by Walker Bennett, SF Author
Member since:
April 5, 2006

Teacher Violates Religious Freedom of a Student Witch

March 05, 2010 08:39 AM UTC
views: 0 | 4 people recommend this | comments: 22

Teacher Violates Religious Freedom of a Student Witch

The shop teacher at Guthrie Center High School in Iowa believes he was wrongly suspended from his job last month. The superintendent of the tiny school district disciplined Dale Halferty, the school’s shop teacher for the last three years, for refusing to allow one of his students to build a Wiccan altar as a class project.

Comments: 22

''The One & Only BERF .. Mar 5, 2010, 8:47am UTC
So, how do you feel about this, Walker??
Walker Bennett, SF Author Mar 6, 2010, 12:21pm UTC
I have many friends who are pagan. After MANY years, the Veteran's Administration is finally allowing pagan symbols on headstones in national cemeteries. I have lived in the deep South where they have attempted to make paganism illegal.

This teacher was clearly out of line.
Peter Joseph Swanson Mar 5, 2010, 8:53am UTC
And cutting that wood Christmas star would have been a challenge.

A teachable moment went down the drain because of an unwise teacher.
Cathi L. Mar 5, 2010, 8:59am UTC
I don't know...there seems to be some things missing in this story. In the article it states:

Halferty informed the student he could continue to work on the table as long as he didn’t bring any religious materials to class. The student, according to Halferty, kept bringing a book on Wicca to class, so Halferty informed the student he would no longer be allowed to continue with the project.

Based on that statement it seems Halferty was within guidelines. If the kid was cutting a wood Christmas star as Peter was suggesting, it probably have been fine, too, if the kid didn't bring in any religious materials, i.e., a bible.

So is this about religion? Or is it about a kid ignoring the instructions of the teacher and then it gets turned into something different?

Problem is, we really don't know what was said and exactly what happened. Just what the "story" says.

Very curious.
Janet "Jax" B. Mar 5, 2010, 4:56pm UTC
I completely agree....
Dorine H. Mar 7, 2010, 12:58pm UTC
And if a Christian kid brought a Bible to class and wanted to build a Christian altar with Christian symbols? Or a Jewish kid wanted to build a menorah or scroll for a Torah? I've seen school districts completely clamp down on Christian kids but not Muslims or Buddhists. I say all or nothing. If you're stopping the Christians, then stop the Wiccans; likewise, if you're allowing the Christians, then you have to allow the Wiccans.
Christopher K. Mar 5, 2010, 9:02am UTC
Personally i feel if the student wanted to build a Wiccan alter,that was his/her right...even though Wicca is not a real religion....It is actually a form of witchcraft.
But people do have the right to practice whatever religion they wish to.
Christopher K. Mar 6, 2010, 8:29am UTC
If you say so.
Rick S. Mar 6, 2010, 10:35pm UTC
Bigoted much? What right do you have to say one religion is "real" and another isn't?
Christopher K. Mar 7, 2010, 7:22am UTC
Haha,ok,the next time an alien shoots out of a Volcano.I'll think of you,ok.Maybe one day you to will be able to talk to animals and hear what they think.
Cathi L. Mar 7, 2010, 1:27pm UTC
Haha,ok,the next time an alien shoots out of a Volcano.

Ha ha! And you were there at the last one? LOL!
Donald H. Mar 5, 2010, 9:05am UTC
More religious intolerance...!
Leah Christensen Mar 6, 2010, 10:14pm UTC
That's exactly what it is, Doc. All of these people who prefess to be loving, and that their religion is love, but end up acting like this are just a bunch of hypocrits.
Janet "Jax" B. Mar 5, 2010, 4:58pm UTC
We don't know the whole story.....
Julie Ann Dawson Mar 5, 2010, 9:16pm UTC
Halferty believes his own Christian belief system will be violated if he is forced to allow the unnamed student to construct an altar.

Why is it that so many Christians scream that THEIR rights are being violated because they are not allowed to violate the beliefs of others?
Marsha C. Mar 6, 2010, 12:32am UTC
I was really upset a couple of years ago when the High school here had a 4 page article on Wicca and the students that practice it, and showed photos of them wearing jewelry and such......but kids are sent home if they wear a Christian shirt to school.
It made me glad I homeschool

nope...I'm not against other religions at all....everyone has their own free will, but if one can be in the schools then they all should be allowed.
Dorine H. Mar 7, 2010, 1:09pm UTC
There have been similar problems in Philadelphia, where schools have required students to read about paganism and other minority religions but have been suspended from school for possessing Christian literature. They have sucked up to Muslims, allowing even teachers to wear the hijab, but have fired teachers and suspended students for wearing small, barely visible cross necklaces. That shows the school administration to be made up of serious hypocrites. Muslim kids have demanded and been granted the right to pray even when it means interrupting their class, but Christians can't pray before school at the flag[pole, where no school business is actually disrupted. I've never heard of the Jewish kids--and their numbers are huge in Philadelphia--demanding anything. Maybe *everybody* else could learn from their example.

Join the Conversation
Chime in! Become a Gather member to comment.
Already a member? Sign in
top
 
Gather | Friends | Groups | Share
About Gather | Engagement Marketing | Gather Points | Advertise on Gather | Gather Press | Privacy | Terms of Service | Community Guidelines
Books | Business | Celebs | Entertainment | Family | Food | Giveaways | Health | Money | Moms | News | Politics | Sports | Style | Technology | Travel | Writing
Version 18247, "Zach"; Copyright © 2013 Gather Inc. All rights reserved.