a local state representative when it considered adding graphic details about different types of sex to its 6th-8th grade sex education curriculum. Parents and State Representative Laura Knaperek (R-Tempe) demanded that the board's final decision on the changes be postponed until after the summer (during which many families were away) so that parents could get a chance to review them. Board vice president Ross Robb gave some indication of why the Board might have been rushing to approve the new curriculum: "The likelihood of having something everyone can agree on is going to take a lot of work. It's a topic that transcends everyone's personal beliefs." In August 2006, the Board voted in favor of the proposed changes.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kyrene<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Parental Consent Required for Sex Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
A law passed by the Arizona legislature in July 2010 requires parental consent for students to participate in sex education in public schools. According to the law, parental consent is required not only for sex education classes, but also whenever sexuality is discussed in other classes. Parents who want their children to receive sex education must express their consent through opt-in forms. Under previous laws, students were enrolled in sex education courses unless their parents chose to opt their children out of such courses. Deborah Sheasby, legal counsel for the Center for Arizona Policy, said, "It's a common thing to obtain parental consent. I don't see this as being any greater burden than obtaining consent for a field trip." Michelle Steinberg of the Arizona PTA had another take. "What worries me is that teachers will shy away from any curriculum that could be in question."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Turning Down Abstinence-Only</b><br><br>
|
||
In January 2008, then-Governor Janet Napolitano turned down federal funding for abstinence-only sex education. In a letter to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Napolitano wrote, "While we all support abstinence-only and don't believe...that teenagers should be engaged in sexual relationships of that sort, the fact of the matter is that some do...They need to have complete information for their own health." A little more than a year later Napolitano joined the Obama administration, Arizona had a new governor, and the state returned to the federally-funded abstinence-only program. "Gov. (Jan) Brewer believes in abstinence education," spokesman Paul Senseman said of the move. "She believes these are very effective programs. . . . And with over a million dollars available, she felt this was a good opportunity."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Hottest Wife," Removed Teacher</b><br><br>
|
||
Thalberg Elementary School teacher Marie Jarry was forced to resign after it was discovered that she and her husband had entered -- and won -- the "Ugliest Guy, Hottest Wife" contest on the Howard Stern Show. The district contended that the teacher -- who appeared on the show in a bikini -- had violated the "morality clause" of her contract, in addition to misusing a sick day to participate in the contest. Jarry sued the district and her union, alleging gender discrimination and that she was denied her due process rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Southington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Handing Out Birth Control</b><br><br>
|
||
In response to a rising number of pregnancies among students, Bruce Randolph School provided students in its sex education class with contraceptives. Parents were divided over the issue. Marvin Pullom, a teacher at a nearby middle school, stated, "We can educate the children about it, but as far as actually taking the step to pass out birth control and prophylactics, that's something the parents should handle." Five other schools were also given the option of handing out birth control, though none have followed Bruce Randolph's lead.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Denver<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Promoting Sexual Experimentation and Drug Use?</b><br><br>
|
||
When Joel Becker, associate clinical professor of psychology at UCLA, spoke at Boulder High School, he made comments promoting sexual experimentation, safe sex, and experimentation with various drugs. He argued that youths would do those things whether told to or not, and therefore safety and responsibility should be promoted. The event was university-sponsored, but some high school students were forced to attend and several members of the community protested. Local lawyer and radio show host Dan Caplis stated that "these experts came in to undermine and contradict everything most parents at that school are trying to teach their kids about sex and drugs." The school board ruled that future panels would be optional for all students.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Boulder Valley<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>The Bachelor and the Teacher</b><br><br>
|
||
Elementary school teacher Amber Alchalabi was chosen to be a contestant on the show <em>The Bachelor</em>. Alchalabi was absent for 22 class days in order to tape the show. The 23-year-old teacher did well on the show, but her principal was criticized for approving the extended absence during a time when students were preparing for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. As a consequence of her decision, Principal Tammie Carpenter was transferred and demoted. Carpenter responded to the discipline with her resignation. "We are upset. This is a victimless crime," said PTO president Laura Winters. Parent Lesley White, however, said, "(<em>The Bachelor</em>) does not promote family values, moral values, or appreciation of the normal 'dating' process. To exploit the children during the filming of this show is unacceptable."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fort Bend<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teacher Loses Job over Nude Art?</b><br><br>
|
||
Sydney McGee, an art teacher with 28 years of classroom experience, lost her job shortly after leading her students on a principal-approved tour of a museum. The museum contained some nude art, which prompted a parental complaint. McGee was suspended with pay and was told that her contract would not be renewed. School officials said that the decision not to renew McGee's contract was about "performance concerns" rather than the museum issue. "The timing of circumstances has allowed the teacher to wave that banner and it has played well in the media...No teacher’s job status..would be jeopardized based on students’ incidental viewing of nude art,” administrators wrote. McGee argued that her job evaluations had been consistently positive until after the art museum incident. Some parents spoke in defense of McGee. "I thought she was the greatest," said Maijken Kozcara.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Frisco<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>State Spanking</b><br><br>
|
||
Democratic legislator Alma Allen filed a bill to ban corporal punishment in all Texas schools. In support of her position, Allen argued that spanking is usually used on minorities and disabled children. Additionally, Allen said spanking causes children to hit one another and score lower on tests. Many parents and educators opposed Allen's bill. "If you spare the rod you spoil the child. If done properly it is an effective tool," said State Representative Quintilla. Because corporal punishment is rarely used and is not the first action taken, few parents have complained about it. The bill did not make it out of the House committee.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Caddo Mills Paddling</b><br><br>
|
||
Principal Brian McKamy paddled 15-year-old Jay Walden so hard that his buttocks became covered in welts and bruises. Although Jay's father admitted to signing off on the school's corporal punishment policy, he was shocked by this degree of punishment for what was a small dress code violation. "I thought (Caddo Mills Schools) would be safe for my two boys" he said. Mr. Walden filed both an official complaint to the Texas Education Agency and a criminal complaint against Mr. McKamy. The School Board met to discuss the case and decided not to fire Mr. McKamy. In an official statement, the board said, "Mr. McKamy did not violate the accuser's legal rights, nor did Mr. McKamy violate the law. Mr. McKamy's actions were consistent with school board policy." Mr. Walden responded by withdrawing his sons from Caddo Mills schools.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Caddo Mills<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>HPV Vaccine</b><br><br>
|
||
Governor Rick Perry shocked Texans by issuing an executive order mandating that all females entering sixth grade receive the HPV vaccine. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease responsible for 70% of cervical cancer cases. "Requiring girls to get vaccinated before they come in contact with HPV is responsible health and fiscal policy that has the potential to significantly reduce cases of cervical cancer and mitigate future medical costs," said Perry. Many opposed the mandate, arguing that it contradicted abstinence-based sex education. "It's almost contradictory. We have laws on teaching abstinence on one side, and then on the other say we don't really believe that's going to happen" said Kelly Shackelford, president of Free Market Foundation. Although the mandate included exceptions for both philosophical and religious objectors, the public still criticized it for taking away parents' right to be primary decision-makers for their children. Legislators spoke out against Perry's hasty move and proposed a bill to prohibit the requirement of the HPV vaccine for school enrollment. Perry eventually bowed to the political pressure.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>STD Testing: Parental Approval Optional</b><br><br>
|
||
Due to growing concerns about the health problems of DC students, especially sexually transmitted diseases, school officials in the District of Columbia offered tests for STDs to all high school children. However, students did not need parental consent for the tests, nor was it required that parents be informed if their children had positive results. "If you play sports in public school, you have to get permission from your parents. If you take a field trip, you have to get permission from your parents. Why would it be any less for this?" asked William Lockridge, a member of DC's State Board of Education.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> District of Columbia<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Get Real About AIDS</b><br><br>
|
||
While Florida teaches abstinence-only sex education in its schools, some St. Lucie County residents wondered if this was the most effective way to prevent STDs. The county has the state's highest rate of HIV/AIDS among the black community. With a 4-1 vote, the school board approved a video which would teach students about the use of condoms in the prevention of HIV/AIDS. This decision stirred controversy both in the district and in the entire state. Sylvie Kramer, of Kids Connected by Design, said, "This is a health issue, not a moral one. This business of abstinence-only doesn't work. There are studies after studies that show it doesn't work." Though the condom video was approved, its use was postponed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Saint Lucie<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Graphic Sex Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
Many parents in Shenandoah were incensed when sex education classes taught by Planned Parenthood included material that the parents thought was much too graphic, including simulated sex acts performed using stuffed animals. Ultimately, Superintendent Dick Profit said he received roughly an equal number of calls for and against the class. "It's a political hot potato; it's a religious hot potato; it's a parental hot potato;" he said. "It's all these things that cause a crack in the system between society, parents and schools, and we're still required to do it."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Shenandoah<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Abstinence Accuracy</b><br><br>
|
||
In June 2006, conservative State Board of Education members backed away from mandating abstinence-only sex-education courses, but also caught flack for their compromise proposal: a requirement that districts teach "abstinence until marriage" along with providing information about sexually transmitted diseases and birth control. "We need to be concerned (about) abstinence-only because it isn't accurate information," said Debra Rukes, director of the Topeka YWCA's teenage pregnancy prevention program. "That puts our kids at risk."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Middle School Birth Control</b><br><br>
|
||
When the King Middle School was authorized by the Portland School Board to offer birth control pills and patches to students, a furor arose in Portland and nationwide. The policy was adopted in response to students reporting their sexual activity to the school's health clinic. Some opponents of the plan argued that it would send the message that sexual activity by middle schoolers was condoned. Others felt the policy violated deeply held religious beliefs. Said Nick McGee, the city's Republican Party chair, the policy "is an attack on the moral fabric of the community." Opponents also argued decisions about contraception should be left to parents. However, a supporter of the policy said, "It's not enough to depend on parents to protect their children because there may be students who can't discuss things with their parents."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Portland Public Schools<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Musical Too Racy...or Not Racy Enough?</b><br><br>
|
||
Winston Churchill High School was almost forced to cancel its production of <em>Chicago</em> after the school made changes to the script to render it more teenager-appropriate. In response, the publisher pulled the rights to use the script. Lines that dealt with alcohol, religion, and sex were often altered, but when the school agreed to undo some revisions, the publisher let the show go on. Some people did not understand the uproar. Said parent Alexandra Levenson, "My daughter was in Macbeth last year, and she killed four people with a bat." The following year, drama teacher Jessica Speck was told she would not direct that year's musical, though she remained director for the school's non-musical play.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Montgomery County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Birth Control in High School Clinic</b><br><br>
|
||
In February 2009, the Revere school board enacted a policy allowing the Massachusetts General Hospital's school-based clinic to distribute contraceptives (including the "morning after pill") to students who had their parents' permission. A group of parents eventually organized to undo the move and successfully forced a referendum. "Allowing access to these services in school sends a strong message that sexual activity is a foregone conclusion and here is the stuff you need," objected parent Kathleen Magno. School Superintendent Paul Dakin disagreed, saying, "It's really a family choice policy. It's not a distribution policy." Opponents of the policy got their referendum on the ballot, but it lost 3,404 to 2,695.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Revere<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Condoms at Any Age</b><br><br>
|
||
The tiny Provincetown school district stirred big controversy when it instituted a policy enabling any student--in any grade--to get free condoms from school nurses without parental approval. "We know that sexual experimentation is not limited to an age, so how does one put an age on it?" asked superintendent Beth Singer. Kris Mineau of the Massachusetts Family Institute had a different view. "This is the theater of the absurd to hand condoms to first-graders who don't even know what their purpose possibly could be, who can't even spell sex." Superintendent Singer eventually clarified that nurses could turn down requests for any reason, including age.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Provincetown<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Getting Spanked</b><br><br>
|
||
Controversy ensued when audio surfaced of a sermon advocating spanking administered by an incoming assistant principal at a Mattapoisett Middle School. Silas Coellner argued, "(T)here is a place for appropriate pain that parents apply, cause, inflict on their children." Coellner said he wasn't speaking about spanking children at school. "I'm not (spanking) other people's kids...I never, ever, ever want to harm a child," he explained. Kathleen Wolf, a nurse and anti-spanking advocate, expressed concern. "What an example of depth of ignorance. The concern is that someone in this kind of position gives a very strong, explicit message in public," she lamented.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Mattapoisett<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>State Sex Ed Site Remains</b><br><br>
|
||
Governor Deval Patrick said that a controversial teen-targeted sex education website would stay. Opponents of the site had called for its funding to be pulled because of the site's allegedly misleading discussion of abortion and sexually explicit terminology. One legislator said, "I am very disappointed. I think maybe he didn't take the time to look at the website himself. If it was his young child that could have access to it, he'd be a little bit more concerned." The governor's spokeswoman, however, said, "The Department of Public Health has been clear that the information available on this website is medically accurate." Those in favor of the site argued that teens need the information provided by the site in order to be safe and healthy.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Sex Ed as an Elective</b><br><br>
|
||
A proposed bill would have bundled all sex education in public schools into an elective course and eliminated the requirement that parents be notified prior to scheduled discussions of sexuality. Many parents noted that the existing law rarely worked because schools failed to provide notification and thought the proposed legislation would give them more control over what their children learned in school. Some also supported the bill because they thought it would curb the agenda of gay advocacy groups that they felt were trying to control sex education. Groups like Planned Parenthood of Massachusetts, in contrast, argued that making sex education an elective would lead to students learning too little. "If we don't teach kids how to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, we will see higher numbers (of both)" said spokesman Angus McQuilken.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Survey Asks Kids about Oral Sex</b><br><br>
|
||
Memorial Middle School students were given a survey which asked very specific--and some thought inappropriate--questions about their sexual behavior. "One of the questions is, 'have you ever had oral sex,'" said John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute, which filed a complaint with the Fitchburg School Committee. "You're talking about kids who probably don't even know what oral sex is." Principal Fran Thomas said the school was required to administer the survey as part of a federal Center for Disease Control grant. The CDC denied that it required the district to ask the intrusive questions.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fichtburg<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>12 Too Young for Free Condoms?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Springfield School Committee voted to provide free condoms to students as young as twelve years old and ignited a national controversy in the process. Mayor Domenic Sarno called it a "smart move," but fellow school committee member Peter Murphy objected that twelve is too young to be able to receive free condoms, especially since twelve is well below the age of consent.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Springfield<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Girls Inc. Goes Too Far?</b><br><br>
|
||
Girls Inc. provides a sex education program for girls at Pittsfield High School. The fliers advertising its course struck at least one parent as being too crass. The fliers featured such material as: "Practice safe sex--make love with a Trojan." Bruce Radke said the fliers were "too blunt and ignorant." Girls Inc. stood by them. "I do believe silence breeds babies," said Girls Inc. spokeswoman Sarah Gillooly. "I think there needs to be creative ways to remember to use a condom."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pittsfield<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Sex Ed Trouble</b><br><br>
|
||
In March, Grosse Pointe Public Schools' new sex education and health curriculum was under fire before it was even implemented. Parents across the district felt that the new curriculum was too explicit for the fourth- through eighth-grade students for whom it was intended, and many felt it had been assembled too quickly. "I won't let my children be experimented on because this is an untested program. Nobody knows the impact this might have on them or anyone else," said parent Emmy Georgeson. District Assistant Superintendent Susan Allen was disappointed by the controversy created by the new curriculum. "It's always a very difficult process when people are this divided," she lamented.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Grosse Pointe<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Howell Divided on Sex Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
The results of a survey of Howell parents released in April 2006 revealed that no matter what the schools teach about sex, many parents will be unhappy. According to the poll, 247 out of 579 respondents said they wanted contraception taught in middle school, 189 said in high school, and 112 said they did not want the topic taught at all. 218 of 582 respondents said they wanted sexual orientation issues discussed in middle school, 132 in high school, and 153 not at all.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Howell<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Principal Teaches Student about Porn</b><br><br>
|
||
Parent Steven Werner was outraged when he found out that the school principal had told his tenth-grade daughter that she looked like a "porn star" in her Halloween pirate costume. The principal then gave Werner's daughter an impromptu lesson on pornography. According to Werner, the principal said "that all men watch porn and it's a fact of life and I should get real." The district defended the principal's actions. In a written statement, the district said, "The conversation between the student, principal, and counselor was in the context of addressing the disruption to the learning environment, the attire, and the concern for the student."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Utica<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Sex Ed and Condoms</b><br><br>
|
||
A bill that would start teaching children about sex, possibly starting as soon as kindergarten, was heavily debated in 2011. Under the legislation, school boards could either adopt programs focusing solely on abstinence or programs that included discussion of contraceptives. Representative John Mayo said, "We can no longer shy away from a sensitive topic like this because it's become too important to the future of the state." In contrast, Larry McAdoo of Redemption Outreach Ministries International said, "We don't take the posture that they're going to do it anyway so we're going to give them a condom."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teaching about Contraception</b><br><br>
|
||
Rep. Cynthia Davis (R-O'Fallon) introduced legislation that would have ended requirements that public schools in Missouri teach about birth control. Davis's legislation would have merely required districts to tell students that accurate information is available from their doctors. Davis said that the legislation was a good compromise between encouraging abstinence and giving students information about contraception. Rep. Beth Low, (D-Kansas City), argued that the compromise was bad because it would make "information about pregnancy and contraception available only for those who can afford it."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jefferson City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Sex Edition" of Student Newspaper</b><br><br>
|
||
A controversy exploded at Winnacunnet High School when a "sex edition" of the student newspaper was released. Many parents were offended by the content, including a story from an anonymous custodian about finding a vibrator in the girls' shower, and an article titled, "Why Men Love Women Who Love Women" that displayed a picture of two women kissing. Said parent Paula Wood, "I thought it was a vile, disgusting piece of pornography that I wouldn't want to be in front of children, let alone paid for by taxpayers." In an editorial, student editors of the paper defended the issue as informative. "It is something parents hope their children remain ignorant about until after marriage," they wrote. "It is something faculty members and administrators hope not to deal with, but something that almost all students have experienced or been exposed to."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Winnacunnet Coop<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Abstinence Speech Draws Attention, Critics</b><br><br>
|
||
When pro-abstinence speaker Pam Stenzel spoke to Springboro students about the dangers of sex, she had many riveted and left many a little scared. Some opponents of her message, however, were just unhappy. Arguing that abstinence-only advocates like Stenzel ignore the needs of gay students and sexually active kids, Earl Pike of the AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland said, "What we're saying to those kids is, 'good luck, you're on your own, and we're not going to give you any information to protect yourself."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Springboro Community<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>End Abstinence-Only Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2007, Gov. Ted Strickland turned down federal money to provide abstinence-only sex education, but said abstinence would still be stressed within a more comprehensive framework. "Quite frankly, I don't believe abstinence-only education programs work in the long run," said Strickland. Abstinence-only supporters rallied against the move. "Unless you are giving up on character development of our young people, abstinence education is a must," said former Cincinnati mayor and gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell. In 2011, the state budget required that the state re-apply for federal abstinence education grants.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Sex Ed Program Spared Ax</b><br><br>
|
||
An amendment to an anti-abortion bill, which would have killed a three-year federal sex-education grant to North Dakota State University, was defeated in a conference committee. The program provides sex education to Fargo teens who have received parental consent. "If you want to reduce the number of abortions, the last thing you should do is take away programs that help young people prevent pregnancy before they are ready to have a family," said Sarah Stoesz, president of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. The program was preserved by the elimination of the amendment.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Abstinence-Only Sex Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
Heritage of Rhode Island, an organization that developed abstinence-only sexual education curricula, quietly closed its doors after running its programs in several of the state's public and private schools from 2004 to 2007. Heritage's programs drew criticism for promoting sexual stereotypes, isolating gay and lesbian students (and those with gay/lesbian parents), and understating the effectiveness of condoms. Tracey Ross, a parent of child who brought home Heritage materials, communicated her misgivings about the program to the ACLU. However, some parents, like Lidia Goodinson, supported Heritage's programs. "Heritage's 'Right-Time, Right-Place' curriculum offers positive information that will empower our teens to take control of their lives," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teacher Fired over Homosexuality-related Film Project?</b><br><br>
|
||
After showing them <em>The Laramie Project</em>, a film about the murder of a gay college student, Grandfield High School teacher Debra Taylor's students decided to refilm scenes for a class project. Taylor requested permission from the school's principal because the scenes contained strong language. After initially getting permission, Taylor was told to stop the project. In response, Taylor held a "funeral" for the effort, in which students wrote down their thoughts and rolled them into helium balloons. The next day, superintendent Ed Turlington cancelled the class, and after Taylor complained to a school board member, Turlington put Taylor on leave and recommended she be fired. The board approved her resignation soon after. The district said it did not take action against Taylor for her views on homosexuality, and Taylor said she thought she was being punished for complaining to a board member. Student Matt Ebner, however, said, "They don't want something like this addressed in our community." Dwight Parker, a local church pastor, disagreed, saying people objected not to gay rights, but the content of the play: "This play was very offensive and used every imaginable curse word."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Grandfield<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Varying Opinions about Sex Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
A poll of 502 registered South Carolina voters revealed different preferences and beliefs about sexual education. For example, 3 out of 5 respondents thought abstinence education should occupy the majority of sexual education time. However, 1 out of 5 respondents wanted condoms to be distributed in schools. 66% of respondents feared that education regarding how to use condoms and contraceptives could send the message that sex is acceptable as long as protection is used. Over 90% of respondents thought children should get information about sex from their parents.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gay Support Groups Oppose Club Policy</b><br><br>
|
||
Rep. Matthew Hill (R-Washington County) authored a bill that would require students to get parental permission in order to participate in school clubs. Sarah Beth Weintraub of the Gay-Straight Alliance pointed out, "If your parents are homophobic, you won't be able to join Gay-Straight Alliances…If you're a gay teen and you don't get that support at home, with the passage of this bill, GSAs will be severely limited as to who can join, and those are the teens who need the club the most." Parent Doris Johnson supported the bill, saying, "I want to know what kind of areas my child is thinking about and whether I approve or not. I want to be able to say: 'No, you can't be involved in that' and explain to him why." Rep. Hill said that his bill is not targeted at any specific group and that it could just as easily harm clubs like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He asserted that the bill is simply meant to get parents more involved in the lives of their children.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Play Prompts Parents' Complaints</b><br><br>
|
||
A Bingham High School performance of "Dead Man Walking" was criticized by some parents in the community. They thought that the adult themes, language, violence, and supposed political connotations of the play made it inappropriate for high schoolers to perform. Jordan Board of Education members admitted that the district's policies for approving plays were not followed and stated that the district has no official position on the death penalty, contrary to what the play may have implied. However, some board members cautioned that too many rules and restrictions would make it difficult to recruit and retain drama teachers. "If we make it too complicated for them to do their work, nothing will ever happen. No play will ever be put on," said board member Leah Voohries.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jordan<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Dance Dress Code Disaster</b><br><br>
|
||
Principal Kendall Topham of Stansbury High School apologized to students after many girls were turned away from their homecoming dance on account of their dresses being too short. However, most of the girls' dresses were close to knee length, and the dress code stipulated "at or near knee length." Topham apologized for the lack of clarity that led to mistakes in the enforcement of the dress code. Frustrated parent Michael Johnson said, "This isn't like these girls were dressing immodestly...You've got a vague policy, but then you've got to use some common sense and judgment." Parent Natalee Stewart reported that the rules seemed like a religious imposition. "I think there should be rules, but they need to be realistic," she said. Students were not thrilled at the prospect of a make-up dance, since they had already spent money on dinner and limousines for the first dance, and also because any other dance would not coincide with the school's homecoming celebration.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tooele County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Democracy" Mission Statement</b><br><br>
|
||
Alpine School District's mission statement was criticized by a group of parents who took issue with the statement's use of the word "democracy." The parents pointed out that the U.S. Constitution describes the nation's government not as a democracy, but as a republic. One of those parents, Oak Norton, felt that the use of the word "democracy," along with other language in the mission statement, was "pro-socialist" and promoted "a national agenda...detrimental to our children and their families." School board member Donna Barnes thinks the controversy "is much ado about nothing...It's a very vocal minority who have a problem with our mission statement." The language of the mission statement was revised to be less controversial.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Alpine<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Criminal Penalties for Deviating from Sex Ed Curriculum</b><br><br>
|
||
Rep. Carl Wimmer (R-Herriman) made plans to introduce legislation that would impose criminal penalties on sex education teachers who deviate from the state's policy. "The problem is that if a teacher violates (state sex ed law), or if an administrator allows that law to be violated, the only repercussion is administrative," said Wimmer. The proposed policy came at the same time a middle school health teacher was being investigated for diverting from the approved curriculum. Regarding that incident, parent Dewayne Smith said, "We are the parents...We will require accountability." Annabel Sheinberg, education director of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, said that the new policy would have a chilling effect on teachers. "What we really have is a lot of fear. Fear leads to silence," she said. "Teachers are really afraid, and you can see why." Martha Kemper of the Sexuality Information and Education council of the United States agreed, saying, "Many teachers, given the reaction to this (policy), will say, 'I'm not going to make that call. I'll just skip it.'"<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>GSA Clubs Threatened by State Policy?</b><br><br>
|
||
Gov. John Huntsman (R) signed a bill which requires students to receive parental permission before joining any non-curricular school club. The law also codifies schools' authority to reject certain clubs, including those that "involved human sexuality." Some felt that the bill targeted Gay-Straight Alliance clubs. "It's mean spirited...It discourages students from having organizations that would be helpful and mutually supportive and that would be safer for (students) than being outside of school," said Carol Lear, a lawyer for the State Board of Education. Proponents of the bill argued that it was necessary to keep parents informed about and involved in their children's' lives. Rep. Aaron Tilton said, "We now have a statement--not just in policy but in statute--saying parents' rights are paramount."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teacher Distributes Fetus Dolls</b><br><br>
|
||
A teacher at Oakwood Elementary School distributed human fetus dolls (with an attached pro-life message) to students. "It is hard to imagine that we would have an employee who believes it would be appropriate to share plastic fetus dolls with students," said School Board Chairman Stephen Tonelson. "I choose to teach my children about those things later in life...I did not sign a wavier for my daughter to be given a fetus," said a parent who wished to remain anonymous. The teacher directly responsible for the distribution was not named, but Principal Sheila Tillet Holas was placed on administrative leave. Holas was also investigated for promoting religion in the school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Norfolk<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Poker in School: "Playing with Fire?"</b><br><br>
|
||
Poker clubs--such as that of George Mason High School--became the subject of intense debate. Principal Tyrone Byrd approved of the club, saying, "(W)hen they're here, we have the opportunity to show them how to play responsibly and to show them how the game relates to their education." Student Jay Rodock illustrated the club's educational relevance by demonstrating how the club looks at poker hands mathematically. However, Keith Whyte of the National Council on Problem Gambling thinks such clubs can be dangerous. "We're playing with fire here," he said. "Poker can be a teaching tool, but it can also lead to abuse and addiction." Focus on the Family argued that adolescents are especially prone to developing such addictions.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Falls Church<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Charges for Teaching Contraception</b><br><br>
|
||
Wisconsin law changed to allow sex education teachers to instruct students about using contraceptives properly. However, in a letter to several school districts, Juneau County District Attorney Scott Southworth said that teachers who teach contraception could face criminal charges. Southworth argued that teaching about contraceptive use encourages children to be sexually active, and because sex between minors is illegal in Wisconsin, those teachers would be contributing to the delinquency of minors. Pro-Life Wisconsin described Southworth's letter as "a friendly warning." However, Rep. Tamara Grigsby (D), who authored Wisconsin's recent sex education policy revisions, said that Southworth's letter was merely a scare tactic: "It's beyond ridiculous...It's irresponsible to portray this act the way he is." Janine Geske, a Marquette University law professor, agreed that Southworth's legal logic was dubious. Teacher Scott Lenz felt that schools were being put "in the middle between two sides, between the government and the state telling us what should be taught, and what people think should not be taught."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Parents Critique Sex Ed Proposal</b><br><br>
|
||
The Elmbrook School District made its proposed comprehensive sex education curriculum available for public review and commentary. Some parents were critical of what they saw. One felt that the curriculum gave students the message, "We know you're going to make the bad choice, so here's what you do if you make the bad choice." Another parent felt that the curriculum needed to do more "to emphasize lifestyle choices and the need to be abstinent in today's society." However, Laurel Walker, a columnist who spoke with both parents, pointed out the weaknesses of an abstinence-only curriculum. She mentioned a study which found that teens who took a virginity pledge were just as likely to engage in premarital sex as those who did not take a pledge. The pledge-taking teens were also less likely to use condoms or other protection against pregnancy or STDs. "Since teens will indeed engage in sex, even when they say they won't, they need to be armed with accurate and complete information about the risks and other prevention methods," she wrote.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Elmbrook<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Condoms for Students</b><br><br>
|
||
The Milwaukee School Board voted unanimously to allow the distribution of condoms at city high schools. The district cited research that showed that students are more likely to use condoms if they are available in schools, but the availability of condoms does not make students more likely to be sexually active. The district also noted Milwaukee's particularly high rates of teen births and STDs. Kenneth Caldwell supported the board's approach, saying, "The best way to go about this and combat (STDs) is to educate students and protect them. One of the best ways to do it is contraception, through condoms." Despite the unanimity of the board, some members of the community opposed the plan. "Why is this being pushed so hard?" asked a speaker for the opposition, Ms. Rose. "(P)arents should be sent information first, to find out if they want this to be done. The parent should make that decision; a condom is not the solution nor answer to the problem." Dick Rauter said, "This is just saying, 'here go ahead and do it.' Well it's a sin. With all this junk they put in videos, what do you expect?" "Schools are for reading, writing and arithmetic; lately that’s been changed to everything but that. Handing out condoms? It’s a shame that, that goes on in a public school," added Bob Braun, President of Christian Civil Liberties Union.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Milwaukee<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Classroom Discussion of Oral Sex</b><br><br>
|
||
Parents and Elmbrook School District officials argued over if and how oral sex should be discussed in the classroom. Rosalynn Kiefer, curriculum director for Fox Point-Bayside, said that her students learned about oral sex because they initially "didn't believe there was any problem with (it), that there were no dangers in it...They didn't think it counted (as sex)." However, many other area school districts did not teach about oral sex and its risks. Demond Means, superintendent of Mequon-Thiensville, said, "We do not get into the area of oral sex...You have to respect the values of your community, and if your constituents of your community have stated that that is not a direction you want to go in, then as a good steward you have to respect that." Indeed, some Elmbrook parents were upset that sixth grade children could soon be learning about the legal definitions and consequences of various types of sexual contact. However, local law enforcement officials acknowledged that young teens are having oral sex. Detective Sgt. Jeff Vahsholtz also pointed out that many teens do not know that sexual contact between consenting teens in illegal in Wisconsin, and that oral sex can spread diseases. An Elmbrook School District advisory committee recommended introducing discussion of oral sex in eighth grade--earlier than the status quo (tenth grade), but not as early as the district had initially been planned (sixth grade).<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Elmbrook<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Fired for "Blurred Lines"</b><br><br>
|
||
The Marshfield High School dance team's coach was fired after the team performed to the song "Blurred Lines." The song features sexually suggestive lyrics and was well-known for its video featuring topless women. Fired coach Lisa Joling said the lyrics were sanitized to make them appropriate. District superintendent Peg Geegan said she could not comment on personnel matters, but she stated that the firing was based on Joling not "following district protocols." Unhappy parent Kathy Hennick said, "I have known Coach Joling from having my daughter attend dance classes, and...she really upheld a high standards of professionalism."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Marshfield<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>School Blocks Access to LGBT Websites</b><br><br>
|
||
As part of a school project, Maison Fiorvante, a junior at Gov. Mifflin High School, was attempting to research the political challenges against which LGBT people struggle. However, her school's internet content filter prevented her from accessing the results of her searches. Fiorvante started an online petition to ask the district to change its filtering policies. "It's not like we were looking up pornography...We were looking up educational information from a .org or a .edu (website)...I just want the right thing to be done because there's kids that need this information," she explained. The ACLU sent a letter to the Governor Mifflin School District on Fiorvante's behalf. The district changed its filtering policies to permit access to the LGBT websites shortly thereafter.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Governor Mifflin<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Parents Cut Out of STD Tests</b><br><br>
|
||
High school students in York City suffer from much higher incidences of chlamydia and gonorrhea than Pennsylvania state averages. To combat this problem, the state's Department of Health proposed in-school testing, counseling, and treatment for those diseases. According to state law, students would be able to consent to the program without any parental notification about the results of the tests or subsequent treatment. Many parents were upset that this could occur without their knowledge. "They are minors...As a parent, I have a responsibility to know what's going on," said Marjorie Wiltshire. Parent Manuel Morales agreed. "It's a very good thing to have them tested, but what after that?...I think the decision about the subsequent treatment of the disease...should be handled by the parents," he said. However, Beth Butler of the Department of Health argued, "(You) want teens to be able to be tested and they're not always telling their parents they're having sex." Superintendent Tresa Diggs noted that students could be "opted out" of any program to which their parents objected.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Free Condoms for High School Students</b><br><br>
|
||
Free condoms were available to students in only 11 of Philadelphia's 64 public high schools. ACTUP Philadelphia (an AIDS awareness organization) called on the city to expand the condom program to all of the district's high schools. "Youth need the truth! Condoms save lives!" ACTUP activists chanted in front of the Philadelphia School District building. Cristian Santos Leon, an Edison High student and ACTUP activist, said, "It's lives. Safe sex. This is important." Doug Oliver, spokesman for the mayor, said that the mayor did not disagree with ACTUP, but Oliver was noncommittal about the mayor's ultimate plans. "We're interested in expanding this program to all schools, but there is an outstanding question of resources before a decision can be made," he said. "For some reason, this is an issue that gets put on the back shelf," observed Samantha Sitrin of ACTUP. The program was controversial from its inception, and was condemned by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. A few years later, Parent Marvin Lucero opposed another expansion of condom access in public schools. "I don't agree with it. It's kind of like promoting it, a way of advertising sex," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Philadelphia<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Condom Campaign Curbs Homecoming Hopefuls</b><br><br>
|
||
Mulberry High School's Dalton Wiggs and Montana Fulkerson sought to be crowned homecoming king and queen. However, the pair was disqualified from the competition because of their choice of campaign tactics. In order to solicit votes, the pair offered students a bag containing (in addition to candy) condoms with the message "Let's Wrap This Up" attached to them. "Students were distributing condoms to solicit homecoming votes. When school administration became aware, they immediately instructed the students to stop this inappropriate activity," explained Polk County School District spokeswoman Leah Lauderdale. "I'm really upset, to be honest...I've been waiting my whole high school career just to run for homecoming, and then they deny it and disqualify us the day before voting? It just doesn't make any sense," said Wiggs. Fulkerson agreed, saying, "We figured promoting safe sex wouldn't be a problem--would be humorous."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Polk County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teacher Fired over Facebook Photo</b><br><br>
|
||
Pocatello High School girls' basketball coach Laraine Cook was fired after a photo of her boyfriend touching her breast was posted on her Facebook page. Cook's boyfriend, Tom Harrison, is the high school's football coach. Harrison was reprimanded, but allowed to keep his job. Parents of girls on the basketball team met with Superintendent Mary Vagner to express their dismay over Cook's dismissal. "They wanted (Vagner) to consider reinstating the coach, with some specific guidelines in place," explained district spokeswoman Shelley Allen. However, the district stood by its decision, and eventually sought to have Cook's Idaho teaching certificate revoked. Cook noted that the district has no social media policy, and said, "I can't say that I think it's fair, because of that picture that I never thought was immoral, for me to lose my job and possibly my entire career that I worked for."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pocatello/Chubbuck District #25<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>School Promotes Population Control?</b><br><br>
|
||
A banner at Northview High School appeared to warn students that if they grow up to have large families, they will be contributing to overpopulation. The banner read, "Zero Population Growth. It's up to you--No more than two." Catholic priest John Hollowell saw the banner and posted a picture of it to his blog. "We might as well have Nazi flags hanging in the hallway...What does that say to kids from families bigger than two kids? Reproduction is a problem?" Hollowell wrote. The sign was removed as soon as the school's principal became aware of it. However, Hollowell expressed concern over reports that the ideas expressed by the banner were being taught in Northview classrooms.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clay Community<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Principal Stars in Violent Movie</b><br><br>
|
||
Anissa Chalmers, principal of PS 132, starred in the movie "Gang Girl." The character that Chalmers portrayed engages in rape, murder, robbery, and drug dealing. She also uses strong language, including the "N word." "It’s crazy. It’s real graphic...It’s not something you want your kids to see," said the mother of a PS 132 student. "One of these students could find this on the Internet, and then what? How am I supposed to explain that to my children?" asked another mother. A PS 132 teacher said that Chalmers is a poor role model for students. "She’s like the ‘Gang Girl’ principal...The video is reflective of her personality at school—the bullying, in-your-face approach. She can be very intimidating." Concerns about Chalmers's role may have been heightened by the violence that has plagued PS 132, including one incident in which a student slashed a classmate's neck with a razor. However, at least one parent defended Chalmers. "She’s a great principal. Ronald Reagan waved a gun in Western movies, and he became president of the United States."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Morning-After Pill" for Students</b><br><br>
|
||
In the 2011-2012 school year, New York City public schools distributed 12,721 doses of Plan B birth control to students. City officials had originally reported that the program was much smaller, with only 567 girls in 13 high schools receiving birth control. Some parents were upset about the size and scope of the program. "I’m in shock...What gives the mayor the right to decide, without adequate notice, to give our children drugs that will impact their bodies and their psyches? He has purposely kept the public and parents in the dark with his agenda," said Mona Davis, president of the NYC Parents Union. However, readily accessible birth control may have contributed to a sharp drop in New York City's teen pregnancy rate--down from 9.9% to 7.3% of girls aged 15-19. Deborah Kaplan of the NYC Department of Health partially attributed the declining teen pregnancy rate to accessible birth control. "Our efforts to make sex education and birth control more widely available in public high schools are working," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Hooters for Middle School Team</b><br><br>
|
||
Corbett Middle School football coach Randy Burbach was fired after he took his team to Hooters for an end-of-season party. Superintendent J.P. Soulagnet learned of Burbach's intentions and asked him to change the venue. "Some might say that this restaurant objectifies women. I would tend to agree...I think it sends the wrong message to our young men and that saddens and worries me the most," Soulagnet said. Burbach, who had been planning the party for over a month, refused to hold the party at another location. Burbach felt he was teaching his players a lesson about standing up for themselves. "The spotlight gets turned on me, and I can't shirk what I've been teaching them the last few months," he said. Some students and parents did not feel comfortable with the venue. However, Burbach did not want to allow what he called "a vocal minority" to derail his plan. Parent Verne Van Horn expressed his feelings on the matter, saying, "To a certain degree, (parents) might have felt ambushed and put in a position where their kids were hyped up about going and then the parents have conflicting views...Every parent has the right to parent their children the way they feel is appropriate...I can understand why this is controversial."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Corbett<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Ads = "Unwritten Curriculum"?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Philadelphia City Council entertained the idea of selling advertising space on school buildings to raise revenue for the city's cash-strapped school system. Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown said such sales could produce "much-needed revenue." But not everyone was on board with the idea, expressing concerns about the message it would send to the children about commercialism. "I don't want advertisements to become in a sense the unwritten curriculum of my children's education," said parent Rebecca Poyourow. "When you put advertisements around a school building, whether inside or outside, it does seem an implicit endorsement of those products by the schools, and it will have an impact on their learning and their ability to interpret the message they get in advertising."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Philadelphia<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Spanish and Racism</b><br><br>
|
||
With anonymous emails questioning Principal Pilar Shepard-Cabrera's creation of voluntary Spanish classes for teachers circulating among parents and staff at William F. Stanley Elementary School, a meeting of parents descended into a dispute about racism and Shepard-Cabrera's competence. Many asserted that Shepard-Cabrera had divided the school by catering to the needs of Spanish-speaking families and failing to communicate effectively with parents. Others identified a racist streak in the district and feared that Shepard-Cabrera was being criticized because she spoke Spanish. A self-described Latin-American man said that he sensed "an incredibly racist hostility" at the meeting. He had also "heard that there's a rumor that Dr. Cabrera is being pushed out of school because she speaks Spanish."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Waltham<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Schools for Immigrants</b><br><br>
|
||
As the New York City school district looked to break large high schools into smaller ones, members of immigrant communities such as Chinese in Brooklyn and Haitians in East Flatbush wanted options focusing on international studies and bilingual education. "These...schools have nothing to do with our community. They're forcing immigrant students out of their own neighborhood," complained Brooklyn parent Steve Chung. The district, in response, said it does not want to rush into anything, and new schools will likely never meet the size threshold to offer bilingual or dual-language education.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Greenwood, Bieber, Offend?</b><br><br>
|
||
PS 90 Principal Greta Hawkins nixed kindergarteners' singing of Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" at their graduation ceremony because she "did not want to offend other cultures." Many people were angered by the decision. "I am outraged that NYC’s Department of Education is standing by the decision of PS 90’s principal to pull (the Greenwood song) from the upcoming kindergarten ceremony, for fear of offending other cultures...The only thing offensive about any of this is the anti-American message being engrained in our youth. We all should be proud to be American and we should never ever apologize for it!" said Congressman Michael Grimm. Instead of "God Bless the USA," Hawkins decided to allow students to sing Justin Bieber's song "Baby," but eventually cancelled that, too, because many people thought the song would be inappropriate for kindergarteners to sing.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Banning Dinosaurs, Birthdays from Test Content</b><br><br>
|
||
The New York City Department of Education announced that 50 topics--including birthdays, junk food, and dinosaurs--would not be allowed to appear on city-issued tests because those topics might make some students uncomfortable. The prohibited topics are controversial or taboo among some groups. The restrictions on test content were intended to help "students to complete practice exams without distractions," according to an Education Department spokesperson. The ban was soon lifted, however, after a local and national furor arose over both the policy and the potential of pressure groups having too much influence in the design of tests.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Cesar Chavez Day Hookey?</b><br><br>
|
||
On Cesar Chavez's birthday, several dozen Sacramento students boycotted school and marched to Cesar Chavez Park. There they called for greater public school recognition of Chavez and expressed pride in their Latino heritage. "We demand the opportunity to celebrate who we are," Hiram Johnson High School student Randy Lopez said. "Our schools could build up our pride and self-worth through events like celebrating the Chavez holiday, but this doesn't happen. Instead, our communities are treated as invisible by our schools." Many educators opposed the boycott. "The best way to honor Cesar Chavez is to make it a 'day on,' not a 'day off,'" said Anthony Chavez, grandson of Cesar Chavez. State Superintendent O'Connell agreed. "We want students to study his life and understand his belief system. He was a great American...But he would want students in school preparing for the future," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Sacramento Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Ethnic Group Liaisons</b><br><br>
|
||
The Los Angeles Unified School District laid off 16 parent-community facilitators, including Shakeh Ayvazian, who speaks Armenian and served as a de facto liaison to the Armenian community. "With Shakeh's loss, I lost an entire community," said Charlotte Costagnola, who oversees the facilitators for the local district with the most Armenian speakers. The local branch of the Armenian National Committee, representatives of the Armenian Church, State Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, and LAUSD board member Tamar Galatzan all lobbied for her return, and Ayvazian was rehired. Not everyone supported the rehiring. An African-American employee and LAUSD parent threatened to sue the district, saying that African-American parents deserve as much support as any other group. According to labor agreements, the district is not supposed to lay off an employee and rehire that person without taking seniority into account, but Ayvazian had less seniority than many of her colleagues.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Los Angeles Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Expression vs. Truancy</b><br><br>
|
||
The 9th District Court of Appeals ruled that school officials did not violate four students' free expression rights in disciplining them for skipping school to attend an immigration rally. The court also said school officials were not responsible for one of the four students committing suicide because of fear of threatened punishment. The Court ruled that the students were not punished for their expression, but rather for their truancy.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Ontario-Montclair School District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>LAUSD Expresses Outrage over AZ Immigration Law</b><br><br>
|
||
In June 2010 the Los Angeles Unified School District school board voted unanimously to "express outrage" about an Arizona immigration law designed to give Arizona police greater ability to identify and detain illegal immigrants. Opponents of the immigration law want children to learn that it is not tolerant and will result in racial profiling. Others, however, argued that California needs to focus on educating its children rather than worrying about other states' issues, and that Arizona's law was doing the right thing. "We support Arizona," L.A. Country Republican chairwoman Jane Barnett said. "In fact, I think we ought to go there right now for vacation."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Los Angeles Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Thanksgiving Dress-Up Dispute</b><br><br>
|
||
After a parent complained, Condit Elementary School ended its tradition of kindergarten students dressing up like Pilgrims and Native Americans to celebrate Thanksgiving. Michelle Raheja, an English professor who specializes in Native American literature, wrote a letter complaining to her daughter's teacher about the tradition. "I'm sure you can appreciate the inappropriateness of asking children to dress up like slaves (and slave masters), or Jews (and friendly Nazis), or members of any other racial minority group in our nation's history," she wrote. In response, the school board decided that schools would hold a Thanksgiving feast without costumes. On the day of the celebration, many parents still sent their children to school in costumes, doubting that administrators would force the children to remove them. Several dozen parents protested outside the school both in favor and in opposition to the decision. After discussion became heated, police were called in to separate protestors.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Claremont Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Race in School Assignments</b><br><br>
|
||
The Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) takes parents' education level, income level, and race into consideration when determining which schools their children may attend. Ward Connerly and the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) challenged the plan, asserting that it violated California Proposition 209's ban of race preferences in public education. Connerly called the plan's stated factors a "subterfuge for a race-based plan." In response, the district wrote, "assigning students using a multi-factor approach enriches the educational experiences of all students, advances educational aspirations, enhances critical thinking skills, facilitates the equitable distribution of resources and encourages positive relationships across racial lines." Alameda County Superior Court Judge Winifred Smith ruled that BUSD assignment plans do not violate state law when they consider race as one of many factors in assigning students to schools.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Berkeley Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Racial Politics of LR School Board</b><br><br>
|
||
Half a century after the infamous National Guard enforced desegregation of Central High School--and only a few months removed from a federal court ruling that lifted the decades old desegregation order against the district--the Little Rock district found itself again ripped apart by race, though this time with a white minority of school board members supporting an embattled black superintendent. African Americans on the board were unhappy with superintendent Roy Brooks, especially due to his cutting of numerous, largely African-American held positions in the school district. Civil rights attorney John Walker said Brooks "is a person who doesn't identify with black people at all." In May 2007 the Board voted along strict racial lines 4-3 to buy out Brooks' contract. "We've divided our community," said board member H. Baker Kurrus.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Little Rock<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>OK to Feel Racist?</b><br><br>
|
||
A 9-year-old boy was suspended from Abraham Lincoln Traditional School for using the term "brown people," language which officials determined constitutes racial harassment. In addition, the school's principal told the boy that it is OK to have racist feelings, but it is not OK to express those feelings to others. The boy's mother denied that her son made any offensive statements. She also wondered why the principal would tell him that it is acceptable to have racist feelings. "We were raised to be color blind...My children were raised that way," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Phoenix<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish</b><br><br>
|
||
For years, Gale Elementary School teacher Anne Lee has had her students recite the Pledge of Allegiance in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language. When Lance Altherr discovered that his son was doing this, he objected, and eventually encouraged hundreds of people to contact the teacher and school. "You are pledging your allegiance, and your honor and loyalty to your country...And I find it ironic that anybody would want to do that in a foreign language," Altherr said. In contrast, Chyrl Hill Lander, the district's spokeswoman, said "It's really not a story. They recite the pledge in English every morning, and they recite the pledge in Spanish. After they recite it in Spanish, then they sign the Pledge of Allegiance."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tucson<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teaching Black History</b><br><br>
|
||
In the wake of actor Morgan Freeman calling the annual observation of Black History Month "ridiculous" because "Black history is American history," several black Arizonans argued that the observation of Black History Month was still necessary, and that schools in the state were not doing enough to teach African-American history. "Being a Black American man, I don't think (public schools) taught me enough about my culture," Doug Harris, an English and history teacher at Desert Vista High in Tempe, told The Arizona Republic. Similarly, Arizona State University student Lynne Houston said that "the reality is that American history does not include Black history right now."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Native American Mascots</b><br><br>
|
||
State Senator Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, proposed a bill that would require high school mascots to be approved by the Colorado legislature. Williams, of one fourth Comanche descent, stated that American Indian mascots are caricatures and are racially offensive. About a dozen schools in Colorado have native Americans as mascots. There was significant opposition. Kirk Crespin, a Lamar city councilman, stated: "There's a lot of pride for being a Lamar Savage. Why should we have to go through the state to get a mascot approved that's been around for decades?" In September, Williams announced that she would withdraw the proposed law.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Segregated School?</b><br><br>
|
||
A court ordered Preston Hollow Elementary to integrate its classrooms. Several students and parents alleged that the school segregated Hispanic and African American children into ESL classes based solely on ethnicity--without taking into account students' levels of English proficiency. The action, according to the plaintiffs' lawyer, was intended to prevent "white flight." The court ruled that Principal Teresa Parker violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. She was ordered to pay $20,200 in damages to the mother who sued.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dallas<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Regardless of Performance, Race Gets Parent Meetings</b><br><br>
|
||
A Brandywine elementary school proposed to close the achievement gap of racial minorities by inviting parents of black or Hispanic students to meetings based solely on race. Many parents welcomed this move as a chance to have frank conversations about the education of their children. Others objected. Former NAACP Delaware president Cecil C. Wilson said, "It is not helpful, and I think we are going backwards when we start dividing when it comes to education."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Brandywine<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>African-American History</b><br><br>
|
||
Black history has been a mandatory subject since 1994. However, as of the 2007-08 school year, only 19 of 67 Florida districts had separate courses which addressed black history. That inspired Rev. William Foutz, President of the Tallahassee Inter-Civic Council, to file a complaint with the state's attorney general. The state department of education responded that districts were following the law without necessarily having unique classes. Florida law requires numerous subjects be taught, including the contributions of Hispanics and the Holocaust. It would be difficult for schools to have separate courses for every such required subject.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Race, or Fiscal Mismanagement?</b><br><br>
