Holy Water Allegedly Used On Atheist Teacher by two Christian teachers

[Bozita]

http://www.justnews.com/education/23666630/detail.html

Teachers Removed From School After Holy Water Incident
Broward School Board Investigates Controversial Argument Among Teachers
POSTED: Tuesday, May 25, 2010
UPDATED: 8:24 am EDT May 25, 2010


POMPANO BEACH, Fla -- Two Broward teachers have been removed from their classrooms for allegedly pouring holy water on another teacher because she is an atheist.

Leslie Rainer and Djuna Robinson are veteran and self-proclaimed Christian teachers at Blanche Ely High School.

Video

In April, they were re-assigned after another teacher, Schandra Rodriguez, who is an atheist, said they poured holy water on her during an incident at the school on March 11.

"Miss Robinson obtained a little bottle with some perfume in it in jest and the students will all confirm she never went close to Miss Rodriguez. Miss Rodriguez was on the other side of the classroom and that was basically it," said Johnny L. McCray Jr., Rainer and Robinson's attorney.

more...

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I just wish christians would leave everybody else alone.

[Kerrytravelers]

6. They never will until we all convert to their way of thinking.

Not these types, anyway. I don't see Jim Wallis pouring, or even pretending to pour, holy water on anyone, regardless of how close they are standing to them.

[mrbarber]

104. Holy crap Jim Willis is freaking awesome.

Thank you for mentioning him, I wasn't aware of him till I wikip'd it.

[Greyhound]

16. It's against their religion.

Your sig is one of my favorite quotes and explains so much.

[Kalyke]

44. And I wish DUers would stop kneejerking at anything that mentions the word "Christian"

The story sounds like it was a joke - done in jest.

And, even if it wasn't, it's water - maybe an ounce of it. I don't think that an ounce of water even pretended to be projected across a room would hurt anyone.

Geesch. People are too uptight these days.

(And, no, I wouldn't care if someone tried to playfully convert me to their religion, as long as I and everyone involved knew it was a JOKE).

[Dogtown]

48. Passive-aggressive bullshit

As is your post.

[Bluebear]

60. +

[arthritisR_US]

61. ++ n/t

[Seneca]

54. What if a white teacher left a noose on those 2 teachers' desks?

And passed it off as a 'joke'?

I would want the offending teacher fired and prosecuted.

This was not a playful conversion attempt. You have obviously never been an open atheist living in the bible belt.

[Junkie Brewster]

59. Oh well, if it was a joke, then that's okay

Your boss pulls your brastrap? Just a joke among colleagues, right?

One of your co-workers offers to pick you up a turkey sandwich and doesn't tell you it was actually ham. He thinks this is funny because you don't eat pork. Hilarious!

Someone sends out a picture of the White House lawn arrayed as a watermelon patch with the first family dressed as caricatures from Song of the South, emblazoned with the words "America loves our n******!". Some people would find it offensive, but they just don't know a good laugh when they see it. Hahahahaha! Good times!

[arthritisR_US]

62. you nailed it! TY :-) n/t

[Bluebear]

64. "LIGHTEN UP!!! It was a JOKE"

The typical response of lack of empathy.

[Taverner]

77. OK so if I go up to a black guy, call him all kinds of racist epithets and threaten to lynch him

Then say "ONLY JOKING" its OK, right?

[Ignis]

97. I think you missed Bluebear's strongly implied smilie:

[Taverner]

99. Sorry - bad day - in addition to spilling good beer on the keyboard

I also am recovering from a nasty cough

Why am I saying this? Pity, pure pity

[Ignis]

101. Damn, talk about a waste of good holy water.

Feel better.

[Bluebear]

103. Good health to you, friend :)

[Taverner]

106. Good health is good

Although I am reduced to just doing 30min of Cardio every day...

[Dappleganger]

82. I couldn't disagree with you more.

As a christian I find their behavior deplorable and equivalent to an assault. There is NO ROOM for that in a classroom or anywhere on a public school campus. I don't care if they thought it was a joke, it was harassment.

