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Should schools ban teachers in religious garb?
First Amendent center (http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/commentary.aspx?id=21892 - broken link)
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski breathed new life into an old debate when he signed a law on July 16 protecting religious freedom for all workers — except for teachers in public schools.
Sikhs, Muslims, Jews, Seventh-day Adventists and adherents of other faiths are celebrating the Oregon Workplace Religious Freedom Act because it requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for workers who wear religious clothing or need to take holy days off.
But many of the same groups are bemoaning the failure of the law to include public school teachers, reaffirming a nearly century-old Oregon statute prohibiting teachers from wearing “sectarian clothing” in the classroom. Muslims, Sikhs and others who wear religious attire as an obligation of faith are effectively banned from teaching in Oregon’s public schools.
You can't have it both ways. You don't want prayer in school, you don't want religion in school, you don't want creationism taught in schools, but you want to allow teachers to dress in their religiously correct grab, which is the same thing as teaching their religion.
You are there to teach, nothing more, nothing less. By wearing any clothing that detracts from the lessons being taught you are cheating our children of the education (such as it is these days). Personally I say go ahead, let them wear what they want, but then let me put a cross on the wall of my class room, let me celebrate Halloween and Christmas the way I desire, let me have my choices as well.
Since we know those things won't happen, we have to realize we can't let any religious thing happen. It is only fair.
I actually don't have a problem with this. If Muslims, Sikhs and others who wear religious attire as an obligation of faith are effectively banned from teaching in Oregon’s public schools are they also banned from any job requiring a uniform?
I actually don't have a problem with this. If Muslims, Sikhs and others who wear religious attire as an obligation of faith are effectively banned from teaching in Oregon’s public schools are they also banned from any job requiring a uniform?
Well now what do you think ? Policeman, fireman, military ?
No, you have to draw the line. This is their choice to make.
I actually don't have a problem with this. If Muslims, Sikhs and others who wear religious attire as an obligation of faith are effectively banned from teaching in Oregon’s public schools are they also banned from any job requiring a uniform?
yep.... they will dress in regulation uniforms ..
Personally I would like it if all teachers were required to wear a standard uniform as befitting thier status as a teacher .. ends alot of the crap of what to wear
what I found interesting was it has become a fist amendment issue
You can't have it both ways. You don't want prayer in school, you don't want religion in school, you don't want creationism taught in schools, but you want to allow teachers to dress in their religiously correct grab, which is the same thing as teaching their religion.
You are there to teach, nothing more, nothing less. By wearing any clothing that detracts from the lessons being taught you are cheating our children of the education (such as it is these days). Personally I say go ahead, let them wear what they want, but then let me put a cross on the wall of my class room, let me celebrate Halloween and Christmas the way I desire, let me have my choices as well.
Since we know those things won't happen, we have to realize we can't let any religious thing happen. It is only fair.
You are combining two entirely different issues. When a women places a hijab over her head, she is covering her own body, and her action have no impact on others. It would be a completely different situation if she required the girls in her class to cover, and told all of the students that they had to pray five times a day facing Mecca. This action would be forcing her faith on others, the first action of simply covering her head is not.
If you are in a public school and you place a cross on the wall, require children to pray in school, or learn creationism, you are teaching faith. When an individual wears religious clothing, such as a cross, that is not teaching anything. If you ask the average person why Sikh men cover their heads, they probably have no clue why even though they have likely seen men covered in such a way. If my religion requires that I wear black shoes everyday, and I do, why would children assume that I am wearing black shoes because of religion, they may just assume that I like black shoes. Again, wearing something does not necessarily teach anything.
Well now what do you think ? Policeman, fireman, military ?
No, you have to draw the line. This is their choice to make.
I am agreeing with you. Work place dress codes should be followed and if they can skip the "religious attire" for a uniform they can skip it at school.
Muslims, Sikhs and others who wear religious attire as an obligation of faith are effectively banned from teaching in Oregon’s public schools.
Good thing Oregon is just one of 50 states. These folks are free to ply their religious trade in any other state or to seek employment somewhere outside Oregon's public schools.
This is in no doubt stark contrast to the "freedoms" these folks would enjoy in theirown homelands.
Do remember that many of the people who would wear "religious clothing" are American born, and the U.S. *is* their own homeland.
That said, I sure wouldn't want to see a teacher in full burka drag in a public school.
A lot of the Muslim "covering" is a matter of modesty, or perceived modesty, like a head scarf or something.
People certainly wear a cross necklace or some such symbol. Where do you draw the line?
Should an obersevant Jewish teacher not wear a yamalke in public school?
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