When Your Teacher is a Witch
Tuesday March 27, 2007
It may just be a sign of the times, but there have been a spate of clashes this year between religious educators and their instututions, including a public school teacher fired for making jokes about a Mormon institution, a teacher accused of aiding cheating students after refusing to attend prayer meetings, and for using the bible as a science text. On the surface, these firings all seem justified, if unusual. But the one that bothers me is the teacher's aide (ironically, in her school's religious studies department) in Sussex, England, who claims she was let go over her Wiccan beliefs. Sommer De La Rosa claims she was barred from discussing her religion or displaying religious jewelry. Her employers claim she was fired for poor attendance, but tellingly, made a point of claiming she offered to teach children spells.
Now here's where it gets difficult- if she was fired for being Wiccan, and attendance was simply an excuse, she has a case for religious discrimination. On the other hand, if she were offering religious lessons to school children, it would be a firing offense- but why pin it on attendance, if this was true? I'm not sure the facts are all in, but I expect that's not the last of it.
To those of you with school-aged children, I ask, how much sharing is too much? Should a teacher share his or her religious beliefs in the classroom, or keep quiet to maintain neutrality?
Comments
Censoring any religions is a problem. Why not openly discuss all forms of religion? Why not run an experiment to find that casting spells rarely work. Why not learn that Jesus used many of the Budhist parables in his teaching. What is it about Christianity and schools that are so pranoid about knowledge about other religions and their own religion? Why can’t we lay all the information out on the table and allow our spirit to discern. I live in a small town and believe that the Bible is a book about people’s experience of God but not the word of God. I want to ask why didn’t Jesus write the Bible, he had the ability. I have many questions, but if I asked these questions I would be labeled as a pagan. I study all religions and find each one has wonderful things to share, none is 100% right or 100% wrong. These events just show that Chritianity is a cult that will not allow anyone to explore or search God in their own way. The schools re-inforce this reprobate mind set.
Kids are going to ask, any age, any classroom, anywhere. And unless you want your teachers to get in a habit of lieing to students, I suggest you come up with another possibility, besides the two that you named.
Right now this has nothing to do with Wicca or any religious belief. It has to do with children and how much ignorance you want them to have.
And the fact kids ask questions.
Tally
I’m for discussing all religions.
If a teacher wants to share it should not be in the classroom. In the eyes of students, anything in the classroom becomes part of school and lessons. In the classroom, it gives the teacher’s religion a legitimacy the others don’t get, and an unfair advantage.
I would never have wanted a Christian teacher telling my son bible stories in class unless it was in a discussion and comparison to similar stories from all faiths. This should be true for all religious stories. If a parent wants a religious education for their child, they should enroll the child in a school run by their faith.
If religious jewelry is going to be banned, no one should be allowed to wear a cross, either. When will people stop putting up with this double standard and instead demand full religious tolerance?
To the contrary. I enjoyed your article as I thought it was quite thought provoking. You have raised some points that interested me and will make for lively debate around the water cooler. Well done on stating your views.
I am so glad you wrote this article. First of all, I believe this teacher should sue the school for discrimination. This is America for God’s Sake. Everyone has a right to believe in whatever Religion they choose without being judged. And to set the record straight Wicca religion has been around longer than most religions and have nothing to do with Satan. Satan was invented by Christians. Further more, school is a place about learning and I do not see anything illegal or immoral this Teacher has done. My advice to everyone, DO some research on Wicca and see for yourself. You will be surprised at what you learn and what you learn about yourself.
Dear Readers,
I believe that people are afraid of what they do not know and most people do not understand or know what Wicca religion is. I recently have done some research on Wicca and was very impressed to find out that most people live by Wicca Laws of Religion and do not even realize it. It is a great religion and I recently have converted over to a Wiccan from being a Christian of 40 years. It has answers most of my questions about life and makes more sense. Wicca is not about dancing in the dude on broom sticks or worshiping the devil and doing evil spells. Wicca believes in reincarnation and does not believe in hell or the devil. Most people associate the two together and do not realize that Christians invented the Devil. The Five pointed star (also shown on the US Flag, currency and pentagon) represents Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Mind or Psyche which are the elements that creates MAN. The Govenment passed a law giving Wiccans the right to practice their religion but Wiccans still today practice in private because they have learned their lesson and this Teacher is a prime example of those same stupid people who killed those innocence people at the Salem Witch Trials.
I wish this Teacher good luck in the future and want her to know that there is people out there who are on her side and not afraid to speak out on her behalf and her beliefs.