[Kerrytravelers]

87. This non-believer says "thank you" to the Christian.

You absolutely get the anger. It's not a personal crusade again Christians, but just finally someone saying, "Enough."

[Dappleganger]

107. No problem.

It really pisses me off when ignorance leads to crossing personal boundaries and acting like bullies. There's not a scent of Christianity, faith or good will in the room when that occurs.

[Taverner]

108. YES!!!

This Atheist stands beside you!

[dgibby]

111. I grew up in the church.

It was people like those two (and their apologists) that drove me away.

Thank you for your empathy. You are a shining example of what Christianity should be all about.

[Mojeoux]

89. This kind of joke does not belong in a classroom in front of students.

I don't think the new teacher thought it was funny. And why and how COULD it be funny?

[Ignis]

94. Right, because those Jews and Buddhists are always doing the same thing!

Or...oh, wait, they aren't, are they?

[donco6]

122. You must be kidding.

If anyone did this to me, I'd be suing. And I grew up Catholic.

[Tesha]

125. Sue, Hell! I'd simply file assault charges against the two of the, (NT)

[Warren DeMontague]

128. Oh, for Fuck's Sake.

Yes, a "joke" done in front of the students... hmmm- how about if the teacher had been Jewish, and the other teachers had "joked" about her killing Jesus--- or asked to see her horns?

And leaving aside the offensiveness angle, the harassing of a minority angle, you don't see any problem with a staff member undermining the authority of another staff member in front of her students?



For all the neverending bleating and bitching from a few about the poor, persecuted "Christians" on DU (when most of the Christians here, actually, seem to get it ) I think what's really apparent is that they're really just longing for the 'good old days' when Atheists kept our traps good and shut about not believing.

That's what this is really all about, IMHO--- getting the annoying Atheists to shut up already and go back in the closet.

[Taverner]

76. I know!

And people wonder why we Atheists are so angry...well here's why

[onehandle]

2. .

.

[Kerrytravelers]

7. Really? I'm surprised to find you thinking this is not much of anything.

I'm terribly offended that adults would behave this way, especially in front of children. It is horribly disrespectful. As a non-believer of any theology, I would be quite offended if someone took it upon themselves to throw holy water on me, indicating that I am somehow evil. What kind of behavior is this in front of children?

[joeybee12]

10. Yeah, even if it was just perfume and a joke...they did it in front of children...

...what assholes.

[msanthrope]

19. When your Union Steward tries to baptize you, it's a big deal. n/t

[onehandle]

24. .

.

[Warren DeMontague]

18. At the very least, the "idiots" should be unemployed for this.

Completely, utterly unacceptable.

And with the problems we have with children bullying each other- what, precisely, sort of behavior is this supposed to model for them?

[onehandle]

21. .

[joeybee12]

28. No it's not...the lawyer for the two "Christians" says it was a perfume bottle...

...they're admitting to at least a joke, a very poor joke in front of kids.

[Warren DeMontague]

33. " It's all hearsay." --what else would it be? Do you have any experience being a religious minority

in a highly homogenous Christian community? Do you know what those experiences often are like, not just for Atheists, but for Jews, etc?

Yes, it's "all hearsay"; so let's review the clear facts of the case, shall we?

We have the word of the Atheist teacher, which you don't seem to want to take seriously.

We ALSO have this admission from the other teachers' atty:

"Miss Robinson obtained a little bottle with some perfume in it in jest and the students will all confirm she never went close to Miss Rodriguez. Miss Rodriguez was on the other side of the classroom and that was basically it," said Johnny L. McCray Jr., Rainer and Robinson's attorney.

That was "basically" it. From their lawyer. So their attorney is admitting that the other teachers made a "jest" about the Atheist teacher, and presumably her beliefs, in front of the students. That, 'basically', is it, according to the ACCUSED teachers' lawyer. Anything else is, as you put it, "hearsay", because the only other witnesses to what happened are the students which the accused teachers "enlisted" in their "harmless jest" against the Atheist teacher.

The accused teachers said it was a joke. Rodriguez, however, said they did it because she is an atheist.

Seriously. You don't see any problem with this?

