Teacher leaves gun in Pennsylvania Christian school bathroom, where it is found by students.

Courtesy of CBS News:

A teacher at a Pennsylvania Christian school accidently left her loaded pistol in a bathroom, where elementary school children found it, Pennsylvania State Police said Tuesday. 

Beth Jean Dixon, 63, put her holstered pistol on a toilet tank when she used the unisex, one-toilet bathroom Aug. 25 at Cumberland Christian School, in Chambersburg, police said. They said she forgot about it and left. 

Four children, ages 6 to 8, used the bathroom while the gun was on the toilet. One child told his parent, who told a teacher. 

Dixon informed administrators what happened and immediately resigned from the school about 55 miles southwest of Harrisburg, police said. 

No one was injured.

We talked just yesterday about a scenario where school children might find a loaded gun.

Fortunately for everybody concerned here the students were far more responsible than the teacher and and nobody was hurt.

Once again, guns do NOT keep us safe.

They introduce a deadly force into an environment which literally anybody could wield it to take a life or cause grievous bodily injury. 

Marjory Stoneman Douglas teacher who said he would carry his gun in school arrested for leaving it unattended in men's room.

Courtesy of The Miami Herald:

Not the most normal sight: a gun left in the bathroom stall. 

But that's exactly what went down on Sunday in a men's room at the Deerfield Beach Pier. 

The circumstances of how the Glock 9mm got there are unusual. 

According to the Broward Sheriff's Office, the weapon was left by Sean Simpson. If his name sounds familiar, he's the teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas who said he'd be willing to arm himself while on duty. 

According to the sheriff's office report, Simpson told deputies he'd left his gun by accident. By the time the chemistry teacher realized his mistake, the Glock was already in the hands of a drunk homeless man who had picked it up and fired. The bullet hit a wall. 

Simpson was able to grab the gun away from the vagrant, Joseph Spataro, who was charged with firing a weapon while intoxicated and trespassing. 

As for the MSD teacher, he was arrested and charged with failing to safely store a firearm, a second-degree misdemeanor. Simpson posted a $250 cash bond and was released.

Gee, just imagine if this had been in a high school bathroom, and it was a student instead of a homeless man who picked up that gun.

Guns do not keep us safe.

Guns endanger us.

ALL of us.

Louisiana teacher gets handcuffed and manhandled for daring to ask the School Board about pay raises.

Courtesy of The Hill:

A teacher in Louisiana was removed Monday night from a school board meeting after a confrontation regarding teacher's pay. 

During the public comments portion of the Vermilion Parish school board meeting, Deyshia Hargrave, an English language arts teacher at Rene Rost Middle School, asked questions to the board regarding teacher's salaries, according to a report from KATC. 

She raised questions about the school board considering a $38,000 raise for the superintendent, saying she felt that giving raises to any person of leadership was a "slap in the face" to all the teachers, according to WGNTV. 

She was told she was out of order and that the public comments portion of the meeting was not a question-and-answer period. 

The teacher was called on a subsequent time and asked the board another question, according to the report. 

She was then removed from the meeting by an Abbeville city marshal and handcuffed outside. She could be heard in a video taken of the incident yelling that the officer pushed her to the ground and she was told by the officer to "stop resisting."

That poor woman is clearly not resisting, she is simply trying to stay on her feet.

There is absolutely NO excuse for treating a person like this. Especially one who dedicates their lives to teaching our children.

I was horrified when I watched this video, but I guess you will be happy to know that the school board did not press charges against the woman for exercising her 1st Amendment rights.

So I guess there's that at least.

Georgia teacher threatens disruptive student's life.

Courtesy of the Atlantic Journal-Constitution:

A Rockdale County teacher is on administrative leave after he was caught on camera during class threatening to “put a bullet” in a student’s head. 

The incident happened two weeks ago at Rockdale Career Academy, but the student’s mother, April Carr, told Channel 2 Action News she was not notified by the principal until last week. 

“I think it’s a terroristic threat on my son’s life,” she told Channel 2, “that I definitely don’t take lightly.” 

Carr said her son and other students were laughing while physics teacher Paul Hagan was at the board. That’s when Hagan made the threats. 

Carr posted video of the threat online and Hagan can be heard clearly saying: “You screw with me you’re going to be in big ass trouble. Don’t smile at me, man. That’s how people like you get shot. I got a bet. I bet by the time you’re 21 somebody’s going to put a bullet in your head. OK. And it might be me the one who does it.”

