“When you put on your Jesus glasses, you can’t see the truth”

[Cal_Catholic]

High school sophomore sues history teacher for “hostility toward Christianity” in the classroom

“While teaching the class, Dr. Corbett spends an extended period of time at the beginning of each class discussing topics that are not only irrelevant to history, but also inflammatory and often altogether inappropriate for high school students,” said a news release from Murrieta-based Advocates for Faith and Freedom, the legal group representing the Farnans. “Dr. Corbett causes students who hold religious beliefs to feel like second-class citizens because of their protected religious expression, beliefs, and conduct. He has gone as far as stating, ‘When you put on your Jesus glasses, you can’t see the truth.’ In addition to expressing his viewpoint regarding the Christian faith, Dr. Corbett has made derogatory remarks about Christian viewpoints regarding homosexuality, Viagra, birth control, and sexual activities of teenagers. As a result of Dr. Corbett’s hostility toward Christianity, Mr. Farnan has filed this federal lawsuit for a violation of his First Amendment rights.”

The lawsuit contains transcripts of comments allegedly made by Corbett during an Oct. 19 class that were tape-recorded by the sophomore honors student. Among the objectionable comments made by Corbett that were cited in the lawsuit: “How do you get the peasants to oppose something that is in their best interest? Religion. You have to have something that is irrational to counter that rational approach. When you put on your Jesus glasses, you can’t see the truth… Conservatives don’t want women to avoid pregnancies. That’s interfering with God’s work. You’ve got to stay pregnant, barefoot and in the kitchen and have babies until your body collapses. And that’s the news. That’s not O’Reilly and Hannity. Those people are just liars.”

Defenders of Corbett say he teaches students to think critically and that his class has had a high pass rate. Critics, however, say that Corbett merely engages in religion bashing and gives students little chance to speak their opinions. Corbett has not responded to requests from the press for comment. Capistrano High principal Tom Ressler, who called Corbett a “solid” teacher, told the Los Angeles Times, “It’s really premature to say anything about this.”

Full article…

 

[manualman]

I had a biology prof in college like that guy. He spent half a lecture one day speaking about how the ‘irrational progression of evolution demonstrates the lack of an intelligent will behind it.’

Seems to me that scientists who cross the line into religion are not treated to the same degree of opposition and derision as clergy who cross the line into science. I wonder why that is…

 

[Muzhik]

Seems to me that scientists who cross the line into religion are not treated to the same degree of opposition and derision as clergy who cross the line into science. I wonder why that is…

Reminds me of a poster I saw years ago:

“The society that tolerates shabbiness in philosophy because it is noble and scorns excellence in plumbing because it is lowly will have neither good philosophy nor good plumbing: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.”

Sha-alu Shalom Yirushalayim

 

[Leopard]

Reminds me of a poster I saw years ago:

“The society that tolerates shabbiness in philosophy because it is noble and scorns excellence in plumbing because it is lowly will have neither good philosophy nor good plumbing: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.”

Sha-alu Shalom Yirushalayim

I don’t know who said that, but it sounds like Chesterton.

 

[gilliam]

The society which scorns excellence in plumbing, because plumbing is a humble activity, and tolerates shabbiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity, will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water."

John W. Gardner, a former US Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare in Excellence: Can We Be Equal and Excellent Too? (1961)

 

[deb1]

My question…if this teacher had suggested that Christianity was the best for society wouldn’t the ACLU be jumping down his throat? Wouldn’t he have already lost his job? This man seems to be evangelizing for atheists. If a Christian teacher can’t do that neither should an atheistic one.

 

[WanderAimlessly]

My question…if this teacher had suggested that Christianity was the best for society wouldn’t the ACLU be jumping down his throat? Wouldn’t he have already lost his job? This man seems to be evangelizing for atheists. If a Christian teacher can’t do that neither should an atheistic one.

The Secular Relativists which permeates the public school system promotes atheism (trending now towards Marxist Atheism which is requires it to be openly hostile to religion) and is protected by the ACLU.

That is why you are seeing more and more parents pulling their kids from the public system and either homeschooling or sending them to private school.

 

[IrishBrigade]

Defenders of Corbett say he teaches students to think critically and that his class has had a high pass rate. Critics, however, say that Corbett merely engages in religion bashing and gives students little chance to speak their opinions. Corbett has not responded to requests from the press for comment. …

…the money part of that paragraph is that Corbett has not responded to press requests…that strongly suggests he knows he can’t defend his position without at first strengthening it with help from his lawyers…also, the nonsense about teaching students to think critically holds little water, because that would require differing viewpoints to be aired, in which case its unlikely a lawsuit would be filed, as it cold be easily dismissed as spurious…the real point is, however, that while it is admirable for a history teacher to weave philosophical controversies into discussions for educative purposes, the primary objective is teach, and not indoctrinate…

 

[Francine_Peters]

That is why you are seeing more and more parents pulling their kids from the public system and either homeschooling or sending them to private school.

Hopefully they are not shortchanging their kids on their science and math education in the name of a pure moral and doctrinal education. Otherwise we’ll have a whole generation of bible-believing burger flippers.

 

[manualman]

Hopefully they are not shortchanging their kids on their science and math education in the name of a pure moral and doctrinal education. Otherwise we’ll have a whole generation of bible-believing burger flippers.