Oh, and the icing on the cake? You have community leaders like this asshat, basically saying the ATHEIST should be fired, simply for being an Atheist.

"If we are going to ban talking to students about God, then the atheists should also be banned from telling kids there is no God," said Rev. Kirby Thurston.

Sounds reasonable, right? Except there's no indication that this Atheist teacher was doing anything except being an Atheist.. Which, believe me, is enough for these shitwads to set them off, I know from experience.

I'm sorry, but I can tell you EXACTLY what is going on here. You have an Atheist teacher in a homogenous, probably fundamentalist Christian community, and they have decided they want to get rid of her.

[Junkie Brewster]

80. And all she said was that she is an atheist

Even stating that YOU, personally, don't believe in god is apparently a thought crime in some circles.

[onehandle]

3. dupe, delete. nt

[Cleita]

4. Wouldn't that be considered assault? n/t

[walldude]

5. "Miss Robinson obtained a little bottle with some perfume in it in jest"

In jest? That would be believable if Christians had a sense of humor, especially about atheists.

[Kalyke]

45. Seems to me as though it's the atheist who have no sense of humor.

Was the joke stupid. Yep.

Should it have been done in front of children? Nope.

Was anyone hurt? Uh... no. It's water.

Maybe send the Christian teachers back for some religious diversity training and the atheist teacher off to find her sense of humor and chalk it up to a learning experience.

FWIW, my first husband is Muslim and my current (and last) husband is Jewish. I was raised around both Southern Baptists and Catholics. I'm FAR FAR FAR more tolerant that the atheists posting on this thread.

[joeybee12]

66. Maybe the atheist teacher DOES have a sense of humor...

...when something is actually funny.

[Kerrytravelers]

75. Nothing funny about being in the minority being mocked by those in the majority.

Nothing funny when you live in a very fundamentalist area and you're being mocked with holy water as if you're evil. Nothing funny at all.

[Jamastiene]

121. Agreed.

I finally made them scared of me. That was the only way to stop the bullying I endured in my hometown. It's a shame they wouldn't just leave me be.

[walldude]

129. What makes you think it was a joke?

That was my point. That bullshit that it was a joke would fly if Christians had a sense of humor about Atheists.

And I agree that the "victim" is way overplaying it, had it been me I would have gone all Dracula on them if they tried that stupid shit with me. I would have made them look like fools in front of those kids.

[Solly Mack]

8. The comment section is rife with ignorance.

[Arkansas Granny]

13. I especially enjoyed the one that claimed that the teacher was afraid

of the holy water because she thought she would burn if it touched her.

[DJ13]

9. She should wear this at school

[Better Believe It]

11. So the magical potion didn't work?

[Warren DeMontague]

22. WHAT??? You don't believe in holy water?

Next, you'll probably tell me that homeopathy is bullshit, too.

[Better Believe It]

41. Only if David Copperfield used it. He knows magic!

[Obamanaut]

12. More discussion/responses at this earlier thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[TexasObserver]

14. Sounds like the Christian teachers have enough sense to lie about it.

Anyone who believes there is such a thing as "holy" water could be capable of splashing it on a non believer. The essence of believing such ridiculous concepts is abandonment of reason and embracing of superstition. It is, in fact, no different than believing in casting magic spells.

[Cybergata]

25. Lying is such a great Christian value! ;-)

What a strange situation. It seems silly, but what lies behind the prank is not so simple. As an atheist educator, I would take great offense especially if this were just a part of an every day attitude of nonacceptance of my right to be free of religion, especially in a public school. I would never belittle or show any emotion towards an other teacher's religion. The same should be true towards myself from other teachers. Of course, when one of my 13 year old students soaked me with a water gun on the last day of school, I thought it was hilarious. . . especially since it was the last kid one would expect to do anything like that and I did tease him about driving by his house with a super soaker for a drive by soak.

[Obamanaut]

31. Lying is biblical. Consider "Whatever you ask in my name, that I

will do." How many have asked the skydweller to remove some affliction of their own or a loved one, and it wasn't done, and they were told that it wasn't done because it wasn't in the grand plan.

