Teacher burns cross on student's arm

[run_to_win]

Had he chose a much more intelligent way to demonstrate this piece of lab equipment, as I am sure this is not the optimal way to show how it works in labs around the world, then it would not have been an issue at all, but you seem to ignore this so you can have a way to fly your anti liberal flag.

This makes no sense.

I find it supremely hypocritical that you engaged in 6+ pages ripping apart the teaching profession and the wages teachers get paid, especially when they are not held accountable for their actions, yet when a teacher who obviously screwed up, yet seems to share your religious views, you are all over how wrong it is, and it is the liber persecution of a god fearing christian teacher.

This doesn't make a lot of sense either.  Are you sure you didn't respond to the wrong post?

[run_to_win]

what are you smoking?  there is plenty of proof that evolution has happened....darwin's finches and lactose intolerance in humans for example.

I think evidence is the word you're looking for.

[run_to_win]

There are questions about how evolution fits together,

but not whether or not it exists and is in place.

All of the evidence we have is confirming what we already know.  There is no scientific debate on whether or not evolution exists. 

Somewhere between zero and very little debate within the scientific community.  Outside the scientific community there's quite a bit more. 

Remember, "spontaneous generation" was the accepted theory of life for about 1000 years.  It was widely accepted that, for example, if you left a pile of raw meat to decay it would spontaneously turn into maggots.

Evolution is the best scientific theory we have at this time but we never know what's around the corner...

[run_to_win]

Sigh... no, there are NOT great arguments on both sides. There is, however, a very small number of people confined almost completely to a single country (the US) who are, apparently, completely nuts and try to push an agenda of "Intelligent Design"...

It's curious how we encouraged to question the norm in every other aspect of our lives.  Independent thinking is something we generally look up to.  But put a religious aspect behind those questions and suddenly you're completely nuts. 

The rest of the world relies on science.

If we reach the level where we can explain everything scientifically that would sure undermine competing explanations.  Unfortunately we've barely scratched the surface.  We can't even explain gravity.

Then when scientific discoveries, such as the Big Bang, reek of higher power it seems to give strength to their argument. 

Trying to argue that "evolution as a science" is part of an "atheist agenda" is either ignorant or malicious.

Calling people who don't believe "completely nuts" mainly due to their religious roots makes it sound a bit anti-Christian.

Charles Darwin himself was ostracized and considered totally nuts after publishing his theory.

[Buddhagirl]

But it is ok when a public school in California can force kids to read the kuron, take on a Musleum name and force them to wage their own jihad, where was the aclu on that one ?

don't worry that is ok in public schools though.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/000412.php

I want no religion in school. However, I find the fact that you're using a site called jihadwatch hilarious. Like that is a reputable source.

[Thundergod]

I stand corrected TBod    

[run_to_win]

I want no religion in school. However, I find the fact that you're using a site called jihadwatch hilarious. Like that is a reputable source.

Did you look at the link or just dismiss it outright?  It's just their summation of a report on a news site.  The first sentence contains a link to the source.  Here it is: link.

Here's a related article: link.

[fyo]

It's curious how we encouraged to question the norm in every other aspect of our lives.  Independent thinking is something we generally look up to.  But put a religious aspect behind those questions and suddenly you're completely nuts. 

This isn't about religion. I very much encourage people to question the norm - and evolution is no different. The problem with Creationists is that their arguments make no sense, they don't present any evidence to back up their claims, they blatantly ignore any data they don't like. The FACT is that the overwhelming majority of scientific data, experiment and observation support evolution.

Questioning the norm is great, but if you're unwilling to even consider being persuaded that your point of view is wrong, then it makes no sense to discuss. I, for one, could be persuaded of just about anything, PROVIDING the evidence and arguments where there to back it up, but that just isn't the case with creationism.

Historically, the "scientific community" and "the church" have both believed really stupid things... thrown objects continuing in a straight line until they somehow "ran out of energy" and then fell straight down and a flat Earth (and the whole Earth is the center of the Universe debacle) come to mind as prime examples.

Every new, radical theory will meet resistance. That's the nature of the beast. Quantum mechanics met massive resistance, as did the (Special) Theory of Relativity and countless other theories (no, don't get me started on what "theory" means in science-speak). The critical point is that all these new theories were supported by EVIDENCE. By OBSERVATION, by EXPERIMENT. Creationism is supported by nothing, except Creationist's interpretation of certain religious texts. And, no, I'm sorry, that doesn't count as evidence (or observation, or experiment).

[Phishfan]

I also believe parents should have the rights to opt their kids out of classes that may teach against their beliefs including atheism.

Children/parents should be allowed to opt out of science class?

[Buddhagirl]

Did you look at the link or just dismiss it outright?  It's just their summation of a report on a news site.  The first sentence contains a link to the source.  Here it is: link.

Here's a related article: link.

Those links are even more laughable. World Net Daily is some sort of righty Christian progpaganda machine. Do you even read real news?

[simeon]

Had he chose a much more intelligent way to demonstrate this piece of lab equipment, as I am sure this is not the optimal way to show how it works in labs around the world, then it would not have been an issue at all, but you seem to ignore this so you can have a way to fly your anti liberal flag.
I find it supremely hypocritical that you engaged in 6+ pages ripping apart the teaching profession and the wages teachers get paid, especially when they are not held accountable for their actions, yet when a teacher who obviously screwed up, yet seems to share your religious views, you are all over how wrong it is, and it is the liber persecution of a god fearing Christian teacher.

Great post, but I haven't heard anyone on the board say it was wrong to fire him.
I agree with his religious views, but think he went over the line. I believe most Christians on here are saying this article is only sensationalized  because it was a way for the liberal media to attack Christianity, if this guy was an atheist making happy faces with this device, it would never had been a story like this case. However I will restate it, this man was wrong in what he did, and he deserves to lose his job.

[MaineDolFan]

Wow.  This thread is all over the place.  I think my eyes just started bleeding from some of the grandstanding that I've been reading.

The real issue, which seems to be lost, is that this teacher burned something on to a student's arm. 

He.burned.something.on.to.a.s tudent's.arm.

The physical action is the issue.  Where I come from, that's assault at most and reckless behavior with a child in the least.

[simeon]

I want no religion in school. However, I find the fact that you're using a site called jihadwatch hilarious. Like that is a reputable source.

If you think it is funny why don't you research if this happened or not. You are nieve if you don't believe religion is taught in school. I demanded my kids be dismissed from learning about Native American Spiritualism. It does happen, but most people think as long as its not Christianity or Jewish believes being taught it is ok. So keep on laughing.

worldnetdaily
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=36118
Daniel Pipe
http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2003/12/courts-okay-to-proselytize-for-islam-in.html

[Brian Fein]

Maine's right -

issues aside, political, religious, no matter what your agenda, you don't burn anything on a kid's arm.  A happy face, peace sign, a heart, NOTHING.  teacher + hot object + kid = FIRED!

[simeon]

Maine's right -

issues aside, political, religious, no matter what your agenda, you don't burn anything on a kid's arm.  A happy face, peace sign, a heart, NOTHING.  teacher + hot object + kid = FIRED!

I agree and said that., I remember a science teaching when I went to school rubbing poison ivy on students arm to show would it did to you, he didn't get fired, never got published in any paper, and abosolutely no law suits.