You know when my daughter's mother moved her to Georgia I was upset that she home schooled her instead of sending her to public school.

But after seeing this video I am wondering if that might not be the best choice considering some of the teachers they employ in Georgia. 

The mother wants this man fired, and I think that is certainly the appropriate response to something like this. 

Georgia teacher makes students wearing MAGA shirts leave class, compares them to Swastika.

Courtesy of Atlanta Journal Constitution:  

A Cherokee County high school teacher is facing criticism on social media after she told students they couldn’t wear shirts with the “Make America Great Again” slogan, the school district said Sunday in an emailed statement. 

The River Ridge High School math teacher on Thursday erroneously told two students their shirts with campaign slogans were not permitted in class, Cherokee County Schools spokeswoman Barbara Jacoby said. 

“Her actions were wrong, as the ‘Make America Great Again’ shirts worn by the students are not a violation of our School District dress code,” Jacoby said.

The teacher, whose name has not been released by the school district, also shared her personal opinion about the campaign slogan during class, which Jacoby said was inappropriate. 

“Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower is deeply sorry that this incident happened in one of our schools,” Jacoby said. “It does not reflect his expectation that all students be treated equally and respectfully by our employees.” 

Here is video of the incident in question.

As you might imagine this has caused a firestorm among those on the Right Wing who feel that this teacher demonstrated a prejudicial attitude toward the political beliefs of these students.

And as much as it pains me to say it, they have a point.

This is America and that means we have free speech.

Having said that I also completely understand where this teacher was coming from.

If I had to spend 50 minutes in a class with two of those obnoxious shirts staring me in the face I would probably start frothing at the mouth.

I would also probably retaliate by wearing a "Hillary Clinton: The People's President" t-shirt and start drinking from a coffee mug that portrayed Donald Trump as Adolph Hitler.

But I'm childish like that.

Orange Coast College teacher in hiding after she receives death threats for calling Donald Trump election an "act of terrorism."

Courtesy of the Orange Country Register:  

An Orange Coast College teacher who told her students that Donald Trump’s election was an “act of terrorism” has received threats and has temporarily left the state. 

News of the threats against Olga Perez Stable Cox came to light Monday, as hundreds of people turned out at the college to demonstrate in support of her and against her. 

The professor, the union that represents her and the college have received more than 1,000 emails, calls and Facebook comments – most of them critical of Cox, who a week after the election was recorded on video telling students in her human sexuality class that “we’re really back to being (in) a civil war.” 

“Someone emailed her a picture of her house, with her address,” said Rob Schneiderman, president of the Coast Federation of Educators/American Federation of Teachers Local 1911. The email called Cox a “libtard, Marxist, hatemonger, nutcase” and said “her home address is now going to be sent everywhere,” he added. 

Others threatened her livelihood, some her life. 

“You want communism, go to Cuba ... try to bring it to America and we’ll put a (expletive) bullet in your face,” read an email to her.

Hey do you know what doesn't convince people that the election of your candidate is not an act or terrorism?

Making terrorist threats against the person who made that accusation.

Seems kinda obvious actually. 

High school teacher gets put on paid leave for comparing Donald Trump to Adolph Hitler.

Courtesy of the Monterey Herald: 

A history teacher at Mountain View High School has been placed on paid leave after drawing parallels between Republican President-elect Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler in his lesson plan. 

Frank Navarro, who’s taught at the school for 40 years, was asked to leave midday Thursday after a parent sent an email to the school expressing concerns about statements Navarro made in class. Mountain View/Los Altos High School District Superintendent Jeff Harding confirmed the incident Friday but declined to describe the parent’s complaints. 

Navarro, an expert on the Holocaust, said school officials declined to read him the email and also declined his request to review the lesson plan with him. 

“This feels like we’re trying to squash free speech,” he said. “Everything I talk about is factually based. They can go and check it out. “It’s not propaganda or bias if it’s based on hard facts.”

According to the superintendent Mr. Navarro will be back in the classroom as early as tomorrow and I certainly he picks up his lesson right where he left off.

Personally I don't know what the issue was?

After all if you elect a fascist you should be prepared for educators and the media to point out that they are indeed a fascist.

Teacher harassed on Facebook and at her school for her work as an abortion clinic escort.