Know a lot of home schoolers, do you? Doesn’t seem like it from your post. Home schooled kids in a home that uses a regimented curriculum tend to ace their public school counterparts in academic achievement. No surprise since they don’t alternate between complete boredom and total confusion like they do in a classroom of 30 kids where the teacher spends 30% of her time on attempts at discipline.

The bigger concern is how to get home school kids the social skills they need. Still doable, but harder than the academics.

 

[Francine_Peters]

Know a lot of home schoolers, do you? Doesn’t seem like it from your post. Home schooled kids in a home that uses a regimented curriculum tend to ace their public school counterparts in academic achievement.

Briefly I was a contributor to Conservapedia, a sort of Wikipedia for Huckabee voters, which is used as a primary educational source for some home-schoolers because the kids won’t accidentally surf to articles about reproduction or learn that the earth is 4.5 billion years old. If you ever take a look at that site you will understand my concern.

 

[jman507]

Defenders of Corbett say he teaches students to think critically and that his class has had a high pass rate. Critics, however, say that Corbett merely engages in religion bashing and gives students little chance to speak their opinions. Corbett has not responded to requests from the press for comment. …

…the money part of that paragraph is that Corbett has not responded to press requests…that strongly suggests he knows he can’t defend his position without at first strengthening it with help from his lawyers…also, the nonsense about teaching students to think critically holds little water, because that would require differing viewpoints to be aired, in which case its unlikely a lawsuit would be filed, as it cold be easily dismissed as spurious…the real point is, however, that while it is admirable for a history teacher to weave philosophical controversies into discussions for educative purposes, the primary objective is teach, and not indoctrinate…

I guess you could say that the student brought the critical thinking to the next level by bring this out of a more theoretical and analytical level to a more concrete and practical arena by sending it to the legal system where critical reasoning can be applied.

 

[jman507]

Conservatives don’t want women to avoid pregnancies. That’s interfering with God’s work. You’ve got to stay pregnant, barefoot and in the kitchen and have babies until your body collapses. And that’s the news. That’s not O’Reilly and Hannity. Those people are just liars.”

I object, really I have a policy of shoes for everyone; save for newborns they may have booties.

 

[Teelynn]

Hopefully they are not shortchanging their kids on their science and math education in the name of a pure moral and doctrinal education. Otherwise we’ll have a whole generation of bible-believing burger flippers.

The private schools in my area are far ahead in all areas of the public schools. And that’s a fact. IN ALL AREAS. Including science and math. As far as statistics go, kids that are home schooled do as well or better in college than public school kids. (My daughter was a product of homeschooling in high school. She now has her Master’s degree and is going for her PHD in Education. I think she’s done just fine, thank you)

 

[estesbob]

.

The bigger concern is how to get home school kids the social skills they need. Still doable, but harder than the academics.

Basically once a week the homeshooler jumps her kid in the bathroom, beats the **** out of them and steals their lunch money. That way they learn the same solcial skills they would in Public school

Seriously there is no evdidenc whatsoever that home schooled kids have a lack of social skills.

 

[rlg94086]

Basically once a week the homeshooler jumps her kid in the bathroom, beats the **** out of them and steals their lunch money. That way they learn the same solcial skills they would in Public school

Seriously there is no evdidenc whatsoever that home schooled kids have a lack of social skills.

We stopped homeschooling our kids, but when we were, I met many homeschooled graduates. If anything, they had better social skills than many of the kids from my kid’s current high school.

 

[Pong]

Uh, can we stop bashing the public school system now? Yes, there are problems. No, they aren’t everywhere. Yes, there are even some gasp good public schools out there. While this teacher’s comments may be inflammatory, this sophmore honors student is going to encounter people like that his entire life. He would be wise to learn how to deal with them now.

 

[rlg94086]

Uh, can we stop bashing the public school system now? Yes, there are problems. No, they aren’t everywhere. Yes, there are even some gasp good public schools out there. While this teacher’s comments may be inflammatory, this sophmore honors student is going to encounter people like that his entire life. He would be wise to learn how to deal with them now.

This is true, but the teacher still needs to be taken to task. My kids will encounter a variety of people their entire lives, should teachers also deal drugs, treat students harshly, make racist comments to non-white students? I mean, after all, my kids would be wise to learn how to deal with those sorts of people too. The guy is a jerk from the description I’ve read, and probably shouldn’t be teaching.

As far as the public school system, you are correct. I happen to think our current school district is actually pretty good. I like the way they teach, and I haven’t seen anything objectionable. Even their state-mandated sex education is not offensive. We have experienced other school districts that were terrible.

 

[Pong]

I knew someone would try to equate this teacher’s comments with racism. Had he used some sort of racial slur I would be just as upset as anyone. Race is not debatable. Religion is. Same for politics. I don’t mind being called a “bleeding-heart liberal” by a college professor. I would, however, object to being called a drunken mick. Or a limey tea drinker. Either would work.

 

[rlg94086]

I knew someone would try to equate this teacher’s comments with racism. Had he used some sort of racial slur I would be just as upset as anyone. Race is not debatable. Religion is. Same for politics. I don’t mind being called a “bleeding-heart liberal” by a college professor. I would, however, object to being called a drunken mick. Or a limey tea drinker. Either would work.

So, you are in favor of teachers ridiculing a student’s religion?

BTW…I didn’t “equate” them. Please reread my post.