|
||
The superintendent of Gainesville schools, Steven Ballowe, came under fire after it was revealed that the district carried a large budget deficit. Many called for him to be fired and replaced. Others, largely from African-American and Hispanic-American communities, defended him, stating that he helped raise the test scores of minority students. Eventually, accusations of racism were aimed at those who wished to fire Ballowe. Renee Gerrell, a white parents, stated, "The whole thing just blows my mind. The only color that is an issue here is green." Ballowe eventually agreed to a $190,000 termination agreement.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gainesville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Nathan Bedford Forrest</b><br><br>
|
||
School board members in Jacksonville decided to keep the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. Having the school named after the Confederate general and founder of the Ku Klux Klan--the name was given in response to desegregation, when the district was almost entirely white--has caused controversy among the district's now majority-black community. The school board voted 5-2, largely on racially divided lines, to keep the name. Some argued that Forrest was not well known and likely not the evil figure many think he was.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jacksonville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>The "N" Word</b><br><br>
|
||
The parents of twelve year old Ashyaa Brown were upset to learn that, when she took out some books from the accelerated reading list at Turner Elementary School, she found the word "nigger." Though the parents did not read the book, they were adamant that such racially offensive language should not be introduced to children. Mildred Taylor's "The Land" and Vicki Grove's "The Starplace" both include the racially charged word. The authors of the books, however, contended that they tried to use the word as an example of language used during the era. Said Taylor, "I have chosen to use the language that was spoken during the period, for I refuse to whitewash history. The language is painful and life was painful for many African-Americans, including my family. I remember the pain." The school chose not to ban the books.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hillsborough County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Ku Klux Klan Movie</b><br><br>
|
||
Catherine Ariemma, a standout teacher at Lumpkin County High School, faced serious criticism when student actors in her Ku Klux Klan class film were mistaken for actual Klan members. One student, Cody Rider, said he got so upset when he saw the dressed up students walk through the school cafeteria that he started walking towards the "Klan members" to confront them. "I was outraged. I was so mad, so I started walking to them." Ariemma, who was doing filming for her advanced placement US history class, said that she did not mean to stir up controversy: "This project was about racism in U.S. history. Not just racism against African Americans, but racism as a whole." She was suspended, while some people called for her firing. Superintendent Dewey Moye said that although he thought the film a bad idea, Ariemma was not intentionally trying to be racist.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lumpkin County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Disproportionate Minority Discipline?</b><br><br>
|
||
Gwinnett County residents became upset when superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks made what some perceived as racist comments during a public discussion of minority discipline. After an administrator made the point that minority punishment plagues districts everywhere except Idaho, Wilbanks responded: "Do they have any blacks in Idaho? They don't have many." The Georgia chapter of the NAACP objected to the comments, and branch president Jorge Portalatin met with Wilbanks. Portalatin came out of the meeting saying that Wilbanks refused to apologize for his comments. Many of Wilbanks' colleagues came to his defense, arguing that he was "an excellent role model for many superintendents." In contrast Marlyn Tillman, a local parent, asked "where are the standards for him? If we can hold a child accountable for their actions, why can't we hold him accountable?"<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gwinnett County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Slavery in Math Homework</b><br><br>
|
||
Parents were angry after students brought home math homework that had questions about slavery and beatings. One question asked, "If Frederick got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in 1 week?" District officials claimed that teachers were trying to incorporate history lessons into math lessons for "cross-curricular activity," but many parents were offended and wanted the teachers to apologize and undergo diversity training. Said one parent, "Something like this shouldn't be embedded into a kid of the third, fourth, fifth, any grade." A district spokeswoman responded that "clearly they (the teachers) did not do as good of a job as they should have done. It was just a poorly written question."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gwinnett County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Segregated Proms</b><br><br>
|
||
Seniors at Turner County High School threw the school's first racially integrated prom after years of having separate proms. Although the school had never held an official prom, black and white students raised money to hold their own proms for years. Principal Chad Stone said "we were aware that they always had separate proms here. We've always tried to have one prom for the students here, but they'd rather have their own." Principal Stone decided to help the students throw the integrated prom after representatives of the senior class requested it. Although the event was seen as a success, many of the white students did not attend and blacks far outnumbered whites. In addition, many of the white students attended their own private party a week before the prom.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Turner County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>More Black History in Curriculum</b><br><br>
|
||
In September, Georgia's State Board of Education turned down Decatur mother Michelle Mitchell's petition to require that students learn black history. Twelve out of thirteen board members (one was absent) voted against Mitchell because, they said, black history is already an "integral aspect" of the state's curriculum. Mitchell, however, maintained that what was currently being taught was insufficient. "I really believed that just maybe they weren't aware," she said, "that if they knew how much was left out, they wouldn't want these things to happen."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Segregation, or Community?</b><br><br>
|
||
Ruth Hill Elementary School in Coweta County historically served a predominantly black neighborhood and, for years, had an African-American student majority. That changed overnight when the Coweta County Board of Education decided to redraw boundary line to desegregate schools and to bus students across the county to new neighborhoods. Both white and black parents objected that their children would not be given an opportunity to go to school in their neighborhoods. Samantha Jeane, a white mother, wondered, "What was the sense in flip-flopping everybody around? Everybody buys their house where they want to. It doesn't matter what color you are." Vincent Smith, a black father whose daughter was sent to school miles away, said he "would like to see the displaced students. I would venture to say that most of the schools they're going to do not pay the special attention to them that Ruth Hill did."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Coweta County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Redistricting and Race</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2006, it was proposed that Henry County attendance lines be redrawn so that some poorer, minority children in Fairview could go to school with the more well-off children of Union Grove. Many Union Grove parents were upset about the proposal. Fairview parent Shauna Grice believed that the issue was race more than anything else. According to Grice, the residents of Fairview were minorities, and, although they were not well off, they generally had enough wealth to be comfortable. Grice--herself African-American--said she understood worries about potential the negative influences that could come with children from inner-city schools. However, she wrote, "There are no easy answers, no ready solutions to where counties bursting at the seams should draw the lines when it comes to school expansion. But there are lines that should never be crossed, solutions that should never be considered. In other words, going backward to complete racial segregation should not be one of the choices on the table." Grice concluded, "I have a right to want the best for my child, but not at the expense of the quality of education for my neighbor's child just down the road."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Henry County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Slavery in Homework II</b><br><br>
|
||
Parents were upset when their son's math homework from James A. Jackson Elementary School had a question involving slavery. The question read, "A plantation owner had 100 slaves. If three-fifths of them are counted for representation, how many slaves will be counted?" The parents were especially surprised because a similar incident received media attention only months earlier. The teacher who gave the homework is African American, and the upset parent said he was giving the teacher the benefit of the doubt.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clayton County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>5th Grade Segregation Exercise</b><br><br>
|
||
At Summit Elementary school, 5th grade students had the option of participating in a racial segregation exercise on Martin Luther King Day. Students were divided into two groups, green and yellow, and teachers told them that they could not talk to each other. "What we're trying to do is teach a message. As educators, sometimes we can talk a lot about a particular topic, but for the students to actually experience it, that's the greatest teacher." However, some students became emotional during this exercise, and parents grew concerned. There were reports of students throwing things and calling each other names during this exercise. The event made at least one parent consider pulling his child from the school. "That's something devastating to kids that young--look how many years it's been since that's happened. If that's how they treat students, there's got to be a better school around," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jerome Joint District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Basketball and Immigration</b><br><br>
|
||
Highland Park High School prohibited its girls' basketball team from playing in an Arizona tournament because of the state's controversial immigration law. Assistant Superintendent Susan Hebson told the team that the trip "would not be aligned" with what the school "believes and values." Many parents and students were appalled, saying the law had nothing to do with the girls playing basketball. One of the players, who happened to be against the law, said she didn't see how the tournament was related. "It's ultimately the state's decision, no matter what I think." In contrast, said student Azza Cohen, "I think this is an issue of human rights. I absolutely support the administration in boycotting intolerance."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Highland Park<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Uncontroversial School Play? "Fuggedaboutit."</b><br><br>
|
||
A school play at Rotolo Middle School sparked controversy when Italian-Americans became upset at the way "Fuggedaboutit: A Little Mobster Comedy" portrayed Italian culture. Mariana Amoroso-Levato, a local mother, said that she was outraged at the play's portrayal of Italian-Americans after she read the script her son had brought home. Amoroso-Levato contacted the Order Sons of Italy in America and rallied support from the community. Eventually the controversy went to federal court, where the judge decided to let the play run. U.S. District Judge John Gray said, "Public interest cries out for free expression in our schools." Joseph Rago, the attorney representing Amoroso-Levato, argued that students who were forced to watch this play and "others will come away with an inaccurate portrayal of an ethnic group."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Batavia Public School District #101<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"White Schools" Leave Athletic Conference</b><br><br>
|
||
People in the mostly black public schools became upset at the predominantly white schools when the latter decided to leave the South Inter-Conference Association (SICA). School board members, parents, and students from the mostly black schools believed that the split was motivated by race, and they filed a lawsuit in April 2006. The defendants stated that they left because they wanted to work with schools whose students had more similar extracurricular activities. In November 2006 the sides agreed to integrate five of the eleven largely black schools into the mostly white leagues. "A court-ordered remedy would provide less flexibility than a mutual agreement, and I am happy we were able to settle," said Matt Piers, an attorney involved in the lawsuit. Superintendent Robert Wilhite, who represents a few of the majority black schools, said "even if I had to do it all over again, I would still fight for what's right for my students."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Lack of Funding a Racial Issue?</b><br><br>
|
||
Reverend James Meeks, pastor of Salem Baptist Church and a state senator, called for a boycott of Chicago Public Schools, to which he said the state did not give sufficient funding for racist reasons. He named the protest the "Save Our Schools NOW boycott," and called for students to assemble in the lobbies of local corporations for four days and take their classes there. Meeks also said the schools often taught low-income districts sex education before academics. Arne Duncan, CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, said Meeks was wrong and the schools were improving. Meeks called off his boycott two days later after scheduling a meeting with Governor Rod Blagojevich.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Could Diversity Club Prevent Fight?</b><br><br>
|
||
A fight broke out at Penn High School between a black student and a white student. After administrators investigated the altercation, they suspended the black student for five days while the white student was disciplined without suspension. Ann Hostetler, the mother of the black student, asserted that the school discriminated against her daughter. In addition, she claimed that the white student called her daughter the "n-word." Hostetler eventually filed a complaint with the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, while the school maintained that there was no evidence the n-word was uttered. "We always take disciplinary action against any student using racial slurs or using any other kind of harassment language," said district communications director Teresa Carroll. The Civil Rights Commission eventually found no conclusive evidence that racial slurs were used, and that Hostetler's daughter was "disciplined in a manner that was appropriate for her involvement in the fight." Among other things, Hostetler blamed dissolution of the school's diversity club for the incident. "That should just be mandatory in a school like that," Hostetler said, "Where you know the minority is much less than the majority."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>African-Americans too Boisterous?</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2007, Indianapolis School District Superintendent Eugene White instituted a new graduation ceremony policy requiring audience members to be quiet during the reading of graduates' names or face the consequence of removal from the venue. "The graduation commencement is the completion of a 12-year program of study. It is a joyous time, a proud time and a formal time. It is not a party. It is not a pep rally," White wrote to parents. At Tech High School's graduation, several audience members were thrown out, and White eventually appealed to his "African-American brothers and sisters" not to keep interrupting. At least one white audience member, Danny Campbell, was upset over White's introduction of race into the equation.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Indianapolis Public Schools<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b><i>Ragtime</i> Causes Multiple Throwdowns</b><br><br>
|
||
Performance of the play <i>Ragtime</i> revealed fissures all over the community served by Perry Meridian High School. The play, which includes swearing in God's name, discussion of masturbation, and use of the "N-word," was stripped of the former two controversial elements, but the latter remained. This angered many African Americans in the district, especially a group of black clergy who called for removal of the "notorious N-word." The clergy also alleged that the swearing and sexual references were removed at the request of white parents while concerned black citizens were ignored. The play--which is intended to depict racism and ethnic tensions in early 20th century New York--also seemed to split the black community along age lines, with opponents of the show largely over age 50, but many black students and younger community members supporting the performance. "The people older than me," said radio talk show host Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, 35, "they tend to pick fights where there are none."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Metropolitan School District of Perry Township<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>Supreme Court Strikes Down Race Caps</b><br><br>
|
||
The United States Supreme Court struck down Jefferson County's long-standing race-based school assignment system, which set strict limits on the percentage of African-American students any school could have. The result of that system was that some black students could not get into schools they desired because of their race, and the African-American community lost control of schools that once served them well. Proponents of the policy, however, feared that dropping the requirements would lead to resegregation. Arguments over how to restructure the system have been ongoing.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jefferson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>Court: School Must Hire Black Football Coach</b><br><br>
|
||
The Tangipahoa school district has been under a federal court desegregation order for decades, but disagreement over the level of integration--or lack thereof--may have hit a peak in 2007, when Amite High School passed over Alden Foster--a black man--for the school's football head coaching position. Instead of Foster, a white coach was hired. The district maintained that Foster was not given the job for objective, coaching reasons, and noted that the district was becoming increasingly white. But U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle ordered the district to give Foster the job, holding that he was not hired because of racial discrimination. In 2009, two more coaching vacancies opened and the Tangipahoa NAACP chapter urged the district to hire African Americans to fill those positions as well.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tangipahoa Parish<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Vietnamese in Commencement Speech</b><br><br>
|
||
Controversy ensued after commencement speeches by Vietnamese cousins and co-valedictorians included sentences in the girls' native language as an homage to their parents. One concerned school board member said, "I don't like them addressing in foreign language. They should be in English." Ellender High School considered a policy requiring all future commencement addresses to be in English. It is a view consistent with the assimilation mission some see as crucial to public schooling. However, such a policy would raise free expression and identity issues.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Terrebonne Parish<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b><em>To Kill a Mockingbird</em> Prep Lesson Deemed Inappropriate</b><br><br>
|
||
At least one student was bothered when a white teacher imitated stereotypically African-American elocution and gestures in a lesson to prepare students to confront racial epithets in <em>To Kill a Mockingbird</em>. The student contacted the Montgomery County NAACP to request that the district stop using the lesson. The district agreed to eliminate the "Questionable Words" lesson, which was intended to soften potential distress over words that have led to the removal of books with racially charged words from reading lists and classes.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Montgomery County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Confederate Flag Brochure Nixed</b><br><br>
|
||
Ed Taylor, president of the Cumberland Historic Cemetery Organization, received approval from Allegany schools superintendent Bill AuMiller to distribute fliers that dealt with the history of the Confederate flag. After the brochures had been printed and delivered, however, AuMiller changed his mind. He felt that the fliers contained unacceptable religious and political information, including background on the St. Andrew's cross that served as a model for the Confederate "X." Some parents objected that, even in the 20th Century, the "flag was used for the intimidation of African Americans." The brochure condemned the use of Confederate flags for racist behavior. Taylor explained that he was "tired of hearing that these soldiers fought for slavery."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Allegany County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>No Hats to Deter "Black-on-Black" Violence</b><br><br>
|
||
A brawl at Winston Churchill High School convinced principal Joan Benz to ban the wearing of various articles of clothing, including hats, because they can be associated with gangs. In addition, Benz characterized the fight as "black-on-black violence" in a letter that she wrote to parents. That description sparked outrage from the Montgomery County NAACP. "It's inflammatory. It's a statement that should not have been said," objected branch president Henry Hailsock. "I don't think any administrator should be making statements as insensitive as that." As for the clothing, said one student, "I'm still uneasy about banning hats because that's not really dealing with the issue. A lot of people are planning on wearing hats on Monday in protest."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Montgomery County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Special Trip for African-American students</b><br><br>
|
||
At Dicken Elementary, 25 students in an African American-only club went on a special school trip to meet with a rocket scientist. The trip ignited a protest from other children and parents who said that it was unfair for the school to allow this race-based group to go on the trip while others could not. Superintendent Todd Roberts said, "This was an effort by staff to provide a group that was struggling more than any other group with extra support and address the achievement gap." However, Leon Drolet, who led a successful effort to pass state legislation banning preferential treatment of students based on group identity, said, "If they want to say we're going to pull out struggling kids and take them on a trip to inspire them, that's fine. But don't say we are going to pull kids out based on their skin color." The school district eventually disbanded the club.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Ann Arbor<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Thunderbird Pride, or 9/11 Message?</b><br><br>
|
||
Eleven Dearborn juniors wore sweatshirts to school with a design that evoked the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The design was a picture of the school's "Thunderbird" mascot flying toward the number 11 (the students were in the class of 2011). The number was depicted by two buildings. Under the image was written, "You can't bring us down." The boys, who are Arab-American, said they had no intent of evoking 9/11 and were reprimanded but not suspended. The head of the district's Parent Teacher Student Association said some of the uproar was racially motivated. "People wouldn't have felt nearly as threatened if these were white girls who made the shirts instead of Arab-American boys. The messengers, not the message, were at issue for these individuals," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dearborn<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Racist Words in Reading: Harassment?</b><br><br>
|
||
A parent of a black student sued the Warren Consolidated district after excerpts were read from Julius Lester's <em>From Slave Ship to Freedom Road</em>. The parent claimed that his daughter was racially harassed by the reading, which contained racial epithets and racist content. The lawsuit said that the reading had "affected the conditions of learning duties and the advantages of her further education, and seriously affected her mental and emotional well-being, past, present and future." The school said the reading was intended to create "positive" discussion during Black History Month. A court dismissed the lawsuit in 2012.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Warren Consolidated<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Arabic: Prohibited?</b><br><br>
|
||
At Fordson High School, Dearborn's most heavily Arab public high school, there was a debate over whether or not students should be barred from speaking Arabic. Imad Hamad, the regional director of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee, said speaking in one's chosen language is a right. "I am not a fan of restricting or reducing language," he said. "I feel that goes against the best interest of any type of education." Others think that the Arabic speech only alienates and slows the assimilation of students. Said a report from the Michigan Leadership Institute about prohibiting Arabic speech at Fordson, "To do otherwise reinforces the perception by some that Fordson is an Arab School in America rather than an American school with Arab students."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dearborn<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>No Action on Native-American Mascots</b><br><br>
|
||
The Michigan Department of Civil Rights asked the Federal government to ban the use of all American Indian mascots and nicknames in public schools, claiming they hurt "the potential for achievement by students with American Indian ancestry." Several people in schools with such mascots disagreed. "We serve the needs of more than 60 different cultures and ethnicities," said Kenneth Gutman of the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools. "It is never our intention to offend anyone." The U.S. Department of Education dismissed the MDCR's complaint.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Civil Rights Instruction For All</b><br><br>
|
||
Mississippi was the first state to require civil rights lessons each school year for all kindergarten through 12th-grade students. Said Governor Haley Barbour, "To not know history is to repeat it. And to learn the good things about Mississippi and America and the bad things about Mississippi and America is important for every Mississippian." Not everyone applauded the focus on civil rights. Said state representative John Moore, who has tried several times to repeal the law, "I just want to make sure it's teaching the truth and facts and not being accusatory of one group of people or the other. I don't want it to be somebody's philosophical idea of what civil rights are."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Tribes Object to Mascots, Imagery</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2000, Salish and Kootenai tribal leaders condemned the use of tribal-themed mascot imagery in public schools. Nonetheless, in 2003, the Ronan School District voted to decorate a new gymnasium floor with painted feathers, arrowheads, and the names "chiefs" and "maidens." The tribes felt that the terms were either derogatory or used inaccurately, and they filed suit against the district. In its defense, the district noted that most of the residents it surveyed supported keeping the tribal-themed names and imagery. In 2007, the Montana Human Rights Bureau ruled against the district.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Ronan<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Principal Suspended for Article about N-word</b><br><br>
|
||
An Omaha high school principal was placed on administrative leave for allowing a story titled "The N-Word" to run in a student newspaper. The story explored why students thought it was okay to use the word in casual conversation. After receiving complaints about the piece, the school board suspended the principal and investigated the issue. Principal Lisa Dale said that she was proud that the students wrote about the issue in a thorough and considerate way. "What they've done is handed us this tremendous opportunity to talk about an issue that is important to them," she said. The board decided to allow the story to run, but placed a disclaimer on the newspaper's website.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Omaha<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Racial District Split</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2005, Nebraska's only black state senator amended education legislation such that it split Omaha's school district along racial lines. His reason: to enable Omaha's black community to take charge of its own education. "My intent is not to have an exclusionary system," said Senator Ernie Chambers, "but (one that) we, meaning black people, whose children make up the vast majority of the student population, would control." Despite Chambers' intent to give Omaha African Americans control over their own schools, many black leaders in Nebraska disagreed with his efforts. "This is a disaster," Ben Gray, co-chairman of the African-American Achievement Council, told the <em>New York Times</em>. The legislation ultimately passed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Spanish on Bus?</b><br><br>
|
||
Esmeralda superintendent Robert Aumagher wrote a letter to the largely immigrant parents of students who are bussed to and from the town of Dyer, admonishing them not to let their children speak Spanish on the bus. They should, instead, speak English, which Aumagher called "a power language." Parents reported being upset by the letter but being afraid to openly respond. However, the ACLU of Nevada sent a letter to the district opposing the apparent ban, and the district publicly clarified that students may speak Spanish on the bus. Harley Shaiken, a University of California professor said about the dust-up over language, "It's a cultural touchstone that attracts a lot of intensity."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Esmeralda<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>KKK Robes Not OK</b><br><br>
|
||
When photos of two students in KKK robes hit social media, it caused a great deal of discomfort at the Las Vegas Academy, a Clark County magnet school. The garb was being warn for a class presentation on the Klan, but many people who saw the students in the outfits were unaware of that fact. School principal Scott Walker sent a letter of apology to parents. He explained that there was a legitimate educational purpose behind the uniforms, but he understood that they were "offensive." Neither the teacher in charge of the class nor the students were punished, but the teacher was reportedly admonished by the principal to get approval for all "potentially controversial lessons."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clark County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Experiment Segregates Water Fountain</b><br><br>
|
||
A Hot Springs High School English class focusing on social justice designed a project in which signs reading "Whites Only" and "People of Color" were placed above a water fountain, and student reactions were monitored. The project was supposed to "bring the history of racism to the attention of other students," according to a lawyer representing educators under fire for the project. The signs drew the ire of student Gabriel Reynolds, who was one of seven African-American students at the school, and who reported that he had been subjected to race-based harassment at the school in the past. "My son was traumatized, and other children were taught an irresponsible lesson," said Gabriel's mother Susan Reynolds.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Truth or Consequences<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Stereotypes or Isotopes?</b><br><br>
|
||
Franklin Township science teacher Madhumita Chaki was fired by the district after suggesting in class that African Americans were lazy and Asians were intellectually superior. In 2013, an administrative law judge upheld Chaki's firing. "Chaki consciously introduced stereotyping into her lesson plan," the judge said. But Chaki's lawyer maintained the goal of the discussion was to illustrate a scientific concept: whether isotopes collected from a given location would remain constant. "She was using an example that she thought would be illustrative of this point," said lawyer Michael Barrett.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Franklin Township<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b><em>Ten Little Indians</em> Racist?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Lakota East High School theater department performed Agatha Christie's <em>Ten Little Indians</em> under the title <em>And Then There Were None</em>. The title was changed following a complaint from Gary Hines. Hines, the president of the local NAACP, pointed out that the original title of the play was "Ten Little N------." His complaint initially led to a cancellation of the production. Superintendent Mike Taylor reinstated the play when the issue shifted from diversity towards censorship, but the school changed to the new title preferred by the Christie family. "Decisions that involve the emotions of people are challenging," said Taylor.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lakota<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Africentric School Closing Draws Ire</b><br><br>
|
||
The closing of an Africentric magnet school in Akron drew ire from members of the community. Rita Rogers was a fifth grade teacher at the now-closed Stewart Africentric School. "We have not been validated; we have not been promoted," she said. "We have been more like sabotaged and maligned." Others also complained that the district did not work to promote Stewart the same way it did other magnet schools. The board of education decided to continue the Africentric model in some way, but not in an individual school. Board member Lisa Mansfield said the school failed to get sufficient enrollment not for lack of district promotion, but parent interest.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Akron<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Neighborhood Schools or Diversity</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2010, the Republican-majority Wake County School Board voted 5-4 to discard the school system's diversity policy. The policy, which required busing, was to be replaced with a system of community schools. Many groups, African American organizations in particular, opposed the change. Those organizations encouraged a string of protests that resulted in multiple arrests. Both racial and regional differences were flashpoints. Much of the board's Republican majority consisted of people who had grown up in northern states. Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker referred to them as "people who are not from this area, who do not share our values." Meanwhile, WakeCARES member Patricia Lee, who supported the move to neighborhood schooling, said she and others were tired of being labeled racists. "When you don't have the facts on your side and you don't have the truth on your side, you throw a trump card and fake it," she said. In 2011, Democrats regained a majority in the school board. They initially voted to institute controlled choice. In 2012, they voted to assign students to "base" schools according to their home addresses.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wake County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Native American Mascots Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
The State Board of Education voted to prohibit eight high schools from using Native American mascots. The schools have five years to comply with the order. Afterward, noncompliant schools will lose state funding. Seven additional high schools which use the nickname "Warriors" were required to change the graphic associated with their name, though they could keep the moniker. Se-ah-dom Edmo, vice president of the Oregon Indian Education Association, said having such mascots "is racist. It is harmful. It is shaming. It is dehumanizing." Jim Smith, principal of Banks High School, grew up on a reservation. He resisted the ban. "(Native American mascots provide) a chance for us to talk about family and tradition and loyalty," said Smith.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teacher Suspended for Racial Slur</b><br><br>
|
||
Jeff Miller, a history teacher at Lincoln High School and former president of the Portland Teachers Union, was suspended for using the N-word during a class on Southern race relations. A video depicting Miller instructing students to body-surf and play air-guitar, in which he wiggled his backside against a female student, also factored into the suspension decision. Alex Burns-Miller, a student in the class where the two incidents occurred, said the actions had been "blown out of proportion." Parents complained to the school after video of Miller's actions was posted on YouTube. Miller eventually returned to the classroom.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Portland<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Courageous Conversations" Discriminate?</b><br><br>
|
||
Portland Public Schools implemented a form of equity training called "Courageous Conversations." The premise is that educators can come to understand their own "white privilege" in order to change their teaching practices. The district adopted the program in an effort to boost minority students' performance, and it seemed to have fairly widespread support among administrators. But a parent of a student at Harvey Scott K-8 School objected to a related drumming class being offered only to boys of color, saying it amounted to "blatant discrimination and equity of women, Asians, whites and Native Americans."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Portland<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teach-Through-Rap Program Halted</b><br><br>
|
||
The Oklahoma City public school district postponed use of a program called Flocabulary after receiving complaints from teachers and parents. The program, which uses rap to teach at-risk students, was reconsidered after complaints about one of the songs, "Old Dead White Men." The song compares President Andrew Jackson to Adolf Hitler, and says the presidential term of James Monroe saw "white men getting richer than Enron. They stepping on Indians, women and blacks." Alex Rappaport, CEO of Flocabulary, said, "Without engagement and motivation it's very difficult to learn, so our main purpose is to create materials that will motivate the students that are least likely to succeed with traditional methods." Flocabulary was eventually eliminated.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Oklahoma City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Law Prevents Agencies from Banning Mascots</b><br><br>
|
||
Sen. Dewayne Bunch (R-Cleveland) sponsored a bill to strip state agencies of the power to ban school mascots. The bill (and its counterpart in the House) was a response to American Indian activists' request that the state's Human Rights Commission ban Indian mascots which the activists have deemed offensive. Sen. Bunch believes that that power should reside with the legislature. The bill passed both houses and was signed into law by Gov. Phil Bredesen.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Racial Slur in "Teachable Moment"</b><br><br>
|
||
A 6th grade student at Creswell Arts Magnet Middle School described something as "gay." Her teacher, Stephen Henry, overheard this and attempted to take advantage of what he described as a "teachable moment." He told his student, "Regardless of what one means, when emotionally charged words are used, the intent of the speaker is often never heard or understood by those who actually hear the offending words." To illustrate, he asked the student how she would feel if he called her a "n-----." The mother of the girl, Anzora Lee-Starks, said her "daughter was very hurt...I think he made a very poor choice in trying to explain something that is over their heads and using the n-word in the way he did." Henry successfully appealed his suspension.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Metropolitan Nashville<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>District Divided over Diversity and Equity Issues</b><br><br>
|
||
The Burlington School District was divided over Superintendent Jeanne Collins's new plan to address the district's diversity and equity issues. The district had had problems with disparate outcomes and purported racism, and Collins was under fire for failing to act vigorously against those problems. City Councilor Vince Brennan was critical of Collins and her plan, saying, "The leadership could have rallied us together before we were at this point...I appreciate everything that she's doing right now but I would say, you know, just a little too late." Parent Lori Sullivan said that her adopted African American daughter had not suffered discrimination on Collins's watch. "This is a citywide issue. We need to open the discussion. Throwing Jeannie out is not going to solve the problem," Sullivan said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Burlington<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
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<b>Conflict over School's Response to Racial Incidents</b><br><br>
|
||
The Brattleboro community was divided over Brattleboro Union High School's response to the existence of a racially motivated hate group within its student body. The students who were involved were suspended, and the student population in general was encouraged to see their guidance counselors and write about their emotional reactions to the group. "The general outrage of the BUHS student and faculty body was a sign of how far our country has come and how little hope there is for any organization like the NHRA to exist in our society," said student Kvehl McDermott. Isacc Widomski was more skeptical: "(The racial incident) wasn't handled period. Just because people get together and talk about it and share opinions doesn't change the fact that there are racist cowards driving around shooting little African American middle school students with BB guns."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Windham Southeast Supervisory Union<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
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<b>Study Highlights Racial Gaps</b><br><br>
|
||
A report on student behavior in Fairfax County Schools was controversial because it highlighted racial disparities in "sound moral character and ethical judgment" among students. The school board was wary of accepting the report. Board Member Martina A. Hone was worried about "the unintended consequences of showing numbers that would have the effect of demoralizing children or feeding negative stereotypes." Ralph Cooper, chairman of the Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee, wrote that the report itself "damaged any credibility (the board) may have had in improving minority student achievement." The board planned to reassess its methods, measurements, and goals.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fairfax County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>School Named after Indian Tribe Selects Mascot</b><br><br>
|
||
The newly built Tuscarora High School was named after an Indian tribe with historical ties to the area. The three finalists for the school's mascot choice were "the Huskies," "the Timber Wolves," and "the Tribe." Some students supported "the Tribe" because a tribe exemplifies "people coming together for a greater cause, the strength of the collective group." Rudy Zimmerman, the athletics director of a district whose mascot is "the Indians," said that Indian imagery can be positive. "They are a strong people with a sense of pride. That is how we see ourselves," he said. Teresa Morris, founder of the Coastal Carolina Indian Center, felt an Indian-themed mascot could be disrespectful. "If people show up at a game wearing war paint, if they make Indian chants, it has no meaning to them. But for Native American people, they do have meaning," she said. The school eventually selected "the Huskies."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Loudoun County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Islamophobia in the Classroom?</b><br><br>
|
||
A student alleged that a Concrete Middle School teacher said, "just like Hitler," Arabs and Muslims are raised to give their lives to Allah and to be martyrs. The Council on American-Islamic Relations called on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the incident. The organization was concerned that anti-discrimination laws had been violated and that the comments could encourage bullying. In a statement, Superintendent Barbara Hawkings said, "This allegation...is false. (It) is based upon false information taken out of context." The teacher in question released a statement in which she said she had been talking only about extremist groups and that her remarks were taken out of context.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Concrete<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Race Class Canceled</b><br><br>
|
||
A Center School class which focused on race was canceled because of a student's complaint that Jon Greenberg had created an intimidating environment. Many students were upset about the cancellation. "(The class) has definitely forced us to deal with some strong emotions...but I think we're coming out better people for it," said senior Kylin Sandstrom. Teachers were also concerned. "We have a union contract that guarantees and protects academic freedom...We don't feel that academic freedom is being protected right now," said teacher Gerardine Carroll. The Seattle School District maintained that it had "investigated and concluded the class was intimidating."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Seattle<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Native American Mascots</b><br><br>
|
||
The Washington Board of Education encouraged schools to do away with Native American-themed mascots. "Inflammatory mascots are countercurrent to the board's vision for an excellent and equitable education for all students," said the board's resolution. Board spokesman Aaron Wyatt said that, in presentations made to the board, "There were a couple speakers who said (Native American-themed mascots are) continuing to damage kids." The board's resolution received a tepid response from schools and Native American groups. Lorrain Cooper, Kennewick School District spokeswoman, said, "We're very proud of our heritage. We're proud of our mascot." She was referring to Kamiakin High's use of the "Braves," a mascot which was selected in consultation with the Yakama Nation. Deb Croswell of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation said that the Umatilla tribes have been too busy with other issues to worry about school mascots.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Removal of "Redskins" Name Causes Trouble</b><br><br>
|
||
There were mixed reactions to the Port Townsend school board's decision to eliminate Port Townsend High School's "Redskins" nickname. Terri McQuillen, a Native American who was also a graduate of the school, said she was never offended by the nickname. "I was raised to understand my responsibility is to take my name and make it proud," she said. But Native American Frank Boushie was offended by the people defending the name at a board meeting. "It was so racist in there, it was unbelievable," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Port Townsend<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Is Planning for the Future Racist?</b><br><br>
|
||
A Seattle Public Schools website presented planning for the future, individualism and standard English as examples of cultural racism and characteristics of "whiteness." The site was taken offline after people complained for weeks about its offensive assertions. Caprice Hollins, the district's director of equity and race relations, eventually apologized for the controversial content, which she said was not intended to "develop an 'us against them' mind-set."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Seattle<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Longer the "Indians"</b><br><br>
|
||
As allowed under a new state law, retired Kewaunee teacher Marsha Beggs Brown filed a complaint against the school district for its use of a race-based mascot (the "Indian"). "Respect for all people--that was my motivation…There's just no refuting that these names harm children," she said. Jesse Steinfeldt, an Indiana University psychology professor, agreed that Indian-themed mascots can create "a racially hostile education environment that...can affect the self-esteem of Native American kids." The Kewaunee School Board voluntarily decided to change its mascot, and was given a year to remove all Indian signage from its schools. Some people were unhappy about the decision. "People are upset...It's always been part of us," said 1992 graduate Tim Selner. Shirly Brusky felt that the use of the "Indian" as a mascot was meant to be "a tribute." "We were proud to be called an Indian," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kewaunee<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>District Defies Order to Change Mascot</b><br><br>
|
||
The Mukwonago Area School District continued using "Indians" as its nickname, despite an order to the contrary from the Department of Public Instruction. The district adopted a resolution which read, "The use of the 'Indians' nickname and associated logo have been and continue to be a source of pride related to the local history of the Mukwonago area...Further, the District believes that decisions regarding the use of nicknames and logos are best left to local elected officials who better understand local history." Mike Allen, executive director of the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, disagreed with that stance. "I wish the school would look at it differently...These nicknames and logos are inappropriate and contribute to stereotypes and an improper understanding of Indian history and culture," he said. Local opinions on the issue are varied. Parent Harold Cramer opposes state-level efforts to force the district to change its use of the "Indians" name and logo. "I just think it should be a local issue," he said. 18-year-old student Morgan Vukovich said, "Mukwonago has the Indian out of respect...An Indian is a strong character." Barbara Munson, a member of the Oneida, said that Mukwonago should change its nickname. "We want school districts to change...We want them to get educated. We don't want to make somebody unhappy. The point is race-based stereotypes are harmful to Indian children, to all minority children," she said. Rain Koepe, a member of the Peoria tribe, filed the the complaint that ignited the Mukwonago naming controversy in 2010. He was a student at the high school at the time, and said he was subjected to "horrible racist insults" on account of the complaint he had filed. "They talk about honoring Indians and Indian heritage, but it's not their heritage. I don't think they have any business being anywhere near it."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Mukwonago Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"White Privilege" Class</b><br><br>
|
||
A class at Delavan-Darien High School promoted a race theory that angered some parents. The purpose of the class was to "better understand oneself and recognize how feelings, ideas and beliefs interact with the ideas and beliefs of other individuals and groups." However, according to the parent, students were taught, "(I)f you're white, you're oppressing. If you're nonwhite, you've been a victim…It's meant to divide and victimize non-whites and condition whites to feel guilty and to be more passive." The parent brought her concerns to the superintendent, Robert Crist. "A lot of red flags go up in my mind when I look at the materials...Her concern has merit," he said. The school decided that the class would need to be reviewed before it would be taught again.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Delavan-Darien<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>KKK Symbol and Noose: "a Joke?"</b><br><br>
|
||
A student at Baldwin-Woodville High School was suspended after he placed a KKK symbol and a small noose on the desk of a black classmate. "The young man (who placed the objects) said it was done as a joke," explained Eric Russell, the school's principal. Initially, the boy who placed the objects on the black female's desk faced only one day of in-school suspension. Sarah Hitzeman, foster mother of the girl, said that that punishment was not increased until the NAACP contacted the school. Russell said that he had prescribed a sterner punishment since the beginning of winter break, but he would not reveal the length of time for which the boy was suspended. Ultimately, Hitzeman said her primary concern was with the school, not the perpetrator, for permitting rampant bullying. Russell said he saw no evidence of such a problem.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Baldwin-Woodville Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Busing," "Neighborhood Schools" Advocates Clash</b><br><br>
|
||
Before 2005, Racine Unified School District policy stipulated that no school could have a minority student population 10 percentage points below or 15 percentage points above the percentage of minority students enrolled district wide at that school's level. This policy was implemented through the busing of white students to predominantly black and/or Hispanic schools and vice-versa. Some Racine residents advocated for the reinstatement of the busing program in order to promote diversity in schools. "There is a lot to gain by kids from different backgrounds being in the same school," said Jennifer Cook, a sophomore at Racine Horlick High School. The NAACP presented the school board with a petition signed by over 1,000 people who supported the busing policy, and the organization "urge(d)" the board "to make the student bodies as diverse as possible." Opponents of busing argued in favor of "neighborhood schooling," a system in which students attend schools near where they live. Proponents like County Supervisor Ken Lumpkin argued that neighborhood schools promote community cohesion and interest in children's education. Moreover, he felt that the idea that a black child's education is enhanced if he is in a predominantly white school is harmful to the black child's self-esteem. School Board member Brian Dey pointed out that earlier surveys had shown that families in the district favored neighborhood schools.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Racine Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>DPI Fights White Privilege</b><br><br>
|
||
Intended to help teachers meet the needs of minority students, the CREATE Wisconsin initiative came under fire for distributing material accusing white people of, often unknowingly, being racist. (CREATE stands for Culturally Responsive Education for All: Training and Enhancement.) Particularly troubling to some were materials handed out at a 2009 CREATE conference that said, among other things, "more frequently than not, white people take advantage of privileges generated by a racist society." The DPI was also accused of encouraging students to wear white wristbands and put notes on their computers to remind them of their privilege.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Closures Target Blacks, Disabled?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Philadelphia School District's school closure plans prompted ACTION United to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights. ACTION said that most of the schools slated to be closed served more black students than the district average, and the closures would therefore have a disproportionate impact on black students. "The District has not demonstrated why closing schools in predominantly African American neighborhoods with higher numbers of students with disabilities serves any educational necessity that could not be accomplished through less discriminatory alternatives," the complaint read. The district's plan was meant to eliminate a $1.1 billion deficit by saving money that would otherwise be spent on underutilized and underperforming schools. "At the end of this process, we believe that we will have a system that better serves all students, families, and stakeholders," said Superintendent William Hite.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Philadelphia<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Periodic Segregation</b><br><br>
|
||
A plan at McCaskey High School aimed to help black students by separating them from the rest of the school for six minutes each day and 20 minutes twice per month. Principal Bill Jimenez defended the plan by citing research that suggests same-race classes with strong same-race role models can produce improvements in academic performance. "One of the things we said when we did this was, 'Let's look at the data, let's not run from it. Let's confront it and see what we can do about it,'" said Jimenez. The program was criticized for the way that it singled out black students. "The stereotypes that send a message to kids that because of their race or their gender that they are less capable and less smart are very pervasive in our society," said Professor Pedro Noguera of NYU. "This could be the message that some kids get. So I would question why they need to segregate kids on the basis of race. If there are white kids that also need support, they should be in that program as well." The program was canceled after a short time because of heavy criticism.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lancaster<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>"U-S-A" Chant Racist?</b><br><br>
|
||
Students from Alamo Heights High School chanted "U-S-A, U-S-A" after winning a regional basketball championship with a victory over Edison High School. The chant led the San Antonio Independent School District to file a complaint against Alamo Heights. Leslie Price, spokesperson for the San Antonio ISD, explained that Edison's team was predominantly Hispanic and that the "U-S-A" chant suggested "they are not American citizens." Price denounced the chant as being racially motivated, saying, "We understand competitiveness and rivalry, but you need to choose your words and think about the meaning behind them." Alamo Heights ISD Superintendent Kevin Brown apologized to San Antonio ISD officials. "Unfortunately...we had a handful of students who made a bad decision and we're very sorry it happened...They made a mistake and we're going to use this as a learning experience," he said. Jamey Harrison, deputy director of the University Interscholastic League (the governing body for athletics in Texas), said that "any type of derogatory chant or racially motivated chant at one of our events" would not be condoned. Alamo Heights student Carlos Fuentes said that while he thought the students who started the chant might have meant to offend, "(T)he rest of the audience that caught on for the few short minutes that it happened...didn't mean it in any way except, 'We're so excited that we won,' you know, just ecstatic students."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Alamo Heights<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Trouble on "Redneck Day"</b><br><br>
|
||
Queen Creek High School's "Duck Dynasty"-inspired "Redneck Day" was intended to be a school spirit activity, with students encouraged to dress like the cast of the popular reality television show. Two months later after the event, however, the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation to determine whether the day created a "racially hostile environment." In particular, one student came to school wearing a Confederate flag cape. Superintendent Tom Lindsey said there "was no ill intent" and the student was immediately pulled aside and asked to remove the flag. Parent Leslie Taylor "was livid." She said, "Nobody that I talked to thinks that that is okay. That just symbolizes something evil."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Queen Creek Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Anti-Ethnic Studies Law</b><br><br>
|
||
Largely in response to conflict over the Mexican-American studies program in Tucson, the state passed a law banning schools from offering classes geared toward specific ethnic groups, intended to promote ethnic solidarity, or that promote overthrowing the United States government. Anna Graves, an immigrant from Mexico, supported the law, saying, "If we were to have a group of white citizens teaching white culture only for white children, it would be totally and absolutely inappropriate in a country that is a country of diversity." Rep. Peter Rios (D-Dudleyville) disagreed, asking, "What is the downside of students learning about their culture along with the American culture, value and mores?" In 2015 a federal appeals court heard a suit against the law.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Residency Enforcement to Boost School Stats?</b><br><br>
|
||
The U.S. Department of Education investigated whether the San Mateo Union High School District was selectively enforcing proof of residency policies against Chinese-American students living with relatives or in multifamily homes. The state's Academic Performance Index goal for schools is 800. One school in the district, Mills, had a score of 863, while another, Capuchino, had a score of 748. Chinese-American parents generally preferred that their children attend Mills, but with their children scoring an average of 900 on the API, some parents suspected the district of channeling their kids into the lower-performing schools to raise those schools' average scores. Parents thought selective enforcement of proof of residency policies was the district's chosen means to accomplish that goal. "I couldn't help but think they were trying to raise the grades (at Capuchino)," said Marian Kong, who filed the complaint prompting the investigation. The investigation found no evidence of such a practice.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> San Mateo Union High School<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Latino Vote Suppressed?</b><br><br>
|
||
MALDEF, a Latino civil rights organization, filed a lawsuit against the ABC Unified School District alleging that the district's "at-large" electoral system dilutes the voting power of Latinos and keeps them out of elective office. Despite a 42% Latino student population, the last time a Latino served on the school board was 1997. The lawsuit called for the system to be changed so that board members would represent specific areas. "It is...important that our democratic processes work to secure adequate opportunity for the Latino community to elect its representatives to participate in school governance," said MALDEF President Thomas A. Saenz. ABC Unified Superintendent Mary Sieu said that the district conducted its own analysis of past elections and concluded that there had been no unlawful dilution of Latino voting power. Sieu also argued that the at-large system puts students--rather than regional interests--first.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> ABC Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pledge in Arabic</b><br><br>
|
||
A group of Rocky Mountain High School students recited the Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic over the school's intercom. The group had previously recited the pledge in French and Spanish. There was a backlash against the foreign language recitations, including a number of angry phone calls from parents. "As a veteran and a friend of a man killed defending these children in their little games they like to play with our pledge, I'm offended...There are things that we don't mess with--among them are the pledge and our anthem," wrote Chris Wells. Principal Tom Lopez disagreed. "We have a tremendous amount of diversity in our school," Lopez said. "When they pledge allegiance to (the) United States, that's exactly what they're doing...They're just using another language as their vehicle," he explained.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Poudre<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Effect of Closures Disputed</b><br><br>
|
||
Activists sued to halt the closure of 15 under-enrolled D.C. schools, arguing that the closures would disproportionately affect poor and minority children. Judge James E. Boasberg was skeptical of the activists' claims. "The whole purpose of going to school, for these kids, is to receive a good education, correct?" he asked. "It seems to me that the schools they're transferring into are a whole lot better," he continued, referring to statistics indicating that most of the children affected by the closures would be moved to schools with higher test scores and more diversity. Plaintiffs' attorney Jamie B. Raskin argued that Boasberg's observation was beside the point. "The point is that having a neighborhood school is a precious public resource and a precious public benefit that we think should not be distributed along the lines of race and class," he argued. Boasberg dismissed most of the lawsuit.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> District of Columbia<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No KKK Name for School</b><br><br>
|
||
Nathan Bedford Forrest High School is named after the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Parent Omotayo "Ty" Richmond started a petition to change the school's name. "The KKK is a symbol of racism and I don't think my daughter, or any student, should have to attend a school that honors the Klan's first Grand Wizard," he said. Richmond's online petition attracted tens of thousands of signatures, but not everyone agreed with his mission. D.F. "Buddy" Harris, a Forrest alumnus, started a petition in defense of the school's name. "(Forrest) did have an initial association with the (KKK), but got out as soon as it started getting...bad...I just don't think it would be a good thing to try and erase history," he said. Harris felt that maintaining the high school's name "gives some people the nudge to actually do the research" and learn about history. In December 2013 the Duval County School Board voted to change the school's name.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Duval County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Official Integrated Prom</b><br><br>
|
||
Proms had long been privately organized--and racially segregated--for Wilcox County High School students, but in 2013 several students attempted to change that. "We are all friends," said student Stephanie Sinnot. "That's just kind of not right that we can't go to prom together." Posters for an integrated prom were torn off of school walls, and the black queen and white king did not get invitations to the same dances. When students approached district superintendent Steve Smith about holding an integrated prom, Smith said that he and the board of education "not only applauded their idea, but we also passed a resolution advocating that all activities involving our students be inclusive and nondiscriminatory." The resolution supporting the integrated prom idea on the school's website was eventually replaced with notice that the board would consider the 2014 prom at its next meeting.<br><br>
|
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<b>District:</b> Wilcox County<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>N-word Used to Improve Behavior</b><br><br>
|
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African-American teacher Lori Myles distributed two handouts to students containing the N-word that, according to the district, were intended to "shame" students "by indicating their behavior was an affront to the memories and brave examples of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks." The handout about Parks read, "She sat down with a made up mind...so I wouldn't have to live with the name (N-word)." Myles was reprimanded by Richmond County superintendent Frank Roberson for using the degrading term which he said has "no place in our schools or classrooms." Myles refused to sign the letter of reprimand, and said her use of the word "was a lesson" that the N-word, used in some school readings and students' casual conversations, is always "desecrating the memory" of Parks and King.<br><br>
|
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<b>District:</b> Richmond County<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Spanish Teacher Fired for Saying "Negro"</b><br><br>
|
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Petrona Smith, a black Spanish teacher, said that she was fired because she used the word "negro" in class. "Negro" is the Spanish word for "black," and Smith said that she was using the word in that context. However, one of her seventh-grade students told administrators that Smith had used the word as an insult. That accusation led to Smith's firing. "(School officials) haven't even accounted for how absurd it is for someone who's black to be using a racial slur to a student," said Smith's attorney, Shaun Reid. Smith was also accused of calling her students "failures," another accusation which Smith said was based on a misunderstanding. School officials would not comment on Smith's lawsuit.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Disputed Apache Mascot</b><br><br>