Or, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you can do anything. Try moving a mountain on faith. You will be told that your faith isn't strong enough or it wasn't in the grand plan.

[madrchsod]

37. lying is biblical? that`s an interesting assumption.

[Obamanaut]

52. It isn't an assumption. I gave two examples where it says if you do thing A,

you will get result B. But when result B doesn't appear, 'they' make excuses, even though it is clearly printed in red letters that thing A will give result B.

Thus, lying is biblical.

[Cybergata]

26. Lying is such a great Christian value! ;-)

What a strange situation. It seems silly, but what lies behind the prank is not so simple. As an atheist educator, I would take great offense especially if this were just a part of an every day attitude of nonacceptance of my right to be free of religion, especially in a public school. I would never belittle or show any emotion towards an other teacher's religion. The same should be true towards myself from other teachers. Of course, when one of my 13 year old students soaked me with a water gun on the last day of school, I thought it was hilarious. . . especially since it was the last kid one would expect to do anything like that and I did tease him about driving by his house with a super soaker for a drive by soak.

[TexasObserver]

126. Indeed. The whoppers that Abraham told are legendary.

My wife! My sister!
My wife! My sister!

I mention him because he's the patriarch of three major religions, of which Christianity is one.

[LanternWaste]

30. ...or visiting a grave site.

"It is, in fact, no different than believing in casting magic spells..."

...or visiting a grave site.

[TexasObserver]

34. What is the connection between visiting a grave site and believing in holy water?

A grave site is where we actually buried someone dear to us. Even elephants remember their dead. Remembering our dead seems a normal human condition.

Believing in holy water is believing that some guy can actually make ordinary water "holy" by mumbling a few words over it and casting his magic spell upon it.

[LanternWaste]

53. Six of one, half a dozen of the other...

"What is the connection between...?"


"ridiculous concepts is abandonment of reason and embracing of superstition. It is, in fact, no different than believing in casting magic spells.

[TexasObserver]

119. They clearly are not similar in any respect.

Visiting a grave site to remember a loved one is normal human behavior. Believing a witch doctor can provide you with magic holy water is simply nuts.

[krispos42]

15. So if they really thought it would work...

...what were they expecting? Dissolution? Fire? Smoke? Pain? Suffering? Eternal torment?

[msanthrope]

17. One of the teachers is the Union Steward, the other, a preacher's wife,

and they courted the support of the local Tea Party, and evangelical republicans....



http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2010/05/holy_wa...


http://blog.reidreport.com/2010/05/this-day-in-gop-craz... /


http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Holy-water-Two-...

[Warren DeMontague]

20. Afterwards, the Atheist teacher waved a Dinosaur bone at them, and the fundies' heads exploded. nt

[JNelson6563]

23. I would've screamed "It burns! It Buuuurnnnnssss!!!!"

Much writhing and screaming. Once they're scared witless stop the performance, point and laugh at the superstitious fools. Walk away.

Julie

[Kalyke]

46. MUCH better reaction!!

That's what one should do if they feel they're being "messed with:" play along, point and laugh and don't let the "offender" think they scare you.

Getting people fired for this is just dumb. Your idea would have made everyone involved THINK instead of jerking their knees out of joint.

Brava.

[Kerrytravelers]

90. Of course. This is what all minorities should do.

That will really make the bullies think.


The behavior displayed by the two Christians, is that really an example of Jesus' love and kindness? Compassion? Was it just a misunderstanding?

I think not. It was a nasty attempt to mock someone and make them inferior. And, this is from a Union rep? Wow. That would instill confidence in me if my Union rep is mocking me.

[KonaKane]

27. I had a priest splatter me with an extra dose once

But the priest was a friend of mine, and it was a light moment at the blessing of an opening Pub that he was doing. Gotta love the Irish. What humor!

[KamaAina]

29. Huh? Isn't holy water a Catholic thing?

"Self-proclaimed Christians" usually practice full-immersion baptism.

[madrchsod]

36. i never had holy water when i attended the methodist church....