Courtesy of Cosmopolitan:  

Shana Broders has been an elementary school teacher for over two decades. For the last year and a half, she has spent her downtime as a clinic escort, helping patients at a nearby North Carolina abortion provider navigate their way past the protesters and into the building for services. For that, a group of extreme anti-abortion activists wants to get her fired from her job. As a new school year begins, they have escalated their efforts, harassing her school by phone and threatening to picket. Broders tells Cosmopolitan.com how her school has responded and why no threats will make her give up supporting a person's right to a legal, safe abortion procedure. 

Ms. Broder explains in the article how her world got turned upside down:  

I have very strong and passionate beliefs and views on bodily autonomy and women's rights. I was following something on Twitter and I saw a video clip of protesters at a clinic in another city. I tweeted or made a comment, "Wow. That's so horrible. I'm so glad that doesn't happen where I live," in my ignorance. Then someone commented back, "Oh, yes it does, right down the road." I was like, "What? Where? Can I be an escort?" They said, "Yes and let me hook you up," so I got hooked up though Twitter with an escort group in Raleigh, North Carolina. That's how it started. 

I'm not sure how I was targeted for this. All I can tell you is that I got [one activist] called out for trespass, me personally. It was July of 2014, and I was escorting, and he went behind our building and another building, and he hid in the bushes waiting for the doctor. I was afraid if he jumped out of the bushes at him, someone could get hurt. I called the police for that reason. I think that made it personal. He learned my name fairly early on and he calls me by name. "You know, Shana, you were nice when you first started." I have him on video saying, "You were nice. What you were doing was evil but you weren't a bad person when you first started this but the darkness is taking over you." 

He called me out. He told me he would come to my school. He named my school. Another man who is in this group, AHA [Abolish Human Abortion], who lives in my town — that scares me — he has told me he's going to come to my school and tell all the parents that I'm a baby murderer. Pure intimidation tactics.

At first nothing happened, but then the next year the anti-choice folks followed up on their threats and the school started receiving harassing phone calls referring to her as a "baby murderer." And then they took to Facebook and started sharing the graphic at the top of the page, until it was essentially everywhere.

Now this poor woman, a teacher of small children, feels threatened and under siege in her own community.

Fortunately her school has rallied around her and she has support from her fellow teachers, and of course she is in no danger of losing her job.

However the question remains how long will it be before the people making these threatening accusations are no longer simply happy using words to cause her harm?

Because as we have seen time and time again, this kind of illogical hatred can often take the form of physical violence and even murder.

Dr. George Tiller.

Personally I think this woman is incredibly courageous and hope that she serves as an inspiration for others to consider volunteering at their local clinics as well.

Teacher briefly suspended for saying she would kill all black people if she only had 10 days to live. BRIEFLY suspended?

Courtesy of 10 On Your Side:

A teacher at Camden County High School is under investigation for allegedly making racist comments in a classroom. 

“It is very disturbing,” said parent Kimberley Ashcraft. 

Ashcraft told 10 On Your Side the disturbing incident happened a couple weeks ago. Her daughter told her about the conversation with math teacher Cynthia Ramsey. 

“That’s when she conveyed to me that Mrs. Ramsey had indicated that if she only had 10 days to live that she would kill all black people,” Ashcraft told WAVY.com. 

Ashcraft’s daughter was in Ramsey’s classroom eating lunch. Ashcraft said there were several others students around when Ramsey allegedly made the racist remarks. 

“I was completely shocked,” Ashcraft said. “I asked her again, ‘are you sure that was what you heard?’ I could not have imagined a teacher saying that.” 

School officials began an investigation, and even the Camden County Sheriff’s Office was called in to help. The sheriff told 10 On Your Side several of the students told the same story. Ramsey was placed on suspension with pay, and after a couple days was back in the classroom.

Look I usually am all about supporting teachers, but if this is true the teacher not only promoted racist ideas but also murder.

If I was a parent at this school I would instruct my child to stay far away from this teacher, and put quite a lot of time into trying to get her fired. 

Where the phrase, "You can't judge a book by its cover," comes from.

Remember if you had to wipe away a tear that does not mean you are soft.

It means you are human.

And these are the kinds of stories that make me proud to be a human being.
 

New Mexico middle school teacher heralded as hero for stopping young gunman and saving lives.

John Masterson

Courtesy of Yahoo News:  

A New Mexico middle school teacher has been credited with saving many lives when he persuaded a 12-year-old boy into dropping his shotgun after he had wounded two students, according to officials. 

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez said more students could've been injured if not for the heroics of teacher John Masterson, who confronted the alleged shooter Tuesday morning inside the gymnasium at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell, N.M. 