|
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For several meetings in a row - even when it wasn't on the schedule - the public in Vallejo wanted to debate the high school's Apache mascot at school board meetings. The board eventually voted to end use of the mascot on the grounds that it was offensive to Native Americans. Even well after the vote, however, public commenters came to express their thoughts. "We, the alumni of this school, and the students are offended also. We want you guys to reverse your decision," complained 1961 graduate Jerry Orr. Others liked the vote and wanted to move on. "It's not 1940, it's not 1950, it's not 1960. Don't cling to the past," said resident Lee Pono.<br><br>
|
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<b>District:</b> Vallejo<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b>"Angry Arab" Angers</b><br><br>
|
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The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee called on Coachella Valley High School to eliminate its "Angry Arab" mascot, which looks threatening and the Committee said is "commending and enforcing the negative stereotypes of an entire ethnic group." Mascot defenders, including 1961 graduate David Hinkle, insisted that the macot is a point of pride for the community that had its beginning with the date fruit industry. "There was no intention to demean Arabs or be discriminatory in any way," said Hinkle. "It was created as a proud mascot." The district elected to keep the "Arabs" nickname but change the look of the mascot.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Coachella Valley<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Principal Forbids Spanish</b><br><br>
|
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Hempstead Middle School principal Amy Lacey announced that speaking Spanish in class would be prohibited, and she soon found herself put on leave. Complained parent Cynthia Zamora, "You’re handicapping our children. You’re telling them you can’t speak Spanish, and you can’t have anyone translating for you." Some other parents defended Lacey, suggesting that students need to learn English to succeed, and that Spanish could have been used to facilitate disruptive behavior. “I think she was trying to get the students to understand that they are being taught in English, their state testing is going to be given in English, all of their tests say you will answer in English,” said parent Connie Wawarofsky. The school board eventually decided not to renew Lacey's contract.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hempstead<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Districts Choosing Mascots is Free Speech?</b><br><br>
|
||
Gov. Scott Walker (R) said that he would likely sign a bill making it very difficult for the state to order school districts to change racially or ethnically charged team names and mascots. Saying he understood concerns about the offensiveness of some mascots, Walker added, "the counterbalance to that that I'm looking at is...from a free speech standpoint...where do you draw the line on free speech?" Attorney Brian Pierson, who had defended current law, said that districts are controlled by the state, and a district "doesn't have a First Amendment right to adopt an Indian mascot." The proposed law would put the burden of proof on those who complain about names promoting discrimination to prove that discrimination.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Book Offends Koreans</b><br><br>
|
||
District libraries and middle school reading lists include <em>So Far from the Bamboo Grove</em>, a book depicting a Japanese girl--the author--escaping from Korea during World War II. The book depicts violence, but more concerning to some Korean-Americans is that it is said to offer an incomplete and biased view of Koreans in World War II. "I feel sorry for the author," said Kyungsun Choe from the Korean-American Parents Association of Greater New York. "However, in fact, Koreans were victims in World War II, and there are a lot of things she misses."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Adult Content</b><br><br>
|
||
After discovering that her ninth-grade son was reading books for school that profaned God and contained multiple uses of "the F word," Cori Grimsman gathered like-minded parents to demand that the district put together a parent review panel to rate all assigned books for adult content. "I don't really want teachers talking to my kids about morality or controversial situations," said parent Carol Horst. District officials resisted Grimsman's proposal on the grounds that the district already had a process for vetting materials, and it would be impossible to select readings of which all parents would approve. "There aren't many Shakespeare plays that could be read, according to Ms. Grimsman's classification," said Sarah Grondin, a director of schools and programs at the district.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> San Juan Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b><em>Lovely Bones</em></b><br><br>
|
||
When students at Malibu High School selected the book <em>Lovely Bones</em> for a school-wide reading project in March, it alarmed a lot of parents. The book is written from the perspective of a 14-year-old girl in heaven who has been raped, murdered, and dismembered by a neighbor, and who watches the reactions to the horrific crime of her family still on Earth. At a meeting to discuss the controversial selection, many parents expressed great dismay at the choice. "I see this book as a very dangerous book for some children, who are just about the become adults," decried one parent. English teacher Bonnie Thoreson responded to the uproar by noting that "the book was selected by the students, and we would like to respect that," and that "the book was approved by the California Department of Education."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Santa Monica-Malibu Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
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<b><em>Bluest Eyes</em> Too Blue</b><br><br>
|
||
After receiving complaints from parents about explicit sex scenes, including depictions of rape, the Littleton Board of Education banned Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison's <em>The Bluest Eyes</em>." District English teachers, however, vowed to bring the book back. "It's pretty shocking that any school board would ban a book by a Nobel Prize winner," said teacher Judy Vlasin at a special meeting about the ban. "It's a huge step backward for the school district." Parent Pam Cirbo had a different take: "Do they (students) need to know the explicit graphicness of rape? I don't think so." It was student Camille Okoren, however, who best summarized the problem: "Everyone is offended by different things."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Littleton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b><em>Huckleberry Finn</em> and Racial Sensitivity</b><br><br>
|
||
An English teacher at Richland High School, when teaching Mark Twain's <em>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</em>, repeatedly used the N-word on both the blackboard and in his speech. The teacher claimed she was trying to convey the history, context and power of the word. For Ibrahim Mohamed, it was painful and hateful, and he was offended. "To me, it was cruel the way it was presented. It didn't help the lesson at all. It showed improper judgment." Local black and Muslim leaders took offense as well, and with Mohamed and his mother, attempted to push the book itself out of the curriculum. Ultimately, Mohamed was transferred to another English class, the superintendent wrote a letter of apology, and teachers received classes in cultural sensitivity.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Birdville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Inappropriate Book, Conduct</b><br><br>
|
||
An English teacher and assistant football coach at Jim Ned High School, Kaleb Tierce, was harangued by parents after he taught Cormac McCarthy's <em>Child of God</em>. McCarthy, a writer known for his darker and adult works, included graphic depictions of rape and necrophilia in <em>Child of God</em>. Some considered that material to be inappropriate for adolescents. Tierce was placed on paid leave. Many parents, however, felt that Tierce should be reinstated. "He's a great teacher and coach and motivates the kids like no one else can," said parent Chris Garcia. "If you're trying to protect your kids from things in books, you may as well turn off the TV and video games." The book was voluntarily removed. Subsequently, Tierce was found to have tried to initiate sexual contact with three students. Tierce pleaded guilty and his teaching contract was not renewed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jim Ned<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Pocket Constitutions</b><br><br>
|
||
A donation gave thousands of copies of the United States Constitution to students at Hernando and Citrus schools. However, the gift caused controversy when, in addition to the primary documents of the American Founders, several other texts were included with the copy. Some had a page written by the Cato Institute, while others referred readers to books by the National Center for Constitutional Studies, a conservative and religious think tank. Some other sponsors had ties with Freemasonry. Mike Mullen, assistant superintendent for Citrus, said "When you add all of those things together, it's not just a simple Constitution. You've got to be real careful when you're passing out information to the kids."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Citrus<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Harry Potter and Witchcraft</b><br><br>
|
||
Laura Mallory, a missionary and mother of four, asked that her children's school take books from the Harry Potter series off of school shelves because of the books' supposed glorification of witchcraft. When Mallory's initial effort failed, she took her request to the district. "I think the anti-Christian bias--it's just got to stop. And if we don't say something, we'll just keep getting pushed out of the schools. And I pay taxes, too. And I think that gives me a voice to speak out about this." Months after her initial complaint, the dispute was ongoing, and the district made clear that it was going to fight to keep Harry Potter. "There's a mountain of evidence for keeping Harry Potter," said Board of Education attorney Victoria Sweeny. Eventually, at a Superior Court hearing over he request, Mallory made the case that the books were promoting the Wiccan religion and should be banned because keeping them on school shelves violated the separation of church and state. Sweeney said that the county had the authority to decide which books were allowed in the schools. "I'm not here to defend Harry Potter," said Sweeny. "I'm here to defend the Gwinnett County Board of Education's right to make lawful decisions."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gwinnett County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b><i>Chocolate War</i> vs. Religion</b><br><br>
|
||
<i>The Chocolate War,</i> by Robert Cormier, is one of the most challenged books in the country. In March 2006, the profanity-laced book about a teen who refuses to sell fundraiser chocolate bars at an all-boys Catholic school was challenged again, with Lutheran minister Timothy Gordish calling for its removal from the freshman reading list at Salmon High School. Its presence on the list, he said, "violates civil rights by denying religious freedom." After initially pulling the book, the Salmon School Board reviewed the decision and reinstated it, despite serious misgivings. "I consider myself a pretty tough guy, but after reading this I had a sick feeling inside," said chairman Jim Bob Infanger. Parent Chris Swersey, however, thought Gordish's objections to the book were not sufficient grounds to ban it. "There are people other than clergymen who can talk about morality," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Salmon<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Campaign to Ban Books Fails</b><br><br>
|
||
A meeting of the Township High School District 214 school board ran until 1:30 a.m., and required overflow seating in a nearby field house, when the board debated removing several books from the district's curriculum, including Toni Morrison's <em>Beloved</em> and Kurt Vonnegut's <em>Slaughterhouse-Five</em>." Board member Leslie Pinney spearheaded the book-banning charge, objecting to the depictions of sexual activities and drug references in many of the books. In the end, though, she did not prevail, with the Board voting to keep the titles. "I think some of (the books) are very provocative in a very positive way," said board member Miriam Cooper. "I think they are appropriate."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Township High School District 214<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Foul, Easy Books Removed</b><br><br>
|
||
Contending that several books used in accelerated English classes at Montgomery County High School were inappropriate--for reasons ranging from foul language to being at too low a reading level--several parents requested the books' removal from the classes. Superintendent Daniel Freeman ultimately agreed to remove the titles from the classes, but not from library shelves or from the student book club. Nonetheless, concerns about censorship arose, and letters about the dispute in the local newspaper ranged from decrying censorship to calling the disputed books "trash."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Montgomery County<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b><em>Song of Solomon</em></b><br><br>
|
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The Frederick County school board narrowly voted to approve a list of supplemental textbooks that included the 1977 Toni Morrison book <em>Song of Solomon</em>, which board member April Miller opposed on account of its mature content. She said it was not a book she wanted her 14-year-old child to read, and she argued that the one-week period the board gives to review potential readings was insufficient.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Frederick County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>No One Gets to Leaflet</b><br><br>
|
||
After Parents and Friends of Gays and Ex-Gays distributed fliers stating that homosexuality is not innate and that gay people can change their orientations, the Montgomery County school board banned all non-profit groups from distributing fliers to students. Banning all outside groups was considered a "viewpoint neutral" move. However, the ban was prompted by the anti-homosexuality flyers that had been condemned by, among others, district superintendent Joshua Starr. Meanwhile, board member Laura Berthieaume objected to the new policy, saying it would weaken "community bonds."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Montgomery County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>6th Grade Reading Fuels International Furor</b><br><br>
|
||
The Dover-Sherborn Regional School Committee debated whether <em>So Far From the Bamboo Grove</em> should be studied by 6th graders. The book, by Yoko Kawashima Watkins, tells the story of a Japanese family fleeing Korea--which Japan had occupied--at the end of World War II. Many parents thought the book reflects poorly on the people of Korea and offers little historical context. Some also believed it to be too graphic for middle school students. Watkins defended the book, saying it has no biases against Koreans. In addition, some parents and students defended the book as being about the horrors of war generally. The dispute eventually became international, with both the South and North Korean governments expressing objections to the book's use. "Yoko has become a symbol for the problems between Japan and Korea," lamented John D'Auria, principal of Wellesley Middle School. The district eventually voted to both keep the book and also balance it with other texts.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dover-Sherborn<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Controversial Books Approved</b><br><br>
|
||
On a split vote, the Howell school board approved teaching three controversial books, including <em>The Freedom Writers Diary</em> and <em>Slaughterhouse Five</em>. Dissatisfied, the Livingston Organization for Values in Education asked both state and federal prosecutors to review the decision. Members of the organization said the books violated educational laws such as the state's sex education law. Said Sharon Baldwin, a parent of a student who attends Northwest Elementary School, "I don't want my kids to read them. I don't let them eat just anything. I don't let them ingest just anything. I want you to respect that." Howell High junior Kaitlyn Estes said, in contrast, that <em>The Freedom Writers Diary</em> was "life-changing." She later questioned the opponents of the books. "If you ban these books, then what else might you ban?" she asked. "I'm worried it will spiral into something out of control."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Howell<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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||
<b><em>Waterland</em>, <em>Beloved</em> Scrutinized</b><br><br>
|
||
The Plymouth-Canton district roiled after Superintendent Jeremy Hughes pulled the book <em>Waterland</em> from the curriculum. "I read passages from the book and I was personally shocked and offended" said Hughes. "I decided the presentation of the material was so graphically sexual that I just felt it was not something high school students should be reading." The teacher of the book defended it, saying that the syllabus states that the material is "more mature and provocative," and her class "should be a course that's selected by people whose kids are ready for that." The district also chose to review Toni Morrison's <em>Beloved</em>, which some parents also thought to be too mature. Said parent Steve Barnaby, "Taking the book out of the classroom really violates trust and divides the community." Said another parent, "I think parents should have the right to choose what's right for their kids to read." Despite the concerns of the superintendent and some parents, both challenged books ultimately received the district's approval.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Plymouth-Canton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Anne Frank's Diary "Pornographic?"</b><br><br>
|
||
Parent Gail Horalek filed a complaint against the Northville district when she discovered that her daughter had to read an unedited version of Anne Frank's diary, which includes a detailed discussion by Frank of her private parts. "The problem is the school is giving the seventh graders inappropriate material and not explaining it to the parents," Horalek said. In a response to Horalek, Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services Robert Behnke wrote, "Parents are considered partners in their children's learning and when concerns surface they are encouraged to communicate with the classroom teacher and building principal to resolve those issues. If the parent is not satisfied with the response at the building level, a committee consisting of parents, teachers, media specialists, and administrators will be assembled to review the concerns expressed by the parent using the Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of Materials Procedure."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Northville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b><em>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</em></b><br><br>
|
||
The Lakeville North district considered dropping <em>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</em> from a required reading list after parent Mark Lewis objected to the selection. Lewis had been upset about the book when his daughter read it a few years earlier and it generated a class discussion about African-Americans that made her very uncomfortable. Lewis tried to remove the book completely then, but he failed. Instead, his daughter was allowed to go to the library to read a different book. He objected again when his son was to read <em>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</em>. That time, the district considered allowing students to choose between two books. Said another parent who disliked the idea of her son reading <em>Huck Finn</em>, "It's more embarrassing to go out of the classroom. He didn't want to be put somewhere alone." The district chose to retain the controversial book.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lakeville North<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>"Huck Finn" Trouble</b><br><br>
|
||
Ken Gilbert did not want his St. Louis Park High School daughter to be required to read <em>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</em>, because the N-word and race would completely dominate class discussion. "I don't care if all of America reads the book," he said. He just didn't want it to be required. A district committee rejected Gilbert's request. The committee concluded that "the literary value of the book outweighed the negative aspect of the language employed."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Saint Louis Park<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Tough "Tango" in Rochester</b><br><br>
|
||
After receiving complaints from some parents about the presence of <em>And Tango Makes Three</em>--a book about two male penguins adopting and hatching an egg--in the Gibbs Elementary media center, the Rochester district initially pulled the book. It did not follow proper procedures in doing so, however, and the book was reinstated. Eventually, the complaining parents were satisfied when the district implemented a policy allowing parents to see which books are in media centers and to say which ones they don't want their children accessing.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rochester<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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|
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<b>Some Novels Restricted, Some Not</b><br><br>
|
||
The Republic School District banned two books--<em>Slaughterhouse-Five</em> and <em>Twenty Boy Summer</em>--after parents complained that they taught lessons contrary to those of the Bible. The school board chose to keep the novel <em>Speak</em> in the high school curriculum. District superintendent Vern Minor said the board decided to remove the books because they were not age appropriate. "We very clearly stayed out of discussion about moral issues," he said. "Our discussions from the get-go were age-appropriateness." The decision elicited protests and the high school eventually made the books accessible--albeit only with parental consent--in its library. In 2012, the school board voted to terminate Minor's contract.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Republic<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Two Books Raise Objections</b><br><br>
|
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Bedford High School removed two books from its curriculum--<em>Water for Elephants</em> and <em>Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America</em>--after two parents complained about them. The son of Aimee and Dennis Taylor was assigned <em>Nickel and Dimed</em> in a finance class, and they objected to the book's description of Jesus Christ as a "wine-guzzling vagrant and precocious socialist." The same parents later objected to <em>Water for Elephants</em>, which was slated to be taught in an intersession course, because the book contains sexual material that they deemed inappropriate for high school students. <em>Nickel and Dimed</em> author Barbara Ehrenreich defended her book as disparaging not Jesus, but those who ignore his focus on helping the poor. Bedford High School Principal Bill Hagen said the school would have to rethink its reading approval process. "The inherent danger in what has happened here is that unless we go through a respectful and challenging review process, we might have a safe and sanitized curriculum," he said.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Bedford<br>
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<b>Books Removed from Summer Reading List</b><br><br>
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The Monroe Township School District removed two controversial books from required summer reading lists after complaints from parents. One book, <em>Norwegian Wood</em>, contains a graphic description of lesbian sex between a 31-year-old woman and 13-year-old girl. The other book, <em>Tweak (Growing Up on Methamphetamines)</em>, includes depictions of drug use and a homosexual orgy. "I don't think that's relevant for any teenager," said one parent about <em>Norwegian Wood</em>. "I was just kind of in shock." Superintendent Chuck Earling apologized for the selection, but noted that the district--which had a committee of teachers, librarians, and school administrators assemble the school board-approved list--was "not trying to create controversy. We were just trying to get students to read." He added that students see more graphic content on television and in movies.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Monroe<br>
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<b>District Cuts Novel from Curricula</b><br><br>
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The Sumner County School District removed the novel <em>Looking for Alaska</em> from district curricula. "Two pages in particular were graphic enough in sexual description that we felt it wasn't appropriate for the classroom," said school spokesman Jeremy Johnson. Parent Kathy Clough agreed, saying, "Kids at this age are impressionable. Sometimes it's a monkey see, monkey do...I'm going to trust that my school board made the right choice." However, English teacher Brittany Pratt said that the scene in question was relatively minor, and she pointed out that the book won a 2006 Printz award for excellence in young adult literature. "I think we get concerned anytime censorship is an issue," she said, adding, "Where do we draw the line?"<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Sumner County<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b><em>Robopocalypse</em> Too Profane?</b><br><br>
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Students in the STEM Academy at Hardin Valley were assigned to read the novel Robopocalypse over the summer. Parent Sam Lee objected to the school's use of the book after his wife skimmed through it and discovered strong language. "My kid is being forced to read profanity," said Lee. "We want our kids to be civilized citizens and be upcoming members of the community, and this does not serve that purpose." School officials said the intent of using the novel "was to keep students engaged in the core aspects of the STEM curriculum...during the summer break." These officials said that they had discussed the profanity, and decided that students were already being exposed to such language through much more graphic means. The school claimed to be willing to address Lee's concerns and review the use of the novel through established procedures and processes. Lee worried those processes would be too lengthy.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Knox County<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Racial Slur on Worksheets</b><br><br>
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The N-word was an answer on a crossword puzzle assigned to a 5th grade class at Sequatchie County Middle School. The teacher, who was using the crossword puzzle as a supplement to the novel <em>Sounder</em>, "justifie(d) it as a way to teach about how it was at the time" in which the book is set, said Principal Donald Johnson. Johnson disapproved, saying, "A mistake was made...This word should have never come up on a worksheet like this. I can't defend it." Parent Clifford Branan agreed, saying, "It's not something you want to teach."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Sequatchie County<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Book Featuring Lesbian Parents: Restricted</b><br><br>
|
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<em>In Our Mothers' House</em>, a book featuring a family with lesbian parents, was pulled from the shelves of elementary schools in Davis School District after some parents complained. "I don't agree that wholesome complete parenting can be done by lesbians without a father role," said one parent's complaint. District officials said the book was not pulled because of parental complaints, but rather because state law prohibits schools from advocating homosexuality. Parent Tina Weber successfully sued the district for pulling the book, and it was returned to elementary school bookshelves. John Mejia of the ACLU, which filed the suit on behalf of Weber, said, "Children shouldn't be discouraged from learning about different families or cultures by keeping books behind a counter as if there was something wrong with them."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Davis<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b><em>Beloved</em> Ban</b><br><br>
|
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Parent Laura Murphy attempted to have the Toni Morrison's Beloved banned from the district's curriculum. The book won a Pulitzer Prize--and the author, a Nobel Prize. However, "It's not about the author or awards," said Murphy. "It's about the content." That content includes bestiality, gang rape, and the murder of an infant. "It was hard for me to handle. I gave up on it," said Murphy's son Blake. School officials defended the use of the book: "Reading and studying books that expose us, imaginatively and safely, to (troubles of the world) steels our souls to pull us through our own hard times and leads us to a greater empathy for the plight of our fellow human beings." The school board voted 6-2 against hearing Murphy's challenge.<br><br>
|
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<b>District:</b> Fairfax County<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Schools Banning "Ex-Gay" Books</b><br><br>
|
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Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) complained that schools were excluding their materials from library shelves, even when those materials were donated. "(W)e want to allow people to have all of the information on both sides," said PFOX Executive Director Regina Griggs. "We aren't out there forcing people to do anything...they have a right to know all of the facts to determine for themselves." Lamba Legal Deputy Director Hayley Gorenberg pointed out, "(S)chools in geography don't have to teach flat earth just because some people might support that...All of the leading medical, therapeutic, psychiatric, and social work organizations have a fair unanimity here about claims relating to the so-called ex-gay movement...(T)he consensus is that it's unnecessary and damaging and can be severely harmful to people."<br><br>
|
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<b>District:</b> Arlington County<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Crude <em>García Girls</em>?</b><br><br>
|
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<em>How the García Girls Lost Their Accents</em> was selected by the American Library Association as a most notable book. However, some parents were upset with its selection as a required reading book for high school students in Henrico County. "When I read it, I was shocked," said Susan Jones, a parent and child psychiatrist. She was referring to the profanity and sexual situations in the novel. School board member Lisa Marshall agreed, saying, "I was shocked and distressed regarding the content of the book on so many different levels." Author Julia Alvarez defended her book as a safe way for teenagers to explore difficult situations: "Teenagers face amazing challenges in the world today...They can see how characters confront these experiences." Student Michael Friend added, "Parents who complain don't understand how grown up and mature we are...Censoring this work doesn't do anything but expose the denial parents are in."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Henrico County<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b><em>And Tango Makes Three</em> Returned to Shelves</b><br><br>
|
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A parent complained that the Sugarland Elementary School Library had <em>And Tango Makes Three</em> on the shelf. The book features two male penguins who hatch an egg together. The parent felt that the school was promoting a gay agenda by having such a book. Two review committees initially rejected the parent's complaint, but Superintendent Edgar Hatrick overrode those decisions. Shortly thereafter, he voided his own decision on the grounds that the parent had no children at Sugarland, and therefore the whole review process had been invalid.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Loudoun County<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b><em>Perks of Being a Wallflower</em> Restricted</b><br><br>
|
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John Davis was "infuriated" by the content of Perks of Being a Wallflower, which his son had brought home from school. "My first reaction…was anger," Davis said. "Teachers are supposed to be teaching our kids what they need to know educationally. These kinds of things are the parent's responsibility." Davis's complaint led to a review and a restriction of the book to juniors and seniors (freshman and sophomores could get the book with parental permission). Carrie Gardner, an assistant professor of library science, disagreed with the decision. "Our young people are living in a world full of both fiction and nonfiction situations that deal with drug use and sexuality...Fiction books that contain that type of information can provide young people with coping strategies."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Roanoke County<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Library Declines Controversial Book Donation</b><br><br>
|
||
Forty-some students attempted to donate more than 100 books critical of homosexuality to West Springfield High School, but the donation was turned down. District library official Susan Thorniley said the books were rejected because they had not received two positive reviews from professionally recognized journals. Other librarians said the books had too much scripture, too little research, and might make homosexual students "feel inferior." Student Elizabeth Bognanno said, "Censoring books is not a good thing...We believe our personal rights have been violated."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fairfax County<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Conroy Books Controversial</b><br><br>
|
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Several parents of Nitro High School students found Pat Conroy's books (<em>The Prince of Tides</em> and <em>Beach Music</em>) to be inappropriate for classroom use. "I could not read (<em>all of Prince of Tides</em>). I found it very offensive," said parent Leona Tyree. She pulled her son from the class for which the book had been assigned. Karen Frazier objected to <em>Beach Music</em>, saying, "If you want to stop violence...start in the schools." Teacher Steve Shamblin defended his use of Conroy's books and pointed out, "As long was we stay in a 1950s utopian mind-set, we're not going to get past the 20th century." Terri Baur of the state ACLU chapter also weighed in: "Parents may have a fundamental right to send their child to a public school, but they don't have a fundamental right to direct the way public schools teach their child." In response to complaints, a review committee was formed. The committee approved the books with the condition that alternative selections be offered as well.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kanawha County<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>No <em>Electric Kool Aid</em>, <em>Prep</em></b><br><br>
|
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Parents complained about the inclusion of <em>The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test</em> and <em>Prep</em> on school reading lists. The complaints led to the former being removed from the lists altogether and the latter being moved to a reading list for older students. The books contain depictions of sex and drug use that some parents considered to be inappropriate. "This isn't censorship, this is common sense...A government should not be recommending explicit sexual content to minors," school board president Charles Ballard said of the challenges brought against the books. "I think you guys should teach something better than this crap," said grandparent Giuseppe Martelucci, referring to the controversial books. Another parent, Eric Adams, questioned the judgment of those who approved the books in the first place. However, some parents were skeptical of the "censorship." "You don't have to ban the book, just warn the parents," said Megan Slifka. Isaiah Zukowski commented, "In the grand scheme of things, I think books are the least of parents' problems." He noted that teens could access much more explicit content online.<br><br>
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||
<b>District:</b> East Penn<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>No <em>Bluest Eye</em></b><br><br>
|
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Sen. Bill Holtzclaw (R-Madison) asked state educators to keep Toni Morrison's <em>The Bluest Eye</em> off of any public school reading lists. Holtzclaw described the book as "completely objectionable, from language to the content." That content includes incest and child molestation. A constituent had brought the book to Holtzclaw's attention. The request elicited attention -- and disagreement -- from across the country.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Pregnancy Book Controlled</b><br><br>
|
||
A parent complained that a book in the B.B. Comer High School library contained "explicit drawings of how to make love while pregnant" and "pornographic pictures that should not be viewed by children." Because of the complaint, Sheila Kitzinger's "The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth" was subjected to review by a committee that decided it would be moved to a reference shelf where it would only be accessible with parental permission. Teresa Offord, the library's media specialist, said, "It is a slippery slope at times...As a media specialist, I want to supply my students with informational books, books that show all sides of a story, not just one viewpoint," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Talladega County<br>
|
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<b>Board Blocks <em>Bastard Out of Carolina</em></b><br><br>
|
||
The Fremont School Board barred Washington High School English teacher Teri Hu from teaching Dorothy Allison's <em>Bastard Out of Carolina</em>, a novel that focuses on child abuse. In the previous year, the board had prevented Hu from teaching Tony Kushner's <em>Angels in America</em>, a Pulitzer-prize winning play that deals with AIDS. Hu's selections were not "of substantial educational value," said school board president Lily Mei. Trustee Ivy Wu felt that Allison's book is too graphic. "The explicit, graphic depiction of incest and rape is not something we need to educate our students about," she said. Hu called the board's decision "censorship." "I'm challenging them on their biases," she explained.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Fremont Unified<br>
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<b><em>Different Seasons</em> Survives Ban Attempt</b><br><br>
|
||
A parent complained that Stephen King's <em>Different Seasons</em> was on the shelves of Rocklin High School's library. One of the stories in the anthology, "Art Pupil," contains a graphic rape scene to which the parent objected. The high school formed a review committee which voted to remove the book. Senior Amanda Wong was the only person on the committee to have read the book and the only member to vote in favor of keeping it. "Although I understand this parent's concerns--I wouldn't want my little brother reading this--I don't believe it's the school's right to take the entire book out of (the) library just over that," Wong said. Wong took her concerns to the district, which reversed the committee's decision. "The (district) committee, in looking at a broader scope and having more time to reflect on the concerns of the parent and do more research, came to a conclusion that I certainly support and I know the board will as well," Superintendent Kevin Brown said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rocklin Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Text Exemplars Scrutinized</b><br><br>
|
||
At first, Gov. Nathan Deal was supportive of the Common Core State Standards, but he eventually asked the State Board of Education to review the Standards' "text exemplars." The exemplars are meant to "serve as useful guideposts in helping educators select texts of similar complexity, quality, and range for their own classrooms." Some people had criticized the propriety of some of the "guideposts." Sen. William Ligon (R-Brunswick), for example, expressed concern about the list's inclusion of <em>In the Time of Butterflies</em>, which conservative writer Mary Grabar denounced for its "explicit descriptions of masturbation and intercourse" and lack of any indication that "Fidel and Raul (Castro) turned out to be tyrants, or Che (Guevara) a mass murderer." State School Superintendent John Barge accused Core detractors of trying to "politicize education."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
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|
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<b><em>Wallflower</em> Restored</b><br><br>
|
||
After parents complained about the language and sexual content of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," the Glen Ellyn District 41 school board banned the novel. Parent Anne Blyth opposed the ban. "(W)e can't keep (students) in a bubble…If (the complaining parents) want to keep their kids in a bubble, that's fine, but they shouldn't be telling me what to do," she said. The backlash against the ban--including 500 e-mails, a petition with over 800 signatures, and the involvement of author Judy Blum--led the board to reconsider its position. The board reversed the ban after establishing a policy by which parental signatures would be required for students to use classroom libraries. Despite voting to end the ban, board member John Kenwood apologized to the parents who lodged the complaint that had led to the ban in the first place. "At the end of the day, a child got a book that was inappropriate for them (sic)," he said. In addition, board president Sam Black voted against reversing the ban. "I don't think (the new policy is) enough," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Glen Ellyn<br>
|
||
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<b><em>Persepolis</em> Removed</b><br><br>
|
||
Chicago Public Schools officials asked for Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel <em>Persepolis</em> to be removed from seventh grade classrooms. "It was brought to our attention that it contains graphic language and images that are not appropriate for general use in the seventh grade curriculum," read a letter from CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett to district principals. "Due to the powerful images of torture in the book, I have asked our Office of Teaching & Learning to develop professional development guidelines, so that teachers can be trained to present this strong, but important content," the letter continued. Byrd-Bennett wanted to emphasize that the district was "not banning the book," contrary to some earlier reports. Satrapi denounced the decision to restrict her book. "These are not photos of torture. It’s a drawing and it’s one frame. I don’t think American kids of seventh grade have not seen any signs of violence. Seventh graders have brains and they see all kinds of things on cinema and the internet...I’m not showing something extremely horrible...(the district has) to give a better explanation," she said. Chicago Teachers Union financial secretary Kristine Mayle said, "(T)he only place we've heard of this book being banned is in Iran...We understand why the district would be afraid of a book like this...There's even a part in the book where they are talking about blocking access to education. So we can see why the school district would be alarmed." Responding to the initial reports of a broader ban, the American Library Association published a letter which read in part, "The CPS directive to remove this book from the hands of students represents a heavy-handed denial of students’ rights to access information, and smacks of censorship."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
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<b><em>Family Book</em> Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
The Erie Community School District banned "The Family Book" because of complaints from parents. They were upset about a page that reads: "(S)ome families have two moms or two dads." "At our April board meeting, we had between 75 and 100 people show up...and the vast majority who spoke at that board meeting spoke in opposition of the materials," said Superintendent Brad Cox. Cox explained that the book had been used along with lesson plans from the Gay-Lesbian-Straight Education Network to teach young children about diversity and tolerance. After the public outcry, a committee was formed to review the materials. Committee member Joe Weaver said that the materials were found "to be appropriate for the setting (in which) they were being used." Nonetheless, the district decided to seek alternative materials. 600 people signed an online petition to get the original materials reinstated. Sean Leads, an openly gay 2011 graduate of Erie High School, was bullied as a student. "I'm disappointed the board didn't change its decision," he said. Stacy Bomleny also spoke in support of the original curriculum. "(T)he banned book and curriculum does not teach sexuality of any sort. It teaches children to respect and accept each other's differences...I don't want my child so sheltered from diversity that either he falls victim to someone's intolerance, or he is the one who hurts someone," she said. Parent Mindy Jepson said that she was "all for anti-bullying," but she disagreed with teaching elementary students about sexual orientation. Jason Norman was also concerned about what his children might be learning in school. "As parents we want to guide what our kids are taught, especially when it comes to sexuality," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Erie Community<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
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<b><em>Part-Time Indian</em> Remains Required</b><br><br>
|
||
Some Billings parents objected to <em>The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian</em> being mandatory 10th-grade reading, citing vulgarity and negative stereotyping of Native Americans. "I want to ensure that every parent and child is given the option or alternative--whereas known as a choice--about what they have to read without being afraid of persecution," said parent Gail Supola. English teacher Glenda McCarthy favored keeping the book on the required list. "The ugly things said to Arnold in this book are said to children in this district," McCarthy said. "We need to understand the prejudices some of us endure, and generally that's not people with my color of (white) skin in this community." The school board voted to keep the book on the required reading list.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Billings<br>
|
||
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|
||
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<b><em>Invisible Man</em> Reappears</b><br><br>
|
||
The mother of a Randleman High School junior complained about the language and content of Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man." She said the novel was "too much for teenagers." The parent's complaint prompted the Randolph County school board to vote 5-2 in favor of banning the book. However, the community was outraged by the ban. "Retrograde and dim-witted, the Randolph County Board of Education has now offered itself as the laughingstock of the United States," read one comment submitted to the Courier-Tribune. "I think we should be embarrassed," said another observer. Pat Dillard shared those feelings. "I'm embarrassed not just for our county, but for our entire state. We're going backwards," she said. The board soon voted 6-1 to rescind the band. "We may have been hammered on this and we may have made a mistake, but at least we’re big enough to admit it," said board member Gary Cook. Cook was one of several board members who voted both in favor of the ban and in favor of lifting it.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Randolph County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
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<b><em>A Time to Kill</em> Survives Removal Attempt</b><br><br>
|
||
Ruth Walsh, the parent of a Fargo North High School student, sought to have John Grisham's <em>A Time to Kill</em> removed from classrooms and school libraries. Walsh objected to the book's graphic rape and murder scenes. "I just about threw up (while reading it)," she said. "These books aren't written for kids, they're written for adults." Fargo North's principal, Andy Dahlen, defended his school's use of the novel. "It was our belief that the novel could be used to teach tolerance against discrimination, the judicial system and prejudices," he said. A committee was formed to review the book, and the district decided not to remove it. The committee felt the book's most graphic scenes were purposeful, not gratuitous.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fargo<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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||
<b>Book Banned Briefly</b><br><br>
|
||
The Beulah School Board voted to ban John Berendt's <em>Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil</em>. Parents Keith and Kathy Bohn pushed for the book's removal after their son brought it home. "I don't believe a book like that belongs in school...We have a responsibility as a school to provide true educational materials...We do not put actual pornography out in our library," said Keith, who is also a teacher at the school. Board member Dwight Hatzenbuhler voted against the ban. ''I don't think the board can decide what's in the library...It's not our job,'' he said. The Beulah community was outraged about the ban. ''I'm not willing to pull a book off the shelf because someone doesn't like it,'' said high school librarian Kathy Cline. Senior Olivia O'Quinn worried that other book bans might follow. ''Where does it end? If they censor one book, what else will they pull out of our library?'' she asked. The book was only banned for four days before the school board reversed its decision.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Beulah 27<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>J.K. Rowling Book Remains Available to Young Students</b><br><br>
|
||
Parent Lucie Pawluk asked Grand Forks Public Schools to restrict access to J.K. Rowling's <em>The Tales of Beedle the Bard</em>. Pawluk was worried about the book being available to young children--like her fourth grade daughter. "Some of the fables had descriptions of suicide and murder...One had a person holding a heart and was licking it. It's just a little too graphic," said Pawluk. The school board decided not to restrict Rowling's book. Board member Becca Grandstand said, "(It's) like Grimm's fairy tales...Some of those are kind of horrible. These from Rowling are similar." Therefore, Grandstand worried that restricting <em>The Tales of Beedle the Bard</em> could lead to restrictions on many other books. Tim Lamb also opposed restricting access to the book. "Any time you're talking about banning a book or restricting access to it, that's over the cliff...It's just not the right way to go about things," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Grand Forks<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b><em>Neverwhere</em> Briefly Booted</b><br><br>
|
||
Neil Gaiman's <em>Neverwhere</em> was removed from the shelves of Alamogordo schools, a decision prompted by parent Nancy Wilmott's complaints about sex and profanity in the book. "I trusted the school district to pick proper material, and this is not...I did state to the principal that this is rated-R material, and (my daughter) can't get into a rated-R movie," said Wilmott. English teacher Pam Thorp was upset that the parent's complaint led to the book's removal. Thorp argued that such actions make it difficult to "engage (students) in evaluating the human condition." The ban did not last long. Within a few weeks, the district had reviewed the book and found it to be age-appropriate and educationally valuable.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Alamogordo<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b><em>Make Lemonade</em> Too Explicit?</b><br><br>
|
||
According to the NYC Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Virginia Euwer Wolff's novel <em>Make Lemonade</em> is too sexually explicit for eighth graders. The novel was to be a component of new Common Core-compatible curricula in New York City. However, according to Ernie Logan, president of the Council, the book "contains passages that many will consider inappropriate for middle school students." NYC Department of Education spokeswoman Erin Hughes responded that "the novel has been highly recommended for middle school grades and is just one of many novels that teachers can choose among for reading material."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
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<b>Tumult Over <i>Bless Me, Ultima</i></b><br><br>
|
||
The propriety of assigning the book <i>Bless Me, Ultima</i>, which includes vulgar terms, violence, and sexual scenes, led to a meeting of the Teton School Board that included an emotional apology from Superintendent Monte Woolstenhulme for having unilaterally banned removed the book, and objection to its assignment from several speakers. “It’s very important to build trust in our community and in our school district, and I take responsibility for times this year when either my actions or decisions I think have broken down that trust,” said Woolstenhulme, who reinstated the book. "“I recognize that I acted hastily on this, and I see the concern and the issue that the teachers have." Three teachers spoke out against removing the book from syllabi as censorship. Some parents, however, had moral objections. Said mother Janine Jolley, "As some of the teachers said, the book is more, perhaps, than just the swear words … the masturbation scene … the extreme, close-range violence as experienced through the eyes of a tiny child, but when I look at all of those things as a parent I’m glad that my child was one that did not want to read it. I’m proud of him. Just because we hear the f-word in society does not make it right.”<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Teton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b><i>Nasreen's Secret School</i> Disputed</b><br><br>
|
||
The Southold School District was roiled by a dispute over the book <em>Nasreen's Secret School</em>, which depicts secretive efforts to educate a girl under the Taliban. School board member Scott DeSimone asserted that the book has a "pro-Muslim agenda." However, DeSimone's negative comments about the book touched off complaints that he was prejudiced and encouraging censorship.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Southold Union Free<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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<b><em>Nasreen's Secret School</em> and <em>Librarian of Basra</em> Removed from 3rd Grade</b><br><br>
|
||
Several parents in the Islip School District objected to the inclusion of <em>Nasreen's Secret School</em> and <em>The Librarian of Basra</em> on 3rd Grade reading lists, saying that the books' depictions of war and violence in the Middle East were inappropriate for young children. “It’s not my role as superintendent to censor a book,” said district superintendent Susan Schnebel. Nonetheless, district teachers and administrators eventually agreed to remove the books from 3rd grade lists. The books remained available in the library of the district's middle school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Islip<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Orthodox Jewish School Board</b><br><br>
|
||
Though about 85 percent of students in the district are black or Hispanic, seven of the nine seats on the East Ramapo Central board are held by Orthodox Jews, and most Jewish students go to private schools. Moreover, five of the Jewish Board members are accused of aiding Yeshivas by offering to sell them district buildings at low prices. Mixed in with that dispute is the struggle over who should get to run schools for whom all must pay, but which not all use. One Jewish board member said about the makeup of the board, "If you don't like it, find yourself another place to live." In an interview, he added that it is insulting to say that Orthodox Jews as a group do not "give a damn about anyone else." New York State Education Department-appointed monitor Dennis Walcott eventually recommended that the state give the monitor veto power overschool board decisions. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> East Ramapo Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Is Santa Religious?</b><br><br>
|
||
A parent complained after discovering that a Christmas event being put together by the Sanfordville Elementary School PTA would feature Santa Claus. The parent complained that the inclusion of Santa made the event Christian. When the PTA offered to add recognition of Hanukkah to the event, the offended parent did not relent. "This is not an argument about religion; it is about the law of our land," the parent wrote. "Discrimination is simply detestable." Eventually, Frosty the Snowman was added, but Santa supporters argued that Saint Nick is largely considered secular, and since the event was on a Saturday and attendance was optional, no discrimination was occurring. Plus, said Mike Johnson, senior legal counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund, "95 percent of Americans...celebrate Christmas" and ought to be able to do so without a small minority holding a veto.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Warwick Valley Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Personal Statement Fliers</b><br><br>
|
||
Fearing both learning disruptions and students possibly misinterpreting permission as an endorsement of religion, the Liverpool Central School District forbade elementary school student Michaela Bloodgood from distributing a personal statement about her faith in Jesus Christ. Bloodgood's family sued the district and won in U.S. district court. The judge stated that "fear or apprehension of disturbance...is not enough to overcome the right to freedom of expression." The district chose not to appeal the ruling.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Liverpool Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Christian Bricks</b><br><br>
|
||
A federal judge ordered Mexico Academy to put bricks bearing evangelical Christian messages back into a walkway constructed from personalized bricks for which people had paid $30 each. In 2000, the school removed bricks that read "Jesus Saves" and "Jesus Christ The Only Way" because the Mexico Central School District was being threatened with a lawsuit for endorsing Christianity. The federal court's decision, in contrast, said that, by removing the bricks, the district was practicing "viewpoint discrimination."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Mexico<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Worshiping at Public School Buildings</b><br><br>
|
||
For nearly two decades, efforts by the New York City schools to cease renting space to churches on weekends worked their way through the courts. In December 2011, that process seemed to come to a conclusion when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a ruling that upheld a ban on renting school space (for the purpose of worship) to churches. Renting the space appears to tear down the wall of separation between church and state, argued the ban's supporters. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that the rentals had "an unintended bias in favor of Christian religions," since Christian churches worship on Sundays, when the buildings are most readily available. In June 2012, however, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that failing to give churches access to school buildings on the same terms as other groups violates the Constitution's establishment clause. That was eventually overruled, howeverm, by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second District.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Arab-Language Public School?</b><br><br>
|
||
Efforts to create an Arabic-language public school in New York City were controversial from the start. However, the controversy exploded when Debbie Almontaser, slated to be the principal of the new school, was tangentially linked to a group that produced t-shirts that read: "Intifada NYC." In a newspaper interview, Almontaser said "intifada" means "shaking off," but she was taken to task for not repudiating the term's supposed connection to holy war. The New York City Department of Education pressured Almontaser to resign on account of the t-shirt imbroglio. She was replaced by a Hebrew-speaking Jew. This turn of events aggravated some Muslims. "It's like somebody spit in our face as Arabs," objected Zein Rimawi, founder of the Islamic Society of Bar Ridge, Brooklyn. Eventually, Ms. Almontaser sued the District, saying her First Amendment rights were violated when she was pressured to resign as a result of her comments. In 2010, a federal judge ruled against her. However, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that the district had discriminated against Almontaser.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Court: Born-Again Christian Principal Did Not Discriminate</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2001, teacher Lauren Berrios was fired because, according to Berrios, her school's "born-again Christian" principal either suspected her of being a witch or because he knew her to be Jewish. The district contended that Berrios was fired because she did not get along with coworkers and made up stories--such as her two-year-old son having lost all ten fingers in a VCR accident. In response to being fired, Berrios sued the school district. In 2007, a U.S. district court ruled that she was not fired for her religion or perceived religion.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hampton Bays<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Spirituality for Kids"</b><br><br>
|
||
Kabbalah Centre International teaches "Spirituality for Kids" (SFK) at Kester Avenue Elementary and eight other local elementary schools. Promoted as a nondenominational effort to teach children to make wise choices, SFK strives to empower the "human spirit" of every child. Some parents, however, have said that SFK brings religion into classrooms in the guise of ethics training. "I think it breaches the separation between church and state," said Margie Mulder, a guidance counselor at Utah Street and Noble Avenue elementary schools. Orthodox Rabbi Yitzchok Alderstein also opposes including the program in public schools, though that's because he believes that SFK offers more religious hype than substance. Principal Alan Lewis supported the program for its "easy-to-grasp message" and its positive impact on student behavior.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Los Angeles Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Christmas Displays OK?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Lincoln Unified School District told teachers at Claudia Landeen Elementary School that they were not to display any holiday decorations (including Santa Claus, poinsettias, or Christmas trees) that might have religious connotations. The rule ignited a nationwide uproar. Eventually, district Superintendent Tom Uslan announced that it is up to individual school leaders to determine their own holiday display policies.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lincoln Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Christmas Music in the Classroom</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2009 substitute teacher Merry Hyatt proposed the Freedom to Present Christmas Music in Public School Classrooms or Assemblies Initiative, which would require public schools to give students an opportunity to sing or hear Christmas songs. Schools not following the rule would be subject to litigation. Hyatt said that the purpose of her initiative "is to make sure that we are allowed to have Christmas carols, and no school board member or principal is going to tell us, 'No, you may not play "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" in your classroom.'" The initiative would allow students who did not want to participate or parents who did not want them to participate to opt out. Rob Boston, senior policy analyst for Americans United for Separation of Church said the proposal is "blatantly unconstitutional....The courts have been very clear that public schools aren't supposed to be in the business of promoting or advocating religion."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Depicting Guru Nanak</b><br><br>
|
||
Oxford University Press's "An Age of Voyages: 1350-1600" included a picture of a 19th century painting of Sikh founder Guru Nanak with closely cropped facial hair and wearing a golden crown. Sikh leaders found the picture inaccurate and offensive. They believed it made Nanak look Muslim. "Advocacy groups deciding what images should go into the book, I think is dangerous ground," said Tom Adams, director of curriculum with the state Department of Education. Sikh leaders asked publisher Casper Grathwohl to replace the image with a contemporary picture of Nanak with long facial hair and wearing a turban. Grathwohl refused, arguing that the proposed picture was historically inaccurate. The State Board of Education asked Grathwohl to remove the image from the textbook, and to cover images included in textbooks already printed with stickers that either explained the controversy or contained an alternate picture of Nanak. Sikh leaders were not pleased with the deletion, which they argued downplayed the significance of Sikhism.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Disputing Hindu History</b><br><br>
|
||
Hindus across California expressed great discontent with history books approved by the state that they said misrepresent Hinduism--and as a result, Indian history--by focusing on the caste system and the oppression of women. Those are common smears, they said, dating back to British rule over India. California Hindus called for new, more evenhanded books adopted by a special commission charged with approving California textbooks. Many historians disagreed with their complaints, however, arguing that right-wing Hindus were trying to whitewash history. Historian Meenakshi Jain summarized the problem, saying, "there is no such thing as an objective history."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Fine Line Between Bible Teaching and Proselytizing</b><br><br>
|
||
Chino Valley Unified School District has sparked controversy with its Bible literacy course. It is not illegal to teach about religion as long as the lessons are objective and non-devotional, and such an education can help students comprehend a culture that is rife with Biblical allusions. Some parents, however, fear that the curriculum is not neutral and violates separation of church and state.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chino Valley Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Mandating "In God We Trust," Flags, Documents</b><br><br>
|
||
Kern County High School District trustees voted to mandate displays including the phrase "In God We Trust" and historical documents such as the Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights in over 2,300 classrooms and offices. The classroom displays were first proposed by the group In God We Trust. "We can't just assume that the younger generations are going to have that strong love for God and their country...Sometimes you have to go with the majority," said Jacquie Sullivan, the group's president. Board President Bob Hampton said he would vote against the mandate because it represented a "spiritual agenda."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kern High School District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Fundraising Bricks, No Bible Verses</b><br><br>
|
||
Desert Sands Unified School District canceled a fundraising program where people inscribed personal messages on memorial bricks after two women placed Bible verses on their bricks. Each person who bought a brick was given a full refund and the case was settled out of court.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Desert Sands Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Jesus Barred from Boy's Song</b><br><br>
|
||
School officials told an elementary school student that he could not perform a song in the talent show because it said "Jesus" too many times. In response, The National Alliance Defense Fund filed a suit stating that the boy should not be prohibited from performing the song. School officials claimed that the routine was offensive and would violate the separation of church and state.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Los Angeles Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Referral for "That's so gay."</b><br><br>
|
||