[TexasObserver]

38. Yes. It becomes "holy" when a witch doctor says some words over it.

Did I say "witch doctor"? I meant "priest."

[FarCenter]

40. Protestants don't even believe that the wine actually turns into Christ's blood

Much less that there is any such thing as "Holy Water".

Of course, by about 1800 Protestant theologians and philosophers pretty much stopped believing in god.

[Kalyke]

47. Proving IT WAS A JOKE!

Sigh

[Kerrytravelers]

78. So, what groups are ok to mock?

[Ignis]

98. Those OTHER guys, of course.

The groups of which I'M a member, on the other hand, should NEVER be mocked!

Or something like that. It's hard to keep the constantly shifting rules straight.

[MineralMan]

32. And she screamed, "I'm melting, melting!"

Or, perhaps not.

[madrchsod]

35. holy water?where do they sell that?

[Canuckistanian]

43. I'd like the distributorship for that business

Hey, buddy, you should try MY water - it's 23% holier than that OTHER guy you've been buying from.

Trust me.

[Seneca]

39. Fuck those two teachers

They should be fired, but I am betting they get away with it.

[upi402]

42. The whole religion is based on outrageous lies

Doesn't surprise me to read the BS from the teachers' side. I mean if they buy crap like;

woman from a rib
talking snakes
evil apples
animals came off a boat
walk on water
magic tricks with bread and fish
climb out of the grave and float into the sky
ad infinitum

wine into blood
crackers into flesh
...always wondered if that wasn't cannibalistic

[charlesg]

49. They forgot to say "The Power of Christ Compels You"?

[Tailormyst]

50. I wish people would stop forcing their beliefs on others.

[KonaKane]

51. Jeebus, did you thin skinned people even read the article?

I doubt it. Now listen up...

IT WAS A JOKE. From the article:


'In April, they were re-assigned after another teacher, Schandra Rodriguez, who is an atheist, said they poured holy water on her during an incident at the school on March 11.

"Miss Robinson obtained a little bottle with some perfume in it in jest and the students will all confirm she never went close to Miss Rodriguez. Miss Rodriguez was on the other side of the classroom and that was basically it," said Johnny L. McCray Jr., Rainer and Robinson's attorney.

The accused teachers said it was a joke. Rodriguez, however, said they did it because she is an atheist.'


I realize this place is eaten up with atheists with a victim complex, but really! Read thoroughly before you go ballistic!

[Scout]

55. bullies frequently say "we were just kidding" when caught doing something

reprehensible.

just because they were joking doesn't make it right.

i realize this place is eaten up with religionists with a superiority complex, but really.

[Kerrytravelers]

81. It is wrong for the non-religious to not appreciate being mocked.

So, if it's ok to mock someone for being an Atheist, who else can be mocked?

[Junkie Brewster]

85. Pollacks, wetbacks, and those smart-ass people what say we come descended from monkeys

That's pretty much it.

[Kerrytravelers]

93. Let me grab a pencil and paper and get that list...

... ok, got it. Thanks. I'll keep that list in my pocket so I'll know where I stand.

[SidDithers]

57. Well, if that's what their lawyer says happened...

then that's obviously what happened.

Sid

[Junkie Brewster]

67. If an atheist commemorated the holidays by affixing Santa to a cross...

... people would lose their shit.

[Kerrytravelers]

84. Well, but see, that's different. Because we're mocking their faith.

But they're only mocking our lack of faith, so that's ok.

[Junkie Brewster]

100. Yeah, it's all in good fun until the majority gets offended.

[Bluebear]

74. 'I realize this place is eaten up with atheists with a victim complex' - Piss off.

Arrogant as usual.

[Ignis]

92. "That noose was just a JOKE! Lighten up!"

[Dappleganger]

109. Atheists with a victim complex?

Nice, broad-brushed remark you've got going there.

As a Christian I think your statement is full of BULL and BIGOTRY.

[dgibby]

115. YOU listen up.

It's only a joke if EVERYONE involved thinks it a joke.

Legally, it's an assault, punishable by jail time if the victim wants to file charges.