Actually, unlike the Christian faith, pagans do not proselytise in efforts to win recruits. That’s one. Wiccans are not ALL about spellwork.That’s two. This is the first thing that let’s me know the cause provided is a fabrication. We are very respectful of children (That’s 3), especially those not our own and would in any way blurt out incantations for the asking. The teaching of children starts with inner growth and enlightment not how to turn your boyfriend into a toad. This event is excused with a Christian lie, because this is what Christians BELIEVE pagans do.
Wiccan/pagan teachers can teach students a thing or two about themselves, not by apprenticeship and spell casting but by respect of life and creation and the world.
Well,well,well!! What a sticky wickett we have here!!
First, let me say for the record, I do NOT believe in the teaching of ANY religion in any PUBLIC SCHOOL for any reason. Public schools are for the learning of recognized ACADEMIC studies, NOT for any specialized learning ( isn`t that why we have colleges??!!). I also don`t believe that extra- curricular sports activities should take presidence over academics, either, but that`s a whole different subject.
The Wiccan religion ( Lord & Lady be Blessed!!) is not a religion that forces it`s belief`s or teachings on ANYONE unwilling or un-initiated to the ways of the Craft ( unlike some Jehova`s Witnesses I`ve encountered at my door!!!).
The Wiccan religion does not discriminate for ANY REASON!!! All who honestly seek to learn the TRUE path of knowledge and wisdom are free to walk it. None are refused, save only that their heart be true to the religion they have chosen to follow. “Do as tho wilt, and ye harm none” is (sadly) not within the context of the “organized” Christian religion. No blood was EVER spilled or life taken by the Wiccan religion because of a difference of beliefs! The Christian religion cannot boast that they are guiltless of this act ( which, by their own belief, is a mortal sin and, in their own mind, is justified by their belief in their God!!)
Only those WILLINGLY seeking knowledge and enlightenment will be granted acceptance to the Wiccan Faith. The Faith is not one of forcing anyone against their will to believe!!! This was NEVER the structure of our religion!!! AND NEVER WILL BE!!!
Blessed Be to All!!!
Prosylization is the root of all evil. Teaching a religion should only be done under either a purely informational context (such as a comparative religions class) or something that is actively sought by the person wanting to learn. And regardless of the religion, never should the latter be taught in school. At least, not until college. And then, only as a course.
“…Sussex, England, who claims she was let go over her Wiccan beliefs.”
Sussex, England is not America, and Wicca is not an old religion, it is a new religion. How I long for people to get their stories straight before spouting off.
Back to the subject at hand, if she was offering to teach spells, I’d want her fired too. As a Mother, Pagan, and Witch, I’d be very upset if a teacher was to talk religion or spells with my children. That is my job, not the public school system.
There are way to many people with closed minds when it comes to religion. First, I am a firm believer that organized religion (any of them) is basically organized for those at the top of the hierarchy. This said let me give an example. 30 plus years ago I was hired by a Reformed Jewish temple to teach a comparative religions course to 9th graders. Within a few months I was fired. The reason? I had the nerve to include as many religions as I could into the curriculum including Buddism, Hinduism, Wiccan, Gnostic, several different denominations of Christanity… I was told the reason for my termination was parents’ complaints that I was delving to deeply into other relgions without reinforcing their Jewish beliefs - they thought that I should stick to the 3 primary versions of Judaism, and a few of the Christian denominations. (By the way there is no anti-semetism here. I was born of Jewish parents but am now seeking my own path back to the Sacred Feminism.) The bottom line is that no single religion has a lock on small mindedness.
I don’t agree with any religious teachings in school, however, this woman not hiding her beliefs doesn’t mean she is teaching them. Paganism doesn’t have to be swept under the carpet and kept hushed. If it’s okay to be another religion it’s okay to be a pagan.
I feel that one’s religion should be kept to themselves. I am pagan/wiccan but not only do I not share that with the children but I don’t display my jewelry because I live in a small town and the people are not very forward thinking and I don’t want them to change their oppinion of me based on my religion…unfortunately, my opinion of some of them has changed. We had a teacher that was a Jehovas Witness and she refused to let the children (we are talking preschoolers) do holiday crafts and hear the stories. Since we never teach the Jesus stuff, it was mostly Santa she protested. I tried to explain that this was culture and tradition not religion but she did not agree. She left our center and has been through a few since trying to find her place. I think her place and any teacher who wants to impose their beliefs on children should teach in their religions private schools. In public schools a teacher should remain neutral. The families have the responsibility to inform their children and the smart children will study things on their own.