Commenters on the AJC Get Schooled blog largely expressed dismay over teacher Nancy Perry in Dublin, Ga., who told her students President Barack Obama was not a Christian and then brought her husband, Bill Perry, a local school board member, to a parent/teacher conference over her remarks. Here is a sampling of reader reaction to the news story last week the teacher was retiring.
Taylor: As a Christian parent of kids who go to public school, I'd prefer that their religious education is put in my hands, not in the hands of the public schools.
Deacon: The teacher should have been fired. That she was allowed to resign at the end of the year may very well be in recognition of many good years of prior service, before she went bat-kaka nuts, but that should be determined on appeal. Bill Perry doesn't need to be making his bones on the backs of children (see also APS cheating scandal). A good education provides tools for students to formulate their own values, attitudes and beliefs.
Astro: Politics and religion should be off-limits for teachers. They should just teach their subject(s) and do their jobs.
Colwest: Racist bigots simply cannot comprehend all people are created equal, and the First Amendment guarantees freedom from religion, any religion or fairy tale, being imposed on humans by our government.
Truth: Remember this issue and these firsthand experiences every time someone gets on TV and states we need religion back in schools. When I was growing up, some teachers would mention religion in the classroom. I can honestly say they always seemed to be the meanest and most racist of the teachers. They always quoted religion when it meant limiting something they didn't personally like.
Cat: As a parent, I am horrified the school system is moving as if it were mired in sorghum syrup. As a Christian, I find her comments hateful. As a (retired) teacher, I find her behavior completely unacceptable. As a citizen, I would not want a board member believing he has any business interfering in a parent/teacher conference. What are the parents and citizens in that county doing, sitting on their hands?
Scratch: There is no such thing as separation of church and state. That was in a letter President Jefferson wrote. The Constitution states the state will not create a religion nor endorse one. The right to religious freedom is for one and all.
Schools: What's sad is that occasions like this give the Christ-ophobes among us an opportunity to vent hatred toward the only religion they ever find fault with, while likewise distracting us from public education's many and continuing problems.
William: All the articles about this are ranting about "the teacher who shared her beliefs" and how inappropriate it was. This is an issue, but not the main issue. More importantly, what about the teacher saying something that is provably false? This isn't exactly a point of opinion. If knowingly false, then it's lie. Do you want her teaching your kids?
About the Author