When a Maria Carrillo High School classmate made fun of Rebekah Rice's Mormon faith, asking "Do you have ten moms?" Rebekah responded "that's so gay." Her comment landed her in the principal's office with a referral in her disciplinary record. Rebekah then faced teasing and threats from students. According to Rebekah's mother, an openly lesbian student threatened Rebekah, saying "the girl in my math class who said, 'that's so gay,' I could kick your ass," and referencing her black belt in karate. Rebekah's parents sued the school officials involved, alleging that Rebekah had received unfair disciplinary action because of her religion and her parent's opposition to school policies. Superior Court Judge Rushing ruled that Rebekah's lawyers had failed to prove that school administrators had violated any state laws or singled Rebekah out for punishment, noting that school officials are given wide latitude in deciding how to enforce the state education code's nondiscrimination provisions.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Santa Rosa City Schools<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Taking Down Religious Banners</b><br><br>
|
||
Poway Unified School District administrators ordered Brad Johnson, a math teacher at Westfield High School, to take down banners that had hung in his classroom for nearly two decades. "These are patriotic sayings that are inspiring to me," said Johnson. The banners included phrases such as "In God We Trust," "God Bless America," and "All Men are Created Equal They Are Endowed By Their CREATOR." Johnson sued the district for infringing upon his First Amendment rights. The district argued that displaying the banners without historical context effectively promoted a Judeo-Christian viewpoint, and proposed a compromise of allowing the banners to remain if Johnson agreed to provide material explaining their historical context. Johnson refused. The case has gone through a series of courts, with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in the district's favor in 2011. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Johnson's appeal.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Poway Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>UC Can Deny Christian Science Class Credit</b><br><br>
|
||
Rejecting claims of religious discrimination and the stifling of free expression, a federal judge ruled that the University of California can deny course credit to applicants from Christian high schools whose textbooks declare the Bible infallible and reject evolution. UC said that it denied credit not because the courses contained religious viewpoints, but because they omitted important topics in science and history and failed to teach critical thinking. Christian schools "have no right to freedom from academic evaluation," the Court ruled. The Association of Christian Schools International and the Calvary Chapel Christian School of Murrieta, California appealed the decision. "It appears that the UC is attempting to secularize private religious schools," said Jennifer Monk, an attorney at Advocates for Faith and Freedom. "All viewpoints are perfectly acceptable until they are Christian," said Wendell Bird, representing ACSI.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Who Gets Prayer Time?</b><br><br>
|
||
A substitute teacher at Carver Elementary School said she was given a lesson plan that included an hour of class time for Islamic prayers. She also found that the school had a segregated class of Muslim girls and Islamic prayer led by a teacher's aide. After absorbing more than 100 students from a predominantly Muslim charter school, Carver added Arabic to its curriculum and created several recesses during which students could pray. Superintendent Carl Cohn said "the district is...neutral towards religious belief and practice" and could not schedule class time specifically around prayers. Still, the district said it was legally required to approve students' requests for religious accommodations. Principal Kimberlee Kidd planned to integrate the classes the following year, and move lunch time to prayer time while continuing to allow children to pray. Some, however, felt the accommodations constituted special treatment not extended to other faiths. This "presumes that Christians are less religious and less inspired to worship and praise the Lord and come together," said Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Oak Park<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Who to Offend with Nativity?</b><br><br>
|
||
A school counselor placed a Nativity scene in the Greene County Tech Primary School in December 2011. The decorations were later taken down by order of district superintendent Jerry Noble, but put back in place after a surge of community support. According to the ACLU of Arkansas this is a violation of the Constitution, but Noble argued that in a Christian community "if we are going to offend someone, we would rather not offend those who have Christian beliefs. The majority of people wanted us to take a stand, and that's what we're doing."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Paragould<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Invitation to Prayer over PA System: Ok</b><br><br>
|
||
A student at Mountain Ridge High School was initially forbidden from making an PA announcement on behalf of the Common Cause Club. The student wanted to invite other students to join the club in prayer. School administrators thought that the invitation and the playing of an accompanying video with religious music would violate the First Amendment. After losing a court case in May, the district settled in August.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Deer Valley<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Fliers for Bible Study</b><br><br>
|
||
In July 2008, the Alliance Defense Fund launched a lawsuit against the Maricopa Unified School District on behalf of First Baptist Church of Maricopa pastor Jimmy Johnson. Johnson had requested to distribute fliers promoting his church's teen Bible study. Secular groups had been allowed to appeal to students in that manner. However, Johnson was refused by the district, which said permitting Johnson's request would violate its policy against allowing groups to distribute "material that promotes a particular religious belief." The district settled out of court and changed its distribution policy such that the fliers would be allowed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Maricopa<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"God" Scrubbed from Yearbook Quote</b><br><br>
|
||
High school senior Anthony Sciubba had the word "God" removed from a quote he had contributed to the school's yearbook. In the quote, Sciubba had given thanks to God. The decision to alter the quote was made by the yearbook's faculty adviser and student editors. "As the adviser, I make decisions based on the entire student body," said Jennifer Wojtulewicz. "I have students of all religious backgrounds, and it's hard to publicize one or another." Sciubba saw the action as an effort to avoid religious controversy. "God is a controversial figure, and people say that because of that, I can't give credit to him." School officials eventually apologized to Sciubba.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gilbert<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pre-Game Prayers</b><br><br>
|
||
On behalf of Lauderdale County school district resident Jeremy Greene, the Freedom From Religion Foundation sued the Lauderdale district to stop Christian prayers from being recited over Brooks High School stadium's loudspeakers before football games. Greene acted to "protect the constitutional rights of the non-religious," while defenders of the prayers saw Greene's move as an attack on their religion. The suit inspired numerous phone calls to district superintendent Bill Valentine, who said most callers seemed "to appreciate the quandary we find ourselves in." The district ended the practice of broadcasting pre-game prayers via stadium loudspeakers soon after the suit was filed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lauderdale County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Endorsing Religion, or Providing Sufficient Seats?</b><br><br>
|
||
A federal judge decided that students will no longer have graduation at the First Cathedral in Bloomfield after the ACLU filed a suit, at the behest of unidentified district students and parents, stating that the Enfield Board of Education was endorsing religion by using the church. From now on the two district high schools will hold graduations in the schools. Many people preferred the cathedral because it provided more seating. "It all has to do with the number of seats," said Enrico Fermi High School valedictorian Andrew Silva. "That's all it's ever been about; it's never been about religion." The board voted to fight the court ruling, but lost the appeal.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"In the Year of Our Lord" Nixed</b><br><br>
|
||
The phrase "in the year of our Lord" was removed from diplomas in New Haven high schools after a former alderwoman complained about it. Those in favor of removing the phrase cited the need for a diploma that is religiously neutral. "It favors no religion over another," said American Humanist Association lawyer Bob Ritter. Others, mostly in the Christian community, thought the decision was wrong. "I believe that our nation was founded on the principles of belief in God, and our Founding Fathers made sure it was incorporated into every document that they produced."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New Haven<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Who Chooses Holiday Parties?</b><br><br>
|
||
The principal of Walsh Elementary School banned all religious parties and many Christmas related decorations from classrooms, a decision to which Waterbury school board member Paul D'Angelo objected. In response, D'Angelo proposed a policy that would let educators handle holidays as they saw fit, leaving the door open for Christmas celebrations. In contrast, Walsh principal Erik Brown insisted, "If a symbol of Christmas takes away from the joy and spirit of Christmas, then those symbols have to go."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Waterbury<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Texas Pledge</b><br><br>
|
||
Texas couple David and Shannon Croft of Carrollton, TX, filed suit against the use of "under God" in the Texas Pledge of Allegiance in 2007. The Pledge, which was modified to be closer to that of the national pledge, is recited by schoolchildren every morning. The Crofts, calling themselves humanists and atheists, took offense."It seems strange to me that kids, now starting kindergarten, are mandated to pledge allegiance to really, anything," Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott responded that "neutrality is the aim. The First Amendment does not permit government to endorse religion, but neither can it exhibit hostility toward religion." The case was rejected by a district federal court in 2009. An appeal was rejected by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2010.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Judge: Graduation Prayers Not Up for Vote</b><br><br>
|
||
Students in the Round Rock's four high schools were given the opportunity to vote on whether to have prayers at their graduations. Majorities at three of the schools elected to have them. Six parents, with the help of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, sued the district. They believed that holding prayers at the graduations would violate the separation of church and state. In 2008, a federal judge prohibited Round Rock from allowing the students to decide whether to have the prayers. "Religious liberty is too precious to subject to a majority-rules vote," said Americans United Executive Director Barry Lynn.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Round Rock<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Biased Bible Courses?</b><br><br>
|
||
A state law passed in 2007 gave Texas public schools permission to teach Bible courses. The law also set out guidelines for those courses. Bible course curricula were to be religiously neutral and designed to educate students on the Bible's historical and cultural significance. "(Public schools) are not supposed to promote any particular religious view over other religious views, nor can they promote religion or non-religion over the other," said Mark Chancey, a Southern Methodist University professor. He authored a study which found that Texas's Bible courses do indeed have a pro-Christian bias. For example, a course offered in the Belton Independent School District treated "the word of God" as fact and argued that "giving God his rightful place in the national life of this country has provided a rich heritage for all its citizens." Kathy Miller of the Texas Freedom Network Education fund said, "(C)learly, based on Professor Chancey's research, too many districts are ignoring (the state's) guidelines, so they don't have teeth."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Christian Candy Canes</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2003, when Jonathan Morgan was 8, he passed out candy cane pens with Christian themes inscribed on them to his classmates. His teacher then ordered him to keep the candy canes away from the classroom and in the hallway. "We don't want our child thinking that there is something dirty about Jesus or his faith," said Jonathan's father, Doug. The Morgan family, joined by three other families, sued the school district. The case has worked its way through federal courts for years, with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruling in 2011 that the district violated Morgan's First Amendment rights but granting district officials immunity. In 2012 the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case. However, the lawsuits continue at the district and appeals court levels.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Plano<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Waist Long Hair</b><br><br>
|
||
Conflict over a Needville Independent School District's (NISD) grooming policy arose when Adriel Arocha's Native American parents refused to cut his waist-long hair. Adriel's parents applied for a religious exception to the rule, arguing that their Native American belief is that Adriel's hair is sacred and should only be cut when mourning the death of a loved one. NISD Superintendent Curtis Rhodes initially refused to grant an exception, saying, "We're not going to succumb to everything and just wash away our policies and procedures--no one is asking you to move to Needville and have these opinions invoked on you." Rhodes later compromised and said that Adriel could either wear his hair in a bun at the top of his head or in a single braid tucked into his shirt. Adriel's parents were not unsatisfied with the offer. His mother explained, "It would just teach our son that it is easier to roll over and do what you're told and not stand up for your rights." After Adriel served in-school suspension, separated from his classmates, his parents filed and won a lawsuit against NSID. They successfully arguing that the grooming rule violated Adriel's free expression, free exercise of religion, equal protection, and due process rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Needville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Assembly about Islam</b><br><br>
|
||
After a Muslim student at Friendswood Junior High School was bullied and racially offensive graffiti was found in the restrooms, the principal allowed the Council on American-Islamic Relations to present a half-hour talk about Muslim beliefs to more than 800 students. Many parents were outraged, believing that they should be notified before such talks and that the school was promoting Islam. On account of the controversy, Principal Robin Lowe requested a transfer to another school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Friendswood<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>McLeroy's Nomination Rejected</b><br><br>
|
||
The state Senate voted to reject the nomination of Don McLeroy for the post of chairman of the State Board of Education (SBOE.) The Senate voted on strictly partisan lines, 19-11. Democrats accused McLeroy, a conservative Christian, of launching culture wars and inquisitions, especially when it came to teaching about evolution. Senate Democratic leader Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio said, "His actions and leadership have caused the board to be extremely dysfunctional, and that has harmed the 4.7 million schoolchildren of Texas." Some supporters, however, detected an anti-Christian strain in the vote. "There is a certain amount of innuendo in the criticism of Dr. McLeroy," said Sen. Steve Ogden (R-Bryan). "To a certain degree it's a slur."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Moment of Silence</b><br><br>
|
||
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Texas law requiring a minute of silence every day of the school year. It is called a "moment of prayer" by many, but the law does not specifically cite religious prayer as the purpose of the silence. Defenders of the moment of silence note that students can meditate or do anything in silence during the sixty seconds. David and Shannon Croft sued because they felt that the moment was an underhanded way to indoctrinate their children into religious belief. In response, the state's legal brief stated, "(B)y providing a patriotic and contemplative context for the minute of silence, (the law) plainly serves secular rather than religious purposes." The plaintiffs' lawyer called that argument "a cover for reinstituting organized prayer in schools."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Medina Valley Graduation Prayer</b><br><br>
|
||
The family of agnostic student Corwyn Schultz filed a lawsuit against Medina Valley Independent School District. The district intended to allow student-led prayers at its high school graduation. Corwyn's family, with the help of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, argued that the prayers violated the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. "(The impending prayers) caused (Corwyn) a great deal of anxiety...He has gone to meet with the principal to try and talk in a civilized way about long-standing problems, and the school district has continued to thumb its nose,” said the family's attorney, Ayesa Khan. The lawsuit faced stiff opposition from some members of the community. "It’s just a big surprise that one kid can come in and change what’s been a tradition since Medina Valley started,” said student Abigail Russell. Class President Alicia Jade Geurin said, "At graduation, I would love to be able to speak from my heart...But in this situation I feel my freedom of speech and my First Amendment is being infringed upon if I can’t say what I feel.” The district initially lost in court. However, after the district's appeal succeeded, the prayers were allowed to happen. However, Americans United filed new Establishment Clause-based complaints. Through mediation, the two sides were able to reach an settlement that placed numerous restrictions on religious messages at school functions. However, the settlement did not impose an outright ban on student-led religious speech. Both sides claimed victory.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Medina Valley<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act</b><br><br>
|
||
Texas Governor Rick Perry signed into law the Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act. Prompted by numerous separation of church and state conflicts, the act sets out what is and is not acceptable in classrooms and schools. Some have accused the bill of trying to promote the religious views of the majority faiths in the state. "The intent of this bill is to enable people to impose their religious beliefs on people, and I stand four-square against that," remarked Representative Lon Burnam, a Quaker. However, Robin Morgan, a parent, stated, "It's very confusing for children to learn what they learn wherever they go to church, whatever faith they are, and to turn that off for the seven hours they are in school."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Christian Prayers, Jewish Families</b><br><br>
|
||
For decades, Mona Dobrich was a student or a parent in Indian River, and she had heard Christian prayers at official functions. However, when a minister declared Jesus the only way to the truth at her daughter's 2004 graduation, the Jewish mother asked the school board to say more generic prayers at official functions, including school board meetings. Her request was rejected. "What people here are saying is, 'Stop interfering with our traditions, stop interfering with our faith,'" said Dan Gaffney, a local radio host. Dobrich eventually contacted the ACLU to sue the district and was joined by "the Does," an anonymous district family. In 2005 a federal judge ruled for the district on one part of Dobrich's grievance, stating that reciting a Christian prayer before a board meeting is legal because a school board is a legislative body. Dobrich eventually settled, but the Does continued their suit. In 2011, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the district, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Indian River<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Prayer at the Flagpole</b><br><br>
|
||
A pastor-led prayer in front of a public school's flagpole inspired controversy when a group of atheists protested. Pastor Ron Baker led anyone who wished to join him in prayer, offering thanks to God around the flagpoles at all four of the county's schools. The school's attorney posted a legal opinion which stated that "It is a violation of the United States Constitution for a teacher, school administrator or other school district employee to join in a prayer session during their work time." In response, Baker stated, "I never thought I'd ever see that happen in America. Maybe in North Korea or China or Russia--but not America." Baker continues to lead prayers despite the school's decision.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clay County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Prayer at Mealtime</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2008 the ACLU sued the Santa Rose School District because school personnel said prayers before official events. Eventually a federal court issued a consent decree prohibiting district officials from endorsing religion. However, after the decree was issued, Pace High School Principal Frank Lay asked athletic director Robert Freeman to say a pre-meal prayer at a luncheon to mark the opening of a new field house. The two officials were held in contempt and faced jail time, but were eventually found not guilty. Lay retired in 2010, and in 2011 the district and ACLU reached an agreement allowing school employees to pray and say "God bless" in schools. "This agreement allows us to begin the healing process and get back to our core mission of being educators," said Santa Rosa Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick. "We want to bring the district together again. (This) has been a huge distraction for us."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Santa Rosa<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Wizardry</b><br><br>
|
||
Substitute teacher Jim Piculas performed a magic trick with a tooth pick and was fired from his position a few days later. Piculas asserted that the school board fired him because of wizardry. However, the district contends that Piculas' poor performance, use of inappropriate language in class, and failure to adhere to lesson plans led to his firing. Piculas eventually filed a lawsuit against the county school board.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pasco County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Religious Winter Holidays</b><br><br>
|
||
In Florida, there was an increasing amount of concern when it came to the acknowledgement of religious holidays in December. Called by some the December Dilemma, winter offers schools the problem of trying to serve people of all faiths and beliefs. School principals approached the subject with caution. Said Sandra Byrne, principal of an elementary school in Delray Beach, "we refer to winter parties, winter celebrations. We're very careful about that."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Religious Truancy OK?</b><br><br>
|
||
While Good Friday was a regular school day for students in the Hillsborough school district, the school board was lax in its effort to regulate who could have an excused absence for the holiday, allowing some schools to have over 60 percent of students missing. Many accused the district of trying to encourage religion by offering excused absences if students missed for religious reasons. Most students, however, spent the day pursuing leisurely activities like going to the mall. The district eventually agreed to have a fully secular school calendar.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hillsborough County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Nontraditional Religions"</b><br><br>
|
||
Thanks to a web filter that blocked access to "nontraditional religions, occult sites," students in a World Religions class in Osprey couldn't access information on a number of religions that are considered outside of the mainstream, including sites discussing the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhism. The district said the filter was required under the federal Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000, which mandated that all districts and libraries receiving federal funds have filters to protect children against material deemed obscene or otherwise harmful to minors. "It just isn't right," said sophomore Melody Stromal. "We should be able to look at information on whichever religion we want." District administrators were sympathetic to the students' plight and said they were trying to refine what the filters blocked, but pointed out that it can be hard to know what is or is not a legitimate site or religion.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Sarasota<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Bibles and Cheerleaders</b><br><br>
|
||
People in Catoosa County protested when, following complaints from a resident, the district banned cheerleaders from displaying signs with Christian scripture upon them at football games. Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe cheerleaders were told by the district that they were no longer allowed to show the signs because doing so was "a violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution." In response, Mayor Ronnie Cobb, among others, argued that the cheerleaders' rights were being abused by the school district. "Nobody's forced to come there and nobody's forced to read the signs," said Cobb. Added local store owner Jeff Porter, "I understand that the majority doesn't rule, but it seems unfair that one lady could complain and cause all of this to stop." The high school eventually set aside an area outside the field for students to show signs with religious messages.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Catoosa County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>State Funded Bible Classes</b><br><br>
|
||
A new law required that the Georgia Department of Education give districts the option of offering taxpayer-funded Bible history classes. The law was the first in the country to mandate that the board of education create classes revolving around the Bible, but the board let districts choose if and how they implemented the classes. Herb Garrett, executive director of the Georgia School Superintendents Association, said, "What we have is an attempt to meet the mandate of the law, but to just be so, so careful to not step out and make it look as though they're designing a religious course." Some people argued that the potential for injecting religion into the schools was huge. "They didn't put in any outlines describing what they can and can't do constitutionally. The same traps are there for teachers who decide to teach the class," said the ACLU of Georgia's Maggie Garrett. However, countered one teacher, "I don't think you can understand Shakespeare, that you can understand a great deal of literary allusions or that you can understand a great deal of Western civilization without understanding the role of the Bible."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Church Group Feeding Football Team</b><br><br>
|
||
Ridgeland High School football coach Mark Mariakis arranged for a different church to provide a free meal to his team each week. The meal was often accompanied by blessings from church pastors. The Freedom From Religion Foundation, acting on behalf of a local individual, asked the Walker County superintendent to launch an investigation into Mariakis's actions. The FFRF also alleged that the coach prayed with the team, used motivational Bible verses in speeches and on team shirts, and had the team participate in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The district determined that the coach was only giving motivational speeches to bolster student character, but did not dispute that churches were providing meals. A Facebook group supporting the coach surpassed 10,000 members.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Walker County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Whose Holidays?</b><br><br>
|
||
Oak Lawn school district officials convened in October of 2007 to discuss whether they should cancel or rename school holiday traditions, most notably Christmas and Halloween. The administration acted after a Muslim parent questioned why the district, with a 30% Arab-American population, did not recognize Muslim holidays. The school originally decided to celebrate fall festival rather than Halloween and Christmas, which upset many parents. Said parent Brenda Elvidge, "It's not fair to our kids. This is America and that's an American tradition." The district decided to keep Halloween and Christmas, but added Ramadan. When a Muslim mother asked for her children to be separated from others during Ramadan, some parents fired back. "If Muslims want the school holidays, menus and school traditions to become tailored to their needs or beliefs, then they should go to private school next to their mosque," said Brian Shapiro, a local resident.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Oak Lawn School District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Pilgrimage Leave Refused</b><br><br>
|
||
Safoorah Khan, a middle school teacher in Berkeley, was refused a three-week vacation to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. The district claimed that it could not afford to lose its only math instructor in the last weeks of school. Ms. Khan resigned and made the trip anyway, citing religious discrimination. The controversy took a turn when the Obama Department of Justice decided to represent Khan. Many argued that the DOJ had a tenuous lawsuit because the district had refused Khan's request on account of the unnecessary hardship it would create. "It sounds like a very dubious judgment and a legal reach," said Michael Mukasey, attorney general under George W. Bush. DOJ assistant attorney general Thomas Perez, however, said that the case was about "the religious liberty that our forefathers came to this country for." In 2011, the district settled, agreeing to give Khan $75,000 and to consider future religious accommodation requests.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Berkeley<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>A Moment of Silence</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2007 the Illinois legislature passed a law mandating a moment of silence in public schools every morning. The law thrust the state into the national spotlight, which mainly focused on whether it broke the First Amendment separation of church and state. After state legislators overrode Governor Rod Blagojevich's veto of the law, there was protest about its implications for religion in public schools. Abby Ottenhoff, a spokesman for Blagojevich, said that "We don't believe requiring time for reflection is the role of government." Soon after passage an atheist father sued on his daughter's behalf and won, only to have that eventually overturned and the law reinstated in 2011.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Moment of Silence Ignored</b><br><br>
|
||
When the state passed a law mandating a moment of silence in all public schools, the Evanston-Skokie School District decided it would ignore the law. The district, which tried to file a waiver, found that it was unable to do so due to a loophole in the law. "It sets up an unnecessary intrusion into the classroom," said a board member. One student against the law spoke of a friend who is in favor of the moment of silence: "It's hard, because I understand he has rights. But so do I."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Evanston/Skokie School District 65<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Religious Ed Trailer on School Grounds</b><br><br>
|
||
The Neil Armstrong Elementary school allowed a Christian group to set up a trailer on its campus and gave students release time to learn about the Bible. A parent, however, claimed that religious education was being forced on students, because educators monitored enrollment and singled out children who did not participate. In a federal suit against the district, the mother said her 8-year-old son came home crying because a teacher had asked why he was not in religion class. The school claimed that that was not the case, and that they had had to turn away kids who wanted to attend the class but did not have parental permission. "I think there is a lack of understanding of what's going on," said the school's principal. The Christian group eventually removed its trailer and relocated classes to a nearby church.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Mooresville Consolidated School District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pentagrams, Ashes, and Faith</b><br><br>
|
||
When a student at the Hanover Community school was sent home for wearing a pagan symbol on her face--which she said was part of the observance of a religious holiday--her father demanded an apology from the school district and claimed discrimination. The school stated that while it "would never deny a child their religious expression," any student who wore a cross on her face to celebrate her Christianity, or the Star of David to celebrate being Jewish, would also have been sent home for having crossed from religious observance into "distraction." The girl's father countered that students with ashes on their foreheads on Ash Wednesday were not sent home. Superintendent Michael Livovich, Jr. responded that wearing ashes was part of the Christian faith, while wearing pentagrams was not part of the pagan faith.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hanover Community School Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Majority Wants Graduation Prayer</b><br><br>
|
||
The Class of 2010 at Greenwood High School voted to include a prayer during the graduation commencement. The school intended to honor the outcome of the students' vote. However, Eric Workman, the valedictorian, objected to the prayer, saying he would be "particularly uncomfortable" being on stage while the prayer occurred. Workman took the case to federal court. With the help of the ACLU, Workman argued that the school had violated the Constitution not just by allowing prayer at a school function, but by voting on the matter. "We don't put the Constitution to a vote," agreed Judge Sarah Evans Barker. She issued an injunction to put a stop to any prayer at the graduation ceremony.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Greenwood Community School Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Lord's Payer Requirement</b><br><br>
|
||
State Senator Dennis Kruse (R-Auburn) introduced a bill that would let districts require students to recite the Lord's Prayer at the beginning of each school day, with parents able to opt their children out. Kruse aimed to instill in "each student the importance of spiritual development in establishing character and becoming a good citizen." The bill did not become law.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Bible Class or Evolution Critique</b><br><br>
|
||
The Spencer school district scrapped a class on the Bible and a critique of evolutionary theory after facing resistance from civil rights groups and others who believed the efforts were intended to teach religion. District officials contended that their intention was to give religion fair treatment, but determined that the expense of lawsuits to defend their plans would be too great. "Certainly we do not want to create a legal challenge that the district loses or has to spend a lot of money and win," said Superintendent Greg Ebeling.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Spencer<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Santa's Helpers" Offensive</b><br><br>
|
||
A Jewish teacher at Brandeis Elementary School told her principal that she was offended by another teacher's Christmas tree bulletin board display. The display was captioned with the words "Santa's Helpers." Principal Shervita West-Jordan said she was particularly bothered by the fact that the tree was composed of hand-shaped paper cutouts meant to represent each of the students. "Of course, the children in her class room that were Indian and Muslim probably did not believe in Santa Claus," West-Jordan said. The principal said that the caption had to be replaced with something "a little more inclusive," like "Holiday Helpers." Instead of changing the caption, the teacher removed the whole display and left behind a note that read, "The Grinch has stolen the bulletin board." "Nothing is politically correct anymore. It seems like you can't do anything without offending someone else," observer Sally Sullivan commented in response to other incidents of holiday decorations becoming controversial. Ultimately, West-Jordan realized, "If we don't include Christmas, we are not truly being multicultural." The teacher put the tree back up, and, while she was given approval to use her original caption, she chose to use the more inclusive "Happy Holidays" instead.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jefferson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Student Teacher Objects to Religious Classroom</b><br><br>
|
||
Southeastern Louisiana University student teacher Cynthia Thompson objected to what she called a "nightmare" of incessant prayer and proselytizing by the Tangipahoa teacher to whom she was assigned. Thompson's objections led to her being expelled from the education program by SLU. With the help of the ACLU, she sued SLU and the district. In 2006, she settled with both. Neither the district nor SLU, however, agreed to pay any financial damages, and Thompson took a "W"-- for "withdrawal"--for the class. The district banned in-class studying of the Bible and other religious activities after investigating the incident.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tangipahoa Parish<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Bible Giveaway--with Principal's Blessing?</b><br><br>
|
||
A federal judge ordered the Tangipahoa schools to stop allowing in-school Bible giveaways by the Gideons International. The judge said the practice violated the separation of church and state. The giveaway took place at a table in front of the principal's office. While the principal stressed that no one was obligated to take a Bible, he also made a public announcement about the giveaway to the entire school. The ACLU filed suit against the district on behalf of an anonymous family whose daughter said she felt pressured into taking a Bible even though she does not believe in God. The district initially planned to appeal but eventually agreed that the school's actions had been unconstitutional.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tangipahoa Parish<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Blue Hair or Religion?</b><br><br>
|
||
After teaching for a week–and applying for the job–with blue hair, substitute teacher Jennifer Harmon was confronted by school administrators who told her that her blue hair had generated parental complaints. They also asked if she was a Wiccan after reporting that they had received complaints about Harmon discussing Wicca with kids. Harmon denied being a Wiccan and was concerned that school officials were inquiring into her religion. Subsequent to the inquiries, Harmon was not told that she would no longer be hired, but no additional substituting opportunities were offered to her.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Caddo Parish<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Defiant, Student-Led Prayer</b><br><br>
|
||
Having been contacted by a Bastrop High School student concerned about prayers at school functions, the ACLU contacted the district and threatened legal action if a prayer were to be allowed at the upcoming graduation. In response, the district planned to replace the prayer with a moment of silence. However, the student tasked with leading the moment of silence instead broke into prayer (to the loud approval of many in the audience). In response, the ACLU sent a letter to the district requesting that the praying student be punished and that the district take additional action to prevent such an occurrence in the future.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Bastrop Independent<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Study Tech" = Scientology?</b><br><br>
|
||
Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard had a long interest in learning. He created a system called "Study Tech" that he and others believe enables people to learn things better and faster. But is the technique a part of Scientology itself, or a gateway into the religion of Scientology? Those were the questions facing the Baton Rouge school district when it started using Study Tech with all eighth graders at Prescott High School. While the technique may have produced some positive test results, opponents feared that Study Tech was intended to get students interested in Scientology and, eventually, convert them. Carnegie Mellon University professor Dave Touretsky worried that the ultimate goal was to portray Scientologists as "do-gooders" and then reel in converts. But Bennetta Slaughter, the Scientologist who leads the group providing the curriculum, insisted her only interest was in "making a difference for children."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Baton Rouge<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>School Board's Not a School</b><br><br>
|
||
For years, the Tangipahoa Parish School District started its meetings with a prayer--often a Christian prayer. Plaintiffs sued the school district in 2003, claiming the prayers violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The case worked its way through the courts for many years. Ultimately, it was decided that the prayers at meetings were acceptable because--unlike a classroom--no one is compelled to attend a school board meeting. In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court had carved out a "legislative prayer" exception to generally strict prohibitions against school officials leading prayers. (a school board is considered a legislative body).<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tangipahoa Parish<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Palm Scanners and the "Mark of the Beast"</b><br><br>
|
||
When Moss Bluff Elementary School proposed to use palm vein scanners to expedite movement through lunch lines, at least one parent objected on religious grounds. "As a Christian, I've read the Bible, you know go to church and stuff," said Mamie Sonnier. "I know where it's going to end up coming to, the mark of the beast." Sonnier said she would remove her kids from the school if the palm-scanner plan were to be implemented.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Calcasieu Parish<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Prayer Prep for MSAs</b><br><br>
|
||
The Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle School held a prayer service during a special Saturday preparation day for state standardized tests. The school dispersed fliers promoting the event that read: "Come together, as one, in prayer and ask God to bless our school to pass the MSA." For the prior two years, similar services held been held. Both the preparation day and prayer service were requested by parents, and as one supporter of the service said, "We really need to embrace our kids, and let them know that we need to pray together and stay together to make them successful." Opponents, in contrast, saw an endorsement of Christianity in the service. ACLU attorney David Rocah concluded, "The implication is: believe in God, and you'll succeed."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Baltimore City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Religious Holidays: Muslims Excluded?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Baltimore County School Board decided in multiple years not to add two Muslim holidays to its calendar. The board stated that adding the holidays would be unlawful and "irresponsible," referring to a state law that disallows public schools from endorsing religion. Closures during religious holidays--including two Jewish holidays--officially occur because, if school were to be held on those days, it would be poorly attended. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee argued that adding two Muslim holidays was a simple issue of equality. After Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee members became frequent speakers at board meetings, the board decided to enact a system limiting who can speak at meetings. The board argued that their new lottery system of speaker selection was meant to ensure fairness, but Committee president Bash Pharoan said, "(The board's) motivation is to muzzle the public speakers."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Baltimore County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Crucifixion Picture Required, Disturbing, or Both?</b><br><br>
|
||
Chester Johnson, the father of a second-grade boy in the Taunton School District, claimed that his son was suspended and required to undergo a psychological evaluation for drawing a stick figure of Jesus on a cross in class. The district denied suspending the boy, and the boy's teacher said that the image included Xs in place of Jesus' eyes and a portrait of the child himself on the cross. The father said he saw a drawing that did not fit that description. District officials also denied that the boy was assigned to draw something that reminded him of Christmas, but did acknowledge consulting school psychologists about the matter.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Taunton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>District Takes Off One Muslim Holiday</b><br><br>
|
||
The Cambridge school district began closing schools for one Muslim holiday each year starting in the 2011-2012 school year. The decision caused controversy, but school committee member Marc McGovern said people need to be more open to honoring Muslim holidays. "The issue that sort of came up was should we celebrate any religious holidays, but there was not the will to take away Good Friday or one of the Jewish holidays. So I said, if that is the case, I think we have an obligation to celebrate one of the Muslim holidays, as well," he said. Regarding people who disliked the closing, McGovern added, "Can't please everybody."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cambridge<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Yom Kippur Targeted?</b><br><br>
|
||
For years Littleton schools were closed on Yom Kippur and Good Friday, but in May 2009 the School Committee considered remaining open the following academic year. As an alternative to being closed for both holidays, the committee contemplated allowing all students and staff to choose a religious holiday they could take off. "It's not to take away something but to enable all families to designate a day," said committee member Paul Avella. "It's a policy of inclusiveness rather than to allow a few people to have a special day." The proposal elicited anger and at least one accusation from former committee member Elaine Braun-Keller, who argued that the proposal was unfairly targeting Yom Kippur more than Christian holidays. "You wrap this in a veil of diversity, but you have Christmas, Easter and the Christian Sabbath," she said to the committee. Braun-Keller said Yom Kippur was the true target because it comes "at an inconvenient time." The proposal failed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Littleton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>End Religious Holidays?</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2010, a number of Massachusetts school districts discussed holding classes on religious holidays for which schools had previously closed. The Harvard district had studied eliminating several holidays on the calendar in previous years, but Keith Cheveralls, committee chairman, said the district had been unable to reach an agreement. "It's a very emotional issue," he said. The school committee ultimately eliminated all religious holidays.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Harvard<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>District to Remain Closed for Holidays</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2010, a number of Massachusetts school districts discussed holding classes on religious holidays for which schools had previously closed. The Acton-Boxborough district sent a survey to parents and staff asking about staying open on a number of religious holidays and found they would likely have large staff and student attendance problems on such days as Good Friday and several Jewish holidays. The district elected to remain closed on Good Friday, Yom Kippur, and Rosh Hashanah.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Acton-Boxborough<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Christmas Controversies</b><br><br>
|
||
When Medway elementary school students failed to sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" at a holiday concert, one grandfather got into such a heated dispute with a teacher that police had to be called to the scene. And it was not the first holiday dispute to rock the district. Previously, a middle school mother became upset when her son brought home red and green elf hats she had sewn for his class, saying his teacher asked her to replace the red trim with white to avoid Christmas colors. Also, Memorial Middle School replaced the words "Merry Christmas" with "swinging holidays" in a holiday concert, setting off alarms. Dale Fingar, who sewed the controversial elf hats, seemed to sum up the confusion: "I thought it was a celebration of the seasons and not Christ."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Medway<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Students Participate in Muslim Prayer Service</b><br><br>
|
||
A middle school trip to a Roxbury mosque stirred trouble when a video surfaced of students bowing their heads during a prayer service. "If a Catholic priest took school kids to a church and said, 'Let's teach them about Catholicism,' and the kids kneeled (sic) before altar, took wine and the host, the furor would be visible from outer space," said Americans for Peace and Tolerance director Dennis Hale. Bilal Kaleem, who runs the Muslim cultural center the students visited, said, "(W)e do not invite kids to take part, but if someone wants to come pray and take part, we shouldn't prevent them." The district's superintendent apologized for what had happened.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wellesley<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No God in Greenwood Song</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Stall Brook Elementary School were going to be required to sing Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" in a school concert, but with the words changed to "we love the USA." Many residents were upset over the change, but parent Matthew Cote said, "It's a public school. If you want to have the word God in the song, go to a private school." The district eventually decided to have the song sung with the original words, but to allow students to opt out of singing them.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Bellingham<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Sikh Dagger Allowed</b><br><br>
|
||
The Plymouth-Canton district allowed Sikh students to wear small, religious daggers to school after initially prohibiting them under the district's weapons ban. Some parents were concerned about the safety of bringing weapons to school. A Sikh leader explained, "It's a religious symbol. It just reminds you of your spirituality. It's a fight against your internal evils." One parent who was upset about the daggers said, "If it's somebody's religion, I would wonder if there's a reason or purpose for them to have to have it at school."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Plymouth-Canton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Elective Bible Class</b><br><br>
|
||
Tim Thatcher, a Howell parent, suggested that the district offer an elective Bible study programs. The proposed class would teach the Bible from literary and historical perspectives. The school board entertained the measure but did not advance it. Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, told the board, "We get more complaints and calls from the media about the Howell School District's pattern of hostility toward traditional Judeo-Christian values than all the other school districts in the state combined." In contrast, parent Valerie Webster said, "I attend church three times a week, but I don't think school is the right place to teach Bible study."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Howell<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Service Dog a Religious Threat?</b><br><br>
|
||
A student teacher abandoned the last ten hours of his teaching assignment at Technical High School because a Muslim student reportedly threatened his service dog. Some Muslims believe that their faith compels them to regard dogs as unclean or forbidden. The school's director said, "I think it was a misunderstanding where we didn't really prepare either side for possible implications." St. Cloud State University decided to waive the student teacher's remaining hours of work. The high school's curriculum director said, "We certainly welcome him in our district, and we hope we can get this all resolved so he feels welcome and his dog is welcome."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Saint Cloud<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>State-Sponsored Event Too Religious?</b><br><br>
|
||
The ACLU filed a lawsuit against Mississippi's Department of Human Services, claiming that religious music and Bible teachings had been part of a taxpayer funded abstinence summit. The event, called "Just Wait," was intended to discourage premarital sex. However, the ACLU claimed that various religious and specifically Christian themes were promoted, including a minister starting the event with a prayer. The DHS claimed that the program worked, citing a drop in teenage births between 2006 and 2009.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No More Halloween</b><br><br>
|
||
Flynn Park Elementary ended the celebration of Halloween. The school renamed the holiday "Fall Festival" and said that students could no longer wear costumes to school. The change angered some parents who felt the district had fallen victim to political correctness. University City district spokeswoman Daphne Dorsey responded that the changes were initiated because other parents had complained about the day's religious imagery, and students wearing often elaborate costumes caused an "overwhelming uproar" during the school day.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> University City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Classroom Bible Distribution</b><br><br>
|
||
For over thirty years Gideons International handed out free Bibles in fifth-grade classrooms in the South Iron School District. In 2005, that practice came to a halt after the ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of four sets of parents who felt the practice used public schools to promote religion. In 2009, a federal appeals court upheld a ruling prohibiting distribution in classrooms. However, the court's ruling did not end a new district policy allowing any group to hand out literature on school grounds (but not in classrooms).<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> South Iron<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>School Sale Religious Sweetheart Deal?</b><br><br>
|
||
Good Schools Montana filed a lawsuit against the Missoula School District for selling a former elementary school to a Roman Catholic education foundation in what Good Schools called "a sweetheart lease/purchase deal." The transaction, the group claimed, violated the Montana Constitution by using public property for the benefit of a religious organization. However, According to Jenda Hemphill, chairwoman of the district trustees, the sale was not intended to support religion. "One factor for me in deciding to sell to the Catholic school was it would remain a school," she said. "I wanted it to remain open to community use, so the playground would continue to be open space. Those may not have a dollar amount, but they are important values."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Missoula<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Rosaries Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
After receiving information from law enforcement on gang activities associated with rosaries, the Fremont Public School District decided to ban students from wearing them. Sixth grade student Elizabeth Carey was upset and refused to stop wearing rosaries, t-shirts with crosses on them, or any other expression of her faith. "I'm deciding to stand up for Jesus and do what I can to stop this. I'm wearing a cross necklace, a cross t-shirt and a cross bracelet," she said. District superintendent Steve Sexton said the ban was not an effort to suppress religious expression but rather was intended "to create a safe environment for our students."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fremont<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Valedictory Proselytizing</b><br><br>
|
||
When a high school valedictorian went off-script and declared that "God's love is so great that he gave his only son up," school officials pulled the plug on her microphone. The student, Brittany McComb, filed a lawsuit against the school district, claiming that her rights to free speech and equal protection were violated. A U.S. appeals court eventually found in the district's favor, saying McComb's speech constituted unacceptable "proselytizing." The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clark County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Students Must Wear Star</b><br><br>
|
||
Pittsfield Middle School students claimed that their religious freedom was violated when English teacher Harry Mitchell told them to make and wear yellow stars as part of lesson on The <em>Diary of Anne Frank</em>. Mitchell said that the assignment was intended to instill empathy for Frank. "If you're not wearing it, you're not getting the full awareness of Anne and her family," he said. Thirteen-year-old Samantha Gage, a student in the class, objected so vehemently to the assignment that she wrote a letter about it to the <em>Concord Monitor</em>. "Many people won't learn anything except that their religion (if they're not Jewish) isn't good enough," she wrote. Students who refused to wear the star received lower grades than those who wore it.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pittsfield<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Graduation Flap in Methodist Venue</b><br><br>
|
||
For 70 years, Neptune High School had held its graduation ceremony at the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, a Methodist facility in a largely Methodist town. In 2011, however, the ACLU sued the district because, in the previous year, a student had felt uncomfortable with the religious signs and large white cross adorning the inside of the building. At first the association that owns the auditorium refused to accede to ACLU demands that the cross and signage be covered up. Association COO Scott Hoffmann said, "We want this tradition to keep going as badly as anyone, but not at the expense of who we are." The association eventually relented.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Neptune<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Graduation in Baptist Church</b><br><br>
|
||
The Newark school district was sued by the ACLU on behalf of a Muslim teen who, due to his religious beliefs, would not be able to attend a graduation ceremony held at a Baptist church. The ACLU had been in contact with the district about the graduation venue since 2005, but district officials maintained that no other facility could accommodate the crowd expected at graduation. The district settled with the ACLU in 2008, promising to hold future graduations in non-religious venues.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Newark<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Fictional "Crusaders" Offend</b><br><br>
|
||
The Burlington School District came under fire for what it called an "emergency management exercise" to "evaluate the response and mitigation procedures" of police, fire and EMS. The controversy? The district used a fictional, right-wing militant group--the "New Crusaders"--for the exercise, a choice that antagonized some Christians and conservatives. The district apologized, saying in a statement, "The scenario chosen was intended to be generic in nature and never to offend any group, affiliation or religious belief....The bottom line was the protection of human life should a significant event unfold."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Burlington Township<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Coach's Head-Bowing Forbidden</b><br><br>
|
||
A coach at East Brunswick High School got into legal trouble for his practice of either taking a knee or bowing his head during a student-led prayer before football games. Some people said the coach's deference to the prayer violated the separation of church and state. Coach Marcus Borden and his defenders believed that the district's action violated Borden's free speech rights. In 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court's ruling against Borden.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> East Brunswick<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Bible as Reading Material?</b><br><br>
|
||
A third-grade student was told by a teacher at the Madison Park Elementary School that the Bible was not appropriate reading material. The student's mother was outraged. "This was injustice." said Michelle Jordat, adding that her daughter was upset and confused by the incident. This prompted the school's principal to apologize for the incident, saying school policy does allow students to read the Bible during quiet time. Jordat accepted the apology, but demanded that the district put in writing that Bible reading is permitted. Jordat also insisted that all employees undergo sensitivity training.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Old Bridge<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Awesome God" Barred from Talent Show</b><br><br>
|
||
In May 2005, an 8-year-old girl attempted to sing "Awesome God" at a voluntary, after-school talent show. Administrators forbid her from doing so because they felt the song was too religious. In 2006, a case brought against the district by the student's parents went to trial. According to school superintendent Joyce Brennan, the trouble was not that the child was singing a religious song, but "the words in the song that were not espousing what the child believed but rather indicating what other people should be believing." She continued, "We have people of all faiths here...And for me to say 'OK, you'd better believe in this thing,' maybe my Muslim parents wouldn't understand that, nor would their children." The girl's mother, Maryann Turton, contended that the district's actions made her daughter feel "dirty and wrong and icky" for choosing the song. "I didn't like seeing my child made to feel that way and I wouldn't want anyone else's kid to feel that way either," she said. A federal court ruled against the district.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Frenchtown<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Parental Concerns End "Mindfulness" Practice</b><br><br>
|
||
Warstler Elementary School ended a daily practice of ringing a Tibetan bell and practicing "mindfulness" to start each morning. Mindfulness, a practice that involves deep breathing and focusing exercises, was seen by many as veering too close to Buddhism, as well as taking time away from learning. "They were taking valuable time away from education to put students in a room of darkness to lay on their backs," said Melanie Snedeker, vice president of the school's PTO. Proponents of the program, including the Roman Catholic U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), defended it. "It is a shame that a program that successfully taught children how to discipline their minds and control their emotions is being taken out of the school," Ryan wrote in a statement.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Plain<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>ACLU Sues over Jesus Portrait</b><br><br>
|
||
The ACLU of Ohio and the Freedom from Religion Foundation sued the Jackson City school district over a portrait of Jesus that was displayed in the district's middle school. The lawsuit challenged the portrait as an illegal promotion of religion in a public school. The portrait was moved to the district's high school at the request of the Christian-oriented student organization that owns it, but Nick Worner, a spokesman for the ACLU of Ohio, said, "It is still an unconstitutional endorsement of religion on the part of a public school." The district defended the display by claiming that "a limited public forum can exist for specific types of speakers, including student-run clubs at a public school." The portrait was eventually removed as part of a settlement.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jackson City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Several Churches Bless Middle School</b><br><br>
|
||
Conflict arose when over 180 members of four local churches gathered to bless Woodward Park Middle School. Patricia Miller, who led the ceremony, said, "Rain or shine, ACLU or not, nobody can stop those who have spirit-filled hearts." Miller claimed that the ceremony had originally been planned for inside of the building, but the school's principal, Jill Spanheimer, did not recall that conversation. The district maintained that any group is permitted to use public grounds during the weekend, but the ACLU of Ohio argued that the event had the "appearance of endorsement by the school" and, hence, entangled church and state.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Columbus City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pro-Life Teacher Avoids Union Dues</b><br><br>
|
||
A district court ruled that Carol Katter, a Roman Catholic teacher from St. Marys school district, was exempt from paying National Education Association dues, despite state law saying that only members of denominations that "historically held conscientious objections" could withhold funds. Katter sued to avoid dues because the National Education Association supports pro-abortion candidates. Typically, the only exempted denominations had been Seventh-Day Adventists and Mennonites, which historically have had anti-union views. The court ruled that restricting protections to just two denominations constituted religious discrimination.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Saint Marys<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>School Cancels Christian Anti-Drug Concert</b><br><br>
|
||
Rossford High School requested that Pawn, a band including several of the school's students, perform at their school-sponsored anti-drug assembly. All of Pawn's members were Christian, and although Pawn had agreed to deliver non-religious anti-drug messages between their songs, school officials canceled their performance a week before the show, expressing concerns about the Christian messages in their songs. Pawn filed suit, and Federal District Court Judge Jack Zouhary ruled that the band did not have speech protection, since the performance would have taken place at a school-sponsored event on government property. "This is not a case about the state discriminating against speech and religion, but rather about the state having control over who speaks on its behalf," said Zouhary.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rossford Exempted<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Voluntary Constitution Class Too Religious?</b><br><br>
|
||
When the Springboro school district decided to offer a voluntary course on the U.S. Constitution, which would cost students $35, a group of parents objected that the organization behind the course--WallBuilders--was too religious. "The fact that we're using public resources for something that is clearly promoting a political and religious agenda" bothered parent David Barton. The WallBuilders' site said the group is "dedicated to presenting America's forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on the moral, religious, and constitutional foundation on which America was built."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Springboro Community<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Gideon Bibles Distributed During School</b><br><br>
|
||
The ACLU threatened the Findlay school district with legal action if it continued to allow fifth-grade students to leave class to receive free Bibles from Gideons International. "The school cannot be involved in sacrificing classroom time to help hand out the Bibles," said Christine Link, executive director of the ACLU of Ohio. Chris Brooks, principal of Bigelow Hill Elementary School, countered, "(Y)ou've got to look at the context of the community. This is a Christian community. I'm not saying everyone is, but that's where Findlay is."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Findlay City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No God Allowed in First Grader's Poem</b><br><br>
|
||
West Marion Elementary School censored a first grader's Veterans Day poem because it mentioned her grandfather's belief in God. Ken Paulson, the president of the First Amendment Center, explained that the student "had every right to mention God, (but) that dynamic changed when they asked her to read it at an assembly." A group of attorneys advocating for religious rights and freedom, spoke in opposition to the school's decision. "America's public schools should encourage, not restrict, the constitutionally protected freedom of students to express their faith," said Matt Sharp of the Alliance Defending Freedom.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> McDowell County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pagan Mom Challenges Bible Distribution</b><br><br>