"He starts to turn and see that the young man shoots and shoots, and then pointing the firearm at Mr. Masterson," Martinez said at a Tuesday night news conference. "Mr. Masterson then begins to talk to him -- to put it down. The young man put the gun down and raised his hands." 

A girl identified as Kendal Sanders, 13, underwent surgery Tuesday night and her condition has been upgraded to stable, Martinez said. She suffered injuries to her right shoulder. 

An 11-year-old boy is in critical condition after suffering more serious injuries to his face and neck. The young victim underwent a second surgery during the day, according to Martinez. The family of the boy wished to not disclose his name. 

The suspected shooter, a seventh-grader whom police have not named, was transferred to an Albuquerque psychiatric hospital after a hearing Tuesday, according to The Associated Press, citing attorney Robert Gorence, who is representing his family.

This must be a sad story for the NRA. 

After all if Mr. Masterson had only been a "good guy with a gun," instead of a dedicated professional who cared about his students, just think of how much bigger the body count might have been?

Instead this brave man used his empathy and courage to save lives, including the 12 year old shooter, and ensured that the young man might be rehabilitated and reenter the world as a respectable member of society, rather than to simply be another grave in a graveyard littered with the bodies of shooting victims.

Ohio teacher tells ambitious African-American student that the country "does not need another black president."

Yeah, can't have any more inspirational and competent leaders like this. Now can we?

Courtesy of Raw Story:  

A teacher in Ohio was suspended this week for allegedly telling an ambitious young African-American student that the country does “not need another black president.” 

According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, Gil Voigt was suspended without pay from Fairfield Freshman School on Monday, the first step necessary for termination. The teacher has 10 days to ask to for a hearing before the school board or a referee. 

Superintendent Paul Otten told the Journal-News that the incident occurred while Voigt was speaking to an African-American student who had presidential aspirations. 

“We do not need another black president,” Voigt reportedly said. 

“He was talking to some students and said some things that were racially insensitive,” Fairfield City Schools Board President Dan Murray explained. “We take diversity in our school district very seriously with tolerance of people who are different. We just felt this teacher had crossed the line.” 

Voigt has also received four other reprimands in recent years, including one for an “inappropriate racial comment” in 2008.

But hey remember, these Right Wing douchebags do not hate the President becasue of his ethnicity, they hate him for his policies. Isn't that what they are always telling us?

I love it when we get to see the face behind the white hood. 

Former high school teacher, now Congressman, helps his fellow House members by correcting their memos with a red pen. I bet that makes them happy.

Courtesy of Happy Place:

Hoping that members of the House of Representatives will start using facts and coherent logic to advance the nation's interest is still a fool's errand, but there's one member of Congress, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), who's willing to at least pretend it's possible. Breaking out the teacher's most potent weapon, a red pen, he marked up Republican House members' letter to John Boehner forcing asking him to resist the immigration reform bill that has already passed America's slightly-less-insane upper chamber. Included in his comments are some words we haven't seen on a Congressional document in years, like "evidence," as well as an awesome invitation to "come by my office" if "you don't understand the bill."

Okay I cannot tell you how much this gives me the giggles. 

Especially considering the incredible lack of intelligence demonstrated by the Republicans in Congress these days.

They don't understand the female reproductive system.

They don't understand science.

They don't understand math.

And now we know that they also do not understand how to express their thoughts on paper appropriately.

Color me unsurprised.

Roman Catholic Diocese ordered to pay more than $170,000 in damages for firing unmarried teacher after she became pregnant.

Courtesy of The Columbus Dispatch:  

A Catholic-school teacher who was fired after she became pregnant through artificial insemination won her anti-discrimination lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati yesterday and was awarded more than $170,000. 

A federal jury found that the archdiocese discriminated against Christa Dias, who taught computer classes, by firing her in October 2010. 

Dias declined to comment after the verdict but said later in a telephone interview that she was “ very happy and relieved.” 

The jury said the archdiocese should pay $51,000 in back pay, $20,000 in compensatory damages and $100,000 in punitive damages. Dias had sued the archdiocese and two of its schools; the jury didn’t find the schools liable for damages. 

Dias’ attorney, Robert Klingler, had argued that she was fired simply because she was pregnant and unmarried, a dismissal he said violated federal and state law. He had suggested damages as high as $637,000, but Dias said she was satisfied with the jury’s award. 

“It was never about the money,” she said. “They should have followed the law and they didn't." 