If the liquid in question, was, as you say, perfume, not water, that makes it even more of a problem. What if she was allergic to perfume? Asthmatic? What if it splashed in her eyes?

If you still think it's a joke, I'd love for you to try it on me. You'd be supporting me for the rest of my life, and in the style to which I'd like to become accustomed.

Your lack of empathy toward the victim appalls me. I find it disgusting.

[LeftinOH]

56. They probably expected Ms Rodriguez to shrivel and die like the Wicked Witch of the West

-I can just imagine their reaction: 'Gee, it always works in the movies."

[Zix]

58. Uhhhh... am I missing something?

What, in fact, is the issue here?

[Name removed]

63. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Junkie Brewster]

65. Are you serious?

Really?

Then try this one on for size- let's say that a Xian teacher was followed around by two Hindu teachers, burning incense, chanting loudly, and throwing peanuts to appease the god Ganesha. Or how about a Jewish teacher who walks into her classroom and finds two Roman Catholic teachers holding an exorcism to expel the Hebrewness.

[Zix]

69. Well, you've subtracted some information from the narrative, there.

To wit - the bit where the Hindus incense comes from a deodorant aerosol and the bit where the Roman Catholic teachers have hired a guy in a giant satan costume with inflatable horns...

[Junkie Brewster]

73. How about the bit where a Georgia school teacher dresses her kids up like the Klan...

...and is honestly surprised when people take offense? Geez, people, it was just a joke!

http://www.ajc.com/news/teacher-stands-by-lesson-534319...

[Zix]

79. Jesus, that one's even MORE fucked up

REPRESENTATIONS of the Klan are offensive, now?

Fuck me...

[Junkie Brewster]

83. Parading Klan regalia in a public school in front of students in Georgia

That's supposed to be okay? Fuck you indeed.

[Zix]

88. Yeah, it's okay, because it was a representation of the Klan.

Which is clear from the article.

You have a problem with representations of evil?

[Junkie Brewster]

95. I have a problem with people dressing up like terrorists in public buildings

[Jamastiene]

123. No, thank you.

I would not want children with your lack of sensitivity. Maybe someone else will fuck you. Stranger things have happened.

[dchill]

68. Hopefully, they got a little on themselves. n/t

That might have worked.

[RedCappedBandit]

70. aka.. water. nt

[Fla_Democrat]

71. Oh, the humanity

[Stevenmarc]

72. I think they should send them to a snake handling church, let's see how Christian they really are.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

127. They can earn their Darwin Awards there with snakes.

I figure Darwin probably weeds out Christian Scientists and JWs (no blood transfusions).

[Odin2005]

86. "It was a joke" = common bully excuse when caught.

[greencharlie]

91. worth a good laugh... nt

[Scurrilous]

96. South Florida makes the news again!

Yay us!!

[yella_dawg]

102. Whoa!

Christianity is contagious??! Who knew!

[Raine]

105. "Holy water"??? What makes it holy?

Water is water, nothing "holy" there.

[and-justice-for-all]

110. I would file assualt charges against them both...

and have a restraining order placed on them. also, they are violating federal law by practicing their cult - I mean - religious rituals on public school property.

[Swamp Rat]

118. Exactly!

[Initech]

112. Were they performing an exorcism?

[Initech]

113. Dupe

[Initech]

114. Dupe

[xsquid]

116. It had to be a joke as protestants do not believe in holy water

and one was a baptist ministers wife. Sounds like a joke to me. Rainier is the wife of the Rev. Willie J. Rainier, pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church in Pompano.

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2010/05/holy_wa...



"But McCray said the sprinkling of holy water never happened.

“There was never anything sprayed or sprinkled on anyone or anything, absolutely nothing,” McCray explained. “This is a total fabrication being made against good teachers.”

He continued: “What did take place was done in front of a classroom full of students. I have interviewed a number of them, and they all say there was only a friendly discussion, no water. My client made a joking comment and held up a bottle of perfume from the doorway, and that was it. There are other issues that have motivated this complaint, which have nothing to do with any misconduct, and those facts will come out.”"

