Well, it's done...
The school board reached it's decision last night.
"The Prior Lake-Savage School Board decided Monday night to terminate the employment of a high school campus supervisor that had been talking about religion and morality to students inside and outside of school, according to the school board."
Because the decision has been reached the school board is now able to discuss their reason for the action.
"The school board says Lind was fired for "job performance and employee insubordination," but Lind's supporters -- who showed up dozens-strong at Monday's meeting-- say it's an issue of free speech and religious discrimination."
What troubles me is how this is being reported.
"In May, Lind was placed on unpaid administrative leave after a student complained to a teacher that the student heard Lind tell another student at the high school that today was "National Pick-On Lesbians Day."
The WCCO report says that the teacher who filed the report is the one who overheard the remarks. That coincides with what I had heard from other reporters and from some of Chris' supporters, but I did not comment on it earlier because at the time it was second and third hand information. I don't know what the cause in the difference in reporting was but the difference is telling. What I do know (as born out by the WCCO report) is that a teacher overheard one snippet of the conversation. He/she did not hear what came before or after that small statement. Now because I did not hear it either, I will not quote it directly, but I will say (and if anyone reading this has any DIRECT information on this, I would appreciate it being left in the comments) that there was much more to the conversation and that in context, the remarks were not as inflammatory as the teacher who overheard the remarks assumed them to be.
I have to admit, I am bothered by the remarks that the Superintendent made (in the Star Tribune).
"Superintendent Tom Westerhaus said he was "saddened" that this has become such a divisive issue for the district, and that the board is made up of "faith-filled people" who would never trample on an individual's religious rights. "
As a parent who has a child in this school district, I have had my fair share of wonder "faith-filled people" in the district who wouldn't trample an individual's religious rights. HOWEVER, I have also experienced teachers who have no problems ridiculing Christian students beliefs. I have experienced "religious" indoctrination into subjects (man-made global warming comes to mind) that are about as "proven" as the secularists say the Bible is. I have dealt with this district, for good and for ill, and I know that they have no problems enacting policies that are not First Amendment friendly at all. The Establishment Clause only seems to get pulled out (by this board) when Christianity is at play and that is wrong.
Also, the Superintendent said that Chris was fired because of "on campus activities" yet earlier in both stories they say that the final straw came from a complaint that was made because of an off campus conversation so I have my doubts there.
This, sadly, is going to court and it already (according to local reporters) has national reporters sniffing around it. I do honestly wish the outcome of this had been different. I do wish the school board could have reached a settlement (rumor had it this week that there was a settlement pending) however it didn't happen. This is not good for the community, the school district or our students.
"The Prior Lake-Savage School Board decided Monday night to terminate the employment of a high school campus supervisor that had been talking about religion and morality to students inside and outside of school, according to the school board."
Because the decision has been reached the school board is now able to discuss their reason for the action.
"The school board says Lind was fired for "job performance and employee insubordination," but Lind's supporters -- who showed up dozens-strong at Monday's meeting-- say it's an issue of free speech and religious discrimination."
What troubles me is how this is being reported.
"In May, Lind was placed on unpaid administrative leave after a student complained to a teacher that the student heard Lind tell another student at the high school that today was "National Pick-On Lesbians Day."
The WCCO report says that the teacher who filed the report is the one who overheard the remarks. That coincides with what I had heard from other reporters and from some of Chris' supporters, but I did not comment on it earlier because at the time it was second and third hand information. I don't know what the cause in the difference in reporting was but the difference is telling. What I do know (as born out by the WCCO report) is that a teacher overheard one snippet of the conversation. He/she did not hear what came before or after that small statement. Now because I did not hear it either, I will not quote it directly, but I will say (and if anyone reading this has any DIRECT information on this, I would appreciate it being left in the comments) that there was much more to the conversation and that in context, the remarks were not as inflammatory as the teacher who overheard the remarks assumed them to be.
I have to admit, I am bothered by the remarks that the Superintendent made (in the Star Tribune).
"Superintendent Tom Westerhaus said he was "saddened" that this has become such a divisive issue for the district, and that the board is made up of "faith-filled people" who would never trample on an individual's religious rights. "
As a parent who has a child in this school district, I have had my fair share of wonder "faith-filled people" in the district who wouldn't trample an individual's religious rights. HOWEVER, I have also experienced teachers who have no problems ridiculing Christian students beliefs. I have experienced "religious" indoctrination into subjects (man-made global warming comes to mind) that are about as "proven" as the secularists say the Bible is. I have dealt with this district, for good and for ill, and I know that they have no problems enacting policies that are not First Amendment friendly at all. The Establishment Clause only seems to get pulled out (by this board) when Christianity is at play and that is wrong.
Also, the Superintendent said that Chris was fired because of "on campus activities" yet earlier in both stories they say that the final straw came from a complaint that was made because of an off campus conversation so I have my doubts there.
This, sadly, is going to court and it already (according to local reporters) has national reporters sniffing around it. I do honestly wish the outcome of this had been different. I do wish the school board could have reached a settlement (rumor had it this week that there was a settlement pending) however it didn't happen. This is not good for the community, the school district or our students.
Labels: Christianity, School Indoctrination
posted by The Lady Logician at
3:56 PM
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