Steven Goodin, attorney for the archdiocese and the schools, had argued that Dias was fired for violating her contract. The church considers artificial insemination immoral and a violation of church doctrine, and the contract required her to comply with the philosophies and teachings of the Catholic Church, Goodin said.

Okay let me get this straight.

 The Catholic church considers aborting an unwanted fetus a sin and will not tolerate it, and ALSO considers getting pregnant with a fetus that you plan to raise and nurture a sin and will not tolerate it, because science helps you achieve it?

Well thank God they're not trying to control women's bodies or anything, right?

Well good for this new mother. Hopefully with a couple more of these cases we can slowly bring the church into the 21st century with the rest of us.

For nineteen years woman works as PE teacher at Catholic school without incident. But the publication of her mother's obituary, which identifies her as a lesbian, results in her firing for being "immoral."

Courtesy of Opposing Views:  

The firing of a physical education teacher from her job at a Catholic high school in Columbus, Ohio, could be a violation of a city ordinance. 

Carla Hale, 57, worked at Bishop Watterson High School for 19 years. She says school officials handed her a letter from an anonymous parent who had clipped Hale's mother’s obituary. Beside Hale’s name was the name of her female domestic partner. The parent was outraged that Hale would be allowed to teach at the school. 

"I was totally shocked," Hale said. "I mean, I think it was just one of those where everything was drained out of me." 

When she was fired on March 28, her dismissal notice explicitly referred to her same-sex relationship as the basis of her termination. 

Students and other supporters rallied around Hale, starting an online petition to have her job reinstated, which now has more than 10,500 signatures. (As of this post it has 21, 275 signatures. Including mine.) The petition asks the diocese of Columbus to “reinstate faculty member Carla Hale and apologize for discriminating against her on the basis of sexuality.” 

A contract between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus and the Central Ohio Association of Catholic Educators establishes that teachers can be terminated on the grounds of immorality or serious unethical conduct. 

The school found Hale in violation of Diocesan Policy 45116.1, stating that Catholic school personnel will set an example of moral behavior, upholding the rules of the Catholic faith. The Church does not support homosexual lifestyles and teaches that people who feel they are attracted to the same sex must never act on those feelings. 

The woman works at the school for 19 years, Does her job very well, and is liked by both students and fellow teachers, And yet suddenly because of who she loves she loses her job?

And this happens right after her mother passes away?

Such Christian compassion on display don't you think?

Well as it turns out there are laws to protect employees from this type of blatant homophobia and discrimination.

There is a city ordinance in Columbus making it illegal for any employer to discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation. It carries up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. 

"We're fortunate in Columbus to have a municipal ordinance that was passed in 2008 that does protect people and there are no exceptions in that ordinance for religious institutions," said her attorney, Tom Tootle.

This is why, for all you Libertarians out there, that we have to give government the power to protect its citizens from unscrupulous, and unethical business practices. 

The woman's only "sin" is that she loves another woman. And by the standards of these primitive superstitious assholes that makes her unfit to educate their children. Personally I am getting tired of this bullshit.

New morality clause at Catholic school causes President of Advisory Council to resign in protest.

Newly resigned Advisory Council President Jaci Russo.

Courtesy of KATC:

The President of Our Lady of Fatima School Advisory Council has resigned in response to a new morality clause the Diocese of Lafayette has asked teachers to sign. In a letter to Principal Joni Duos obtained by KATC, Jaci Russo said the morality clause is flawed. 

"By listing these 'sins,' a number of teachers are forced to either lie about who they are, or deny the things they may have done in order to keep their jobs at Fatima," Russo wrote in her resignation letter. "This is a travesty, as I know there are teachers who have had children out of wedlock and are divorced and remarried without annulment, yet they signed the clause and continue to teach." 

Russo added, "I cannot in good conscience stand by while we prevent great teachers from doing their jobs at Fatima." 

Longtime teacher Jane Riviere, who is openly gay, said she didn't sign her contract because she couldn't "be honest to its content." The morality clause bars teachers from engaging in homosexual activity, using birth control, or being married outside the church. Riviere said Wednesday that while she does not agree with the church's position, she accepts it. 

Russo, whose children have attended Fatima for the past 10 years, questions teachers who have lied or denied things to keep their jobs. 

"What does this say about their moral fiber?" Russo asks. "Is adherence to the clause based on reality, or just what each individual is willing to admit?" 

Russo also discusses Riviere's character in the letter. She notes Riviere has touched the lives of many in the community, which she says is evident in the number of former students and co-workers who have commented about Riviere not signing her contract. 