|
||
The pagan mother of a Buncombe County student challenged the school district's policy of allowing Gideons International to make Bibles available at district schools. Ginger Strivelli, who practices witchcraft, became upset when her son returned home from school with a Bible. "Schools should not be giving out one religion's materials and not others," she said. Strivelli reported that she tried to distribute pagan spell books and was turned away. Bobby Honeycutt, who attended Weaverville schools and opposed Strivelli's challenge, said, "Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, not on Wiccan principles."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Buncombe County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Religious Nose Ring Suspension</b><br><br>
|
||
Ariana Iacono, a 14-year-old student at Clayton High School, was suspended for wearing a nose ring in violation of the school's dress code. Iacono, along with her mother, is a member of the Church of Body Modification, a small religion that has about 3,500 members nationwide. The Iaconos argued that the dress code allowed for religious exemptions, but the district refused to recognize their faith. Ariana Iacono's mother, Nikki Iacono, said, "What do you need to establish a sincere religious belief? We were told if we were Hindu, or she were Muslim, it would be different." The ACLU filed a lawsuit on Iacono's behalf, and a federal judge ordered that her suspension be lifted and that she be allowed to wear the nose ring to school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Johnston County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Anti-Islam Group Presents in School</b><br><br>
|
||
Robert Escamilla, a history teacher at Enloe High school, drew criticism when he permitted Kamil Solomon, a Christian evangelist, to give an anti-Islam presentation to a freshman history class. During his lecture, Solomon passed out pamphlets titled "Jesus not Muhammad" and "Do Not Marry a Muslim Man, Part 1." Alyssa Kaszycki, a student who sat through the lecture, said, "The whole presentation went against everything Enloe stands for and tries to teach." Arsalan Iftikhar, the national legal director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said, "It is unconscionable for a teacher at any public school to abuse his or her position of trust by forcing such hate-filled, inaccurate and intolerant materials on students." Escamilla, after serving a suspension with pay, was relocated to an alternative high school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Enloe High School<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Rudolph Banned from School</b><br><br>
|
||
"Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" was temporarily banned from Murray Elementary School's Christmas program after a parent complained about the song's mention of "Christmas Eve." The parent, who wished to remain anonymous but identified herself as Jewish, said, "There needs to be a comfortable environment for all students, not just some." Sean Dwyer, whose five-year-old daughter was performing in the program, opposed the ban. "This person is taking their feelings, religious beliefs, and agenda and trying to use my five-year-old and kindergarten as a way to push their own beliefs," said Dwyer. The school eventually put the song back into the program, and the daughter of the parent who made the original complaint did not participate. School officials declared that future concerts would include religious songs as long as multiple faiths were represented.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New Hanover County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Christmas Trees Alone</b><br><br>
|
||
In response to a dispute over a Christmas tree at Bellview Elementary School, the Ashland School District passed a policy prohibiting the display of Christmas trees by themselves. The trees would be allowed provided that they are accompanied by symbols of other religions. Superintendent Juli Di Chiro told the school board that a committee had created the new guidelines after studying the rulings of several court cases involving holiday displays in public schools. The new guidelines explain that holiday displays should "represent the diversity of the season, and should avoid symbols with patently religious meanings."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Ashland<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teaching Islamic History, or Indoctrinating?</b><br><br>
|
||
Protests arose in the David Douglas School District when it came to light that the district's history curriculum involved Islamic teachings. Students, in addition to learning Muslim prayers and the five pillars of Islam, were given extra credit for dressing up as Muslims. Social studies teacher Jim Casad defended the material. "We do have an obligation to inform students what is going on in our world today and how our history and culture affected the world," he said. Parent Kendalee Garner, however, said her son was being "indoctrinated that Islam is a religion of peace, and being dressed up as a Muslim, being taught prayers, and scriptures out of the Quran."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> David Douglas<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Ban on Religious Clothing Lifted</b><br><br>
|
||
Oregon policymakers repealed a law that prevented public school teachers from wearing religious clothing. The law, enacted in 1923, prevented teachers from wearing religious garb, including yarmulkes, turbans, crosses, and headscarves. Although the ban was lifted, the new law states that teachers cannot wear religious items if doing so affects the district's ability to "maintain religious neutrality." House Speaker Dave Hunt (D-Gladstone) said the law's goals is to "allow teachers to have the same religious free exercise rights as every other Oregonian." But ACLU of Oregon executive director David Fidanque urged caution, saying, "Just repealing the statute could cause real problems in maintaining the religious neutrality of schools."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Prayer Banner Battle</b><br><br>
|
||
After receiving a complaint from a parent, the Rhode Island ACLU affiliate sent a letter to Cranston High School West to request that a prayer banner be removed. The banner beseeched "Our Heavenly Father" to help the students excel at school and at life, and concluded with the word "Amen." Steven Brown of the ACLU "understand(s) that this prayer may have been posted in in the auditorium for a long time...However, the crucial protections of the Bill of Rights have been around even longer...The proper setting for religious observance is the home and the place of worship." Attorney Joseph Cavanagh, who defended the city, argued that the banner was "not forced on anyone. It's a historical document as a tradition of the school." The tradition had endured since 1963, when that year's class--which would go to be the first to graduate from Cranston West--gifted the banner to the school. The District Court of the District of Rhode Island ruled against the school in <em>Ahlquist v. Cranston</em>.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cranston<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>School in Session on Jewish High Holidays</b><br><br>
|
||
Providence School District decided to no longer include Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as vacation days in the school calendar, opting instead to excuse the absences of students who choose to observe these holidays. Jewish community leaders met with a Providence administrator to discuss their concern that students may experience discrimination or feel peer pressure to attend school rather than religious services. However, an increasingly diverse student population poses a challenge for school administrators. "There are many other religious holidays, like Ramadan, that are not recognized as school holidays," said Stephanie Frederico, the school department's chief of staff. "If we were to take off all of these holidays, we'd be going to school in July."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Providence<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Any Religious Answer is Right?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act, a part of House Bill 2633, was vetoed by Governor Brad Henry after passing both the House and the Senate. The act would have allowed students to answer questions in accordance with their faith rather than the curriculum. Marc Bledsoe, executive director of the United Suburban Schools Association, spoke against the Act. "I can't grade your test under that legislation. It creates...additional liability for schools to be sued. It creates protection for your religious beliefs when they are not relevant." Sen. James Williamson (R-Tulsa), sponsor of the act, disagreed. "Every word that we put into this statute is directly from the Supreme Court decisions they should be following now," he said. "The main purpose of the bill is to be sure everybody is operating off of the same page." The act was reintroduced in subsequent sessions, but did not become law.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Christian Club Sues</b><br><br>
|
||
Kids for Christ sued the Owasso school district when the district forbade it from promoting events on campus. Matt Sharp, the attorney representing the organization, said, "This is a simple matter of a school district targeting a Christian organization." Groups like the Boy Scouts, which also use school facilities for their meetings, are permitted to promote their events on the school campuses. "The superintendent said they were religious and couldn't have the same access as other clubs," Sharp said. The district and Kids for Christ settled in 2013, with the district paying $20,000 for the group's legal fees and ending the distribution of any groups' fliers.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Owasso<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Textbook: Judeo-Christian Teachings Are a "Myth"</b><br><br>
|
||
Students in an honors biology course at Farragut High School used the textbook <em>Asking about Life</em>. Parent Kurt Zimmerman called for the book to be removed from the curriculum because of its "bias" against Christians. "Insulting another's point of view is bigotry in its purest form and inexcusable when it's done in the captivation of a classroom," he said. Zimmerman took particular exception to one sentence which described creationism as "the biblical myth that the universe was created by the Judeo-Christian God in seven days." The school board agreed that "provocative wording" was used in the textbook, but nonetheless decided that the book was appropriate for classroom use.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Knox County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Praying Parents too Connected?</b><br><br>
|
||
Two parents sued Lakeview Elementary School for allowing the group Praying Parents to distribute fliers and give prayer messages to students. The school's website also contained a link to the Praying Parents site. Praying Parents argued that they were exercising their constitutional rights and restricting them would be tantamount to being "treated as second class citizens." A majority of the school board agreed, but a judge ruled in favor of the aggrieved parents, saying the school gave the Praying Parents special access. After that ruling, the group wanted to hang posters promoting a prayer event, but the school board told them that the posters' references to God, prayer, and scripture had to be covered. "I knew (a previous lawsuit) cost the school system a lot of money, so I wanted to be very careful," said Assistant Principal Bertie Alligood. Praying Parents filed a suit against the school, arguing that their freedoms of speech and religion were being violated. This time, a court ruled in their favor.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wilson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Promoting Christianity in Cheatham County</b><br><br>
|
||
The ACLU filed a lawsuit against Cheatham County Schools. The lawsuit alleged that school officials had promoted their own religious beliefs at school functions. For example, a prayer took place before graduation, Gideons International was allowed to speak to classes and distribute Bibles, a cross hung in a classroom, and a teacher taught that the U.S. is a "Christian nation" and criticized the separation of church and state. ACLU-TN cooperating attorney George Barret said, "(The school's) actions discourage honest citizens who have divergent views and want to participate in a public education." The school reached a settlement with the ACLU. As part of the settlement, school officials would no longer encourage prayer or promote their own religious beliefs at school or school events, there would be no invocations at school events, speakers would not be selected on account of their religious affiliations, third parties would not be allowed to distribute religious texts to students, teachers would not cite the Bible as fact, and schools would make an effort to avoid holding programs at religious venues.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cheatham County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Coachers Scrutinized for Bowing Heads</b><br><br>
|
||
A group of coaches at Westmoreland Middle School bowed their heads during their players' postgame prayer. After a witness complained, school officials asked the coaches to sign a letter stating that they understood the school's policy against "any conduct that creates an appearance of endorsement of (a student) organization's or club's messages or ideas." The letter included the sentence, "If I fail to follow board policy, then I realize that I will not be allowed to serve as a coach." Attorney David French of the American Center for Law and Justice said, "There was no admonition against bowing...They were asked to sign their understanding of school board policy regarding student participation." Pastor David Landrith expressed frustration, saying, "Good grief, even our presidents are sworn into office with their hands on a very visible Bible. But somehow in Sumner County our teachers cannot be a part of a student-led prayer effort?"<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Sumner County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Christianity and Judaism Ignored?</b><br><br>
|
||
To teach students about different religions, Hendersonville High School sent freshmen on a field trip to a mosque and a Hindu temple. However, students did not visit a church or synagogue. "It tells me they are pushing other religions and they want Christianity to take a back seat," said parent Mike Conner. Conner's stepdaughter did not go on the field trip, but reported that she was instead given readings that heavily favored Islam over Christianity. The district eventually ended the field trips because equal representation of all religions "is not feasible."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Sumner County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Where's the Pork?</b><br><br>
|
||
When Sunset Elementary School released an "approved snack list" that prohibited pork products, it launched rampant conjecture that the school was attempting to appease Muslims. The town of Brentwood had been the site of a dispute over the building of a mosque. "Typical list for a Madrassa," commented one Nashville radio host. The district quickly changed the list, saying, "Any reference to not allowing pork products in school is incorrect." The goal of the list, according to the district, was to address food allergies.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Williamson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Can't Idolize God</b><br><br>
|
||
Asked to write about someone she idolized, Lucy Elementary School student Erin Shead wrote about God. "I look up to God," she wrote. "I love him and Jesus." Snead's teacher reportedly told her she could not write about God and would have to take her paper off of school property. "How can you tell this baby--that's a Christian--what she can say and what she can't say?" asked Snead's mother. Shelby County Schools spokesman Christian Ross said that "teachers are prohibited from promoting religious beliefs in the classroom," but he would not explain why Snead was not allowed to write about God.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Shelby County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Equal Access for Religious Club</b><br><br>
|
||
Student Virginia O'Neill sued Middlebury Union High School for refusing to grant official recognition to a Christian club. O'Neill's lawsuit argued that the school's refusal violated the Equal Access Act, since recognized clubs received benefits such as funding and exposure via school media. "They're treating their religious students as second-class citizens," said attorney David Cortman of the Alliance Defense Fund. "What we are trying to do is obey the law," said Superintendent Lee Sease, who said the school was attempting to comply with the First Amendment by not sponsoring the club. O'Neill and the school reached a settlement in which the Christian club would be given the same access to school resources as secular clubs.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Addison Central Supervisory Union<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Valedictorian Censored</b><br><br>
|
||
Kyle Gearwar, the 2011 valedictorian of Fair Haven Union High School, was asked to change the content of the speech he planned to give at graduation. Gearwar said he was told to remove everything that "had to do with religion, God, talking about how He can help you. The thing that actually changed me, I couldn't talk about." Principal Brett Blanchard defended the changes he asked Gearwar to make. "The federal law limits the kind of religious speech that's permitted at a commencement at a public high school," he said. Some audience members encouraged Gearwar to read the censored content of his speech, but Gearwar chose not to do so. "Even in the Bible it says you should respect the authorities of the land," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fair Haven<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Protecting Religious Expression</b><br><br>
|
||
Sen. Chris Buttars introduced a bill to protect students who express their religious beliefs in public places, such as parks and schools. The impetus for Buttars's law was the case of a student being sent home from school because of a Mormon message ("Choose the Right") on his shirt. "You have that kind of baloney all the time," Buttars said. Carol Lear, director of school law and legislation at the State Office of Education, thought the bill was unnecessary. "I think students are really aware they can express their opinions, and I think teachers are really aware they should allow students to express their opinions. I'm not sure that a piece of legislation is going to help students or teachers understand that better," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Ten Commandments: Historical or Religious?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Giles County School Board voted to remove a display of the Ten Commandments from Narrows High School. The decision followed a lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of a student who felt "genuinely disturbed by the Ten Commandments in the school." The student and the student's parent argued that the display amounted to an endorsement of a religion. Before relenting, the Giles County School Board had initially argued that the Ten Commandments were hung as part of a historical (rather than religious) display. The Liberty Counsel, which represented the school board, argued that the plaintiffs were "attempting to require that the school board sanitize any religious reference whatsoever from district facilities. The Constitution does not require such an action."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Giles County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pro-Life Club Allowed</b><br><br>
|
||
Stephanie Hoffmeier's request to start a pro-life club at Colonial Forge High School was initially denied on the grounds that the club was too religious. Hoffmeier filed a lawsuit, which she dropped when district officials admitted they had been mistaken and granted her club recognition. "When we had an opportunity to review what the circumstances were, it was apparent that (board) policy allowed for this club," said Superintendent David E. Sawyer. The district had already recognized the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Key Club, and political party clubs. "We just wanted the same rights as other clubs...It's not a radical thing to expect equal treatment," said Hoffmeier.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Stafford County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Christian Postings Removed</b><br><br>
|
||
After a parent complained, officials at Tabb High School removed Christian-themed postings that teacher William Lee had hung in his classroom. Lee claimed that his First Amendment rights were violated by the removal. "This is a free speech, equal protection issue," said John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute, which filed a lawsuit on Lee's behalf. However, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed. "The items do not constitute speech on a matter of public concern and are not protected by the First Amendment," wrote Judge Robert King. Robert W. McFarland, attorney for the school, applauded the verdict, saying, "A ruling to the contrary would mean potentially anything and everything could be deemed a First Amendment matter that the school couldn't regulate." The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> York County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Paganism-Promoting Fliers Distributed</b><br><br>
|
||
Students in Albemarle County Public Schools received a flier which promoted "a Pagan ritual to celebrate the Yule." School board chairwoman Sue Friedman said that a recent court decision forced the school to allow the flier. "In order to allow the YMCA to tell you about their soccer league, or the Boy Scouts to tell you about their new troop, we have to allow all nonprofits," she explained. Some people were upset about the flier. Former city councilor Rob Schilling said, "They're talking about witchcraft and magic. Is this appropriate to be sending home with school children?" The founder of the group that sent the flier argued that it was meant to promote "diversity, not...proselytization."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Albemarle County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Devil Went Down to Georgia"</b><br><br>
|
||
After hearing that the C. D. Hylton High School marching band was planning to play, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," Robert McClean wrote a letter to a local newspaper asking why this performance would not run afoul of the separation of church and state. After reading the letter, the band director canceled plans to play "Devil." This decision prompted an uproar, including a statement from Charlie Daniels himself: "I am a Christian and I don't write pro-Devil songs. . . . I think it's a shame that the (marching band director) would yield to one piece of mail." It was later discovered that McClean himself was not actually opposed to the song but merely sought to provoke a philosophical debate.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Prince William County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Lord's Prayer on Pilgrim Project</b><br><br>
|
||
Glenn Creech's son Derek brought home a traditional Pilgrim "hornbook" that he had made at Ridgecrest Elementary School. The hornbook had the Lord's Prayer attached to it. "I thought it was against the law to preach a specific religion…This is just outrageous," Creech said. District spokesman Craig Degginger said that the project was meant to help the students learn about the Pilgrims and was "well-taught by a veteran group of teachers." District policy stipulates that lessons "may have a religious dimension," but they may not "give preferential (or) disparaging treatment" to any religion or be used "for devotional purposes." Creech argued, "Giving someone a copy of a prayer, that could be implied that the prayer should be used for devotional purposes."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Shoreline<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No "Ave Maria" at Graduation</b><br><br>
|
||
Kathryn Nurre and other students planned to perform an instrumental version of "Ave Maria" at their high school graduation. However, the school's principal removed the song from the program. "Many people would see the song as religious in nature," explained Superintendent Carol Whitehead. Nurre sued the district for removing "Ave Maria" from the program. Her lawyers argued that the district's decision represented "political correctness run amuck," and that the school was subordinating student expression "to a heckler's veto that seeks to sanitize even the remotest vestige of religion from public life." The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the school. Judge Richard Tallman wrote, "When there is a captive audience at graduation...it is reasonable...to prohibit the performance of an obviously religious piece." The Supreme Court refused to hear the case, despite Justice Alito's objection that the lower court's decision "is not easy to square with our free speech jurisprudence."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Everett<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Recognition for Bible Club</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Kentridge High School sought to form the Truth Bible Club at their school. However, the Associated Student Body refused to grant official recognition to the club because of its potentially offensive name and the fact that students would have to make a pledge to Jesus Christ to have full voting membership in the club. The students who attempted to found the club sued the school district for discrimination. "Christian student groups shouldn't be penalized for their beliefs," said attorney Nate Kellum of the Alliance Defense Fund, which represented the would-be club. The school district contended that, according to its nondiscrimination policy, student groups must be open to all, without requiring such things as Truth's pledge. The school district finally triumphed when the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from the club's advocates.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kent<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Graduation in Church</b><br><br>
|
||
The Elmbrook School District planned to hold its graduation ceremonies at the Elmbrook Church. Americans United for the Separation of Church and State sued the Elmbrook School District on behalf of nine plaintiffs who felt the school was imposing Christianity upon students by having the ceremonies in a church. Alex Luchenitser, senior litigation counsel for the organization, pointed out that students and families would be among conspicuous religious imagery during the ceremony. "No person should be coerced to enter a religious environment as a price for attending your (sic) own graduation," he said. The school district defended the venue as being the practical choice, given the building's spaciousness, convenience, cost-efficiency, and air conditioning. The school district's attorney, Lori Lubinsky, stated that the ceremony would not promote religion in any way. "The only thing that is religious is the walls where this takes place," she commented. The graduation went forward as planned with the blessing of U.S. District Judge Charles Clevert. However, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Elmbrook<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Christian Student Art?</b><br><br>
|
||
A student at Tomah High School drew a landscape which included a cross and the words "John 3:16 A Sign of Love." The student's teacher, Julie Millin, asked him to remove the religious reference from his drawing. The student refused, and received a zero grade for his drawing. With help from the Alliance Defense Fund, the student filed suit against his teacher, administrators, and the district. "Students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate...No compelling state interest exists to justify the censorship of (the student's) religious expression," the lawsuit read. The lawsuit also noted the presence of Buddhist, Hindu, and other religious (but largely non-Christian) imagery throughout the school. The school defended its position and that of Millin, saying, "Students are required to follow the rules of conduct for their classrooms...While the district respects all students' religious freedoms, those freedoms are not a license for students to force the school to display religious messages of their choosing." Nonetheless, as a result of the student's lawsuit, the school eliminated its ban on religious expression in class assignments.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tomah Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Master Singers Too Religious?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Wausau School Board called a special meeting after district administrators told Phil Buch, director of the Wausau West High School choral group Master Singers, that the group needed to perform fewer religious songs. Buch put the group on hiatus as a result, arguing that the proposed mix of songs - five secular for every one religious - would overly constrain what the group could perform. Wausau resident Bruce Trueblood said at the meeting that the directive was an attack on people of faith, and it was "time to take a stand for the majority." A local rabbi, in contrast, said it was difficult for Jewish students to perform mainly Christian songs.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wausau<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Parent Barred from Reading Bible to Class</b><br><br>
|
||
As part of "All About Me" week, kindergarten students at Culbertson Elementary School were invited to make presentations about themselves. Students were given the opportunity to invite their parents to take part in the presentations. Donna Busch's son Wesley asked her to read the Bible to his class. She informed the teacher of what she planned to read. Upon hearing of the parent's plan, the school's principal objected. He felt that allowing the Bible reading would be tantamount to the school promoting religion in violation of the First Amendment. The mother believed that her own First Amendment rights were violated by the principal's decision. A federal judge and a federal appeals court panel ruled against the parent. "(A) reading from the Bible or other religious text...unquestionably conveys a strong sense of spiritual and moral authority...In this case, the audience is involuntary and very young. Parents of public school kindergarten students may reasonably expect their children will not become captive audiences to an adult's reading of religious texts," wrote Chief Judge Anthony Sirica for the majority. Judge Thomas Hardiman dissented. "Donna Busch's speech came in response to the teacher's broad invitation to share something about her child; once invited, the school district was obligated to 'tolerate,' her speech, not to 'affirmatively promote' it," he wrote. Hardiman felt that the students could see the distinction between the parent's private speech, and a message endorsed by the school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Marple Newtown<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teachers Allowed to Attend Prayer Event</b><br><br>
|
||
The Carlisle Area School Board voted 8-1 to allow teachers to participate in the "See You at the Pole" prayer event, provided that those teachers make clear that "they are doing so in their individual capacities, and not in any way in their role as employees of the school district." Tim Potts cast the only dissenting vote. "The disclaimer is of no value to the students who may witness teachers participating in a sectarian event beneath the symbol of our nation's government and did not hear the disclaimer," he said. Parent Bryan Bartosik-Velez agreed. "It defies logic that students should believe that a teacher should issue a disclaimer, that for a few moments they are peers under a flag pole, 40 yards from the school," he said. Others were more supportive of the board's decision. "This school district was becoming unique in not allowing teachers to go," said Josh Autry, an attorney retained by The Center for Law and Religious Freedom. Parent Cheryl Gobin, who organized a "See You at the Pole" event at her child's elementary school, said, "People really need to give children credit...Because they see one person doing something for five seconds doesn't mean they're going to do something."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Carlisle Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>In School on Jewish Holy Days</b><br><br>
|
||
A strike of Souderton teachers necessitated changes to the district's calendar in order to reach the 180 days of instruction by June 15th required by state law. Originally, schools were scheduled to be closed during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. However, those days off were changed into instruction days to help compensate for time lost during the strike. The district received complaints from parents about using those days, but district solicitor Jeffrey Sultanik said there was no viable option. Other days normally scheduled as days off, such as Presidents' Day, MLK Day, and Election Day had already been converted to instruction days. However, students would still be off December 24th through the 31st. Sultanik explained, "We are firmly convinced that if we were to hold school then, there wouldn't have been much education going on in the district."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Souderton Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Jesus Costume Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
The Alliance Defense Fund sued Willow Hill Elementary school on behalf of a 10-year-old student who wore a Jesus costume to the school's Halloween festivities. The school's principal, Patricia Whitmire, told the student that he could not wear his crown of thorns or say that he was dressed as Jesus. Whitmire suggested that the student say he was dressed as a Roman emperor. The boy's mother, Donna Brewer, is a Christian and disapproves of the pagan elements of Halloween, but she did not want her son to feel excluded (students were required to wear a costume in order to participate in the school's Halloween activities). Superintendent Amy Sichel said that, according to district policy, the student "could have worn his costume." She added, "This is not a dispute of First Amendment rights. This is a dispute over what happened that morning."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Abington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Halloween Too Secular? Religious?</b><br><br>
|
||
When Inglewood Elementary School principal Orlando Taylor sent a letter to parents telling them that there would be no Halloween celebrations, it set off a national debate. In his letter, Taylor noted that there are diverse thoughts on Halloween--some say it's too secular, others too religious--and, "The district must always be mindful of the sensitivity of all members of the community." The district clarified its stance on Halloween--schools could mark the holiday during non-instructional time--but some parents were already angry. "Now we're taking out Halloween," said parent David Braun. "Even with the Pledge of Allegiance, that was up for debate because we mentioned God in it. When are people just going to stop and let schools be schools?" In contrast, parent Chris Christian said of Halloween, "We kept our kids home from school on that day because we didn't participate in it."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> North Penn<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Students Forced to Wear Tracking Chips</b><br><br>
|
||
Jay High School was one of two schools that the Northside Independent School District chose to pilot a radio frequency identification (RFID) program. Students had to carry ID badges which contained a chip that broadcast a signal. The signal was picked up by sensors at the school so administrators could determine the location of students. The district said the system would help the school to monitor attendance (which, in turn, could help the school to get more of state funding that is provided on a per-student basis) and locate students during emergencies. However, some students, in addition to conservative and civil liberties organizations, felt that the tracking system violated privacy rights. "These chips are always broadcasting, so anyone with a reader can track them anywhere," said Heather Fazio of Texans for Accountable Government. Andrea Hernandez felt that the system also violated her religious liberty. She refused to wear the ID badge, which led to her being transferred out of the magnet school she attended. Her father, Steven Hernandez, with the help of the Rutherford Institute, filed a lawsuit on her behalf. "We firmly believe that...if we compromise our faith and religious freedom to allow you to track my daughter...it will condemn us to hell," Steven Hernandez wrote to district officials. Although a judge ruled against the Hernandez family, the district cancelled the tracking program anyway, citing "the court case and negative publicity" as one of the reasons for the cancellation.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Northside<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Merry Christmas Bill" Signed</b><br><br>
|
||
Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill which aims to protect public schools that celebrate Christmas and other religious holidays from lawsuits. The new law explicitly allows schools to "educate students about the history of traditional winter celebrations" and allows students and staff to say things like "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Hanukkah." The law also legalizes displays of religious imagery, like nativity scenes and menorahs, provided that at least two religions are represented and that there are no proselytizing messages. "Our school officials and teachers have enough on their plate without having to worry about frivolous lawsuits for celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah," said Rep. Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston). However, the bill did face some opposition. "We hope administrators and teachers remain mindful that...it's parents who teach their children about matters of faith, not public schools," said ACLU spokesman Tom Hargis. Aron Ra of American Atheists said, "(Rep. Bohac) wants teachers to randomly be able to proselytize their religious beliefs by being able to put up religious displays in their classrooms, unrestricted, without any fear of litigation," Ra said. He also worried that the bill would lead to the marginalization of non-Christians.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Prayer at Preschool Graduation</b><br><br>
|
||
A teacher from Amelia Elementary opened a preschool graduation ceremony with a prayer. Concerned parent Amber Barnhill approached the teacher after the ceremony. "(The teacher) said it was legal, freedom of speech. Not religion but her way of life. She said she could not allow herself to apologize," Barnhill said. The teacher claimed that she did apologize. "I didn't intend to impose, I just tried to mock a graduation," she said. The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a complaint with the Beaumont Independent School District on Barnhill's behalf. "I think that sort of shows an unfortunate misunderstanding of what’s legal at high school graduations...She may have been simulating a high school graduation, but she was simulating something that would have been equally illegal at the high school level," said Elizabeth Cavell, an attorney for the foundation.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Beaumont<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Study Shows Bible Course Bias</b><br><br>
|
||
A state law passed in 2007 gave Texas public schools permission to teach Bible courses. It also set out guidelines for those courses. Bible course curricula were to be religiously neutral and designed to educate students on the Bible's historical and cultural significance. "(Public schools) are not supposed to promote any particular religious view over other religious views, nor can they promote religion or non-religion over the other," said Mark Chancey, a Southern Methodist University professor. He authored a study which found that Texas's Bible courses do indeed have a pro-Christian bias. For example, a course offered in the Belton Independent School District treated "the word of God" as fact and argued that "giving God his rightful place in the national life of this country has provided a rich heritage for all its citizens." Kathy Miller of the Texas Freedom Network Education fund said, "(C)learly, based on Professor Chancey's research, too many districts are ignoring (the state's) guidelines, so they don't have teeth."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Yoga Classes Religious?</b><br><br>
|
||
Parents Stephen and Jennifer Sedlock sued Encinitas Union School District because of the district's offering of yoga courses in some of its schools. They argued that yoga promotes Eastern religions. The Sedlocks' attorney, Dean Broyles, said, "This is frankly the clearest case of the state trampling on the religious freedom rights of citizens that I have personally witnessed in my 18 years of practice as a constitutional attorney." Superintendent Timothy Baird defended the classes, saying, "We're not teaching religion...We teach a very mainstream physical fitness program that happens to incorporate yoga into it." San Diego Superior Court Judge John S. Meyer ruled in favor of the school district. He acknowledged yoga's religious origins, but argued that it could be--and, in Encinitas, was--taught and practiced in a secular way. The family also lost an appeal.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Encinitas Union<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Choir Sings Islamic Song</b><br><br>
|
||
James Harper quit the Grand Junction High School's choir because of the director's decision to perform an Islamic song. "I really don't feel it is appropriate for students in a public high school to be singing an Islamic worship song," said Harper. "I think there would be a lot of outrage if we made a Muslim choir say Jesus Christ is the only truth." The district defended the director's decision. "This is not a case where the school is endorsing or promoting any particular religion...The song was chosen because its rhythms and other qualities would provide an opportunity to exhibit the musical talent and skills of the group in competition, not because of its religious message or lyrics," said district spokesman Jeff Kirtland.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Mesa County Valley 51<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Community Divided over Graduation Prayer</b><br><br>
|
||
Lincoln County High School's Class of 2013 president, Jonathan Hardwick, delivered a prayer at his class's graduation. The audience responded with a standing ovation. However, not everyone supported Hardwick's decision. Some parents and students had requested the attendance of atheist Ricky Smith. Smith left the graduation ceremony while the prayer was being delivered. "Every student should feel safe at their graduation and should not have to worry about religious bullying," said Smith, who was particularly concerned about pro-prayer demonstrators standing outside of the venue. "Having church groups at the entrance of the school makes non-Christian students as well as their family members and friends feel uncomfortable and even threatened," Smith explained. Tim Godbey, Lincoln County High's principal, acknowledged that several students had approached him and told him that they did not want a prayer at their graduation. "No students have ever done that before...My responsibility in upholding the Constitution and the First Amendment was I have to protect their rights as well as the rights of those that want prayer," said Godbey. Although there were reports that Godbey had canceled the prayer, Hardwick had said that he planned to pray when it was his turn to speak. "If I want to have a prayer, the school can't stop me," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lincoln County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Ten Commandments Removed</b><br><br>
|
||
Larry Hammon, the state-appointed manager of Breathitt County Public Schools, ordered schools to take down displays of the Ten Commandments. Hammon issued his directive after receiving a letter from Patrick Elliott of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Elliott's letter, prompted by a complaint from a student, noted that the Commandments were displayed in many classrooms and other school areas. Displaying the Ten Commandments "impermissibly turns any non-Christian or non-believing student, parent, or staff member into an outsider," Elliott said. Some residents opposed the removal of the Commandments. "I am totally against it. I think that we need the Ten Commandments in the schools. I think all kids should learn it. It is everybody's choice what they believe," said Mary Campbell.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Breathitt County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>"Five Pillars" Problem</b><br><br>
|
||
Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet Elementary removed a "Five Pillars of Islam" display after it sparked a firestorm of controversy. A picture of the bulletin board representation of the Five Pillars was uploaded to Facebook. "Students at Minneha Core Knowledge Elementary School in Wichata (sic) Kansas Were met with this their first day of school. This is a school that banned all forms of Christian prayer...This can not stand," read the photo's caption. The image was shared over 3,000 times. Wichita Public Schools defended itself in a statement: "Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet students cover the five major religions of the world—Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam—as part of their Core Knowledge magnet curriculum...The bulletin board that originally caused the concern does represent the Five Pillars of Islam—in a historical context of their studies. There is also a painting of the Last Supper hanging in the school as part of the study of art and the Renaissance period." The statement also said that the widely shared photo was "misleading" and " taken...out of context without having all the information."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wichita<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Open on Muslim Holiday</b><br><br>
|
||
Montgomery County public schools close for several Christian and Jewish holidays, but remain open during the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Adha. Many Muslims hoped that policy would change, and they spoke at school board meetings pleading for such a change. "An excused day off is not the solution," said mother of three Amal Muhtaseb. "I want my children to be treated in the same way their Christian and Jewish classmates are." The board voted against including the holiday on the 2014-15 school calendar, citing a legal requirement that the district only schedule days off for operational reasons, such as excessive absenteeism. The board reported only 4 percent absenteeism on a previous Eid al-Adha. In November 2014, the district voted to eliminate all official recognition of religious holidays, but would remain closed on major Christian and Jewish holidays. The decision was rebuked by many who saw it as an unsatisfactory compromise. "By stripping the names Christmas, Easter, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, they have alienated other communities now, and we are no closer to equality," said Saqib Ali of the Equality for Eid Coalition.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Montgomery County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Silent Reflection" = Prayer?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Lakewood school board voted to mandate a daily "moment of silent reflection" in district schools. Officials said students would be free to use the time in any non-disruptive manner they chose, but critics suggested the policy is an underhanded means of promoting school prayer. Udi Ofer of the ACLU-NJ said his organization would monitor the policy's implementation "to see how it is administered, and whether it is a backdoor way to institute prayer in our public schools." Board president Carl Fink said, "In the moment of reflection, every child can do what they like. They can even wish for the Yankees to win."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lakewood<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No "In God We Trust" Posters</b><br><br>
|
||
Watauga American Legion Post 130 sought to hang posters emblazoned with the national motto--"In God We Trust"--in Watauga county classrooms. However, the school board put a stop to this effort. "We got an email from the school saying thank you but on advice of their legal counsel they could not accept the posters because of separation of church and state," American Legion member Rick Cornejo explained. Cornejo was frustrated by the school's decision not to allow the nation's motto (which was "adopted by Congress, July 30, 1956") in classrooms. "How is that promoting religion?...It doesn't say anything about Jesus. I could understand if it was a Bible verse--but it's 'In God We Trust,'" he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Watauga County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Can Stretching be Religious?</b><br><br>
|
||
Rep. Alonzo Baldonado (R-Los Lunas) expressed his concerns about students learning yoga in physical education classes. He worried the classes could be a "gateway" to Eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism. Albuquerque physical education teacher Ann Paulls-Neal reassured the representative that she calls the exercises she prescribes "stretching or mat work" to avoid religious connotations. Still, Baldonado wanted to know if there was an "opt out" for parents who did not want their children to take part in the stretching. Patrick Davis of ProgressNowNM.org blasted Baldonado. "How he thinks a rudimentary stretching routine meant to improve physical health could lead students to join a religious cult is beyond me," Davis said. Baldonado maintained that his position is grounded in the principle of separation of church and state.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Albuquerque<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Sex Ed in Catholic-Owned Buildings</b><br><br>
|
||
The Catholic Church leases some buildings to New York City for the purpose of public schooling. However, as a condition of the leases, sex education cannot be taught in those buildings. Students are taken offsite for their sex ed lessons. One of those students, Tayshawn Edmunds, commented "The church owns the building, so they call the shots...But I don't see why they get to control what we're doing at our school." Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said that the prohibition on sex ed lessons in buildings leased from the church has not caused any problems. "We have dozens and dozens of sites with the diocese and archdiocese, and that's predicated on being responsible and following the tenets of the church," he explained. Diocese of Brooklyn spokeswoman Stefanie Gutierrez said, "It is an arrangement that has been working well for both sides for years." However, parent Lisa Smith voiced her skepticism of that arrangement. "I can't see how a church is going to tell you about what to teach," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teacher's Religious Expression Restricted</b><br><br>
|
||
Cheektowaga superintendent Dennis Kane sent teacher Joelle Silver a letter which ordered her to remove all religious items from her classroom. Those items included inspirational messages on sticky notes, a poster emblazoned with a Bible verse, and a Ronald Reagan quote: "If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under." A student had complained about the displays to the Freedom From Religion Foundation. That organization's threat of a lawsuit prompted Kane's letter. However, Silver, with the help of the American Freedom Law Center, sued the district in response to what she felt was an infringement upon her religious liberty. "Ms. Silver does not cease being a Christian nor does she shed her constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate," said Silver's attorney, Robert Muise. Kane explained his decision to a local television station. "In this case, you have two interest groups that are diametrically opposed to each other and you have to make certain decisions...And if one side doesn’t sue you, the other side probably will," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cheektowaga Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teacher's Firing Upheld</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2007 teacher John Freshwater used a Tesla coil to make a mark on a student's arm. Freshwater said the mark was an "X" that would go away, but the student thought it was meant to be a cross. His family sued. In response, the school fired Freshwater, who chose to fight his firing in court. In the legal proceedings, it was revealed that Freshwater had shown creationist videos and distributed religious handouts to his classes. He also refused to remove certain religious books and a poster from his classroom. Freshwater, who received support from many students and parents, argued that he was fired for his religion. The case wound its way all the way to an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court after lower courts found both that district actions such as requiring Freshwater to remove a Bible from his desk violated his First Amendment rights, but that he was also insubordinate for not removing items like a poster of George Washington praying. In 2014 the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Freshwater's case, upholding his firing.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Mount Vernon<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Youth Pastors Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
Three Christian youth pastors were banned from Woodward Middle School after students complained that the pastors were proselytizing during lunch. School officials said that they were investigating the allegations. "We can't ignore this. There are just too many serious issues to consider here...That’s pretty dangerous. It’s a pretty slippery slope I guess I would say," said school board president Mike Spence. One of the youth pastors, Danny Smith, denied any wrongdoing. "The only time church may have come in is when they say, 'What do you do?' my response is, 'I'm a youth pastor.'" Smith explained that he was not at the school to evangelize or proselytize, but to let "every student...know that they each have value and a purpose." Parents were divided on the issue. "I think it's a very dicey situation, I think they have to be really careful what they say," said Leslie Krantz. Another parent, Darryl Martin, said, "If some of those volunteers were not there, taking the opportunity to meet my son, and help introduce him to other students, my son would spend most of the year eating lunch by himself."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Bainbridge Island<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Public School Choirs, Mormon Event</b><br><br>
|
||
Choirs from three public high schools were invited to sing in the "Peace on Earth Community Christmas Celebration," a Church of Latter Day Saints event. The ACLU and the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent letters to districts warning them not let their choirs participate. One of the choirs was extracurricular, so only two Kalispell schools--Kalispell High and Whitefish High School--were ultimately targeted. Andrew Seidel of the Freedom From Religion Foundation said students were being coerced "to forgo their constitutional right to a secular government." Kalispell superintendent Darlene Schottle responded that participation in the concerts was voluntary and not allowing participation "because of the Christian theme of the overall event" might violate the free exercise of religion.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kalispell<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Christmas Banned?</b><br><br>
|
||
The PTA of Nichols Elementary School distributed a letter which informed parents that there should be no Christmas trees--or even use of the colors red and green--at the school's upcoming "Winter Party." Some saw the policy as a ban on Christmas. State Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Frisco)--who sponsored the state's "Merry Christmas Law"--called the ban "unnecessary, inappropriate, and...draconian in nature." The school's principal met with the PTA and allowed the prohibition to remain, reportedly citing a desire avoid offending anyone.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Frisco<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Religion or Mass Murder the Problem?</b><br><br>
|
||
A 5th grade student at the Patel Partnership School gave a speech to his class, as part of a contest, discussing how people have used religion to justify murder. Zachary Golob-Drake ended up winning the contest in has class, but was told afterward by the school's assistant principal that his speech was inappropriate, he'd need to rewrite it for the schoolwide contest, and she took his winning ribbon. After Golob-Drake's family objected the student's ribbon was restored, but the school-wide contest was postponed and parents were to receive permission slips with speech details so parents could decide if they woanted their children to hear them. District spokesperson Tanya Arja maintained that the objection wasn't to religion, but "the topic of mass murders."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hillsborough County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>No Preponderant Holiday</b><br><br>
|
||
A parent of a Fairfield Ludlowe High School student complained that students in her daughter's class were prohibted by their teacher from putting up Christmas-themed displays for a holiday door decorating contest. According to school headmaster Greg Hatzis, "The difficulty is that we want everyone to feel a part of the school community. Anytime there is a preponderance of any particular holiday, you don't want people to feel excluded." The aggrieved parent thought Christmas itself was targeted. "If Hanukkah or Kwanzaa were targeted like that there would be such outrage," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fairfield<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Religion Removed from "Silent Night"</b><br><br>
|
||
Some audience members at Ralph J. Osgood Intermediate School were upset when the school's choir sang "Silent Night" with the words "Holy Infant, "Round yon virgin," and "Christ the Savior" removed. Said district superintendent Susan Agruso, "The chorale director thought it was an appropriate way to represent the song without offending those of other faiths." Parent Robert Dowd was not happy. "It's kind of insulting," he said. The King's Park Central Board of Education apologized for the revisions.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> King's Park Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Charlie Brown" at Church</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Terry Elementary School brought home letters informing their parents that they would be going to a local church to see a stage production of "A Charlie Brown Christmas." One of the parents notified a local atheist group, the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers. The group's vice president objected to the planned trip, citing the play's "religious content" and the fact that it would be performed "in a religious venue." School district spokesperson Pamela Smith defended the trip, saying, "The teachers wanted to provide a cultural opportunity through a holiday production...The school district does not support or promote religious affiliations." The church canceled the student matinee performance because of the controversy.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Little Rock<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Bisexual Teacher Invites Students to Commitment Ceremony</b><br><br>
|
||
After students repeatedly asked to come to his commitment ceremony, Chance Nalley extended an invitation to the entire seventh grade of Columbia Secondary School. The invitation--and the fact that Nalley would be committing himself to another man--disturbed some parents. Two of them told the school's principal that they did not want Nalley teaching their children. "If a secularist teacher in a school invited his or her students over to a ritual of initiation into becoming a Christian and invited his students to attend this, I could just imagine the hullabaloo that you'd see," said Frank Russo of the American Family Association of New York. However, most of the students supported Nalley and planned to attend the ceremony.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New York City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Anti-gay T-shirt</b><br><br>
|
||
When Tyler Chase Harper wore a T-shirt that said "Homosexuality is shameful," he started a legal firestorm. The District asked Harper to remove the potentially inflammatory shirt. Harper said that doing so would violate his freedoms of religion and expression. In April 2004, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided 2 to 1 that the Poway dress code prohibiting students from wearing clothing with hurtful or potentially disruptive sayings was constitutional. In May, action took place on another suit Harper had launched against the district, this time accusing school administrators of acting improperly when they removed him from class for wearing the shirt. Poway Schools attorneys were feeling especially boxed in: The district recently lost a case brought by two homosexual students who accused school leaders of doing too little to fight harassment. "We are being sued for stopping it and we are being sued for not stopping it," lamented Poway Schools lawyer Jack Sleeth. In 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court turned down Harper's case, ruling that the by-then graduated plaintiff had lost his standing.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Poway Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Banning JROTC</b><br><br>
|
||
In May 2008, the San Francisco Board of Education considered a proposal to ban the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) from public high schools. The proposal came after members of the community objected to the armed forces' "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Mark Sanchez, the board's only openly gay member and author of the measure, argued that "if the military said 'You can't be openly Jewish or you can't be openly Catholic,' I don't think we would have stood for it." 1,625 San Francisco students participated in JROTC the previous year, and many -- backed especially by Asian-American veterans -- fought to save it. "It helped my self-esteem," Cadet Rick Chen told San Francisco's ABC News affiliate. "I know I can do this. I'm confident. I'm able to speak in front of people."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> San Francisco Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gay, Transgender Contributions in Texts</b><br><br>
|
||
California's first openly gay legislator pushed a bill through the state Senate in May 2006 that would have required state textbooks to include contributions from gay and transgendered Californians. "Our community is invisible in all of the teaching material," complained Senator Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica), who sponsored the bill. Many Californians, however, were outraged by the measure. "While half the Hispanic and black students drop out of school, the Legislature is sexually indoctrinating our students," said Randy Thomasson, president of the Campaign for Children and Families. The bill was eventually changed by the Assembly to only prohibit negative portrayals of gay people in textbooks, and was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. However, Governor Brown signed the legislation in July 2011. In October 2011, opponents of the law unsuccessfully attempted to qualify a ballot referendum to repeal it.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gender Diversity Lessons</b><br><br>
|
||
Gender diversity lessons caused controversy at Redwood Heights Elementary School, where children were taught that being transgender is something that should be accepted and respected. "If we don't have a safe, nurturing class environment, it's going to be hard to learn," said Principal Sara Stone. "Really, the message behind this curriculum is there are different ways to be boys. There are different ways to be girls." The Pacific Justice Institute sued the district in response, arguing that "This instruction does not represent the values of the majority of families in Oakland."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Oakland Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Proposition 8</b><br><br>
|
||
The Creative Arts Charter School planned a first grade field trip for students to see their lesbian teacher marry her partner in a wedding performed by Mayor Gavin Newsom. Publicity surrounding the trip led to a discussion of whether a failure of Proposition 8 to pass would lead to public schools teaching children about gay marriage. "The California Education Code clearly states that schools would be required to provide instruction to children as young as kindergarteners that same-sex marriage is the same as traditional marriage," said Jennifer Kerns, a spokesperson for ProtectMarriage.com. The official Proposition 8 voter guide read, "We should not accept a court decision that results in public schools teaching our kids that gay marriage is okay. That is an issue for parents to discuss with their children according to their own values and beliefs. It shouldn't be forced on us against our will." Others called such assertions "fear-mongering." "They just made something up in order to scare people and change the subject," said Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> San Francisco Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Tolerance vs. Indoctrination</b><br><br>
|
||
Governor Schwarzenegger signed a law that will remove the term "sex" as a classification and add "gender" and "sexual orientation." The law aims to protect students from harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but opponents said that under the new law teachers who discuss the traditional family without mentioning alternative families could be considered guilty of discrimination. They also feared that it could lead to boys pretending to be girls in order to gain access to the girl's locker room. "This will harm children as young as kindergarten...Every May 22, AB 2567 will positively portray to children homosexual experimentation, homosexual 'marriages,' sex-change operations and anything else that's 'in the closet'" said Randy Thomasson, president of the Campaign for Children and Families. "It's a form of indoctrination when you bring that into schools," said Grossmont Union High School Board President Priscilla Schreiber.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Character Funds Rejected</b><br><br>
|
||
A $55,000 grant from the Boy Scouts of America to fund character education, which the district had accepted for ten years, was turned down for the first time when school board members determined that the Scouts unacceptably discriminated against homosexuals. Board member Linda Lerner said the Scouts, by rejecting homosexuals, sent the message that gays don't meet Scout qualities of being "morally straight" and "clean." The Boy Scouts of America responded that it "teaches its members to use courtesy and respect at all times. To disagree does not mean to disrespect."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pinellas County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Gay-Straight Alliance Equal Access</b><br><br>
|
||
Okeechobee High School refused to allow the Gay-Straight Alliance, a group that promotes sexual diversity and tolerance, to meet on school grounds. The school district asserted that the state's abstinence-only policy prohibited any "sex-based club." The ACLU took the case to court, arguing that the prohibition violated federal law allowing all groups the right to form in public schools. The GSA eventually won the right to meet in the school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Okeechobee<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Must Anti-Bullying Specify for Sexual Orientation?</b><br><br>
|
||
A Florida bill that aimed to stop bullying at public schools came under fire because, while it countered "sexual, religious or racial harassment," it failed to mention sexual orientation. When a group of students asked a House committee considering the bill to include protection specifically for gay students, they reported a cold reception. Jessica Osborn, among those who petitioned, said that after telling one representative–Alan Hays (R-Umatilla)–her bullying story, "He proceeded to say he was repulsed by homosexuals and we needed extensive psychological treatment." Hays denied saying he was repulsed, but acknowledged that he said homosexuals need "some psychological treatment." He added, "(I) listened to their beliefs and asked if they wanted to hear my beliefs." The bill passed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Expanding Palm Beach Sex Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
Schools in Palm Beach County introduced, in addition to abstinence education, information regarding the use of contraceptives to counter teen pregnancy. Wendy Spielman, who oversaw the district's science curriculum, said, "We first stress abstinence. However, there are students out there that have made the decision to have sex, and we have to make sure they have the information to protect themselves." Particularly thorny was that the district planned to use science teachers to provide the new instruction, and district leaders feared they would introduce their personal views. To prevent that, teachers received training on how to not answer uncomfortable questions.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Palm Beach<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Girl in Tuxedo</b><br><br>