"According to sources close to the investigation who requested anonymity, the alleged incident involving the holy water at Blanche Ely arose from a boisterous discussion Rodriguez was having with her students about the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti.

On at least one social networking website, Rodriguez described herself as an “Atheist” and “change agent.”

In response to one student’s remark that the disaster in Haiti happened because of God’s wrath on the island nation over a pact its leaders made with Satan more than 200 years ago, Rodriguez reportedly began refuting Christianity.

The alleged Satanic pact in question reportedly occurred at Bois-Caïman, near Cap-Haïtien, on August 14, 1791, during a voodoo ceremony held by enslaved Africans. The reported pact came before the slave rebellion and start of the Haitian Independence War, in which rebel leaders offered the reported agreement in exchange for a victory against the French Army.

In response to the lively discussion, Rainer and Robinson entered the room.

“Sounds like somebody needs some holy water,” a student remarked before Robinson retrieved and displayed a small bottle of liquid from the doorway.

Rainer has been a teacher for 20 years, the last 13 of which have been at Ely. Robinson has been teaching at the school for 12 years, with 18 total years in education. Both have excellent performance evaluations.

McCray said that after the brief encounter ended, Rodriguez ate lunch with Rainer and Robinson, and there was never any further discussion about it until they were surprised with the April 12 notices from the school district.

School officials say they have no timetable on how long their investigation may take or how many witnesses could be interviewed. Rodriguez’s personnel file was not immediately available for review, and officials have not responded to questions about her past employment history.

“According to my client, Mrs. Rainer, and the students who witnessed it, this simply never happened,” McCray said."


http://www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&ta...

[BreweryYardRat]

117. A joke's humor depends on the attitude of the people "joking" and how the recepient takes it.

"Just joking" is a common excuse used by bullies when they've done something hurtful, since it's very difficult to prove an attitude.

Ms. Rodriguez apparently didn't find it funny, and that's enough.

[JBoy]

120. Holy water is literally full of shit. Google " +holy +water +contamination", and you'll see

many articles and studies talking about the high fecal coliform levels found in holy water samples. Generally not safe for human consumption.

[Jamastiene]

124. Sickening.

Obviously, it wasn't a joke. If it had been a joke, the atheist teacher would have known about it and things would be different. As it stands, it looks sickening and very un-Christ-like to me.

I also see a lot of comments on what Protestants do and do not believe. Different people in different areas of the country believe different things. Many churches in my little home town (over 100 churches here, believe it or not) do believe in holy water. Not all Protestants believe in full emersion baptism either. Many Baptists do that, but many Methodists and others do not. It all depends on the individual churches.

The Presbyterians in my home town are probably the most laid back, imho. They even perform gay marriages (religious gay marriages only, because it's still not legal here).

[xsquid]

131. Normally the person at the brunt of the joke is NOT in on the joke,

thats the point. Only churches with oriests and are closely aligned with roman catholics believe bin holy water. Most protestants do not believe inanimate objects can be made holy by man. Not all protestants submerse for baptism, but most do and it's not holy water.

Maybe they all 3 should be fired. Rodriguez was refuting religion with her students in the classroom, that is not the proper place for it. She is not paid to discuss or refute religion in the classroom, if that is allowed then teachers would be allowed to promote it.

"According to sources close to the investigation who requested anonymity, the alleged incident involving the holy water at Blanche Ely arose from a boisterous discussion Rodriguez was having with her students about the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti.

On at least one social networking website, Rodriguez described herself as an “Atheist” and “change agent.”

In response to one student’s remark that the disaster in Haiti happened because of God’s wrath on the island nation over a pact its leaders made with Satan more than 200 years ago, ******Rodriguez reportedly began refuting Christianity******.
.

The alleged Satanic pact in question reportedly occurred at Bois-Caïman, near Cap-Haïtien, on August 14, 1791, during a voodoo ceremony held by enslaved Africans. The reported pact came before the slave rebellion and start of the Haitian Independence War, in which rebel leaders offered the reported agreement in exchange for a victory against the French Army."

http://www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&ta...

[yurbud]

130. perfume is worse than holy water.