"I don't understand how she could be such a great teacher for the past 30 years, and now be viewed as unacceptable," Russo wrote. "Isn't a woman of this quality exactly who we want to teach character to our kids?" 

Believe it or not the list of "sins" that this contract included were, non-Catholic marriages, living with a boyfriend or girlfriend, homosexual activity, becoming pregnant or fathering a child out of wedlock, and of course having an abortion or helping someone to get an abortion,

I think that it is great that people are standing up for themselves and refusing to let the church bully them into hiding who they are or judging them for who they love, or how they love.

If more people were to do this these superstitious bronze age thinking assholes would have to change their mindset or watch their schools close down from lack of teachers.

Which by the way I don't see as a bad thing.

Christian school fires pregnant teacher for having premarital sex, and then tries to offer her job to the guy that impregnated her. Wait, what?

Courtesy of Life Inc: 

In October, Teri James says her supervisor at San Diego Christian College called her to her office and got straight to the point: Was James pregnant? 

James, 29, of El Cajon, Calif., was indeed pregnant – and she was also unmarried, a violation of school rules, according to the lawsuit she filed in San Diego County superior court. She says she was fired because, as the termination letter included in the suit stated: “Teri engaged in activity outside the scope of the Handbook and Community Covenant that does not build up the college’s mission.” 

Speaking by phone with her lawyer, Gloria Allred, James said she felt humiliated. 

"I had to leave right after the meeting. I had to go into the office with all of my co-workers and say I'm leaving," James said. "I never came back so I don't know what my co-workers thought, but for me, it was humiliating. I felt like I was in trouble." 

Also insulting, James said, was that after firing her, the school offered a job to her then-fiancé – they are now married – even though it was known that he, too, engaged in premarital sex. He did not accept the job, she said. 

San Diego Christian College asks that its employees sign its “community covenant,” a two-page contract that asks its community, which includes employees and about 500 students on-site, to abstain from drugs, alcohol and tobacco and “abusive anger, malice, jealousy, lust, sexually immoral behavior including premarital sex, adultery, pornography and homosexuality, evil desires and prejudice based on race, sex or socioeconomic status.” 

"We all had to sign it," James said. "I needed a job in this economy and so I never thought that anything would happen -- I just needed a job." 

Added Allred: "It does not say that you will be fired if you do not comply." 

You know this is another instance where I almost feel like a visitor from another world trying to understand how human beings can make such important decisions, such as who to fire and who to hire, based on superstitious nonsense.

To most of us the idea that this woman would be fired from her job due to engaging in a loving activity with her fiancee which resulted in a new life, is indefensible. Especially since I have little doubt that this school also frowns upon the use of birth control as well.

But then to add insult to injury is the idea that after the woman is punished for engaging in "sexually immoral behavior,"  her partner in that "immoral behavior" is essentially rewarded with an offer to take her job!

Which almost make you wonder if these idiots know how procreation works.

But of course they do. The problem is that they are members of a religion that has laid the blame for ALL of man's ills at the feet of the woman for thousands of years.

According to the Bible, Eve's eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden resulted in every possible sin that we know today. Therefore when one is committed who carries the lioness's share of the blame?

Before Eve, man was perfect. But you know once you introduce a woman into the equation then the evil has fertile ground in which to take root. And, once again according to the book that the History channel now uses as a textbook, God was so infuriated with the fact that Eve had corrupted his perfect masterpiece (Man), that he decided that man would be punished from that day forward, and women even more so with the discomfort of her monthly menstrual cycle and the pain of childbirth. (The so-called Curse of Eve)

But remember, HE loves you.

You might well say, "Come on Gryphen those old fables don't have any REAL impact on how women are viewed or treated today." But if you think that then you are not paying attention to the message of this story. Or the world around you.

Two people have premarital sex. One is summarily fired. The other offered a new job.

The only difference? Their gender. And the perceptions about their gender, gleaned from the reading of the Bible. Or the Koran. Or the Torah.

One was perfect and Godly, one was devious and soon became the instrument of Satan to usher in the downfall of man.

The school is only following the direction provided them by the book that they feel guides their lives to a greater glory in the eyes of their Lord.  To deviate from that path is to risk eternal damnation, courtesy, don't forget, of that bitch Eve.

My question, once again, is why are women still drawn to the church? Essentially all of the Abrahamic religions vilify, shame and repress the women. Why do we think that the Catholic church refuses to ordain women? Why do many Muslim cultures insist that women hide themselves behind Burkas? Why do we in America, even today, pay women less than we do men for the same job?

