Students get kicked out of class for not praying

Georgia school pays up after teacher tells first-grader his mom is ‘bad’ because she doesn’t believe in God

You know, time would be well spent on educating and preparing future generations, not forcing religion down their throats:

A kindergarten teacher and first-grade teacher at Swainsboro Primary School led students in prayer before lunch last year and then singled out students whose parents complained, reported Patheos.

The teachers ordered those children to sit outside the classroom in a hallway while other students prayed, and one of the teachers told students their classmates couldn’t recite the Pledge of Allegiance because it contained the phrase, “under God.”

Another teacher told one child that he should “make a good decision” and join his classmates in prayer, according to a complaint filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

www.rawstory.com...

A number of points here.

First of all, why weren't these teachers doing their jobs in the first place? They have a job description.

Secondly, little harassing kindergarten kids? Pressuring them on something totally unrelated to their education?

Thirdly, going against the parents wishes?

Fourthly, and more importantly, bringing and forcing their religion into the public school environment?

This is disgusting, and I don't doubt for a second this isn't an isolated case.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Welcome to life in the south.

Even my physician (when I lived in SC) asked me what church I went to. I said I was agnostic, and I saw her write atheist on my records.

Teachers act a fool, taxpayers cover the damages. Maybe if those teachers were also held responsible for some of the compensation personally I bet their views change real quick.

Thinking about it, why don't these teachers just get jobs at a christian or catholic private school? Literally everyone is satisfied then.

This happened to us a few times in GA too.20 years ago during my son's elementary school years. Nice to see nothing's changed.

Singling out little kids and trying to make them feel ashamed and judging parents over something like this is just not right. Bad enough that other parents judge families this way, but when teachers do it? Despicable.

Glad to see someone threatened them with a lawsuit even though it's pathetic that it had to go that far. Not sure though that "better" training is going to make one bit of difference.

I just used it as a life lesson, directly confronting the principal and offending teachers while explaining it to and toughening up my kid, which worked out well.

a reply to: Vector99

Thinking about it, why don't these teachers just get jobs at a christian or catholic private school? Literally everyone is satisfied then.

Well then there'd be no kids or heathens for them to pick on and convert.

Well, on the upside, this news story should only reaffirm how well adjusted those that never bought into the Buybull are...

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Those teachers need a mental evaluation!

a reply to: Southern Guardian

I don't know where this teacher is coming from, but a teacher dictating students to pray in a public school is a no, no. A teacher has no business pushing their beliefs on children. Maybe this teacher should find a job at a religious private school.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Yet Ted Cruz had the nerve to call atheists "the Taliban."

Telling a young child that he shouldn't listen to his mother because she's a bad person if she doesn't believe in God?? What a wonderful idea this is!! ya, mom tells him not to play in the road, but he doesn't have to do what she says, after all she's just a bad person!!! and, the next thing you know we have one less kid in the world, right???

The lady should have been fired in my opinion, just for that one little misdeed!
So where's all the little poor persecuted christians complaining about the lady's religious freedoms being violated for not being able to coerce, shame little kindergartners and first graders into praying to their God?

This isn't religious freedom here!!! but it's a great way to teach very young kids how to be hypocrites!!!

Personally, I think that the "war on christianity" is just in the minds of christians, but I got to tell you something here, start messing around with people's kids like this and well, you're likely to start one!

I found the original complain online:

ffrf.org...

it sounds like it was more than just the two teachers involved, the gym teacher was also encouraging the kid to go along with the prayer.

not a day goes by without somebody claiming that god them down, and of course they’re all right.

This can't possibly be true, because only Muslims are trying to force everyone to live their way. Christians would never try to force anyone to their view, or go to other countries to convert everyone to there faith, or start wars against heathen nations to bring them into the light....
Oh wait..
THEY TOTALLY DO ALL THE TIME PRETTY MUCH SINCE DAY ONE.

Do you "atheists" give your children a choice to believe in god if they want or do yo make them believe what you believe?

and if they do choose to believe in god, do you point your fingers and laugh at them like you do other religious folk?

originally posted by: Poppcocked
Do you "atheists" give your children a choice to believe in god if they want or do yo make them believe what you believe?

and if they do choose to believe in god, do you point your fingers and laugh at them like you do other religious folk?

Actually, what I teach my kids is: "Every thought is an action. You are responsible for both"

If they choose to do that with a God - - that is their choice.

An atheist loves himself and his fellow man instead of a god. An atheist accepts that heaven is something for which we should work now – here on earth – for all men together to enjoy. An atheist accepts that he can get no help through prayer, but that he must find in himself the inner conviction and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, to subdue it and to enjoy it. An atheist accepts that only in a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help lead to a life of fulfillment." atheists.org...

a reply to: Southern Guardian

I believe religion will be obsolete by the next few generations.
I talk to a lot of the younger generations and they ain't falling fer it.

God didn't create religion...man did. Besides, someone who isn't at least agnostic is foolish.

a reply to: Poppcocked

Nah I just praise satan and stuff while at the dinner table, and do mock sacrafical rituals, not a big deal it's all in good fun.

If they're going to drag it to school, maybe they should just be better Christians overall and be nice to the non-believers instead of singling them out. That whole "love thy neighbor" thing is about as selective as a kid's hearing until they hear something they like & come running.

I've mentioned MANY times on ATS that I lived in Asia for a while as a kid & attended a private Christian school (selected for curriculum, not religion, popular with all kinds of foreigners) I wasn't made to leave the cafeteria during lunch prayer. If you didn't want to pray, you sat quietly while everyone did a quick silent prayer. No offended Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Atheist kids ever. Probably because the bible was never shoved down anyone's throat in the first place. I've mentioned I had a couple friends try to convert me. HA! One teacher was having none of that pressuring & pulled her aside & had a quick chat about not doing that. Now if a private religious school can work like this and still hold to their principles, America's definitely doing religion wrong.

originally posted by: Poppcocked
Do you "atheists" give your children a choice to believe in god if they want or do yo make them believe what you believe?

Most "atheists" (I added the quotations because I found them too hilarious not to repeat) had religious upbringings, and did not like that their beliefs were seen as irrelevant/unnatural/evil. I've met exactly zero atheists who enforce their views on others so vehemently.

I believe religion owns all of those patents.

and if they do choose to believe in god, do you point your fingers and laugh at them like you do other religious folk?

Oh, I'm sure most atheists would spit on them/stone them/sell them into slavery/disown them. That's what atheeists are so well known for, after all.