|
||
For her senior yearbook photo, Kelli Davis, a lesbian, wore a tuxedo, one of two attire options school officials gave the students. Fleming Island High School Principal Sam Ward refused to let Davis's picture go in the yearbook because he said it violated the dress code. Davis appealed the decision to the Clay County School Board, which sided with Ward. Eventually, Davis threatened to take the district to federal court, and then the district agreed to enter into mediation. Davis and the Board eventually settled, with the Board promising to change the way senior portraits are governed and to provide faculty and staff with sexual orientation training. Davis was pleased with the outcome, but Principal Ward refused to say how he might judge portraits in the future. "I have made my [previous] decision," he said. "That ought to tell you something."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clay County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Back and Forth on Single-Sex Ed</b><br><br>
|
||
The Greene County school board attempted to separate its public schools by gender to improve test scores and lower the rate of teen pregnancy. As soon as the measure was passed, however, there was significant pushback from students, parents, and others within the community. Superintendent Shawn McCollough, who pushed the measure through the board, said, "This school district is in bad shape. Our kids need help faster than what we're doing, and that's why we're moving to a faster, more innovative program." However, Leanord Sax, head of the National Association for Single Sex Public Education, said that the board made the wrong decision in forcing students to go to single-sex schools. "Co-education is not the best way. Single sex is not the best way. We need to educate parents of the benefits of each format, so parents choose," said Sax. The board eventually dropped the proposal.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Greene County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gay-Straight Alliance Eliminated</b><br><br>
|
||
In January 2005, students wanted to start a Gay-Straight Alliance club at White County High School. After a highly contentious debate, the school board agreed to let the club form. Soon after, administrators at the high school eliminated all "noncurricular clubs," and in June, Superintendent Paul Shaw said the "clubs have not lived up to what they are supposed to be doing." "Plus," he added, "we want to focus on academics this coming school year." The ACLU, however, argued that the school was still allowing some clubs to meet and sued the district, saying it had violated the federal Equal Access Act. The district and ACLU settled in January 2007. The GSA club would be allowed to meet on campus, and the district agreed to promote policies against sexual orientation-based harassment.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> White County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teacher Compares Homosexuality to Necrophilia</b><br><br>
|
||
When schoolteacher Tanya Ditty spoke in opposition to a bill that would have banned discrimination against LGBT state employees--including teachers--she ignited a national firestorm. Ditty claimed that the bill would protect all sexual orientations, including necrophilia, pedophilia, and voyeurism. "There are people that just want to prey on children, and they would have to be given a job," she said. Although Ditty offered the only testimony in opposition to the bill, the committee voted 3-2 to table it.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gay-Friendly, or Gay-Segregating?</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2008, the designers of a potential gay-friendly high school in Chicago decided to table the project until a later year. The design team, which had heavily diluted the proposal by throwing out all references to gay students and changing the name of the school, was not able to agree on the proposal. "When we tried to compromise as much as we could with our language, even changing our name, in the end, the design team couldn't fully agree that this proposal should go through," said Katherine Hogan, one of the designers. After the project was tabled, minister Wilfredo De Jesus claimed that he and hundreds of other ministers would oppose the designers if they attempted to go back to the original proposal, saying that it would segregate gay youths from the rest of the community. "I was recommending that we make a school that's all-inclusive, for kids that are straight, gay, obese and not just target one group of people," said De Jesus.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Anti-Gay Flyers = Disorderly Conduct?</b><br><br>
|
||
Two teenage girls from Crystal Lake South High School were arrested for disorderly conduct after they passed out anti-gay flyers at their school. According to the police report, the girls were targeting a male student they disliked. The fliers consisted of anti-gay language and a picture of two boys kissing. One of the girls was placed in the local juvenile center due to her past run-in with police, while the other was allowed to await her charges at home. Said Charles McKenney, lawyer for one of the girls, "I believe (the prosecution) more attacks the speech, and at this point, they haven't shown what conduct was truly disorderly. The issue should be her conduct, not the content of the flier."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Crystal Lake<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b><i>Brokeback Mountain</i> for Middle School?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Chicago Board of Education was sued when a substitute teacher at Ashburn Community Elementary School showed the movie <i>Brokeback Mountain</i> in class. The movie depicts cowboys who have a homosexual affair. According to the lawsuit, twelve-year-old Jessica Turner suffered psychological distress after her teacher showed the movie to her class. Turner and her grandparents filed a suit against the Chicago Board of Education. "It's very important to me that my children not be exposed to this. The teacher knew she was not supposed to do this," said Jessica's grandfather, Kenneth Richardson. The suit also stated that the teacher closed the door and showed the video without permission from parents. "What happens in Ms. Buford's class stays in Ms. Buford's class," she was quoted as saying. Jessica Turner and her grandparents also filed a complaint in 2005 about class texts that included curse words.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Respect, or Indoctrination?</b><br><br>
|
||
Deerfield High School District 113 became embroiled in controversy over a program in which gay and transgender students spoke at mandatory freshman seminars. Parent Lora Sue Hauser said the program was teaching homosexuality as socially tolerable without presenting the other side. "The school makes heterosexuality and homosexuality equivalent, and our country is deeply divided on that," said Hause. Erin Kaplan, a transgender student, supported the program, saying, "What is important is that we learn to respect each other as peers. That's really the heart of what we talk about." In response to the school's actions, some Deerfield students held a "Day of Truth" protest against homosexuality. The issue took another turn when the Deerfield High School administration held a seminar on gay acceptance and had students sign an agreement not to tell their parents. The Concerned Women for America called that move a "shocking and brazen act of government abuse of parental rights." Superintendent George Fornero said it was a "mistake."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Deerfield High School District 113<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Fired For Being Gay, or Poor Judgment?</b><br><br>
|
||
Richard Mitchell, an openly gay superintendent, filed a complaint with the Illinois Human Rights Commission after threats of being fired. Mitchell believed that the school board marginalized his impact and threatened to void his contract because of his sexual orientation. But Mitchell was in trouble for a controversial video he made for district staff, a spliced-together mock interview of teachers which had one sound like a murderer. Mitchell filed a lawsuit after getting fired by the school board on a 4-2 vote. Mitchell's lawyer, James P. Madigan, said that he had witnesses that would testify that the board did not want Mitchell to continue as superintendent because of his sexual orientation. In 2010 the Commission found "substantial evidence" of discrimination.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Bremen High School District 228<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Abstinence only and Controversy</b><br><br>
|
||
Karen Henk, a mother in Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200, asked the school board to end its abstinence-only education curriculum in the local middle school. She argued that children were not learning how to realistically prevent pregnancy, and the information students learned was "inadequate and at times dangerously misleading." Said Henk, "hopefully most (students) will postpone sexual activity for many years, and a few will wait until marriage. But the purpose of sex ed should be providing ALL of the tools necessary to help young people make responsible decisions." School board president Andy Johnson said that abstinence education was not mandated by the district, and prominent Republican Mark Stern said that the community generally demanded abstinence-only education.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Gender-Bender" Controversy</b><br><br>
|
||
Numerous students were reportedly removed by their parents from East High School in Des Moines and put into homeschooling or private schools after a cross-dressing event took place during homecoming week. However, a spokesman for Des Moines Schools said that the number of unhappy parents was likely exaggerated, and that the gender-bending was one of several "voluntary activities that the students put on."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Des Moines<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Bullying: Gay Victims Only?</b><br><br>
|
||
A forum addressing the bullying of gay students was scheduled to be held in Cedar Rapids. The Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission voted 5-4 not to support the discussion. The commission was torn between members who could not support a forum that focused exclusively on the bullying of homosexual students, and those members who thought that any forum on bullying was worth supporting. "They have a political agenda," said Mike Hartwig of the Iowa Family Policy Council. "It seems pretty evident if this was about bullying, they would have people coming from more than one perspective." Commission member Virgil Goodling countered Hartwig's sentiment, asserting that it was the commission's decision that was "purely political by folks who want to play politics."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cedar Rapids<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Specifically Mention Gays?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Marshalltown school district was divided over a proposal to specifically list gay students as protected from harassment. Many residents feared that by giving gay students specific mention in the policy, they would be condoning homosexual behavior. Others thought that the best way to address harassment was to cover everyone without listing individual traits. As reported by the Des Moines Register, the debate got extremely emotional: "Marshalltown father Doug Hensley wept as he explained why he believes gay and lesbian students should be specifically listed in school anti-harassment policies. Hensley said his son, who is gay, experienced harassment starting in the second grade, and, despite a passion for academics, quit high school after one day of ninth-grade classes."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Marshalltown<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Anti-Harassment or Pro-Proselytizing?</b><br><br>
|
||
A policy intended to protect homosexual employees from harassment and discrimination was expected to pass easily. However, it passed only narrowly when Jefferson County School Board member Linda Duncan changed her vote. Duncan's switch came after she heard that a lesbian teacher had pulled aside a student who had spoken offensively about lesbians and shared her sexual orientation with the student. For Duncan, the incident substantiated fears expressed by others that changing the policy would give teachers the green light to discuss their sexual orientations with students--and perhaps even proselytize to them. Duncan said that teachers "can't cross the line and discuss (their) sexual preference with a student--it's just like religion, you can't take a moment and discuss it in school, it's not appropriate." Kat Crawford--the teacher in question--countered that she is a good math teacher and does not proselytize. However, she also said, "When students make slurs and derogatory comments to each other or about other groups of people, I respond."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jefferson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Which Bathroom for Transgender Student?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Asa C. Adams Elementary School was accused of discrimination by a student's grandfather because it was letting a 10-year-old boy--Nicole Maines--with "sexual orientation or gender identification" issues use the girls' restroom (the school would not let the man's grandson do the same). The grandfather opposed the use of a girls' restroom by a biologically male child. In 2009, the Maine Human Rights Commission ruled against the grandfather. "Little boys do not belong in the little girls room, and vice versa," the grandfather said. "This isn't just about my kid. A lot of children have come up to me and said that this isn't right." The commission also ruled that it was discriminatory to not let the transgendered student--who for a time was required to use a single-stall faculty bathroom--use the girls' restroom. In 2012, a Superior Court judge found against the transgendered child in a suit against the district, stating that the district did not discriminate by requiring the student to use the faculty bathroom. In June 2013, the Supreme Judicial Court heard Maines' case. "(Maines') testimony was that she experienced the school picking her out of the crowd and putting her in a completely separate space, making her feel like an abnormal kid,” explained Jennifer Levi, with Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders in Boston. In February 2014 the court ruled for Maines, saying all public schools in the state must allow children to select a bathroom based on their own gender identity. In December 2014, the Penobscot County Superior Court ordered the district to pay Maines' lawyers $75,000.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Riverside RSU #26<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Discussing Sex-Change Operations</b><br><br>
|
||
Emer O'Shea reported that her 8-year-old daughter asked her, "Is it possible for a man to have an operation to become a woman?" O'Shea's daughter heard about the subject in the classroom after another student thought a picture of a woman was "a man who had a sex-change operation." The student who asked the question has a father who underwent such an operation. The social worker who answered the question was Laura Perkins, a former board member of the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network. Principal Cynthia Marchand backed Perkins, and Superintendent Jeff Young portrayed the discussion as a "teachable moment" in response to a child's "random questioning." State law mandates that "parents must be informed whenever anything of a sexual nature occurs in the classroom," but Young concluded the topic was not planned and therefore responding was appropriate. O'Shea eventually transferred her daughter to a private school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Franklin<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b><em>King and King</em></b><br><br>
|
||
The reading of <em>King and King</em>--which depicts a prince falling in love with and marrying another prince--to second graders at Joseph Estabrook Elementary School angered parent Robin Wirthlin. He complained that reading such a story to seven-year-old children was tantamount to indoctrination. "They're intentionally presenting (gay marriage) as a norm, and it's not a value that our family supports," she said. Superintendent Paul Ash responded that the district had no legal obligation to notify parents about the book, and added, "We couldn't run a public school system if every parent who feels some topic is objectionable to them for moral or religious reason decides their child should be removed."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lexington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>More to Diversity Than Sexual Orientation?</b><br><br>
|
||
In planning Tantasqua Senior High School's annual Diversity Week for the 2005-06 school year--during which the school's Gay-Straight Student Alliance would be sponsoring a Day of Silence--school board members argued over whether the activities were disproportionately focusing on homosexuality rather than all kinds of diversity. "You are allowing one group special access," complained one member. Member William Gillmeister went further, suggesting that children who felt homosexuality is wrong had felt intimidated during previous days of silence. Superintendent Kathleen H. Reynolds supported the Day of Silence, noting that "there is an incredibly high suicide rate" among gay students. She believed that observing the Day of Silence would help to address that problem.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Sturbridge<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Suspended over Gay Rap</b><br><br>
|
||
A middle school performing arts teacher was suspended for three days after playing a pro-gay marriage rap song to eighth graders. Some students objected to the message and reported it to school administrators, who suspended the teacher for three days. The district maintained that the song contained inappropriate content concerning sexual orientation, religion, and other matters. The teacher, Susan Johnson, said, "I want the kids to feel comfortable in my class no matter who they are."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> South Lyon<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gays being Bullied: Teachers "Neutral?"</b><br><br>
|
||
Anoka-Hennepin was the center of a national debate over sexual orientation-based bullying after several bullied students committed suicide, and some teachers complained about a district policy requiring them to remain neutral on matters of sexual orientation. Eventually two lawsuits were lodged against the district. Those lawsuits were not resolved until the district entered into an agreement with the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice that required the district to make substantial increases in bullying monitoring and prevention efforts. Numerous residents feared that the new policies would ultimately lead to the inclusion of gay activism in the schools. Superintendent Dennis Carlson said that the ferocity of the conflict was a function of the large district encompassing diverse groups of people, rural to urban, conservative to liberal. "That's why we've been chosen for this political battleground," he said. "(But) it's not a battle we want to fight. That's not why we're here."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Anoka-Hennepin<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>No Tux or Same-Sex Date at Prom</b><br><br>
|
||
The Itawamba County district cancelled its prom after a lesbian student, Constance McMillen, demanded to be allowed to attend with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo. District policy dictated that prom dates be of the opposite sex. The ACLU claimed that denying McMillen the right to attend prom with a date and outfit of her choosing breached her constitutional rights. Ultimately, the district cancelled the prom. The ACLU sued, demanding that the district host a prom and allow McMillen to attend with her girlfriend while wearing a tuxedo. Said one student, "Either way someone was going to get disappointed--either Constance was or we were." At least two privately run proms were eventually held, and McMillen was discouraged from attending the larger of the two. A federal court eventually ruled against the district, saying it had violated McMillen's rights. However, the court also said it could not force the district to host a prom.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Itawamba County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Female Student Not Allowed to Wear Tux for Yearbook Photo</b><br><br>
|
||
Wesson Attendance Center student Ceara Sturgis's request to wear a tuxedo in her senior photograph was denied. School officials said only boys were allowed to wear tuxedos. Sturgis insisted that it was her right to decide how she looked in the senior picture. The Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi sued on Sturgis' behalf, arguing that her free expression rights were being violated. Said Sturgis, "All I want is to be able to be me, and to be included in the yearbook." In 2011, Sturgis and the district settled, and the photograph policy was changed such that all students would be required to wear caps and gowns.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Copiah County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gay Date Allowed</b><br><br>
|
||
After the Southern Poverty Law Center threatened to sue Scott County Central Schools for prohibiting a gay student from bringing his boyfriend to the prom, the district altered its policy on prom dates. Originally, the policy had read, "High school students will be permitted to invite one guest, girls invite boys and boys invite girls."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Scott County Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gay-Straight Alliance Opposed, Ultimately Approved</b><br><br>
|
||
In response to parents at Piedra Vista High School who opposed an attempt to create a Gay-Straight Alliance, the ACLU sent the school a letter informing them of their "legal obligation to permit the GSA to form." Peter Simonson, Executive Director of the ACLU of New Mexico, explained that "the school either maintains a fair and open forum for clubs to exist, or it doesn't." Several students and parents expressed fears that the club would not accord with their religious beliefs, and teacher Shawn Waller said that, to avoid legal problems, he would support eliminating all extra-curricular clubs. "Because of the consternation this is causing, and because it goes against a lot of values in this community...I'd rather all the nonacademic clubs go away," he said. The school board eventually approved the club, but added a requirement that students get permission slips signed by parents to join nonacademic organizations.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Farmington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gay Couples Pictured in Yearbook</b><br><br>
|
||
The 2008 Clovis High School yearbook included photos and interviews with gay couples, despite criticism from former lieutenant governor Walter Bradley and Christian organizations. "I think it's highly inappropriate to place that in that venue," Bradley said. "I do not in any way believe this reflects the attitudes and values of this community." Maggie Chavez, the yearbook student editor-in-chief, said that the staff "just wanted to show that there is diversity. There (are) gay and lesbian couples in the school and they have a right to be in the yearbook just as much as anybody else does." After the debate, the school board changed district rules to give principals the authority to review work before publication.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clovis Municipal<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Film with Gay Parents Shelved</b><br><br>
|
||
<em>That's a Family</em>, a half-hour video that depicts children discussing different types of family structures, including gay parents, ignited a firestorm in Evesham when the film was shown to third graders. Several parents complained that the children were too young for such a controversial topic--or that the film was not appropriate at all. After much debate, and a poll showing an almost 50-50 split among district residents on showing the film, the district decided not to show the video. "It's something to be discussed within families," said one parent. Countered Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality, "We think the school board's decision hinges on its fear of one community--the lesbian and gay community."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Evesham<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>The Play Will Go On</b><br><br>
|
||
The Ocean Township School District was embroiled in controversy after it initially prohibited students from performing the play <em>The Laramie Project</em>. In light of the play's "highly provocative nature," Ocean Township High School principal Julia Davidow initially rejected a proposal for the school to put on the play, which depicts real people's dialogue about the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay man, in Laramie, Wyoming. This led to a number of people in the community calling for the play to be presented, and the district superintendent eventually allowed it to go forward.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Ocean Township<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gay Kiss Blacked Out</b><br><br>
|
||
Newark superintendent Marion Bolden decided to black out a picture of a gay student and his boyfriend kissing in a paid East Side High School yearbook ad. The student paid $150 for a special dedication page in which he included a picture of he and his boyfriend kissing. Bolden decided that the photo looked "illicit" and said "either heterosexual or gay, it should have been blacked out. It's how they posed for the picture." He ordered that the picture in every yearbook be colored over with black marker. This outraged many students, including Andre Jackson, who took out the ad. "I don't understand," said Andre Jackson, the student who took out the ad. "There is no rule about no gay pictures, no guys kissing. Guys and girls kissing made it in." Bolden eventually apologized and ordered "un-redacted" copies for any students who asked for them.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Newark<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Cross-Dressing" Fashion Show Cancelled</b><br><br>
|
||
A superintendent cancelled a third grade class fashion show, intended to go along with Women's History Month, due to parents' complaints that boys were being required to wear women's clothes. In a letter sent home to Maude Wilkens Elementary School parents, it was explained that boys and girls would dress in female styles from throughout American history. "My son was very upset," said mother Janine Giandomenico. "He said, 'mommy, please don't make me do this.' My husband and I are very open-minded, but this is a decision for my son to make when he's old enough to understand it." Some observers were also concerned that the event coincided with the national "Day of Silence," an event intended to raise awareness about the bullying of gay students. The school principal said that there was a "misunderstanding," and students ultimately made drawings of their styles of choice instead of wearing them.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Maple Shade<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Transgender Substitute Rankles Some</b><br><br>
|
||
At age 65, substitute teacher William McBeth decided to undergo a sex change and become Lily McBeth. At age 70 the change was completed, and William McBeth reapplied for his job as Lily. After the school board hired McBeth by a 4-1 vote, a major controversy broke out as a group of parents objected to the hiring, culminating in a contentious school board meeting. "You are forcing sexuality questions on my children (that) they are not capable of understanding," complained Mark Schnepp, the father of two district students. Schnepp also said that having McBeth teach his children "violates my religious beliefs." Defenders of McBeth were also present, including members of Garden State Equality, some of whom carried placards calling New Jersey "the state that doesn't hate." In the end, the school board reaffirmed its hiring decision, but McBeth got only a few substitute jobs before retiring in 2009.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Eagleswood<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Attorney Accused of Being Anti-Gay Put on Board</b><br><br>
|
||
The North Carolina General Assembly confirmed Buddy Collins--an attorney known for his opposition to including "sexual orientation" in a nondiscrimination policy--to the State Board of Education. Democrats in the state House and Senate proposed an amendment that would have removed Collins from the confirmed nominees, but the GOP-controlled legislature rejected the proposal.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Bullying Bill</b><br><br>
|
||
After years of debate, a statewide policy aimed at curbing bullying was signed by Governor Bev Perdue. Social conservatives sought to remove part of the bill that said bullying could be prompted by specific, innate characteristics--such as race, appearance, or sexual orientation. "Frankly, I think it's a hard bill to vote against because it's really about protecting our children and making our schools safer," said Ian Palmquist, a member of Equality North Carolina, a gay rights group. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, said, "(H)omosexuality, bisexuality, transgender, cross dressing and other alternate sexual behaviors are not immutable, but changeable. It would be most egregious to affirm by state law that what is unnatural behavior is somehow unchangeably innate." Others opposed the measure on the grounds that all kids should be protected. "Doesn't the phrase 'no student' cover all the categories you can think of?" said Rep. John Blust (R-Guilford). The bill passed in 2009.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>School Fires Gay Principal</b><br><br>
|
||
Tom Klansnic was forced out of his job as the principal of North Gresham Elementary School, a move which he says was motivated by his divorcing of his wife and coming out as gay a couple of years earlier. The district said that, by law, it could not disclose the reasons for Klansnic's termination. However, the district did say it was committed to a discrimination-free working environment.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gresham-Barlow<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Formation of Gay-Straight Alliance Club Prompts Resignation</b><br><br>
|
||
Eddie Walker, principal of Irmo High School, objected to the idea of students forming a Gay-Straight Alliance Club. John Dawkins, a gay student who dropped out of school because of bullying, said that a GSA would "offer a safe space" and a "forum" for discussion. Walker felt that the club conflicted with his "professional beliefs and religious convictions" and "could be hurtful to kids." District officials informed Walker that, according to federal law, he had to either allow the club or ban all noncurricular clubs. Walker supported the former option, but nonetheless chose to resign as principal because of the GSA club.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lexington-Richland 5<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Schools Censor LGBT Websites</b><br><br>
|
||
A student attempted to access the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network via a school computer. A message appeared on the screen which read, "You have been denied access to (this site) as it is characterized as LGBT." A student sent a screenshot of the message to the ACLU, which filed a lawsuit in response to the "unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination." Notably, while the LGBT support sites were blocked, sites that condemned homosexuality were not. "All we ever wanted was to be able to get information out about LGBT issues, like what our legal rights are or what scholarships are available for LGBT students," explained Bryanna Shelton of Fulton High School. In response to the lawsuit, the filtering software used by many Tennessee schools was changed to allow access to LGBT sites.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Knox County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Principal Outs Gay Students</b><br><br>
|
||
Daphne Beasley, principal of Hollis F. Price Middle College High School, asked her staff to give her the names of students who were couples. She wanted to monitor them in order to reduce public displays of affection. However, by publicly posting this list, she revealed the homosexuality of two students, Andrew and Nicholas. "It was actually frightening," Nicholas said, "to see a list with my name on it where not just other teachers could see, but students as well...I really feel that my personal privacy was invaded." ACLU attorney Christine Sun agreed, saying, "The Constitution protects all of us from the government intruding in our private lives when there isn't a reason to do that. This was legally and morally wrong."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Memphis City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Gendertopia" Program</b><br><br>
|
||
Burlington School District funded a voluntary afterschool program called "Gendertopia," which was designed to help students explore the concept of gender. "They get a lot out of it that will help them be much more inclusive and accepting of differences in their own future, which can only help them be successful," said Superintendent Jeanne Collins. Steve Cable of Vermont Renewal is skeptical about the program. "It just makes me really nervous that sexuality and these very complicated social behaviors are being normalized and talked about with kids who haven't figured out their own life yet," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Burlington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Gay Speaker Canceled</b><br><br>
|
||
Chittenden South Supervisory Union officials attempted to schedule a gay speaker to talk to seventh- and eighth-grade students about harassment of gay students. However, the disapproval of parents caused the school system to cancel the presentation. Kate Jerman, co-executive director of Outright
|
||
Vermont, the group scheduled to make the presentation, was disappointed. "The message (students) got was clearly this isn’t an OK thing to talk about. That’s a lot of damage to the school climate from one very small action," she said. However, parent Chris Geffken complained that, by hosting the speaker, the school would be "promoting a lifestyle that is against our belief system and our faith."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chittenden South Supervisory Union<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>LGBT Speaker Talks</b><br><br>
|
||
A speaker from the LGBT group Outright Vermont gave an anti-bullying talk at Lyman Hunt Middle School. Some parents were angry that they were not informed about the talk ahead of time. "We're Catholic. So far as I'm concerned, parents should be teaching their children," said parent Mary Rouille. "If we can't bring our religion into the school, they shouldn't bring their beliefs in." Burlington School Superintendent Jeanne Collins defended the talk, saying,
|
||
A speaker from the LGBT group Outright Vermont gave an anti-bullying talk at Lyman Hunt Middle School. Some parents were angry that they were not informed about the talk ahead of time. "We're Catholic. So far as I'm concerned, parents should be teaching their children," said parent Mary Rouille. "If we can't bring our religion into the school, they shouldn't bring their beliefs in." Burlington School Superintendent Jeanne Collins Defended the talk, saying,
|
||
"We're not promoting any agenda...We're giving a real-life experience and creating an awareness for students around one aspect of our harassment policy."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Burlington<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Cub Scouts Banned?</b><br><br>
|
||
The principal of Mountain View Elementary School informed a Cub Scout pack that they could no longer meet at the school because of the Scouts' policy toward gays. On behalf of two parents, Salt Lake City School Board member Michael Clara filed a complaint against the decision. "A marketplace of ideas devoid of competitive viewpoints engenders an insidious society of conformity, contrary to the fundamental precepts of our Constitution," Clara said. School district officials disputed this account of events, saying that, although the principal had reservations about the Scouts' policy toward gays, Scouts would still be allowed to meet in the school if they went through the same process as other outside groups. A few months later, the district invited the Scouts back.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Salt Lake City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Blind Eye to Gay Bullying?</b><br><br>
|
||
A 14-year-old student at Mount Si High School was being taunted about his supposed sexual orientation. The bullied student's friend told the bully to stop. A fourth student (16 years old) then attacked the student who had stuck up for his friend. The younger student was left with a broken eye socket, two broken teeth, and a concussion. The mothers of the bullied student and the beaten student were disappointed with the school's handling of the incident. Heather Sommers, mother of the bullied student, said, "When we asked to be heard, (the school was) defiant. Instead of protecting the youth in their school, their purpose seemed to be to circle the wagons and protect themselves." Principal Randy Taylor said, "We processed this as a fight...We viewed this as a regrettable incident and were really sorry that one of our students got hurt. We were not aware of the gay factor until weeks later." The parents of both the bullied student and the beaten student removed their sons from Mount Si High School because of the incident and what they felt were deficiencies in the school's response.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Snoqualmie Valley<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Day of Silence, Not So Silent</b><br><br>
|
||
Many Mount Si High School students took part in the national Day of Silence to show their support for LGBT students. However, because of the Day of Silence, a third of the school's students did not show up for classes. The boycott was urged by Concerned Women for America and other conservative Christian groups. Moreover, Rev. Ken Hutcherson, an opponent of gay rights, held a protest just outside of the school. A counter-protest formed as well. "We want to let students in the (Gay Straight Alliance) know they have support in the community," said Mount Si parent Lucinda Hauser. Student Max Rosentreter seemed to feel that the support was necessary. "No one's (openly gay). They're scared of getting hurt," he said. Lynette Smallwood, another parent, disagreed with the in-school show of support for LGBT students. "It's not appropriate to have during school...They're not getting an education," she said. Principal Randy Taylor viewed the events of the Day of Silence as a "lesson in democracy" for the students. "They learned they can express themselves and respect other points of view," he said. Taylor was also pleased that teachers had continued to instruct as usual, unlike in previous years when some had participated in the Day of Silence alongside students.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Snoqualmie Valley<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Transvestite Day?</b><br><br>
|
||
Deidri Hernandez did not allow her son to go to school on "Switch It Up Day," when students went to school dressed as members of the opposite sex. Hernandez felt that having elementary school students dress as "transvestites" was creepy and distracted from the learning process. Moreover, she felt that the event was exposing children to homosexual or transsexual ideas at an age she considered too young. School officials said Hernandez had the wrong idea about the event. "This is an idea created by students as one in a series of school spirit days," said Milwaukee Public Schools spokesman Tony Tagliavia. "As with other days, participation is voluntary," he added.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Milwaukee<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Transgender Student Wants to be King</b><br><br>
|
||
Kasey Caron's birth certificate recognizes him as a female. However, when the transgender Richland High School student was nominated to the homecoming court, he sought to be placed on the king ballot. Caron pointed out that his driver's license had been switched from female to male, but Richland's school board continued to recognize only the sex on Caron's birth certificate as being legally binding. The school board refused to intervene with the high school on Caron's behalf. "Honestly, I was again disappointed by the board. By not making a decision, they're sweeping this problem under the rug...Another transgender kid is going to come through this school again one day and there will be no precedent set for their case, and they will have to fight the same battle," said Caron. He added, "The reason I fought this so hard, is for the simple fact that it's my right to run for king as much as it is anyone else's...It shouldn't even really be a fight."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Richland<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Calendar Recognizes Gay History Month</b><br><br>
|
||
The Philadelphia School District recognized Gay and Lesbian History Month on official district calendars. School officials said they were trying to be inclusive and follow district policy. Many parents complained about the decision. Some said it was a political decision and would be "confusing" for children. "What were you thinking?" admonished Ann Martin. Rashad Faheem Shabazz asked what the district would recognize next: "Fornication pride month? Pedophile pride month?" Others were supportive of the district's decision. "We would like to thank the district for having the courage and compassion to include it," said Carrie Jacobs, executive director of the Attic Youth Center. Erika Garnett, a lesbian teacher in the district, said that when she heard about the district's decision to recognize Gay History Month, she "had this incredible sense of hope that (gay students') future would not be as difficult, isolated and painful as (hers)." Because of the controversy, the next year's calendar omitted all tributes to the histories of specific groups of people.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Philadelphia<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Same-Sex Penguin Play Canceled</b><br><br>
|
||
University of Texas theater graduate student Emily Freeman wrote a play about a pair of real, male Central Park Zoo penguins who were given a fertilized egg. Together, the penguins hatched the egg and raised the hatchling, Tango. Freeman intended for the play, <em>And Then Came Tango</em>, to be performed in Austin elementary schools as part of fulfilling her degree requirements (a routine practice in the Austin school district). However, district officials deemed the play inappropriate for elementary school children. "The subject matter communicated in the play is a topic that Austin believes should be examined by parents/guardians who will discuss with their elementary school age children at a time deemed appropriate by the parents/guardians," said Greg Goodman, fine arts director for Austin schools. Jonathan Saenz of the conservative Texas Values group was supportive of the district's decision. "We define marriage very clearly in the state of Texas. So if you have a play that tries to push and promote a different marriage definition, which is clearly illegal, it leads students to ask questions about it, and it leads to the discussion of sex," he said. Freeman argued that, according to state standards, her play should have been allowed. "The play is about different families...I can't see the argument that it's not age appropriate for kids in second and third grade." Parent Carmel Drewes hoped her son would get to see the play. "The more that kids are encountering various symbolism and representations of family structure, the more normal it becomes," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Austin<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gender Identity and School Bathrooms</b><br><br>
|
||
Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill allowing students to choose which facilities they use and which sports they play based on each student's personal sense of gender identity (rather than biological gender). "Now, every transgender student in California will be able to get up in the morning knowing that when they go to school as their authentic self, they will have the same fair chance at success as their classmates," said Masen Davis, executive director of the Transgender Law Center. "This is a very radical idea. You're going to have first-grade boys going to the restroom next to first-grade girls without any supervision," said Karen England, executive director of the Capitol Resource Institute. "Just because a boy wakes up one day and says he believes he's a girl--they shouldn't be allowed access to the girls' locker room," she added. Opponents of the law attempted to gather enough signatures to put it up for a popular vote, but had too many signatures invalidated to get it on the 2014 ballot. They vowed to try again.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Gender-Specific Attire</b><br><br>
|
||
Administrators at Sultana High School told students they must wear gender-specific clothing to prom and for yearbook photos. Some students felt the policy was discriminatory. "Some female members of (the Gay Straight Alliance) would like to wear tuxedos to prom. Me, myself personally would like to wear tuxedo and heels to prom," said student Levi Smithson-Johnson. The ACLU and law firm Nixon Peabody sent a letter to Superintendent David McLaughlin accusing school administrators of creating a hostile climate for gay and gender non-conforming students. McLaughlin responded to the letter, which also dealt with other allegations of discrimination against LGBT students, saying, "These allegations are deeply concerning and they have my full and focused attention." The school ultimately allowed students to wear the clothing that they wanted to wear.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hesperia Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Transgender Bathroom Use</b><br><br>
|
||
Six-year-old Coy Mathis was born a boy, but identifies as a girl. As such, he had been allowed to use the girls' restroom at Eagleside Elementary. However, in December 2012 the school's principal informed Coy's parents that their child would not be allowed to continue to use the girls' restroom. Coy's parents removed Coy from the school and filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division, which found that the school district had violated a state law protecting transgender people from discrimination. "Compartmentalizing a child as a boy or girl solely based on their visible anatomy is a simplistic approach to a difficult and complex issue," said the Division's report. Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel worried that such decisions could set a dangerous precedent. "How do you know if someone is really thinking (in terms of gender identity) or not?...How do you know if someone just wants to go in the restroom and be a peeping Tom?" he asked.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fountain-Fort Carson School District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Transgender Bathroom "Harassment"</b><br><br>
|
||
Three female students at Florence High School claimed that they were being harassed by a transgender student who was being allowed to use the girls' restroom. Pacific Justice Institute lawyer Matthew McReynolds, representing two of the girls' families, said that allowing a biologically male student to use the girls' bathroom "is inherently harassing." Earlier the same year, the state's Civil Rights Division ruled that schools must allow bathroom use based on a student's gender self-identification.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fremont-Re-2<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Traditional" Prom = No Gays</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Sullivan High School circulated a petition to ask that gays be allowed to participate in the school's prom (according to Principal David Springer, the prom was already "open to all of our students."). The petition prompted some to consider holding an out-of-school, "traditional" prom. The "traditional" prom would not allow gays. "I just…I don't understand (gays)," said Diana Medley, a teacher in a neighboring district and a supporter of the "traditional" prom. Medley said that she believes being gay is a choice and that gays have no purpose in life. Her comments and her support of the "traditional" prom caused outrage. A Change.org petition calling for her to be fired gathered 17,500 signatures. In addition, a Facebook page advocating an inclusive prom was "Liked" 27,000 times. Local storeowner Nancy Woodward felt that this was an overreaction. "In any town in this county, you'll find four or five churches no matter how small the town...The Bible is a big belief system here...Everybody has jumped on this little town. To me, there isn't any need for it," she said. Annette Gross, Indiana state coordinator for Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), had a different take. "When someone says your kid has no purpose, how do you think that makes a parent feel?" she asked. 2011 Sullivan graduate Aaron Gettinger was bullied in high school for being gay and is not surprised that some in the community would be calling for a "traditional" prom. "It's just the way that it is...It's part of a way of thinking that the rest of the country needs to know still exists and goes on," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Southwest Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Twerking Teachers</b><br><br>
|
||
When two Olive Branch High School teachers decided to demonstrate twerking -- a popular, suggestive dance -- to their students, it was recorded and went viral on the Internet. The teachers said that their intent was to show students how silly they look when Twerking, but some parents didn't think their intention mattered. "They shouldn't be teaching my children how to twerk at all," said one. School principal Allyson Killough said the teachers would not be punished, but warned that "a video clip out of context can have multiple meanings and be misinterpreted."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> DeSoto County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Anti-Frack Rap</b><br><br>
|
||
A teacher at Evergreen Middle School invited the anti-fracking rap group the Earth Guardians to perform for her class, prompting an immediate outcry from parents who thought their appearance presented only one side of the debate over the controversial energy-extraction technique. The incident soon caught on with conservative commentators, many of whom decried the event as "indoctrination." School principal Kristopher Schuhtold said he would meet with the teacher to discuss the matter, and the district said it would hand out pro-fracking material to balance the presentation.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jefferson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Mascots Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
The Houston school district banned the use of mascot names considered offensive or culturally insensitive, primarily aimed at nicknames such as the Lamar High School Redskins. At the school board meeting at which the decision was made, people both for and against keeping disputed mascots spoke. "At one point it was used as a racial slur," said Lamar High senior Bret Hightower of the "Redskins" moniker. "Let us rewrite history and make it a positive connotation." Student Marah Melendez had a different take, saying the nicknames should be banished because "a school should be a place where you feel good about yourself."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Houston<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Suspended Principals' Speech Rights</b><br><br>
|
||
A state plan to reorganize Newark's schools caused widespread dissatisfaction among district employees and residents, and several principals were suspended when they spoke out against the plan at public rallies. According to district spokesman Matthew Frankel, the suspensions were handed out because the principals "denied [families] access to accurate and complete information." The principals elected to sue, claiming that their expression rights were violated. Said attorney Robert Pickett, "This is an important issue not only for my six plaintiffs but for the entire employee base in Newark for their ability to speak up in the capacity of private citizens on issues of public concern."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Newark<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>Christian Candy Canes Cleansed</b><br><br>
|
||
Six-year-old Isaiah Martinez attempted to distribute candy canes, with a Christian message attached, to his classmates at Merced Elementary School. Martinez's teacher, Valerie Lu, confiscated the canes and consulted with the principal. Lu then removed the messages and allowed Martinez to distribute the canes. Robert Tyler, general counsel for Advocates of Faith & Freedom, wrote to the school to ask that it apologize to Martinez and adopt a policy "to prohibit school officials from bullying and intimidating Christian students and religiously affiliated students." Superintendent Debra Kaplan defended the teacher. "At the present time, we do not have any reason to believe that the teacher or any other district employee had any intention other than to maintain an appropriate degree of religious neutrality in the classroom and to communicate this to the child in an age-appropriate manner," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> West Covina Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
||
<b>Ban is "Political Retaliation?"</b><br><br>
|
||
Parent and former school board candidate Manuel Luna sued Edgewood Independent School District after the district banned him from its premises. Luna argued that the ban was "political retaliation" for comments he had made about some trustees not supporting teachers. Luna felt that the ban was a violation of his constitutional rights, including free speech. The district presented a different account of the dispute, saying Luna was acting in a threatening manner toward board members. Luna dropped the suit when the district agreed to let him return to school property.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Edgewood<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Aide Poses Semi-Nude, Keeps Job</b><br><br>
|
||
South Street Elementary School teacher's aide Kaitlin Pearson was placed on paid leave and investigated after her modeling career became known. The school acted after it received a package containing images from Pearson's semi-nude modeling work. Superintendent André Ravenelle said that the school's reaction "(was meant) to assure student safety...and to mitigate potential disruption." Pearson was soon cleared to return to work. "We are confident that she will bring the same level of commitment to her job and her students that she always has," read a statement from the school. Parent Andy Saocedo expressed some concern about Pearson "be(ing) a role model for the kids."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fitchburg<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Dress Code for Teachers</b><br><br>
|
||
Some Kanawha County Schools officials sought to establish a dress code for teachers. "I've been on the school board for 12 years and I was surprised we didn't have one," said board member Becky Jordon. Jordan believed that some teachers' wardrobe choices, including short skirts, leggings, and spandex, can be distracting. Jordan continued, "We have a dress code for our students...why wouldn't we have one for our staff?" Christine Campbell, president of American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, argued that a dress code is unecessary. "Does this really impair the children’s ability to learn, and where does it stop? Are we going to line teachers up and measure the length of their skirts?...Let teachers do their jobs and focus on education instead of imposing someone’s personal preference on their style," she said. In 1988 a Kanawha County Circuit Court ruled that school boards dictating teacher dress codes violated teachers' free expression rights.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kanawha County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Science or Opinion?</b><br><br>
|
||
Del. Richard P. Bell (R-Staunton) sponsored a bill instructing schools to encourage students "to explore scientific questions...develop critical thinking skills and respond appropriately and respectfully to differences of opinion about scientific controversies in science classes." Additionally, the bill said teachers should be allowed to help students "understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories." Bell explained, "(The bill is) about protecting the flow of information and protecting the teacher from any reprisals that might come up if a child goes home and says, 'We talked about Topic X in class today,' and the parents have a reaction to it because that might not be a shared perspective." Opponents of the bill believed it could introduce religion into the classroom and undermine the teaching of well-accepted scientific ideas. "The word ‘opinion’ and ‘belief’ are both used in this bill...If opinions and beliefs are to be used in classrooms, it undermines what science is," said Juanita Jo Matkins, former president of the Virginia Association of Science Teachers.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Evolution: Optional</b><br><br>
|
||
Republican Representatives Rick Brattin and Andy Koenig introduced legislation that would allow parents to remove their childen from classes that teach about evolution. Brattin said that teaching evolution is "an absolute infringement on people’s beliefs" and that schoolchildren have been ridiculed for not believing lessons about evolution. Glenn Branch, deputy director of the National Center for Science Education, argued that the bill would be harmful. "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution," and students who did not learn about evolution would struggle with biology-related careers, Branch explained. He added, "No one is saying that children in Missouri public schools need to accept evolution or change their religious faith."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Student Suspended for Porn Work?</b><br><br>
|
||
Cocoa High School student Robert Marucci said that he was kicked out of school because he had starred in gay pornography. Marucci said that he was trying to help his family financially and noted that he had not done anything illegal. Nonetheless, Marucci's mother, Melyssa Lieb, said, "(The principal) flat out told me that my son was expelled not just suspended, he was expelled due to his explicit, adult, lifestyle career." School officials said Marucci was suspended because he made threats in response to other students taunting him about his work. "No child would ever be suspended for a job that they have outside of the school environment," said district spokesperson Michelle Irwin. Marucci was eventually cleared and allowed to return to school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Brevard County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Fired over Porn, Reinstated</b><br><br>
|
||
Glacier Creek Middle School teacher Andrew Harris was fired for viewing pornographic images on school computers. Harris contested his firing, and an arbitrator ruled in his favor because other teachers accused of similar improprieties received much less severe consequences. The district appealed the case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and Superintendent Don Johnson argued that Harris's actions constituted "immoral conduct" and therefore justified the firing. The Court, however, refused to take up the appeal, and the district had to reinstate Harris.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Middleton Cross Plains Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Merry Christmas, IN</b><br><br>
|
||
The Indiana Senate unanimously passed a bill to protect schools' celebrations of religious holidays. The bill would allow displays of religious decorations, provided they are accompanied by secular symbols or those of another religion; the use of traditional greetings like "Merry Christmas"; and lessons about the history of religious holidays. "Christmas is under attack...That's just crazy that we even have to move a bill like that, but I think it's very well needed in the state and in every state," said Sen. Jim Smith (R-Charlestown), the bill's coauthor. Indiana blogger Kristin Froehle criticized the measure. "If I am a student who doesn’t celebrate Christmas...how am I supposed to feel when I walk into my public school classroom to find myself celebrating Christmas and looking at Christian symbols," she wrote.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Celebrating America Controversial?</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Fort Collins High School planned to celebrate "'Merica Monday" during their school's Winter Spirit Week, but the school rejected it. "(Administrators) said they didn't want to be exclusive to any other country," explained a 17-year-old student council member. Complained one parent, "It’s bizarre and idiotic that we’ve come to this crossroads in our society that we are having to sacrifice our own culture and belief system." After its initial decision sparked a tremendous controversy, the school agreed to allow the students to celebrate "America Day." In a statement, school officials explained, "The original intent of Spread the Love week at Fort Collins High School was to unify the student body. When students first proposed ''Merica Monday,' we felt that it was against this unifying theme and disrespectful to our country. Merica is a slang term that is often used in a negative stereotypical way to describe life in the United States...We were surprised that our community interpreted our actions as anti-American."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Poudre<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Modest is Hottest" = Discrimination?</b><br><br>
|
||
Lakeland Senior High School principal Arthur Martinez's discussion of the school's dress code, including the phrases "modest is hottest" and "boys will be boys," offended some students. 16-year-old Marion Mayer took to her blog to explain what she found offensive. Regarding "modest is hottest," she wrote, "You are literally sending the message to young girls...that hiding their body makes them more attractive. You are establishing a sense of shame in these young, developing minds and bodies." She also tore into the phrase "boys will be boys." "Being a boy refers to your gender. That’s all...It does not make you constantly sexually aroused, animalistic, or sexually uncontrollable...This gender stereotype is unfair to all men," she wrote. The Polk County School District stood behind the principal. "The district supports principals enforcing the dress code according to school board policy," read the district's statement.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Polk County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Cross atop School</b><br><br>
|
||
A resident complained about the cross on top of Spearville Elementary School, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State contacted school officials to request that the cross be removed. The organization's letter said, "The school's cross display violates the constitutional prohibition against government action that 'conveys or attempts to convey a message that religion or a particular religious belief is favored or preferred.'" The USD 381 Board of Education decided that no changes would be made in the absence of a lawsuit. Superintendent Daryl Stegman explained, "I think the community stood very firmly that they didn't want to do anything unless they have to." Jeffrey Jackson, a professor of law at Washburn University in Topeka, said that the presence of the cross may be defensible as a historical element of the building, which was originally a Roman Catholic school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Spearville Schools USD 381<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Clause Cuts Communication</b><br><br>
|
||
Many Baltimore teachers opposed a clause in a proposed contract that would give the Baltimore Teachers Union the exclusive right to communicate with teachers' via school mailboxes and e-mail accounts. Some teachers felt that the clause was intended to stifle the communications of those who dissented from the union or attempted to organize themselves separately. Teacher Kris Sieloff called the clause a First Amendment violation. "The limitation of communication is really disturbing," Sieloff said. The president of the Baltimore Teachers Union, Marietta English, said that the clause was simply intended to ensure that the union's messages made it to the members, and concerns about the clause were overblown. "Today, it isn't even relevant because everybody tweets and blogs...More people blog and Facebook more than anything. If you want to communicate, you can communicate," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Baltimore City<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Cross the Line" Crossed the Line?</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Marinette Middle School were required to play a game called "Cross the Line," during which they were asked personal questions including "Do your parents drink?" and "Has anyone in your family been in jail?" Many parents felt the game was inappropriate. "It was too personal. It's just things your kids don't need to be disclosing to other kids," said mother Amanda Fifarek. School administrators explained, "The intent of the activity was to build stronger, more respectful relationships among students." The principal also said that participation in the activity was not required--a claim that parents and students disputed.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> School District of Marinette<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>What Is, or Isn't, a "Genital?"</b><br><br>
|
||
Rep. Rob McDermott (R) released a report criticizing "Pono Choices," a sex education program designed by the University of Hawaii and Planned Parenthood and targeted at 11- to 13-year old students. "Pono" means, roughly, "good" in Hawaiian. McDermott was especially critical of how the program addresses anal sex, and defines the anus as a "genital." "Genitals are sexual reproductive organs," McDermott wrote. The representative believes the curriculum does not adequately address the risks of anal sex, and quotes the FDA's website saying that anal sex is "simply too dangerous to practice." Hawaii's Department of Education initially put the curriculum on hold, but eventually allowed the program to go forward, described it as "medically accurate, appropriate and aligned with health education, state law and DOE policy."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teacher Tries Not to Dissuade on Evolution</b><br><br>
|
||
In an open letter to a newspaper, Eden Garden Elementary School teacher Charlotte Hinson said that she teaches about both creationism and evolution, but tries not to dissuade children from what their parents teach. The ACLU took issue with Hinson's approach. "It has long been established that public school teachers may not present creationism as an alternative to evolution and let students choose what they want to believe," said an open letter from the ACLU to the district. Parent Virginia Ask said, "As a teacher, she should be able to present both sides...but not favoring one over the other." The Caddo Parish School Board released a statement saying, "Caddo follows the directives of the U. S. Supreme Court. Teachers are suppose (sic) to follow the established curriculum of Caddo Parish. Caddo will review the appropriate method of instruction with the teacher and make sure she complies with the curriculum and the law."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Caddo Parish<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Textbook Pro-Islamic Biases?</b><br><br>
|
||
Some Tennesseans felt that textbooks in the state's schools had a pro-Islamic bias, prompting a bill that would allow only textbooks that reflect "the values of the citizens of this state as manifested in the United States Constitution, the Constitution of Tennessee and other foundational documents of this nation’s republican form of government." Lisa Moore, a member of ACT! for America, wrote, "If you’re OK with your children/grandchildren being taught extreme Islamic Bias and indoctrination ... ignore the fact that your children’s minds are being stolen right out from under your nose..." Not everyone took the criticism seriously. "We do need community input...(But) this is an attempt to replace perceived bias with very real bias," said parent Sara Mitchell. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Glen Casada (R-Franklin), said the measure is of his own design and has nothing to do with perceived pro-Islamic biases. "I can’t imagine anyone articulating that at all. It’s pro-parent, pro-transparency, period," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>War Stories Confronted</b><br><br>
|
||