All of that, whether we are aware of it or not, is the lasting result of patriarchal faiths that identify man as the head of the household, the church, and the workplace, while placing women in the role of their subordinate due to the scribblings of an ancient civilization thousands of years ago.

And this case in San Diego is just the most recent example to remind us of how far we yet have to go to rid ourselves of the shackles of superstition and primitive constraints.

I hope Gloria Allred rakes their ignorant asses across the coals. Maybe next she can represent Eve, because THAT woman has a huge defamation of character lawsuit just itching to see the inside of a courtroom.

Group of parents and students band together to hold separate prom, because their high school refuses to ban gay students from attending the offical one. Update!

More courtesy of Time Magazine: 

A group of students and parents at Sullivan High School in Sullivan, Ind., have banded together to push for a “traditional” prom that would prohibit their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered classmates from attending. 

The group met on Sunday at the town’s First Christian Church to discuss the possibility of holding a separate, segregated dance after the principal of Sullivan High, David Springer, told a local NBC affiliate that “Anybody can go to the prom” when asked to clarify whether same-sex couples would be allowed to walk in the event’s grand march, set to be held April 27. 

You know nothing represents the teachings of Jesus Christ more than holding an event for the SOLE purpose of excluding a group of people that you don't like. Don't you think?

And that Special Education teacher, Diana Medley, saying that she does not think that gay people have "any sort of purpose," and  lumping them together with special needs students, represents a particularly disgusting form of prejudice that should justify pulling her out of the classroom and keeping her far away from students who might look to her for guidance while dealing with their problems.

"Do you think (gays) have a purpose in life?": 

"'No I honestly don't. Sorry, but I don't. I don't understand it. A gay person isn't going to come up and make some change unless it's to realize that it was a choice and they're choosing God." 

Oh yeah, I want HER teaching my children!

Update: Late yesterday this story had started to go viral, and as you can imagine the response has been quite quite aggressive.

Long time Christian anti-gay activist arrested for molesting young boys.

Courtesy of Back 2 Stonewall:  

A longtime anti-gay activist, California Prop 8 donor, and elementary school teacher was taken into custody on August 17th after admitting inappropriate contact with young boys.Caleb Douglas Hesse, a teacher for the Morongo Unified School District since 1987 (most recently, he was teaching first grade at Friendly Hills Elementary School in Joshua Tree) and a longtime youth volunteer with the virulently homophobic Evangelical Free Church of Yucca Valley, has confessed to sexually abusing “numerous underage boys,” with authorities believe the crimes occurred between the early 1980’s and as recently as a week ago.” 

Investigators say Hesse met the majority of the victims during overnight outings with a youth group at the Evangelical Free Church.

You know one of the lies used by the anti-gay community to justify their attacks on the LGBT community is the idea that homosexuals are prone to pedophilia.

That is not true:

For the present discussion, the important point is that many child molesters cannot be meaningfully described as homosexuals, heterosexuals, or bisexuals (in the usual sense of those terms) because they are not really capable of a relationship with an adult man or woman. Instead of gender, their sexual attractions are based primarily on age. These individuals – who are often characterized as fixated – are attracted to children, not to men or women.

This means that the pedophiles desire to have sexual contact with boys and girls is based solely on their AGE, not their gender.

Often these predators put themselves in positions, or occupations, which place them in close proximity to children, like a teacher, or a boy scout leader, or a priest. Some, like those in the Boy Scouts, believe that by forbidding gays to work in their organizations they are protecting the children, but that is an assumption based on ignorance, and would be just as logical as saying that based on THIS guy, and of course the Catholic priests, that Christians were more likely to be pedophiles than non-Christians.

It is almost impossible to identify these people until they are caught perpetrating on those that are placed in their care. And by then it is too late.

What this guy did was attempt to discourage any scrutiny toward him by attacking the LGBT community. Which makes him, if possible, even more repugnant.

According to former Navy Chaplain homosexuality is the result of "gay demons" which can also possess animals. Oh, well that explains...wait what?

Former Navy Chaplain, Gordon Klingenschmitt, who founded lobbying group The Pray In Jesus Name Project, appeared on a progressive talk show this week to criticize President Barack Obama’s endorsement of same sex marriage.

This is the rather startling exchange he had with the host David Pakman:  

“The problem is, nobody’s born a homosexual,” he said, explaining that all gay people are converted via “marketing” because the LGBT community “has an agenda” to “repopulate their population by recruiting the children of heterosexuals.” 