Some parents and students were upset about two books -- <i>Nasreen's Secret School</i> and <i>The Librarian of Basra</i> -- which contain stories from war-torn Afghanistan and Iraq, and were taught to third graders at Marlboro Elementary School. Carla Felty-Daniels said that the books gave her twin daughters nightmares. "I send my kids to school to get an education, not to have nightmares," she said. The books were selected by the New York State Department of Education because they met Common Core requirements. Tom Dunn, spokesman for NYSED, said, "The Common Core standards expect students to work with authentic reading materials--published works from magazines, books or newspapers...Some of this material can be emotionally charged or may use language outside of a student's particular cultural experience." The decision to use the books ultimately rested with individual teachers. Marlboro Superintendent Ray Castellani said, "The teachers have had the freedom to make choices, and they know they have my one-hundred-percent backing." Nonetheless, he said policies might be changed to give parents more notice about potentially controversial books.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Marlboro Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pro-Life Group Censored?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Students for Life club at Woodrow Wilson High School complained that it was not allowed to post anti-abortion messages, which may have been deemed offensive or disruptive, even as the Wilson Gay Straight Alliance was allowed to post messages with pro-gay rights themes. "Wilson High School’s refusal to treat Wilson Students for Life equally to all other groups constitutes a violation of [Wilson Students for Life president and founder Bryce] Asberg and his fellow club members’ rights under both the federal Equal Access Act and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution," read a letter from the Thomas More Society, which is representing the students. Wilson High School assistant principal Shane Sliva said, "The Tacoma School District allows all Associated Student Body (ASB) recognized student groups to submit posters for display at its schools consistent with ASB and school rules and the First Amendment of the US Constitution, as it has been interpreted to apply in the public school setting... Any ASB recognized student group at Wilson High School can submit posters for display consistent with (those rules)."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tacoma<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Zero Tolerance for "Gang Sign"</b><br><br>
|
||
A teacher photographed 15-year-old Dontarian Bruce for a school project, and in the photo Bruce held up two fingers and his thumb, he said indicating "3," his football number. Assistant Principal Todd Nichols believed that Bruce had made a gang sign, and Bruce was "suspended with a recommendation of expulsion." Another student, Desmond Davis, received the same punishment for a similar offense (Davis's brother wears the number "3"). Davis felt there was a racial element to his suspension. "They figured I was a gang member because of my color," he said. Superintendent Milton Kuykendall wrote, "(DeSoto County Schools) is dedicated to treating all students fairly regardless of race...but everyone must obey the rules." The punishments sparked such a community outcry that the students were allowed to return to school after 21 days.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> DeSoto County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Criminalizing Bullying</b><br><br>
|
||
Florida legislators proposed a law that would criminalize bullying, with a conviction resulting in jail time, a fine, probation, or mandatory counseling. "People need to know that there are boundaries and right now, there are a group of people who simply don't believe that they have any boundaries, particularly on the internet," said Sen. David Simmons (R-Altamonte Springs). However, school districts say that they are already caught in a difficult position. "People (have) said, 'You didn't do enough to help my child in your school and I'm suing you.' And we have cases over here" in which schools face legal action for going "too far," including violating free speech protections, said Robert Harris of the Panhandle Education Consortium.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Chavez Event Riles Some</b><br><br>
|
||
Labor activist Dolores Huerta was in Tucson to support a proposal that would increase the number of paid holidays in the school district to allow for a Cesar Chavez Day. Huerta attended a rally in honor of Chavez at Davis Bilingual Magnet School. A TUSD father said the rally took an inappropriate turn. "All of the sudden the principal was yelling 'viva Cesar Chavez' and 'viva Dolores Huerta,' and 'si se puede,' and then they started the Cesar Chavez clap and the room changed. This was not to honor a civil rights hero, it was a political rally," the father explained. Tucson Weekly writer Mari Herreras had a different view, suggesting the event was about getting a school holiday. "To the city council, Huerta repeated many of the sentiments she shared during the luncheon, reminding everyone of Chavez legacy and his ties to Arizona," she wrote.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tucson<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b><i>House of Spirits</i> Challenged</b><br><br>
|
||
Honors English students at Watauga High School read Isabel Allende's <i>The House of the Spirits</i>, which several parents felt was too graphic and sought to have removed from the curriculum. Allende's book includes depictions of rape and execution, but is also a best seller recognized by the International Baccalaureate organization as a world literature study book. The ACLU joined a community rally in support of keeping the book in the curriculum. "We’re proud to join students and parents from Watauga County in urging their local officials to do the right thing and not go down the slippery slope of banning books that promote critical thinking and classroom dialogue," said Chris Brook, legal director of the ACLU-NC Legal Foundation. The Watauga County School Board voted to keep the book in the curriculum.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Watauga County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Hoops Haircut Requirement Unconstitutional</b><br><br>
|
||
Greensburg High School boys' basketball coach Stacy Meyer required his players to have their hair cut above the ears, eyebrows, and collar, as a means to promote team unity and project a wholesome image. The U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of parents Patrick and Melissa Hayden, who said that the haircut policy violated state and federal laws, and whose son said with short hair "just didn't feel like himself." The court noted that there were no similar grooming standards in place for girls. "Coach Meyer’s policy...compels all male basketball players to wear genuinely short hair. In 2014, it is not obvious that any and all hair worn over the ears, collar, or eyebrows would be out of the mainstream among males in the Greensburg community at large, among the student body, or among school athletes," read the ruling.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Greensburg<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Racially-Charged Intervention</b><br><br>
|
||
The Missouri State Board of Education endorsed a plan calling for state intervention into failing school districts, wtih the degree of intervention greatest in the districts with the worst performance. Parents and staff from the unaccredited Normandy School District worried about the racial implications of the new policy. "None of (the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education staff) look like 98 percent of the children we educate," said board bember Terry Artis, referring to the fact that most Normandy students are black. Michael Jones, vice president of the state board, defended the new policy. "You see us moving to say that if we’re responsible for all children having a quality education in the 21st century, we need to exercise that responsibility in a proactive manner," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Normandy<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Bullying Bill</b><br><br>
|
||
Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-61) authored a bill to strengthen Minnesota's anti-bullying laws "(s)o (students) don’t have to choose on a daily basis, 'Do I go to school? Or do I stay home and be safe today?'" Student Xavier Doyle supported the legislation. "There was probably not a day when I went to my old school when I walked in the halls where I wouldn’t hear ‘tranny, or slut, or whore or b****,'" he said. Barb Anderson of the Minnesota Child Protection League had numerous concerns about the bill, including that it could stifle speech by calling anything "that causes emotional distress" bullying, and by seeking to "transform by means of inclusive curriculum" students' "values and attitudes about human sexuality." The bill eventually became law.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>School Snoops Student's Facebook</b><br><br>
|
||
Minnewaska Area Schools paid $70,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of student Riley Stratton, who was forced to give her Facebook password to school officials, and was then given detention for disparaging comments that she made about a teacher's aide. "I was in tears...I was embarrassed when they made me give over my password," Riley said. "(The school) punished her for doing exactly what kids have done for 100 years--complaining to her friends about teachers and administrators," said ACLU attorney Wallace Hilke. According to the ACLU, school administrators initially obtained Stratton's password because of a complaint that Riley and a male student were talking about sex. "It was believed the parent had given permission to look at her cellphone," said Superintendent Greg Schmidt. However, the district did not have a signed consent form. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Minnewaska Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
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<b>Retweet Suspensions</b><br><br>
|
||
20 McKay High School Students were suspended for "retweeting" a disparaging comment about a teacher. The ACLU of Oregon warned the district that the suspensions violated the students' frees speech rights. Initially, Salem-Keizer Public Schools official Jay Remy argued that students "could be held accountable for things that (they) did at (their) home computer(s)." ACLU attorney David Fidanque disputed this. "The courts have been clear, so far. Even though technology is moving very fast...school officials only have jurisdiction over what happens in school," he said. After meeting with the suspended students and their parents, school officials chose to expunge the suspensions.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Salem-Keizer<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Leggings too Disruptive?</b><br><br>
|
||
Sophie Hasty and other Haven Middle School students protested a school rule against leggings. Teachers told Hasty that uncovered leggings were banned because they're "too distracting to boys." Hasty complained, "Not being able to wear leggings because it's 'too distracting for boys' is giving us the impression we should be guilty for what guys do." Another student, Lucy Shapiro, said, "With all the social expectations of being a girl, it's already hard enough to pick an outfit without adding in the dress code factor." The school eventually reversed the ban. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Evanston/Skokie School District 65<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Brony Battle</b><br><br>
|
||
9-year-old Grayson Bruce was told that he could not bring his My Little Pony backpack to school because it was a "trigger for bullying." In response to the school's actions, Grayson's mother pulled her son from school. "(The counselor) said that if you have something like this you're asking for trouble," the mother said. Such statements prompted a nationwide outcry of support for Bruce, with many commenters saying the school's actions were analogous to saying that wearing a short skirt invites rape. The school eventually reversed its decision. "We sincerely regret that the issue of being told to leave the bookbag at home was perceived as blaming Grayson. While that was not the intent, the perception became reality. We support Grayson bringing the bookbag to school."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Buncombe County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Censorship Policy</b><br><br>
|
||
The Fond du Lac School District resurrected a policy giving schools the authority to censor student publications after a story titled "The Rape Joke" was published in the high school's student magazine. The story--an investigation of rape culture at Fond du Lac High School--was deemed inappropriate by Superintendent James Sebert and Principal Jon Wiltzius. "I believe that the guidelines are a reasonable expectation for a school-sponsored publication. The district has a responsibility to protect the educational process, environment and the interests of all student," Sebert said. However, 16 members of the English department signed a petition against the policy. "Such guidelines are not only a clear path toward censorship of student expression but also drastically alter the relationship between school publications and the administration and break sharply with roughly 100 years of district precedent regarding such publication," read part of the teachers' statement. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fond du Lac<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Transgender Teacher</b><br><br>
|
||
Yosemite High School teacher Gary Sconce planned to return from spring break as a woman: Karen Adell Scott. "I was born transgender. My earliest memories were that even though my body was a little boy body, which I really didn't understand, I was a girl. I knew I was a girl," Scott said. Scott's sex change decision was controversial within the community. Former student Natalie Choin said, "Some parents are pulling their kids out of classes...and some of the staff is uncomfortable." The district, however, stood by the teacher. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Yosemite Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pro-Life Activities Allowed</b><br><br>
|
||
Branford High School decided to allow the activities of Branford High School Students for Life. The pro-life group, founded by student Sam Bailey-Loomis, was initially told that it could not distribute educational and recruitment materials during lunch or host events during the school day because the group's speech was too controversial and, hence, likely to be disruptive. Only after being threatened with legal action by the Alliance Defending Freedom, however, Branford Public Schools decided to give Students for Life the same rights and privileges as other student organizations. "Public schools should encourage, not shut down, the free exchange of ideas," said Matt Sharp of the Alliance. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Branford<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Non-Majority Preferred</b><br><br>
|
||
Ferndale Public Schools removed a controversial clause from its hiring policy which read, "Special consideration shall be given to women and/or minority defined as: Native American, Asian American, Latino, African American and those of the non-Christian faith." Ferndale Public Schools spokeswoman Shelley Rose said, "(We) learned of antiquated language in employee contracts that we somehow missed when recently bargaining contracts...This language dates back to at least 1979, and is not in compliance with current legislation. Fortunately, the district also has newer and strong anti-discrimination language in the contracts and has never, in our known history, enacted this now out-of-date language." Ted O'Neill of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy expressed concern. "We have to...take it at their word that it's been there since the 1970’s, but it should never have been there in the first place...Typically, these contracts are updated every three years."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Ferndale<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Gay Student Censored?</b><br><br>
|
||
Sheridan High School student Taylor Ellis said that his profile was removed from the school yearbook because he is openly gay. The profile featured a letter in which Taylor described his feelings about coming out. The letters was "too personal" according to school officials. "We must make decisions that lead in the proper direction for all of our students and for our community," said Superintendent Brenda Haynes. Human Rights Campagin President Chad Griffin condemned the school's actions. "This act of discriminatory censorship sends a dangerous message to all LGBT students in Sheridan, across Arkansas, and the nation--that they are second-class citizens and their lives are not equally valid," he wrote.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Sheridan<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Non-Alcoholic Brouhaha</b><br><br>
|
||
Some parents were upset that a Hyatt Elementary School teacher allowed her fifth-grade students to sample O'Doul's, a non-alcoholic beer. A student had brought the beer to represent a common beverage for people of the 1700s. "Beer was actually one of their staple drinks" because of the lack of sanitary water, Superintendent Ed Koledo explained. The teacher said that she thought it was acceptable to allow students to drink the beer because it was labeled "non-alcoholic," but O'Doul's is .5% alcohol. "We talked to the teacher and said this was an inappropriate choice," said Koledo. School board president Scott Maker, however, seemed to suggest that the teacher would not be disciplined. "I know the teacher and know her as being a very responsible person...I know there was no intent to expose anyone to harm, just poor thought in this situation," he said. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Linden<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>NRA Shirt Prompts Suspension</b><br><br>
|
||
Grand Island High School sophomore Shane Kinney served an in-school suspension for refusing to turn his NRA shirt inside out. "Shane was seen wearing a sweatshirt with the logo of a firearm. Shane was asked to remove the shirt and turn it inside out, or place tape over the logo. Shane was also previously asked not to wear the shirt to school...Shane's actions (were) insubordinate and in violation of the GICSD Code of Conduct" explained Vice Principal Michael Lauria. Kinney believes that he was suspended because of the message on the shirt: "2nd Amendment--Shall not be Infringed." "I've worn other shirts with guns on them...I was never asked to cover up. I think this happened because it was an NRA shirt," Kinney said. Superintendent Teresa Lawrence said that Kinney was not disciplined "for wearing a shirt expressing a position on the NRA or gun control," but said the incident was an opportunity to review district policies on student expression.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Grand Island Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Abu-Jamal and MLK</b><br><br>
|
||
An online Oakland Unified School District lesson plan asked 11th graders to compare Martin Luther King, Jr. to Mumia Abu-Jamal, a civil rights figure who was convicted of killing a police officer. "You’re going to teach children about a man who murdered a police officer? That’s not a good lesson to be teaching children. He was a radical, a militant. My question is: Are our tax dollars paying for this?" said Maureen Faulkner, the widow of the officer Abu-Jamal was convicted of killing. Princeton professor and Abu-Jamal supporter Mark Lewis Taylor said that it is reasonable to compare the two. "What King and Abu-Jamal shared should not be overlooked...One shouldn’t juxtapose a respectable 'cuddly' Martin Luther King over and against a more radical and supposedly 'villainous' Abu-Jamal," he said. Troy Flint, director of public relations for the Oakland Unified School District, said that the lesson was no longer part of the district's curriculum. "(The lesson) does not speak to current instructional practice in OUSD," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Oakland Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Disrespectful Tweet Yields Suspension</b><br><br>
|
||
Wesley Teague, Heights High School's senior class president, was suspended for posting what was deemed a "disrespectful" tweet: "'Heights U' is equivalent to WSU's football team." "Heights U" is a term coined by underclassmen to refer to the school's football or other sports teams; Wichita State University (WSU) no longer has a football team. "It's a 100 percent truthful tweet and wasn't meant to offend a single person or group of people...I only meant that 'Heights U' doesn't exist because it doesn't. We're not a university," Teague said. Assistant Principal Monique Arndt explained Teague's suspension in a letter to his parents. "Wesley posted some very inappropriate tweets about the Heights athletic teams, aggressively disrespecting many athletes," the letter read. "It caused a major disruption to the school day," said school spokeswoman Susan Arensman.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wichita<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Suspended for Common Core Opposition?</b><br><br>
|
||
13-year-old Seirra Olivero said she was suspended for informing other students that they could opt out of a Common Core-related test. A teacher overheard Seirra and sent her to the principal's office, where she had an argument about Common Core testing with the principal. Eventually, Seirra stormed out of the office, slammed the door, and refused to stop walking when told to do so. "As long as she's not hurting someone, she should be able to talk about whatever she wants. I don’t understand what the problem was," said Seirra's mother, Carin Beauchesne. School officials have a different perspective. "On that day, we had nine other students who opted out of taking the test and they were not disciplined...We do discipline for violating the code of conduct," said Superintendent William Hecht.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Orange-Ulster BOCES<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Valentines Confiscated</b><br><br>
|
||
A Floyd R. Shafer Elementary School teacher confiscated the Valentines that a first grader had planned to distribute to his classmates. The teacher was concerned about its religious message: "St. Valentine was imprisoned and martyred for presiding over marriages and for spreading the news of God's love. In honor of St. Valentine's Day, I want you to know that God loves YOU!!!!" The teacher delivered the cards to Principal William Mudlock, who agreed that they could not be distributed because doing so would amount to "proselytizing." In response, the boy's family filed suit against the district. "To single out a faith-based message for censorship is exactly the type of hostility to religion that the First Amendment forbids," said Jeremy Tedesco, the Alliance Defense Fund attorney who is representing the family. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Nazareth Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Religious Display Bill</b><br><br>
|
||
Rep. Bill Sandifer (R-Oconee) sponsored a bill allowing school staff to use greetings like "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Hanukkah." The bill would also allow religious displays, provided that the holidays of at least two different religions (or a religious and a secular holiday) are represented equally. Sandifer explained, "What I am trying to do is to create an environment in which a Christian display can be made...It does not have to be (Christian) but it can only be displayed if there is another type of a display, whether it be an agnostic display, a pagan display, a Jewish display or whatever it might be. So that they each have equal opportunity." South Carolina ACLU director Victoria Middleton said, "A display should be more inclusive than two things...Public schools should be educating students, not proselytizing."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Christmas Recess" Wins</b><br><br>
|
||
76 percent of Norwood voters approved a non-binding resolution calling on their school district to use the term "Christmas Recess." Currently, the district refers to the December break as "Winter Recess." "We think there is a movement in our country to demote Christianity, and Christmas is the name of a Christian feast day," said Theresa McNulty, who, along with Jim Drummey, fought to get the measure on the ballot. Drummey added, "Of course you want diversity. Of course you want to respect all religions. But the only one that’s getting disrespected right now is Christianity." Norwood School Superintendent James Hayden suggested that the controversy was overblown. "This is not a fight about Christmas. We acknowledge it. It’s about being representative for everyone. I hope we can get beyond being hung up on labels," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Norwood<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Telling the Truth = Bullying?</b><br><br>
|
||
A Tenafly fourth grader was punished for telling the truth, according to a federal lawsuit filed by the Rutherford Institute against the State of New Jersey and its anti-bullying law. The student, identified as "L.L.," correctly stated that another student had died her hair because she had had head lice. That student complained to the teacher, who then told L.L. to apologize. The teacher also filed a report with the school's "Anti-Bullying Specialist," who in turn reported the incident to the superintendent. L.L. was forced to complete a "special sensitivity assignment" and was further embarrassed when the entire class was reminded about the importance of kindness. "What school officials conveniently seem to keep forgetting is that students do not shed their Constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate," said John Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tenafly<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Suspended for Tweet</b><br><br>
|
||
Free State High School senior Jackson Schneider was suspended after tweeting a picture of Assistant Principal Keith Jones with the caption "Public Enemy #1." Students were angry at Jones for disciplining students who had heckled a basketball referee. "I don’t really have any personal issues with (Jones)...It was just upsetting to see that he handled the altercation at the basketball game the way that he did," said Schneider. Jones defended his decision to suspend Schneider. "Regardless if it’s a teacher, whether it’s an administrator, whether it’s your student in the classroom, if you are taking inappropriate pictures or commenting on things that are going on during the school day, then there should be action taken against that,” he said. Frank LoMonte of the Student Press Law Center vehemently defended Schneider. "A comment mocking a school official on a social media site in a humorous way is constitutionally protected speech," he explained.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lawrence<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Confederate Flag Suspension</b><br><br>
|
||
Steinert High School student Gregory Vied was suspended for flying a Confederate flag from his truck after being told to remove it. "Them trying to make me take it down is unconstitutional," he said. School officials reduced his suspension from three days to one after receiving a letter from the ACLU, which explained that the school would have to prove that the flag was "materially and substantially disruptive" in order to ban it. "As the U.S. Supreme Court has made clear, students' rights don't end at the school house gates," said ACLU Legal Director Ed Barocas. School officials initially refused to comment on the incident, but later denied that Gregory had been suspended on account of the flag.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hamilton Township<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Dress Code for Parents?</b><br><br>
|
||
Broward County School Board member Rosalind Osgood suggested there should be a dress code for parents. "If we're going to train little boys and little girls to dress appropriately at school, no sagging pants, no hair curlers, no short shorts. Parents should follow the same rules," she said, though she admitted that enforcing the dress code against parents would be difficult. "Mama Sass," a Miami Herald blogger, questioned Osgood's proposal. "As a parent, my morning responsibility is to get my child to school on time. If I do that, does it really matter if I’m wearing a tennis outfit or the little black dress left over from the night before?" she wrote. After receiving national attention, the proposal was debated by the board and went nowhere. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Broward County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Bullying Flier Fiasco</b><br><br>
|
||
Zeman Elementary School officials came under heavy social media fire after a flier on bullying distributed by a teacher went viral. The flier promoted controversial strategies from psychologist Izzy Kalman for dealing with bullies, including "do not verbally defend yourself;" "if someone physically hurts you, just show you are hurt; do not get angry;" and "do not tell on bullies." Commented one online critic, "That list of 9 rules for dealing with bullies was hands down the worst advice any person could give to another." Kalman believed the flier was misunderstood. "The rules are part of a comprehensive system that requires detailed explanation, including qualifications, exceptions, and most importantly, role-plays to demonstrate how they work and how to apply them," he explained. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lincoln<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>International Incident over "East Sea"</b><br><br>
|
||
Five New Jersey legislators introduced a bill that would require the state to refer to the body of water between Japan and the Korean Peninsula as the "East Sea" rather than the "Sea of Japan." According to the bill, textbooks in New Jersey schools would need to use the term by 2016. South Koreans and Korean-Americans favor the term because they feel that "Sea of Japan" has colonialist connotations. Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, criticized the legislation. "It's extremely regrettable...We'll take various steps in response through diplomatic channels while seeking a correct understanding of the name 'Sea of Japan,'" he said. Assemblyman Joseph Lagana (D-Bergen), one of the bill's sponsors, said, "We're not looking to alienate anyone...It's more to put things in historical context in light of the ever-growing Korean-American community in Bergen County, as well as to recognize how history should be taught to all students."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Protest Uniforms Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
The Salem High School girls' soccer team wanted to show their support for their coach who had been fired for using a word school officials deemed inappropriate. The team created Michigan High School Athletic Association-compliant jerseys that featured the name of the fired coach on the back instead of the players' own names. The high school's athletic director, Tom Willette, threatened that the girls would forfeit future games and face suspension if they continued to wear the jerseys. Parent Jason Kaye penned a column excoriating school officials for their response, writing, "We believe that through intimidation, abuse of authority and manipulation, they’re infringing upon the Constitutional rights of our children." The players eventually wore the jerseys with the coach's name only in warm-ups, and the coach was rehired after a two-month absence.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Plymouth-Canton<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Racially-Charged Curriculum</b><br><br>
|
||
Chicago Public Schools was criticized for adopting an interdisciplinary African and African-American Studies program. The website for the curriculum links to a site that denounces "fake Jews" and refers to the United States as a "Zionist-occupied enemy territory." In addition, the curriculum uses a book called The Black Athena, in which author Martin Bernal claims that Greek culture was "stolen" from black Egyptians. "As a historian and an educator, I am very troubled by the notion of (students) in Chicago city schools spending five weeks on Bernal’s ideas...His ideas are outliers of scholarship and have been largely discredited among other scholars," explained Ron Fritze, a historian at Athens State University. CPS officials lauded the curriculum. "CPS has taken great pride in developing a yearlong, interdisciplinary African and African-American studies program that will enrich the understanding and appreciation of African and African-American history and culture to help build stronger and more cohesive student communities," said Chicago Public School chief executive Barbara Byrd Bennett.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Under God" Prompts Lawsuit</b><br><br>
|
||
On behalf of a local family, the American Humanist Association filed suit against the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District. The family believes that the district's daily Pledge of Allegiance recitation is discriminatory against atheist children because of the phrase "under God." "('Under God') marginalizes atheist and humanist kids as something less than ideal patriots," the group says. District lawyer David Rubin explained that the daily Pledge recitations were required by state law. "We are disappointed that this national organization has targeted Matawan-Aberdeen for merely obeying the law as it stands," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Matawan-Aberdeen Regional<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Atheists vs. Wrestling Team</b><br><br>
|
||
The Freedom From Religion Foundation complained about the South High School wrestling team's Bible verse-emblazoned t-shirts. The shirts read, "I can do all things through Him that strengthens me." The FFRF, acting on behalf of a concerned community member, said that the shirts violated the separation of church and state. Bill Merriman, an attorney for one wrestler's family, said that the shirts were paid for by wrestlers' parents and are legal. "It’s not part of the official uniform...If a student athlete doesn’t want to wear that shirt, they don’t have to. It’s not a requirement," he explained.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Parkersburg<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Lesson: List Genitalia Slang</b><br><br>
|
||
Weber High School teacher Ashley Williams was placed on paid leave after she asked students to list genitalia slang as part of an "Adult Roles and Financial Literacy" lesson. According to Matt Ogle of the local teachers' union, Williams had gotten the idea from a Career and Technical Education conference she had attended. "Regardless of where she learned it, the district feels it was inappropriate," said Superintendent Nate Taggart. Nonetheless, Ogle defended Williams. "She's a very conscientious teacher and cares very much about her students...(she has) had a very good track record and will continue to be a very good teacher in the future," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Weber<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Facebook Posts Prompt Ethics Complaint</b><br><br>
|
||
A state ethics complaint was lodged against Shamong School Board member Greg Vitagliano because of the content of his Facebook posts. Among other controversial posts, Vitagliano called district teachers "our effed up educators" and expressed his wish that his "kid would...pummel the little em-effer," referring to a school bully. " Vitagliano defended his posts as free speech, and said he was being targeted by the district's teachers unions for opposing their desired pay increase. Shamong Township Education Association president Karen Clementi responded, "Our main thing is the safety of the students... I don't know why you would put things (like that) on a public site for children to see." Former Shamong School Board President Diane Tallaksen, who filed the complaint, explained, "I feel when you (are in Vitagliano's) position, you are a public person, and as a public person, you have to be accountable to a higher standard."<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Shamong Township<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Bible Curriculum Approved</b><br><br>
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Mustang Public Schools approved the "Museum of the Bible Curriculum" created by Hobby Lobby president Steve Green. The elective course is designed to teach the narrative, history, and impact of the Bible on Western Civilization. However, some observers are skeptical that it will be delivered "objectively as part of a secular program of education" consistent with the Supreme Court's decision in Abington School District v. Schempp. "When he gets the school board to act as a sovereign entity from the government, it’s not free speech, its theocracy and that’s unconstitutional,” said University Of Oklahoma law professor Rick Tepker.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Mustang<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Bible Confiscated</b><br><br>
|
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A teacher at Hamilton Elementary School confiscated the Bible a second grader was reading during "read to myself time." The parents of the girl, who wished to remain anonymous, contacted the Liberty Institute about the incident. Michael Berry, senior counsel with the Institute, pointed out that the school's library has copies of the Bible. "If it's appropriate for their own library, why on Earth would it not be appropriate for their own students?" Berry asked. At least one parent supported the teacher's decision. "There should be a definite separation," the parent said. Cy-Fair issued a statement saying that the incident would be investigated and that students are required to read "just right" books, meaning books appropriate for children's abilities and consistent with the genre being taught.<br><br>
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<b>District:</b> Cypress‑Fairbanks<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Bible Banned?</b><br><br>
|
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A Park Lakes Elementary School teacher confiscated a Bible that 12-year-old Giovanni Rubeo was reading during free reading time. "He's not permitted to read those books in my classroom," the teacher explained in a voicemail left for the boy's father. The boy's father, Paul Rubeo, replied with a letter. "This is to give you written notice to stop breaking the law and violating my son Giovanni Rubeo’s constitution (sic) first amendment right of free speech and religious expression," Rubeo wrote. The Liberty Institute threatened legal action if the school did not change its policy and apologize to the student. Ultimately, Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie issued and apology and instructed teachers to allow students to read religious books during free reading time.<br><br>
|
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<b>District:</b> Broward County<br>
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>English-Only a "Hostile Environment"?</b><br><br>
|
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A 2014 U.S. Department of Education investigation determined that the Adams County School District, which has moved to an English immersion language-teaching model, created a "hostile environment" for Latino students, families, and staff. "The evidence demonstrated that the district knew of ongoing complaints of discrimination against Hispanics and failed to properly investigate or to take corrective action from the 2008-09 through the 2011-12 school years," reported J. Aaron Romine, a DOE official. In one instance, a student was injured on the playground, but a teacher was dismissive of the student's complaints because he spoke in Spanish. The district's new superintendent, Pat Sanchez, said that changes had been made since the period the investigation covered. "Very honestly, it starts with training all the adults to view our kids for all the beautiful gifts that they bring...Sixty percent of our kids come to us with the ability to speak Spanish. That's a huge untapped resource," he said.<br><br>
|
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<b>District:</b> Adams County<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Sexually Explicit Book Leads to Arrest</b><br><br>
|
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Many Gilford High School parents were upset that their children were assigned Jodi Picoult's <i>Nineteen Minute</i>, a book containing an explicit description of sex between teenagers. When the school taught the novel in the past, parents were given advance notice about the book--a step overlooked this time, according to school officials. "I am utterly appalled that this was an oversight, that my son had this book in his hand for a week," said parent Sarah Carrigan. Another parent, William Baer, was arrested at a school board meeting for speaking out of turn about the book. Baer did not feel that his concerns were being taken seriously. "It was basically you make a statement, you say what you want, and you sit down and shut up. That's not how you interact with adults," he said. School officials said that the book, which revolves around a school shooting, has important themes about bullying and adolescent sex. The school board, however, apologized "for the discomfort of those impacted, and for the failure of the school district to send home prior notice of assignment of the novel."<br><br>
|
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<b>District:</b> Gilford<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Cotton Picking Lesson</b><br><br>
|
||
A Redmond Middle School teacher gave her students cotton plants to pick as part of a class assignment. A statement from the district said that the lesson was "about the impact that the invention of the cotton gin had on the Industrial Revolution." However, parent Carolyn Walker said that the assignment was meant to show students "what it was like to be a slave." "My daughter is African American and for her to pick cotton when her grandparents were raised on a plantation to pick cotton, is not OK, it's not OK at all, " Walker said. The school's principal, Shannon Parthemer, planned to meet with Walker. "As a district, we value the diversity of our students and families. We expect teachers to provide instruction in ways that are culturally sensitive. It is very important to us to hear from students or families who have experienced a lesson they feel does not meet that ideal so that we can address the issues," Parthemer said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lake Washington<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b>No Exchange, or Religion Allowed</b><br><br>
|
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The Fort Worth school district instructed staff that students should not be allowed to exchange gifts or "personal holiday messages" during class. A memo from the district's attorney, Bertha Bailey Whatley, said that allowing gifts or messages could cause legal problems. "If students are allowed to exchange cards or small trinkets, the district would be required to allow a student to distribute a religious message with the gift or card...In other words, the school district cannot prohibit the distribution of unsolicited religious material directly to students if it allows other personal messages to be distributed during school activities held during the school day" she explained. David Rapp, an attorney and parent of two, sent the district an e-mail challenging Whatley's guidelines. "By following these guidelines, with respect to the passing around of gifts or cards, you will be violating the constitution itself by prohibiting the free exercise of religion...These guidelines are absurd and wrong," he wrote. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fort Worth<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b>"Silent Night" Unconstitutional?</b><br><br>
|
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Students at G.W. Trenholm Primary School planned to sing "Silent Night" in their school's Christmas program, but Americans United for the Separation of Church and State contacted Principal Janice Jackson to tell her that the performance would be unconstitutional. "As a Christian minister, I love the hymn 'Silent Night, Holy Night,' but it’s not appropriate in this circumstance...This play takes place at a public elementary school and involves very young children," said Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United. "We’ve always sung 'Silent Night' and we’ve never had a problem...We were just surprised, very surprised," commented Jackson. Parent Amy Johnson said, "I think it’s sad...I don’t think this is the place to make your point politically or religiously. Christmas is about Jesus and that’s what the song is about." The school ultimately allowed the performance of "Silent Night" to proceed.<br><br>
|
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<b>District:</b> Tuscumbia City<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>F-Bomb Book Ban Reversed</b><br><br>
|
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The Wilson County School Board voted 3-1 to strike <i>The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time</i> from the required reading list for ninth-grade honors English students. "The F-bomb is pretty common in that book, and that’s what I have a problem with...I’m not dumb enough to think students don’t hear that language, but it doesn’t mean we should promote it," said board member Wayne McNeese. Annette Stafford, chairwoman of the Wilson County Commission's Education Committee, said, "I think the school board is micromanaging...It’s a parental decision" (Wilson County parents are able to opt their children out of readings with controversial content). A few days after the removing the book from the reading list, the board reversed its decision, citing procedural concerns and the need to avoid jeopardizing students who had already begun projects related to the book.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wilson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b>Teacher Suspended for Joke</b><br><br>
|
||
Government teacher Ben Keech was discussing the legal definition of obscenity and joked that someone renting <i>101 Dalmatians</i> from a video store could encounter someone else renting a hypothetical <i>101 Ways to Do Your Mom</i>. Keech transferred his joke to a quote board that he keeps on his desk. An anonymous person complained about the joke, and school officials suspended Keech, but many students defended him. "You could categorize almost all of his jokes as 'inappropriate,' but if you're a student in his class... it was kind of an inside joke. No one took it offensively," said one of Keech's former students, Madeleine Layton. Darcy Heck, another former student, also defended Keech. "It is ridiculous. He is like one of those teachers that helps you learn the subject and not just gives you paperwork," she said. In addition to the joke, Keech was in hot water for racially insensitive tweets made from his personal twitter account, such as, "I love Hispanics who like to mow." Defenders launched a Change.org petition to lift Keech's suspension.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Shawnee Mission<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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<b>Sex Ed Book Scrutinized</b><br><br>
|
||
Some parents were upset that <i>Perfectly Normal</i>, a graphic sex education book, was available in Francis Howell middle schools. "It has a lot of explicit drawings...Cartoon images, life-like cartoon images. A look of nudity. It actually shows people having sex," explained parent Tim Schmidt. Another parent, June Tiller, thought the book could be helpful to students. "I feel like if the school teaches them this, and they have this information available, it's very important, and it will help keep them safe," she said. District officials explained, "(I)t was determined to keep the ebook available as a resource for check-out in the library. If a parent determines that he/she does not want to their child to have access to certain materials, we honor that request."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Francis Howell<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b>Conspiracy Film Troubles Muslims</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Jenks Freshman Academy were shown <i>Conspiracy: Oklahoma City Bombing</i>, a History Channel film examining several conspiracy theories about the 1995 federal building bombing, including that Islamic terrorists may have been responsible. Parents alerted Adam Soltani, executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of CAIR, about the film. "No student should be made to feel unwelcome in an Oklahoma classroom through the promotion of such conspiracy theories," Soltani said. Spokeswoman Bonnie Rogers explained that the concerned parents were given forms to begin the district's standard review process. "We'll follow that policy and see where it leads," she stated. The film was reportedly shown to promote critical reasoning.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jenks<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Pledge Refusal = Suspension</b><br><br>
|
||
Needville High School sophomore Mason Michalec received two days of in-school suspension because he refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. "I'm really tired of our government taking advantage of us…I don't agree with the NSA spying on us. And I don't agree with any of those Internet laws," Mason said. Community opinions about Mason's decision varied. "The soldiers are out there, they’re doing their job and he should stand up...You’ve got a lot of things here that a lot of people don’t have, that’s respect, that’s freedom," said Needville resident Jo Castillo. However, Dean Reese, a veteran, disagreed: "The kid’s well-spoken and he’s well-informed...It’s not like he’s ignorant, he’s not doing it to make people mad. He’s doing it because of his personal beliefs."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Needville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b>Bible Distribution Disputed</b><br><br>
|
||
The Miller School District board voted to allow Gideons International to distribute Bibles to fifth graders. The ACLU asked the board to reverse its decision. "Under the Constitution schools cannot intentionally, or unintentionally, advance religion or become too entangled with religious groups," read a letter that the organization sent to the school board. David Fremark, the school board president, would not comment other than to say that he had not yet received the letter.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Miller<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b>District Apologizes for Pro-Gay Marriage Video</b><br><br>
|
||
The Janesville School District apologized after parents complained that Joseph A. Craig High School students were shown a pro-gay marriage video. District policy requires that teachers present all sides of controversial issues. "The appropriate thing would be to present both sides of an issue, or all sides of an issue, so that’s why I sent the apology, because I felt we did not follow board policy," said Superintendent Karen Schulte. Jill Marcellus, spokeswoman for the Gay-Straight Alliance Network, disagreed with the district's decision to apologize. "Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth face so many barriers in school, from harassment by their peers to unfair policies that punish youth because of who they are," she said. The creators of the video agreed. They believe that the video provides "incredibly valuable insight on our current society."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Janesville<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b>Climate Change Curriculum Rejected</b><br><br>
|
||
Wyoming legislators rejected the Next Generation Science Standards because of their climate change-related content. State education board chairman Ron Micheli said that the standards are "very prejudiced...against fossil-fuel development." State Representative Matt Teeters (R) said, "There’s all kind of social implications...that, I don’t think, would be good for Wyoming." Writing for the Boston Globe, Derrick Z. Jackson said such statements demonstrated "willful ignorance" about climate change and "the conclusions of an overwhelming percentage of climate scientists." In 2015 a bill was passed to allow - but not require - adoption of the NGSS.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Return of Bilingual Education?</b><br><br>
|
||
Potentially revisitng big battles of the late 1990s, some California legislators are pushing a bill that would allow bilingual education in California schools. Currently, schools are required to teach non-English speaking students primarily through immersion in English. Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) favors reversing that policy. "Ultimately, this bill will enable Californians to compete with the leading economies such as Scandinavia, Europe, and Asia, where they are deliberately cultivating a multilingual work force," he argued. Former Oceanside Unified School District superintendent Ken Noonan used to support bilingual education, but his mind was changed by students' test scores. "The sooner you put kids in English, the better it is for them," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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||
<b><i>Little Brother</i> Cut from Reading List</b><br><br>
|
||
Washington High School principal Michael Roberts removed Cory Doctorow's <i>Little Brother</i> from 9th and 10th-grade summer reading lists. "There has been no banning...I don't ban books. I take it upon myself to look at what kids are exposed to and what's in their best interests...That book is on the list of books to be read for AP (Advanced Placement) and 11th-graders. It's been posted there forever. It's not on the schoolwide reading list because I don't feel it's appropriate for ninth- and 10th-graders," Roberts explained. Nonetheless, University of West Florida librarian Andrea Golonka was troubled. "At least he (Roberts) is letting the older students read it...but it's still censorship. (The younger students) have a right to know about unpleasant truths about society and history and government," she said. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Escambia County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
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<b>Politicized Test Question?</b><br><br>
|
||
A Chicago Public Schools test question required students to read commentary from the supposedly fictional and staunchly anti-immigration "Arie Payo." The name bears a striking resemblance to that of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Payo's comments included, "I think it's best to keep America for Americans and those who know how to speak English properly...Save America for those of us who know how to behave in law-abiding ways." Payo was said to be a contributor to the "Conservative Journal" and a former Bush administration aide. Bob Dane, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said, "(The test's) biggest sin is interjecting a deliberately partisan perspective on immigration. We need a bipartisan approach and we'll never get there like this." Edwin Yohnka, an ACLU spokesman, called the test question "misguided." CPS denied that Payo was based on Arpaio, but replaced the question. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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||
<b>Celebrating Pregnant and Parent Students</b><br><br>
|
||
Two pages of the Mesa High School yearbook were devoted to students who had or were expecting children, and some parents felt that including photos of expecting and parent students alongside photos of students who had won awards sent the wrong message. "When you look at the pages at first you think it is of a child development class...But then if you look closer you see the photo of the boy hugging the belly. I think that was unnecessary," said parent Kathee Merkley. "A yearbook is to commemorate the achievements of students...Probably this would not fall into that category," admitted Mesa Public Schools spokeswoman Helen Hollands. Nonetheless, she did not expect any official policy changes. Hollands also affirmed the school's support of the expecting and parent students.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Mesa<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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||
<b>Free Speech for Board Members?</b><br><br>
|
||
Nashville school board member Will Pinkston criticized Director of Schools Jesse Register for not following district policies. Pinkston, in turn, was criticized for violating a school board policy of dubious constitutionality which says, "Members will not publicly express individual negative judgments about director or staff performance outside the formal evaluation process." Pinkston admits he violated the policy, but defended his actions. "As elected officials, our voters and constituents expect us to speak our minds, and doing so more than once a year during the evaluation process," he explained. Marc Hill, chief policy officer for the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, argued that Pinkston's violations had been damaging. "For the past several months, public statements between meetings by individual members of the school board, on a variety of topics, have started leaving an impression of confusion, if not dysfunction...The best director of schools candidates across the country will surely be following the board’s discussion closely through the news media ," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Nashville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Teacher's Trayvon Martin Statement</b><br><br>
|
||
Brentwood Heritage High School teacher Spencer Smith donned a hoodie and held up a bag of skittles for his yearbook photograph. The image was meant to evoke the memory of Trayvon Martin, the teenager shot and killed by George Zimmerman. Zimmerman was acquitted in a highly publicized and racially charged case. Students had a variety of reactions to the photo. "I think it's ok that he did it, just not in the yearbook. I think he can do it at his house or on his Facebook. But not in the yearbook," said sophomore Amber McKim. Alfreda Charway, Heritage High School's Black Student Union President, had different feelings. "I think it's a good idea because he's expressing himself. Because that's the whole point of yearbook pictures, you're supposed to express yourself," she said. Parent Michelle Alameda objected to the teacher's choice of expression. "I think you could take it different ways, but I think a high school yearbook, as a teacher, is not the place to make your stance," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Liberty Union<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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||
<b>Blackface Lesson Racist?</b><br><br>
|
||
Monroe Middle School teacher Alan Barron was suspended after he discussed "blackface" with his students and showed a video about the racially degrading practice. An assistant principal observed the lesson and, feeling it racist, demanded that the video be stopped. Students and parents defended Barron. Adrienne Aaron's daughter, for instance, said that Barron was only trying to inform the students about a historical reality. "(My daughter) was more offended that they stopped the video...It had nothing to do with racism. History is history. We need to educate our kids to see how far we’ve come in America," said Aaron, whose husband is black. The district eventually reversed its decision. In a statement, Superintendent Barry Martin said, "As a result of incorrect information presented within the community, there is a perception that the district was opposed to a teacher providing students with information about the history of racial issues in this country...This simply is not true and is a misinterpretation of the concern."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Monroe<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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||
<b>Declaring How Far They'll Go</b><br><br>
|
||
Students in a Woodland Park Middle School class were asked to indicate their sexual boundaries by standing under signs that said things like "kissed," "above the waist," "below the waist," and "all the way." Some students felt they were being asked to publicly declare how far they have gone sexually. "To put (students) up in front of their friends to be humiliated or to be asked questions that I believe are personal, it's really none of the school's business," said one parent. School officials defended the lesson. "The parents sign permission slips for the class and can look at the curriculum prior. The purpose of the lesson was to open the lines of communication between parents and students about dating expectations," said Principal Brian Randall.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> San Marcos Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
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<b>Troubling Sex Ed Photos</b><br><br>
|
||
Several Pine Valley Middle School parents were upset about a series of images shown in a sex education class. One image featured a man on all fours and a woman standing on top of him. The image was captioned, "Girl on top can still get pregnant." The most controversial image featured a man with blood on his face and the caption, "A real man loves his woman every day of the month." Said one parent: "This is horrific. This is unacceptable material." Superintendent Kathy Granger defended the curriculum as being "factually and medically accurate," and pointed out that comprehensive sex education was mandated by state law. Nonetheless, she said the presentation in question had been "modified" for future classes.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> San Ramon Valley Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
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<b>Suspended for Sarcastic Tweet</b><br><br>
|
||
An anonymous tweet accused Rogers High School senior Reid Sagehorn of kissing a gym teacher. "Actually yes," Reid sarcastically tweeted in reply. A parent reported Reid's tweet to the police, who, in a subsequent investigation, found no evidence of a relationship, and cleared the student of defaming the gym teacher. Nonetheless, the Elk River School District suspended -- and moved toward expelling -- Reid for violating a policy against "threatening, intimidating, or assault(ing)...a teacher." Reid responded by filing suit against the district. "Students have a right to free speech...Even more outside the school site and grounds," said attorney Steven Aggergaard. However, Aggergaard also acknowledged, "Schools do get some latitude to restrict speech, even punish speech, if there has been some sort of disruption." <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Elk River<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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<b>District Promotes Mission Trip</b><br><br>
|
||
The American Humanist Association criticized the Douglas County School District for promoting a Christian mission trip. Douglas County schools solicited donations of supplies to aid Guatemalan children, but Rob Ross, the district's legal counsel, said, "There was no religious connection made there...Their intent was to provide school supplies to poor kids in Guatemala, and their effort wasn't related to any proselytizing." David Niose, legal director of the American Humanist Association, contended that a post from the district's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter made the religious connection clear. "There are many children living in institutions, and our group's primary goal is to share the love and hope of Jesus...Our students will be visiting with orphans, participating in several construction projects, and engaging in the culture of this beautiful Central American nation," the post read. "Something this bold, quite honestly, I haven't seen anything like it," Niose said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Douglas County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>Conservative Websites Blocked</b><br><br>
|
||
While doing research for a class debate on gun control, Nonnewaug High School senior Andrew Lampart discovered that he could not access any conservative or Christian websites via the school's computers. Liberal websites and those of other religions, however, could be accessed. "Schools are supposed to be fair and balanced towards all ways of thinking. It's supposed to encourage students to formulate their own opinions. Students aren't able to do that here at the school because they are only being fed one side of the issue," Lampart said. He escalated his concerns through the principal, the superintendent, and the school board. After a longthy delay, the district acknowledged that the conservative sites should not have been blocked, but blamed it on the district's Web filtering software, which catagorized them as forbidden "political/advocacy" groups.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Regional School District 14<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Mom Wears Daughter's "Too Short" Dress</b><br><br>
|
||
Central Davidson graduate Violet Burkhart was sent home from school for wearing a dress which, according to teachers, violated the dress code by being a half-inch too short. The fact that Burkhart had worn the dress to school before, and that it was the last day of her senior year. did not change the school's mind. Burkhart's mother, Amy Redwine, was appalled by the school's decision. "My daughter--it’s supposed to be one of her best days and she’s there crying...If I thought this dress was inappropriate, I would have never allowed her to wear the dress," Redwine said. She made a statement by wearing the dress at her daughter's graduation. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Davidson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Marine Uniform Not Allowed</b><br><br>
|
||
Brandon Garabrant requested permission to wear his Marine Corps uniform to his graduation ceremony, but ConVal Regional High School officials told Garabrant he would have to wear a cap and gown, like all of the other students. Garabrant, who officially finished school earlier in the year before completing Marine boot camp, wanted to wear his uniform in celebration of his service. However, school officials did not want to open the door to other special requests. "I think this is a celebration of a class much like a celebration of a team, a group that's been together," said Principal Brian Pickering. Nonetheless, a message in the window of a local barbershop stated, "Brandon deserves to wear his uniform."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Contoocook Valley Regional<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Graduation Speaker: Resist Liberal Ideologies</b><br><br>
|
||
Paul Stepanoff, president of the Quakertown Community School Board, spoke at the district's graduation ceremony, and used his time to tell students to resist the liberal ideologies they are likely to encounter in college and society at large. Stepanoff said he received many positive comments on his remarks. Not everyone, however, was pleased with his chosen theme. "Paul, you’ve already ruined my classes (sic) graduation, do the rest of the community a favor; either learn how to keep your right-wing opinions to yourself or kindly remove yourself from the field of educating the youth of the community," said graduate Wade VanValkenburgh.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Quakertown Community<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Unions Push for Labor History</b><br><br>
|
||
Connecticut labor union leaders argued in favor of legislation that would encourage the teaching of labor history in the state's schools. "We're losing a generation of workers who don't have an understanding about the union movement," said Steve Kass, a member of the executive board of the Greater New Haven Labor History Association. Teacher Joshua Katz said that the curriculum decisions should not be made by the legislature. "In general, I'm opposed to all of this top-down legislation," he said. The Connecticut Business and Industry Association argued that the legislation would divert resources from more important education priorities.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Social Media Policy Scrapped</b><br><br>
|
||
Scappoose High School junior Marissa Harper was told that she would have to sign a stringent social media policy, intended to prevent cyberbullying, in order to try out for the school's dance team. The policy would have prohibited any negative social media comments about the team. In addition, any e-mailing, texting, or telephone conversations pertaining to the dance team would violate the policy. With the help of the ACLU and her mother, Alicia Harper, Marissa sued the Scappoose School District on account of the policy. The district relented and admitted "that portions of the policy relating to student speech violated the Harpers' First Amendment rights of free speech." Superintendent Stephen Jupe said that the district would develop a new social media policy. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Scappoose<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b><i>Paper Towers</i> Cut</b><br><br>
|
||
John Green's <i>Paper Towers</i> was cut from Dr. John Long Middle School's eighth grade summer reading list. The removal was prompted by a parent's complaint about strong language and sexual content in the book, while Superintendent Ken Browning insisted that the book had not been banned. "The title was simply eliminated from a teacher's summer reading list of possible books for students to read over the summer," he explained. National Coalition Against Censorship executive director Joan Bertin was skeptical. "A book does not have to be censored everywhere to be censored somewhere...Any action by school officials to restrict access to a book because some object to its ideas or content offends fundamental First Amendment principles," Bertin wrote. The book was eventually returned to the reading list after legal action was threatened.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pasco County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Anti-Evolution Cartoon</b><br><br>
|
||
Some parents were upset that an anti-evolution drawing -- part of a PowerPoint presentation on an Atlanta Public Schools filesharing service for teachers -- was shown to a Grady High School biology class. The cartoon associated evolution with racism and pornography, and appeared to show evolution attacking the foundations of Christianity. "I'm pretty horrified by the idea that my children heading off to Grady might experience this. I think it needs to be addressed by the larger community," wrote a concerned parent. APS seemed to agree. "When the district learned of the PowerPoint presentation and worksheet that is in question, the lesson and supporting documents were reviewed, and they were immediately removed," said APS spokeswoman Jill Strickland Luse. The Powerpoint also noted, "You are entitled to challenge everything and encouraged to believe whatever you would like."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Atlanta<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Compromise on Evolution</b><br><br>
|
||
Sen. Mike Fair (R-Greenville) fought to change South Carolina's state science education standards to require that students "construct scientific arguments that seem to support and scientific arguments that seem to discredit" the theory of evolution. The South Carolina Board of Education rejected that language. However, the board adopted a compromis which read, "Scientific conclusions are tested by experiment and observation, and evolution, as with any aspect of science, is continually open to and subject to experimental and observational testing." Fair was satisfied with the compromise, but many people felt no change was necessary. "I object to evolution being singled out.... It's no more controversial than photosynthesis," said Rob Dillon, a biology professor at the College of Charleston.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Religious Liberty Bill Signed</b><br><br>
|
||
Gov. Jay Nixon (D) signed a bill intended to protect students' religious expression rights. For example, the law states that students cannot be discriminated against for expressing their religious views in their schoolwork, and students can wear religious clothing and jewelry as long as it does not otherwise violate dress codes. Moreover, student speakers will be permitted to talk about religion in their speeches. Sen. Paul LeVota (D-Independence) was skeptical. “It seems like we are putting into statute religious liberties that are already our rights as Americans,” he explained. Rep. Elijah Haahr (R-Springfield) sponsored the bill. "This is a great victory for children and families who want to see their religious freedoms protected in all public places including our schools," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Climate "Bill of Rights"</b><br><br>
|
||
Wyoming legislators blocked the adoption of national science standards that require teaching about climate change, reflecting skepticism about human involvement in the process. In addition, some legislators felt that the standards were biased against the fossil fuel industry. In response, advocacy groups including Climate Parents and the National Center for Science Education began pushing for a "Climate Science Students' Bill of Rights." "Our organizations are joining together to assert the right of all students in every state to learn the established science of climate change," said Climate Parents member John Friedrich. National Center for Science Education programs and policy director Mark McCaffrey said, "(There are) overt efforts...to deliberately block the access of students to learn about climate science."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Profane" Book Removed</b><br><br>
|
||
The Cape Henlopen Board of Education voted to remove <i>The Miseducation of Cameron Post</i> from the rising freshman class' summer reading list for being too profane. "We don't allow profanity in our schools. It is against our code of conduct and there is discipline for those actions...I thought it would be appropriate to not have it in our books as well," said Sargeant Spencer Brittingham, the board's president. Board of Education vice president Dr. Roni Posner was the only member to vote against removing the book. "It was an illegal process to begin with...We should never have been taking that vote in the first place," she said. Policy requires that a review committee be given 20 days to make a decision about a book. Author Emily M. Danforth said she was surprised if "after reading my book your only reaction was to focus on the profanity."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cape Henlopen<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b><i>Spamalot</i> Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
South Williamsport Junior/Senior High School officials canceled the drama club's planned performance of <i>Monty Python's Spamalot</i>. Drama director Dawn Burch said that the homosexual content of the play was the reason for its cancellation, and superintendent Mark Stamm said that the decision was made in order to avoid controversy. "We want our performances to be appropriate for student performers and audiences so that anyone participating or watching can enjoy all aspects of the show," he explained. Manny Tskitas, father of a seventh grader, supported the decision. "As a parent it wouldn't be my top choice of a play," he said. In contrast, student Gianna Goegard said that homosexuality is a reality at the school, regardless of what administrators decide. "I'd just seen one of my friends walk with her girlfriend the other day," Goegard noted.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> South Williamsport Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Whites Need Not Apply?</b><br><br>
|
||
Black community activists protested Fresno Unified School District's hiring of a white man as a cultural studies teacher. "We didn't fight for a white male or female teacher to educate our babies," said Rev. Karen Crozier. Paul McCoy of New Light for New Life Church of God also denounced the decision. "We're all faced today with so much dysfunction and violence from young people, and that violence is simply because they don't know who they are, they don't know where they come from," he said. District spokeswoman Micheline Golden defended the hiring decision. "We are always looking at the best, most experienced, most qualified who can provide the best education for our young people," she said. District trustee Cal Johnson, who is himself black, said, "I do not believe colorism trumps qualifications...I don't care whether it's white, whether it's black, brown, or yellow."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fresno Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b><i>Speak</i> Survives</b><br><br>
|
||
Some Albertville School District parents objected to the inclusion of <i>Speak</i> on a high school reading list. The Laurie Anderson novel focuses on the protagonist's recovery from rape, which some parents complained was inappropriate for high school students. However, grandparent Phyllis Webb was glad her sons had read the book. "So many times, people take the mentality that 'boys will be boys,' and we as parents don’t concentrate on teaching them that there are consequences to what they do," she said. Ultimately, the school decided to keep the book on the list. Principal Paul McAbee explained, "There are several books on the reading list that our students have the options to read. If any parent wants their child to read another book, that’s fine."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Albertville<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Report Family Medical History?</b><br><br>
|
||
Marcia Alder was shocked by the assignment that one of her children brought home from school. The student was asked to create a family tree that included the medical histories of family members. Students were told to indicate when and how deceased relatives had died. "It's important for kids to know their medical histories, but this isn't anybody's business but the family's," Alder said. The goal of the assignment was to have students evaluate how various risk factors "could affect their development and health in the future."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Slinger<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Koch Curriculum?</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Highland Park High School had the opportunity to participate in a program intended to provide basic economic principles in classes taught by school employees. The course, however, was run by Youth Entrepreneurs, a nonprofit organization funded largely by Charles Koch, of the controversial "Koch brothers," and it gained the ire of some left-leaning journalists. "Youth Entrepreneurs is just one piece of the Kochs' slow creep into America's schools," wrote Huffington Post journalists Christina Wilkie and Joy Resmovits. Wilkie and Resmovits criticized the "radical free-market" messages of the curriculum. Distirct superintendent Julie Ford, however, said she saw no promotion of a political agenda in the classes.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Topeka<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Politically-Charged District Tweets</b><br><br>
|
||
Oakland Schools was criticized for tweeting numerous leftist statements and links from the district's Twitter account. Tweets included links to sites like Salon and the Huffington Post. On a single day, an article titled "The Koch Bro's slow creep into America's schools" was tweeted four times. "Oakland Schools has an active Twitter account, managed by the Communication Services Department...We share articles and thoughts about...news about current events and hot topics involving education. As an intermediate school district, we believe that an essential element of our mission is to educate the public about issues that impact public education," explained Danelle Gittus, Oakland Schools’ spokeswoman. Eric Doster, general legal counsel for the Michigan Republican Party, was not satisfied with that explanation. "It is certainly not what public resources should be used for...Schools should use their resources for educating our kids, not reviewing and forwarding propaganda," he said. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Oakland<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Sex Ed Book Pulled</b><br><br>
|
||
The Fremont Unified School District board voted to shelve a controversial sex education book until it could be revised. Over 2,000 parents signed a petition against the book, which addresses topics including maturbation, sex toys, and bondage. "I'm sorry, I cannot see anything that a child needs to know in ninth grade about bondage. What are you teaching them?" asked parent Jim Schultz. Not all parents were opposed to the textbook. "If you listen to popular music, if you read popular books, if you see popular movies--none of the content in the book contains anything our kids haven't already been exposed to," said Dianne Jones.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fremont Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Condoms for Sixth Graders?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Gervais School District decided to delay the implementation of a program that would give 6th through 12th grade students access to free condoms. The district said that it needs more time for research. "We would be the only district in Oregon (to have such a program) if we proceeded to implement this as it is laid out," said Superintendent Matt Henry. Many parents had been critical of the planned program. "Don't go just handing (condoms) out...I'd like to know if my son is sexually active," said father Fortino Olea. "I would hope that my daughter would be able to come to me...but you never know how teenage girls are going to be," said Erinn Tanguay, mother of two. The program was initially prompted by a study that determined 7% of Gervais High School female students had been pregnant.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gervais<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>College Ties Severed</b><br><br>
|
||
The Lynn Public School District ended its longstanding partnership with Gordon College because of the Christian college's hiring practices. Gordon sought an exemption from an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating based on sexual orientation. Supporters of Lynn's decision argued that Gordon's request for an exemption was a civil rights violation. "We're talking about human lives; we're talking about the subtlety of institutionalized prejudice," said Steve Harrington, executive director of the North Shore Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth, who said he suffered as a Gordon student. Gordon spokesman Rick Sweeney hopes that the partnership can be revived. "Our relationship with Lynn has been highly valued by Gordon and (is) mutually beneficial to our campus and the city of Lynn and its residents," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lynn<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Single-Gender Classes Discriminate?</b><br><br>
|
||
The ACLU filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education over single-sex classes offered at Woodward Avenue Elementary. "Although educational innovation is desirable, an experiment in a public school that ignores fundamental civil rights and federal law cannot be allowed to continue," the complaint read. The organization also argued that the program was based on unsound research about the differences between boys and girls. However, education professor Kathy Piechura-Couture noted that students in Woodward's single-sex classrooms had consistently outscored students in the school's mixed classrooms. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Volusia County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Sent Home for Long Hair</b><br><br>
|
||
Malachi Wilson was sent home from his first day at F.J. Young Elementary School because of his long hair. According to the district's dress code, a male student cannot have hair longer than the collar of his shirt. However, Wilson is a member of the Navajo Nation, and his long hair is consistent with his family's spiritual beliefs. "It’s kind of heartbreaking because--how do you explain to a 5-year-old that he is being turned away because of what he believes in, because of his religion, because of what’s part of him--how do you explain that to him?” asked Malachi's mother, April Wilson. When she provided documentation of Malachi's Native American heritage to the school he was allowed to return, but Wilson was still considering filing a discrimination suit against the district. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Seminole Independent<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Crass Dress Code Enforcement?</b><br><br>
|
||
Several Noble High School girls said they were humiliated by the way Superintendent Ronda Bass chose to enforce the dress code. "She (said), 'Have any of you guys seen anybody around here dressed like a skank?'" remembers student Katelynn Hill. Another student, Sophie Stephens, said she and some of her classmates were called out into the hallway when Bass stopped by, unannounced, for a dress code check. "(Bass) told us to go out into the hallway, and I actually watched her ask one of my classmates to bend over so she could see how short her shorts are," Sophie said. Bass was nonplussed by the criticism. "I wouldn't have chosen this job unless I was willing to take on some of the stresses of it," she said. She also reported receiving parental calls supporting her efforts and even requesting the use of uniforms. Nonetheless, she was fired soon after.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Noble<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Plaques to be Replaced</b><br><br>
|
||
The Freedom From Religion Foundation complained about plaques outside of Midlothian elementary schools. The plaques read, "Dedicated in the year of our Lord 1997 to the education of God's children and to their faithful teachers in the name of the Holy Christian Church - Soli Deo Gloria." In response to the Foundation's complaint, Superintendent Jerome Stewart said plaques would be replaced because of their "questionable constitutional nature." However, many parents and students protested the decision. Hiram Sasser, director of litigation for the Liberty Institute, argued, "This...is really hostility to religion, and that kind of hostility should not be tolerated." <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Midlothian Independent<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>"Bless You" Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
Dyer County High School student Kendra Turner said "bless you" when a classmate sneezed. Her teacher told that was not allowed in her classroom. (A classroom list of banned words and phrases also included "stupid," "my bad," and "hang out.") Turner was given in-school suspension for asserting that she had a constitutional right to say "bless you." According to Turner, "The assistant principal said if I didn’t want to respect my teacher’s rules then maybe my pastor should teach me because my freedom (of) speech and religion does not work at their school." Lynn Gardner, the assistant principal, responded, "There are two sides to every story...this was not a religious issue at all, but more of an issue the teacher felt was a distraction in her class." The wife of Turner's pastor suggested there was an element of religious discrimination. "There were several students that were talking about this particular faculty member there that was very demeaning to them in regard to their faith," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dyer County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Football Prayer Challenged</b><br><br>
|
||
On behalf of an unnamed citizen, the American Humanist Association filed a complaint with Hall County School District officials. The AHA was concerned about high school football coaches' participation in team prayers, and asked that religious references be removed from team documents. Many local residents were upset about the complaint. "I am a mom of two of the football players on the CHS football team and I consider it an honor and a privilege to have my boys on a team that is led by men that believe and trust in God...I think it's a shame for one person to try and take that away from them," said one parent. The Humanist Association's David Niose said, "School districts must uphold the separation of church and state to guarantee that the rights of all students, particularly of students of minority religions or no religion, are respected."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Hall County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Racist Expulsions?</b><br><br>
|
||
The parents of four black Colerain High School students filed suit against the Northwest Local School District, saying their children were suspended or expelled on account of their race. School officials say they were acting in response to what they believed were gang-related postings on social media. "To have ignored the threats would have been wrong. To investigate them fairly was the way to handle it, and that's what we did," said the district's attorney, John Concannon. Attorneys for the students said that they had been suspended and expelled largely based on homemade rap videos in which they flashed hand gestures related to hip hop culture. Parents said that their children were not involved in any actual gang activity. Indeed, police were not able to find evidence of any "threat" posted on social media, and one of the videos earned an "A" as part of a school assignment. Although three of the students were allowed to return to the school (the fourth transferred), parents say that the students' records must be expunged. "We don't want their college futures and post-secondary school futures injured because of what we feel were illegal expulsions," said Robert Newman, one of the parents' attorneys.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Northwest Local<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>APUSH Backlash Backlash</b><br><br>
|
||
Students and teachers alike in Jefferson County protested proposed changes to the district's AP U.S. History curriculum. The proposed changes would place more emphasis on patriotism, capitalism, and respecting authority, while materials that teach about "civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law" would be curbed. In response to the proposal, students walked out of school and protested at the district's administration building. "I want honesty in my classroom…the teachers want honesty in the classroom," read a letter from the students. Supporters of the proposal said they were responding to what they perceived as biased history being presented by the College Board's newly revised A.P. program. Board member Julie Williams said the new course amounted to "American-bashing."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Jefferson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Expulsion for Upload a Speech Violation?</b><br><br>
|
||
A Germantown High School student took a nude picture of herself and sent it to several students. The photo was forwarded to one, "J.B.", who uploaded it to Instagram. As a consequence, J.B. was expelled and sent to an alternative school. His parents filed a lawsuit against the district. "Keep in mind, this kid did not take the photograph. He did not put it in circulation. It was already in circulation and he got a copy of it," said attorney John Christopher. The suit asserted that J.B.'s speech rights were violated. The school district's attorney said that J.B. could face criminal charges in addition to his expulsion. "Regardless of how the individual who obtained the photograph posted it on the Internet, (posting a nude photo of a minor) would still be a crime," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Madison County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b><i>Fault in Our Stars</i> Removed</b><br><br>
|
||
A Riverside Unified School District committee voted to ban John Green's <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> from district libraries except those of high schools. The vote was prompted by a complaint from parent Karen Krueger. "I just didn't think it was appropriate for an 11-, 12-, 13- year-old to read...I was really shocked it was in a middle school," Krueger said, citing the book's crude language, sexual content, and contemplations of mortality. "I still don't think 12- and 13-year-olds need to read about a 16- and 17-year-old having sex," commented teacher and committee member Jennifer Higgins. The book's author issued a sarcastic response to the ban. "I guess I am both happy and sad...I am happy because apparently young people in Riverside, California will never witness or experience mortality since they won’t be reading my book, which is great for them," Green said. After much publicity over the move, the book was returned to school shelves.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Riverside Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teacher: School Anti-Christian "Concentration Camp"</b><br><br>
|
||
Ray Fournier, a Fuquay-Varina High School teacher, apologized for writing an online article in which he compared the school to a "concentration camp" and claimed that it was responsible for turning a student gay. "Walking through the gates of the public high-school where I teach feels as if I were walking into a concentration camp dedicated to the spiritual death of those imprisoned behind these walls," Fournier had written. In his apology, Fournier wrote, "In retrospect, it was not wise for me to use the analogy of concentration camps and the holocaust to illustrate the loss of millions of children from Christian homes to the world (Secular Humanism)." Parent Krista Bennet was not satisfied by Fournier's apology. "I hope that they let him go, and he can go find a job at a fundamentalist Christian college or school," she said. Recent Fuquay-Varina graduate Mark Youmans sympathized with Fournier's greater point. "There was a lot of adversity I faced (at the school), being a Christian," he said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Wake County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Forced to Stand for Pledge</b><br><br>
|
||
An Edwin Loe Elementary School first grader was forced to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Indeed, the student's father, Jesse Adams, described one instance in which a teacher physically lifted the child out of his chair to force him to stand. At other times, the student was sent to the hall during the Pledge. The school's principal suggested that the child's parents bring him to school late in order to avoid any Pledge-related conflicts. "It's just ridiculous," said Adams, who said "we're trying to raise free thinkers." Superintendent Marc Bluestone argued that letting the child sit at his desk had proven distracting to the class and had prompted other students to ask questions about what Moore's son was doing. After the American Humanist Association contacted the school on the Moore family's behalf, the school changed its position to conform with state and federal court rulings. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> New Town<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Flags Restricted on 9/11</b><br><br>
|
||
On the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, students at Woodruff High School were told to remove the American flags that they had mounted in their pickup truck beds. School officials said that they were merely trying to be consistent in their enforcement of a longstanding rule. "A bumper sticker is not going to (create a disturbance or draw an unusual amount of attention to itself)...but a pole flag (will)...The American flag was never an issue for us," explained Superintendent Rallie Liston. Liston said the rule had been instituted years ago because of controversies about the Confederate flag. However, the enforcement of the rule on 9/11 sparked protests. The superintendent said he understood the protester's feelings. "In hindsight we apologize to any veteran or service person for this happening. That was not our intent. It was just a rule that has been consistently enforced," he stated.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Spartanburg<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Virginity Rocks" vs. Condoms</b><br><br>
|
||
13-year-old Chloe Rubiano wore a shirt which read "Virginity Rocks" to Ramay Junior High School, where officials deemed the shirt sexual and potentially disruptive. They made her change into a different shirt. Chloe's mother, Bambi Crozier, was surprised by the school's decision. "It's a positive message...Why is it such a bad thing to talk about virginity when they’re handing out condoms and girls are pregnant?" she wondered. Nonetheless, Crozier could understand the school's point of view. "If you have the right to say ("Virginity Rocks"), you also have the right to say, "Sex Rocks," she acknowledged. Chloe said she would respect the school's decision about the matter.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fayetteville School District<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Student Forced to Wear "Shame Suit"</b><br><br>
|
||
Oakleaf High School sophomore Miranda Larkin was sent to the school nurse for a dress code violation. She was told that her skirt was too short and she would have to change into a "dress code violation outfit." The outfit consisted of an oversized neon-yellow t-shirt that read "DRESS CODE VIOLATION" and red sweatpants. Miranda and her mother, Dianna Larkin, felt that the outfit was designed to shame the wearer. "I’m not a rescue mom. I really do believe in punishing my kids if they do something wrong, but this is not about punishing kids. This is about humiliation," Larkin said. Gavin Rawlins, the district's spokesman, said, "This is what we thought was the best way to handle the situation at the time, but we’re certainly open to looking at other options....The purpose of this is not to humiliate...It’s to identify that it’s the school district’s clothing and reiterate that dress code violations will be addressed."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clay County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Chick-fil-A Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
Principal Val Wyatt of Ventura High School banned the school's football booster club from selling Chick-fil-A sandwhiches as a fundraiser. "With their political stance on gay rights and because the students of Ventura High School and their parents would be at the event, I didn’t want them on campus," Wyatt explained. Parent Michelle Cisneros did not like the decision. "Everybody is embraced...And Chick-fil-A should have been allowed to be here," she said. Local Chick-fil-A franchise owner Robert Shaffer said, "Chick-fil-A doesn’t have a stance on gay marriage...We treat everyone who walks through our doors, regardless of their religion or sexual orientation, with honor, dignity and respect."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Ventura Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>National Guard Shirts Banned</b><br><br>
|
||
A National Guard recruiter at Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School distributed t-shirts featuring a soldier silhouetted in front of an American flag. The soldier was armed with a rifle, which prompted school officials to ban the shirts. "Our main purpose is education. Wearing pictures of weapons brings to mind those things in our society that are not pertinent to education," said Interim Superintendent Alan McCartney. Parent Jennifer Delisle was angry about the decision. "I saw the American flag, the silhouette of the soldier, I didn't even notice the gun and the children I've talked to said it had nothing to do with the gun being on it, it had to do with the honor and respect to the National Guard," she said. The recruiter agreed to bring different t-shirts in the future.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Dissection Retaliation?</b><br><br>
|
||
Former Newport Harbor High School English teacher Karen Coyne said that school officials retaliated against her after she questioned the practice of having students dissect cat carcasses. Coyne, a vegan and animal rights activist, said that she suffered a hostile work environment, that her free speech rights were violated, and that she was transferred to another school against her wishes. She filed a lawsuit against the school district. "Basically this is a woman who has a passion for animals...It’s been very stressful for her," said Coyne's attorney, Cheryl Konell Ruggiero. The district would not comment on the dispute. However, in an e-mail to school staff, Newport Harbor principal Michael Vossen said that the dissections were "a necessary skill in preparing our future surgeons."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Newport-Mesa Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Books Removed, Returned</b><br><br>
|
||
The Highland Park School District removed several books from the district's list of approved reading materials, including <i>The Art of Racing in the Rain</i>, <i>Song of Solomon</i>, <i>Siddhartha</i>, <i>An Abundance of Katherines</i>, <i>The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian</i>, <i>The Glass Castle</i>, and <i>The Working Poor: Invisible in America</i>. The move was prompted by complaints from parents who felt the books' sexual content and references to abuse made them inappropriate. However, some parents felt that the controversial content actually made the books more valuable. "We're doing a disservice to our students if we don’t broaden their minds and let them know more about the outside world," said Laurie Steinberg. Highland Park superintendent Dr. Dawson Orr eventually reversed the ban. "I made the decision (to ban the books) in an attempt to de-escalate the conflict, and I readily admit that it had the opposite effect," Orr said. The debate over how readings are assigned and challenged, however, continued, and one parent suggested the district assign such books as Ayn Rand's <i>We The Living</i> to replace <i>The Working Poor</i>.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Highland Park ISD<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"Redskins" Ban Quashed</b><br><br>
|
||
Student editors of the Neshaminy High School newspaper The <i>Playwickian</i> banned the use of the term "Redskins" in the paper, and the school's principal reversed the ban. The school's nickname is the Redskins and all students are required to publish at least one article in the newspaper. Principal Robert McGee believed that students shouldn't be banned from using the word. Frank LoMonte of Student Press Law Center defended the editors. "It's exactly what we tell young people in the abstract we want them to do: use their voices in positive ways to bring about social change," he said. Principal McGee summarized the problem: "I see it as a First Amendment issue running into another First Amendment issue." In June 2014, the newspaper received a letter to the editor repeatedly using "Redskins" and the editors blacked out each use. In response the school board increased the district's editorial oversight and suspended the papers' student editor and faculty advisor. The Society of Professional Journalists condemned the move. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Neshaminy<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Board Considers Employee Speech Policy</b><br><br>
|
||
The Susquehanna Township School Board began considering a policy that would restrict employees' "freedom of speech in nonschool settings." Stephen Sexsmith, president of the Susquehanna Township Education Association, was unsure about the ultimate effects of the new policy, if it were to be adopted. "We are already under the terms of the contract which prohibits public criticism...I would like to know why the board feels the need for this policy now," he said. Among the stipulations of the new policy is a prohibition against making "comments that would interfere with the maintenance of student discipline." <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Susquehanna Township<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>"In God We Trust" Required</b><br><br>
|
||
Rep. Rick Saccone (R-Allegheny County) sponsored a bill that would require schools to display the nation's motto: "In God We Trust." Saccone felt that his bill had overwhelming popular support. "It’s 500-to-1 back home, people are for it," he said. Janice Rael, vice president of the Delaware Valley chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, opposed the proposal. "The last time I checked, God was religious...The government should be neutral, and with this legislation the government is not neutral, the government is taking a position." <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>School Board Prayer?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Williamson County School Board considered starting its meetings with a prayer instead of a moment of silence. "A prayer has saved my life more than once...There’s an incredible power, especially when it’s collective. I know I would not be sitting in this chair today (if not for prayer)" argued board member Candace Emerson. The ACLU of Tennessee weighed in on the board's consideration. "Williamson County students come from a variety of religious and non-religious backgrounds. The schools should seek to create an environment that is welcoming and conducive to learning for all students. When school administrators impose their own particular religious beliefs on students, it not only undermines the students’ own religious freedom, it’s unconstitutional," said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of ACLU-TN.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Williamson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Christian Club Rejected</b><br><br>
|
||
Ward Melville High School officials told students that they could not form a Christian club. 17-year-old John Raney, would-be founder of Students United in Faith, felt that the school was discriminating against Christians. "I feel like they have something against me and my faith...I feel marginalized," he said. He contacted the Liberty Institute. "Simply put, public schools cannot discriminate against religious clubs and must treat them equally," said Liberty Institute attorney Hiram Sasser. Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich said the decision not to allow the club had nothing to do with religion. "The religious club...was denied because contractual guidelines regarding minimum participation in student co–curricular programs was not met, nor did Ward Melville High School have the financial means to fund this program," she said. The district reversed its decision after receiving a letter from Raney's counsel noting the district had approved four other clubs not meeting the guidelines.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Three Village Central<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Indigenous People's Day</b><br><br>
|
||
The Seattle School Board elected to celebrate Columbus Day as "Indigenous People's Day" instead. "(Columbus Day) is really irritating to me, because of what Columbus stands for. He represents what many of our Native Americans believe when the genocide started," said Millie Kennedy, a Native American herself. However, some members of the Italian American community wanted to go back to Columbus Day. "It's become a symbol of honoring Italian Americans and the legacy that parents and grandparents left us with," said Lisa Marchese, an Italian American Chamber of Commerce board member.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Seattle<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Graduation Prayer</b><br><br>
|
||
Liberty High School valedictorian Roy Costner IV delivered the Lord's Prayer as part of his graduation speech after having been told by the principal that talk of religion was not allowed. Costner's prayer received an enthusiastic response from the audience. "I was tearing up...I was overwhelmed by the response...The clapping was so loud I couldn't hear myself talking into the microphone," he said. Audience members hailed Costner's decision to deliver a prayer as impressive and courageous. However, Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said that the prayer was both unconstitutional and insensitive. "It's aggressive. It's supremely rude...This student is old enough to know that not everyone in the audience is Christian," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Pickens County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Risqué Bottle Opener Roils</b><br><br>
|
||
Williamson County Board member P.J. Mereza resigned his vice-chairmanship to protest the chairman's past business activities. "(Those activities) had become a distraction for the board, and either he or I had to resign," Mereza explained. Chairman Mark Gregory was involved in a venture that created the "ButtleOpener," a device that looks like a female rear end and is used to open bottles. Chairman Gregory also resigned "because of the incredible distraction that has taken us away from the very important commitments that we all have made to the boys and girls and Williamson County Schools." The two resignations left the board leaderless and unable to conduct new business without first electing a new chair and vice-chair.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Williamson County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Teaching Dress Code with <i>Pretty Woman </i></b><br><br>
|
||
Devils Lake High School conducted an assembly in which female students were educated about the school's dress code through the use of the film <i>Pretty Woman</i> in which the main character is a prostitute. "(<i>Pretty Woman</i>) was used in two small clips, one where Julia Roberts is scantily clad and walks into a store and they basically admonish her and say this probably isn’t the store for you...The next clip showed her after a makeover, dressed to the nines really looking appropriate. She goes into the same store and they treat her much differently," explained Principal Ryan Hanson. Hanson admitted that "<i>Pretty Woman</i> was a poor choice to use for movie clips." Many parents felt the same way. "A lot of the parents went on Facebook and we were discussing it...They were talking about how they think the boys should be able to control themselves and the girls should be able to wear the leggings and the jeggings … when I was in high school, I think we wore a little bit more provocative clothing," said parent Candace Olsen.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Devils Lake 1<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Books Survive Challenges</b><br><br>
|
||
Three books survived challenges in the Clear Creek School District. <i>Beastly</i> and <i>The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian</i> were challenged on account of their sexual content. Though neither was removed, there were restrictions placed upon the use of the former. Jerry Spinelli's <i>Love, Stargirl</i> was challenged on the basis of its "mature content." The novel was moved from elementary libraries to intermediate schools. <i>Galveston Daily News</i> editor Heber Taylor was pleased that none of the books were banned outright. "Parents have the right to decide what their own children read--and school districts generally will work with parents who are offended by a book to find an alternate. The problem occurs when some parents decide that their children should not read a certain book--and they decide that yours shouldn’t either," he wrote.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Clear Creek<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teachers Against Core Fear Reprisals</b><br><br>
|
||
Some Louisiana teachers felt that their First Amendment rights were violated when they were told not to express negative opinions about Common Core curriculum standards. "The public has no idea how stifled we feel. If we voice concerns, when May rolls around some teachers somehow discover that there is no 'place' for them next year," said one teacher. Another teacher said she was "written up" for making a Facebook post critical of Common Core. Rapides Superintendent Nason "Tony" Authement said that there are official channels teachers can go through if they have any issues or concerns. In response to teachers' concerns, Gov. Bobby Jindal issued an executive order to protect teachers who voice opinions about curriculum, testing, and related issues.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Common Core Gag Order?</b><br><br>
|
||
The New York State United Teachers filed a lawsuit against the state's Education Department, arguing that it was infringing upon teachers' freedom of speech by prohibiting them from discussing specific questions that appear on the state's Common Core-compliant tests. "If teachers believe test questions are unfair or inappropriate, they should be able to say so without fear of dismissal or losing their teaching license," said NYSUT president Karen Magee. The Education Department contended that prohibiting discussion is a necessary cost-saving measure: reusing questions saves money, but questions cannot be reused if they are discussed. Education Department spokesman Dennis Tompkins said, "Obviously, items to be used on future tests must be kept secure."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Obscene Sex Ed?</b><br><br>
|
||
Many Andrew Jackson Language Academy parents were upset when they saw the sex education curriculum that would be delivered to their fifth-grade children. Angela Bryant, chairwoman of the Local School Council, said the material was age-inappropriate. For example, the materials talked about methods of increasing sexual pleasure, including lubrication. "The curriculum is appalling...The language to me was the most offensive part initially...(It) serves to rob many of our children of their innocence," Bryant said. A Chicago Public Schools spokesman, Bill McCaffrey, said that the materials were not actually part of the curriculum, but were "mistakenly downloaded and included in the presentation." However, the objectionable materials also appeared on another CPS school's website, and a teacher confirmed that the controversial curriculum had been implemented.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Chicago<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Pro-Life Club Controversy</b><br><br>
|
||
Courtland High School student Madison Sutherland sought to start a pro-life club at her school. Her initial application was denied on technical grounds. After making the necessary changes, Sutherland resubmitted her application. After 16 days, the school had still not responded to the application, even though policy requires responses within 10 days. "I think my principal is taking a precautionary stance...It's discriminatory not to let me have the club," Sutherland said. The school issued a statement which said that the application was still under review. Under the threat of a lawsuit, the school ultimately granted approval to the club.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Spotsylvania County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b><i>Nineteen Minutes</i> Survives Vote</b><br><br>
|
||
The Kennett Consolidated School board voted 7-1 against removing the novel <i>Nineteen Minutes</i> from its high school library. The vote was prompted by a parent's complaint about the book, which revolves around a school shooting and graphically depicts a date rape. Doug Stirling, the only board member to vote in favor of removal, explained, "I thought with the filthy language and the graphic depiction of the rape scene that it was not appropriate for minors." Honors student Alli Buley felt the book has real value. "The book was very well written, and to me, it was how the community came together to deal with the school shooting...It was about dealing with loss, rebuilding. I learned a lot from reading it, and I thought the book was really moving," she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Kennett Consolidated<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Prayer in "Seminar"</b><br><br>
|
||
After three years of leading religious meetings of fellow students during "seminar" time, school officials told Pine Creek senior Chase Windebank he could no longer do so. "(Seminar) time is counted as academic time toward the minimum hours of instruction that schools are required to provide by state law, and therefore, must be used for academic purposes," explained Patricia Richardson, an attorney for the school district. Windebank, with the help of the Alliance Defense Fund, filed a lawsuit against the school. A letter from the ADF pointed out that other "(s)tudents use (seminar) time for a whole slew of non-school-related purposes...(e.g.) associate with friends outside, in the cafeteria or in other open rooms to discuss virtually unlimited topics, i.e., TV shows, sports teams, upcoming tests, politics." <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Academy School District 20<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Unconstitutional Contract?</b><br><br>
|
||
Williamson County Schools was criticized by parents and civil liberties organizations because of a technology use contract that students and parents were required to sign. Daniel Pomerantz initially refused to sign the contract, and, as a consequence, his daughter was not allowed to use school computers. The "Acceptable Use, Media Release, and Internet Safety" guidelines prohibit students from posting photographs of students or employees without teacher or administrator consent. The rules also allow school officials to inspect students' electronic devices at any time. The ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation denounced the contract in a joint letter. "Requiring students to sign an agreement waiving constitutional protections in order to participate in fundamental school activities is not permissible," the letter read. Director of Schools Mike Looney said that the district's attorneys would review the letter. "The district remains committed to protecting the constitutional rights of our students while maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for them," Looney said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Williamson County<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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<b>Pink Hair Suspension</b><br><br>
|
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Edna Elementary School student Hailey Stone was suspended from school because of her hair color. During the previous weekend, Hailey had participated in a charity "color run," during which she and the other runners were pelted with powdered dye. Some of the color still remained in Hailey's hair when she returned to school. The principal said that "having unnatural color hair is a violation of the school's dress code. It is a level one offense and the consequences vary. All parents sign the student code of conduct which outlines a student may not have colored hair." Carol Stone, Hailey's mother, was not satisfied with the principal's explanation. "We didn't plan for her to be colored like that...It definitely wasn't done on purpose, so I didn't believe it was right for (the suspension) to happen."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Edna Independent<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>School Facilitates Bible Distro</b><br><br>
|
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The American Humanist Association sent a letter of complaint to Northwest Elementary School principal Kara Kilough, concerned that the principal had facilitated a Bible distribution. "Gideons will set up in the lobby of the fifth grade building at 7:35. Fifth grade teachers — please walk your class through the lobby at that time," read an e-mail from the principal to school staff. "The teachers were not merely passive observers but were expressly instructed to assist the Gideons by making the children walk through the lobby where the Bibles were distributed...We are troubled by the school district's complete disregard for the Establishment Clause and the rights of religious minorities in the district," explained Monica Miller, an attorney for the association.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Rankin County<br>
|
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<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
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|
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<b>Condom Ads in High School?</b><br><br>
|
||
The Easton Area School Board discussed its plan for regulating on-campus advertising. Board member Matt Monahon raised questions about the propriety of allowing condom advertisements. While the district's current policy prohibits advertisements containing "lewd, vulgar, obscene, pornographic, or illegal material," Monahon said that a condom manufacturer could argue that its product fell into none of those categories. He suggested expanding the policy to prohibit anything "of a sexual nature." Board President Frank Pintabone argued that such ads should be allowed. "Do you know how many students we have pregnant?" he asked. Pintabone also pointed out that, by further restricting advertising, they could be exposing the district to a First Amendment lawsuit.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Easton Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Satanic Coloring Book</b><br><br>
|
||
The Satanic Temple submitted a coloring book and fact sheets to be distributed in Orange County schools. District policy allows approved religious materials to be distributed in schools. Previously, the World Changers of Florida had distributed Bibles, prompting lawsuits from atheist groups, some of which wanted to distribute their own materials. "To be sure, if our materials are consistent with their standards, they can’t simply deny our literature because of its religious viewpoint," said Satanic Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves. However, School Board Chair Bill Sublette said, "We definitely, definitely will not be distributing those materials until we have a work session on that issue." In February 2015 the Board voted to disallow the distribution of any material considered religious or political, which was met by a lawsuit threat from the Liberty Council.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Orange County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Bullying Complaint Retaliation?</b><br><br>
|
||
Three Pennsylvania families filed a lawsuit against the Gettysburg Area School District alleging that the school had failed to address the bullying of their middle school children. "Life at school was a daily repertoire of being pushed, shoved, hit, kicked, and verbally abused by a group of larger boys," the families argued. They also said that the school had retaliated against them for complaining about the school's inaction. A federal court dismissed the families' lawsuit and decided that the school had not retaliated against the families in violation of their First Amendment rights. "We are sympathetic to the plight of the student victims...However, without any allegation of action by the school district, the case falls squarely within our binding precedent," the 3rd Circuit Court ruled. The Supreme Court decided not to hear the case.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Gettysburg Area<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Coaches Can't Pray</b><br><br>
|
||
The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the Cape Henlopen School District after a high school football coach was photographed praying with players. "He’s got his hands on players and he’s bowing his head and he’s participating in a prayer circle with students...Our objection to that is it violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution," explained FFRF attorney Elizabeth Cavell. Superintendent Robert Fulton responded by saying all district employees would be reminded of laws regarding the separation of church and state. However, in practice, it is common for coaches to pray with their players. Brandywine coach Tom Wood explained, "Before the first time we do it, I throw it out there that this is strictly voluntary...I’m not pushing my religion on anybody...This is just something that has always been done in football...And everywhere I’ve been as a coach, it’s been the same way."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Cape Henlopen<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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<b>Curriculum Celebrates Islam?</b><br><br>
|
||
Some Revere Public Schools parents were upset about what their children were learning about Islam. The parents felt that the textbook was reverent toward or celebratory of Islam, rather than presenting an objective history. "Muhammad never expected to change the world...(He was) upset about the cruelty of his people...Muhammad had a strong sense of right and wrong," the textbook reads. Said parent Anthony Giannino: "No religion should be taught at school. In their paper it says Allah is their only God. That's insulting to me as a Christian who believes in just Jesus only." Idalia Garcia, another parent, approved of the curriculum. "What is Muslim (sic) about? What is Christianity about? That's what I teach at home. Everybody should respect everybody else's religion," she said. In a letter to parents, Superintendent Paul Dakin wrote, "I want to be very clear that no religion is taught with the purpose of converting students to that religion."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Revere<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
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|
||
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|
||
<b>Sikh Knife Allowed</b><br><br>
|
||
Sikhs are expected to carry a knife called a Kirpan at all times, and a Sikh student at Gildo Rey Elementary was no exception. The school district decided to make an exception to its "zero tolerance" weapons policy and allow the student to carry the knife. "The knife can't come out. It can't be shown around. It needs to be underneath their clothing...That allows them to express their religion without jeopardizing anyone's feeling of safety," explained Auburn Assistant Superintendent of Schools Ryan Foste. At least one school volunteer was frightened by the school's decision. "There's no way I'd go back until the knife was gone...They can't take that thing into the airport. TSA would be all over it. Why is a school any different?" she said.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Auburn<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Atheist Materials Distributed</b><br><br>
|
||
The Freedom From Religion Foundation sought to distribute its materials in Orange County schools. At first, the district deemed some of the materials too inflammatory to be distributed. For example, the cover of one pamphlet features a Bible sexually assaulting a woman. "The brochure will cause substantial disruption and is age inappropriate," Superintendent Barbara Jenkins said. The FFRF filed a lawsuit against the district, which allowed Bibles to be distributed by a Christian group. "(The FFRF would) prefer that no dissemination of outside materials, such as Bibles or their own literature, occur in Orange County Public Schools...But since Defendants are allowing distributions, all viewpoints must now be granted fair and equal access," the lawsuit read. "The irony is that the Bible, a bestseller that’s rarely read, is X-rated, full of violence, obscenity and immoral conduct committed by or blessed by the biblical deity," said FFRF co-president Dan Barker. In response to the lawsuit, the district agreed to allow the distribution of the materials.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Orange County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Climate Change Curriculum Debate</b><br><br>
|
||
West Virginia’s State Board of Education made changes to the Next Generation Science Standards, among a few changes asking students to use data to assess the "credibility" of global climate models rather than using such models to "make an evidence-based forecast" of climate change. Board member Wade Linger said that, among other things, the standards presupposed, "global temperatures have risen over the past century, and, of course, there’s debate about that." Science teacher Bernie Bostick responded to the move, saying, "I believe there’s global warming. I also think that because of humans, we are accelerating global warming." A few days after making the change, in the face of national criticism, the board backtracked on the changes. It eventually adopted standards that included climate change, but change skeptics said they were less biased than before. In 2016 some delegates attempted to connect a halt to the science standards with stopping the Common Core math and English standards.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
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<b>Officials Reverse Ban on "I Can’t Breathe" T-shirts</b><br><br>
|
||
Fort Bragg High School officials reversed a ban on athletes wearing T-shirts with the slogan, “I Can’t Breathe” during pregame warm-ups at a high school basketball tournament. The shirts were to protest the death of Eric Garner in New York, who died after being placed in a chokehold by police. “I’m not banning anything. I’m requiring them to wear a uniform,” said boys varsity coach Jim Young said. Earlier, the ban had prevented the girls basketball team from playing in a tournament because they insisted on wearing the shirts. School officials said they banned the shirts because they feared the debate could turn violent and they might be unable to protect the players. Said a lawyer for one of the boys, "If coach Young benches players because of the shirts, that would be a violation of freedom of speech."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fort Bragg Unified<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>School Faces Suit over Repeated Bible Distro</b><br><br>
|
||
In 2012 the Freedom From Religion Foundation called on the Bartow County School District to prohibit distribution of the bible by the Gideons at Cloverleaf Elementary School. In 2014 the group threatened a lawsuit when it was reported that distribution had happened again. The Foundation reported that one student who did not take a Bible "was teased and ostracized" as a result. School officials responded that taking a Bible was "strictly voluntary," and noted that while the school library was the cite for distributing the Bibles, "our librarian did not hand them out."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Bartow County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>ACLU Sues to Allow Gay Club</b><br><br>
|
||
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit to force the North Putnam school district to recognize a club for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. The school board had voted on whether to recognize the club and split evenly with one member abstaining, leaving the club unapproved. The lawsuit contended that, because of the lack of approval, club members weren’t allowed to meet at the school, promote club activities on school grounds, or associate with the school in any way. Ken Falk, the ACLU of Indiana's legal director, said there was no reason for the school board to reject the club when it allowed other, non school-sponsored clubs to meet at the school. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> North Putnam Community School Corporation<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Ban on 'Boobies' Bracelets</b><br><br>
|
||
A federal judge sided with a school district's ban on students wearing "I (heart) Boobies!" bracelets. In 2013 the ACLU of Indiana filed a suit for a then-sophomore girl at Fort Wayne's North Side High School after administrators took away her rubber bracelet designed to promote breast cancer awareness. Judge Joseph VanBokkelen ruled against arguments that high school students are mature enough to deal with the bracelet's sexual innuendo and supporting the district's contention that the bracelets were worn mainly so students could repeat the distracting term "boobies."<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Fort Wayne Community Schools<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Humanist Group Challenges Food Drive</b><br><br>
|
||
The American Humanist Association sent a letter to Dorchester officials threatening legal action over Oakbrook Elementary School's support of food collection and fundraising for the Old Fort Baptist Church's food pantry. While saying the district would not get involved in the future, district legal counsel noted that the fund drive did not entangle the district with religion because the program serves people regardless of their faith, and food donations went to students, not to the church.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Dorchester District 2<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Worry over Common Core, Islam</b><br><br>
|
||
A special event at the Fountain of Life Bible Church accused the State of Tennessee, through what speakers believed to be a Common Core-aligned curriculum, of promoting Islam. Said Craig Honeycutt, one of the speakers, "If you want to teach a few days of Islam in a historic aspect, I'm fine with that. What you're going to find...is anything but historic. It's indoctrination, it's religion, it's theology, it's philosophy, (and) it's how to convert." The curriculum, however, also contained a large amount of material on Christianity.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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|
||
<b>Choosing Teams Based on Gender Identity</b><br><br>
|
||
The Minnesota State High School League drafted a policy that would allow students to participate on sports teams based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex. Said Rob Dunkelberg of the group Transforming Families, "When my son was transitioning I had fears...What you are looking at passing here will give him the support he needs." The Minnesota Child Protection League criticized the policy, claiming that in addition to transgender students playing “on the team opposite their biological gender,” the policy would necessitate that students of different biological sexes “shower with each other, dress with each other and share hotel accommodations.”<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Contentious Social Studies Texts</b><br><br>
|
||
As the Texas State Board of Education worked to approve social studies textbooks, numerous contentious issues came to the fore, including the treatment of Islam, Moses, and the Founding Fathers. A four hour report by the Truth in Texas Textbooks Coalition, for instance, identified instances of what it labeled “pro-Islam and anti-Christian” biases and errors in several books. On the flip side, some proposed books "exaggerate and even invent claims” about the influence of Moses on the country’s origin, said Jennifer Graber, a religious studies professor at the University of Texas at Austin.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> State<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Teacher Removed from Committees for Core Opposition</b><br><br>
|
||
In February 2014, teacher Brad McQueen penned an op-ed taking the State of Arizona to task for adopting the Common Core national curriculum standards. Soon after, he was removed from several committees on which he had served, advising the state Department of Education on issues such as standardized testing, and he received a call in response to the article from Sarah Gardner, the state's testing director. In December 2014, the Goldwater Institute filed a suit on behalf of McQueen, saying that the state had violated his speech rights by punishing him for his op-ed. <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Tucson<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b><i>Nutcracker</i> Christmas Tree Too Religious?</b><br><br>
|
||
The PTA at Butler Elementary School in Belmont quietly cancelled an annual trip to the see <i>The Nutcracker</i> because some parents claimed the presence of a Christmas tree on stage was overly religious. "In the past years there were parents' complaints as the <i>Nutcracker</i> has religious content," said PTA co-president Barbara Bulfoni. After a broad outcry the PTA reversed the decision, but parent Laurie Manjikian said she feared the same thing would happen again next year.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Belmont<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Bus Driver Says Homosexuality is a Sin</b><br><br>
|
||
A bus driver for the East Baton Rouge school district reportedly told a student that he would go to hell because he was homosexual. She also reportedly told him to go to church to overcome his "sinful ways." The ACLU of Louisiana subsequently wrote to district officials on the student's behalf, and the district replied that the driver had received some discipline but that training on discussing subjects such as religion and homosexuality was not something drivers received. The ACLU objected that the driver continued to drive the bus the aggrieved student takes to school.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> East Baton Rouge<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Separating Girls and Boys</b><br><br>
|
||
Charles Drew Elementary School segregates about a quarter of its classes by sex, based on the belief that differences between boys and girls affect how they learn. Teachers “recognize the importance of understanding that Angeline learns differently from Angelo,” said Angeline H. Flowers, principal of Charles Drew. The school is one of several in Broward County that offer some single-sex classes. Critics claim there is little evidence the practice helps, and dividing children by gender can reinforce stereotypes. “You say there’s a problem with sexism and instead of addressing the sexism, you just remove one sex,” said Rebecca Bigler, a psychologist at the University of Texas.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Broward County<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td></tr> <tr><td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Supe Apologizes for Tweet</b><br><br>
|
||
The superintendent for St. Paul Public Schools apologized for a Twitter comment she made after a grand jury decided not to indict a white police officer for shooting an African-American man in Missouri. "No indictment for officer Wilson," read the tweet. "Very sad day in America. How do I explain this to my black students?" The remark offended people on many sides of the controversy. "After 200 hours of examining the facts, the grand jury ruled no bill. We cannot understand how a leader of education could possibly post something so irresponsible and disturbing without complete knowledge of the facts," wrote David Titus, president of the St. Paul Police Federation. Student Charlotte Richardson-Deppe said she disagreed with the grand jury decision, but also objected to the tweet, saying, "It is something that everybody needs to be aware of, and it sort of felt like she was singling out the black students for that." Superintendent Valeria Silva eventually responded to the firestorm, apologizing for the tweet and saying her intent was to express "sadness" about the situation. She also noted that "the amount of time that people spent questioning my tweet and the time I spent responding underscores that race still matters in this country." <br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Saint Paul<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
</div></td> <td><div class="googft-info-window" style="font-family:sans-serif">
|
||
<b>Protest Poster Removed</b><br><br>
|
||
Students at Lewiston High School wanted to protest two grand jury decisions to not bring charges against police officers accused of wrongfully killing black men. At first they wanted to join a national student walkout, but, said senior class president Muna Mohamed, they were told that if they walked out they could face “unintended consequences,” including possible suspensions. “We were told that other students might feel uncomfortable and it could lead to other demonstrations,” Mohamed said. Instead, students created a poster that said "#blacklivesmatter," but it was removed by school officials. Student Chandler Clothier said the school's principal told him the poster would have to say "all lives matter" to remain. "They keep saying they want students to raise their voices, but they want to define the students' voices," Clothier said. Superintendent Bill Webster said that the issue wasn't the content, but failure to get approval for the poster.<br><br>
|
||
<b>District:</b> Lewiston<br>
|
||
<b>Date(s):</b> <br>
|
||
|
||
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