Klingenschmitt added that “anyone who’s studied” genetics knows that homosexuality is not an inherent trait, simply because LGBT people aren’t capable of reproducing and passing that genetic trait along. Though Pacman didn’t immediately challenge it, that’s a claim as bizarre as it is untrue, as scientists have long known homosexuality can be attributed to genetic traits and many LGBT people have reproduced thanks to the help of platonic opposite sex partners. 

“That’s what this whole marketing scheme for pro-homosexual movement is all about,” 

Klingenschmitt insisted, reiterating his point about repopulating the LGBT community. 

That’s when Pacman hit him with the science on homosexuality in the animal kingdom. 

“Let’s step back for a second, Gordon, and say okay, let’s assume you’re right that homosexuality among humans is only because of marketing,” Pacman countered. “What about in the 4,000 other species that have homosexuality? Because, as far as I know, they don’t have TV. They don’t have advertising. They don’t have the iTunes store to recruit people. How is it that humans are gay sometimes because of marketing, but 4,000 other species… Why? Is it something else?” 

“It is entirely possible — we know from the Bible, for example, when Jesus cast the devil out of Legion, he went into a herd of pigs,” Klingenschmitt said. “So, it is possible for demons or the devil to inhabit or invade animals just the same way they invade humans, and that causes the sin of lust.” 

Picture of gay demon. For you skeptics out there.

“So, what you’re saying is, in humans it’s marketing that makes people gay; in animals, it’s the souls of gay humans who have invaded the animals,” Pacman replied. “That makes them gay?” 

Klingenschmitt laughed and scratched his temple. “Well, I think you twisted what I’m saying there,” he said. 

“No, I don’t think I did,” Pacman responded. 

Backpedaling, Klingenschmitt explained that he believes marketing to be “related to the demonic, because the devil wants to recruit people into sin.” He added that even Pacman himself was being used by the devil to promote “the homosexual agenda.” 

“I don’t promote homosexuality any more than I promote being tall,” Pacman deadpanned.

Man there is SO much stupid in this exchange that I almost don't know where to start.

Essentially there is literally NO way to reason with a person who views social change, biology, and sexuality through the prism of Biblical superstition.

No matter which carefully researched, and scientifically sound facts you were to introduce, this individual would simply discount them because he sees the world as a child sees the world, broken up into simple categories of bad vs good, evil vs non-evil, and satanic vs godly.

With those definitions in place, especially as this person clearly sees himself as an instrument for for spreading the message of good, there is no way to communicate the ridiculousness of their argument.

Now Klingenschmitt is clearly a nutjob, but the rationale he uses to justify his seemingly insane world view is not THAT dissimilar from the one used by a large number of devout Christians to view the subject of homosexuality.

Take a look at this Facebook rant from a Kansas middle school social studies teacher:

"All this talk in the news about gay marriage recently has finally driven me to write. Gay marriage is wrong because homosexuality is wrong. The Bible clearly states it is sin. Now I do not claim it to be a sin any worse than other sins. It ranks in God's eyes the same as murder, lying, stealing, or cheating. His standards are perfect and ALL have sinned and fallen short of His glory. Sin is sin and we all deserve hell. Only those who accept Christ as Lord and daily with the help of the Spirit do their best to turn from sin will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. There aren't multiple ways to get to Heaven. There is one. To many this may seem close minded and antagonistic, but it doesn't make it any less true. Folks I am willing to admit that my depravity is just as great as anyone else's, and without Christ I'd be destined for hell, if not for the undeserved grace of God. I'm not condemning gay marriage because I hate gay people. I am doing it because those who embrace it will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And I desire that for no one."

In other words homosexuality is just as much of a sin as murder. Now keep in mind that this is a man who teaches in the PUBLIC SCHOOL system, not a Christian school, and who has influence over the developing young minds of prepubescent children that have no idea how illogical his point of view is, or how out of touch it is with the way the world is changing.

And undoubtedly SOME of the people he has influence over are just now becoming aware that THEY themselves might be gay. Imagine how quickly those kids will stuff themselves back into the closet, and slam the door, when surrounded by this kind of insane homophobia!

I know that I sometimes take heat for challenging the Bible, or taking Christianity to task, but considering that it is where these people find their"facts" to support their disgusting point of view and their inspiration to attack people who do not fit their interpretation of normal, what choice do I really have?

I mean gay demons possessing animals, really?