The fact is that the Cabell County School District wasn't penalized for holding that forced proselytizing meeting. They got penalized for being CAUGHT at it. What pleases the daylights out of me is that the corrective action being taken is thorough and appropriate, INCLUDING instruction on State / Church separation, as cited in the article. This kind of education and orientation in the secular nature of our government should be a standard element for any incoming teacher or administrator, not just in Cabell County but ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS, nationwide.
It wouldn't hurt if the students learned it, either.
The obsessive need conservative Christians have to force their religion into the public schools, paid for with everyone's tax dollars, speaks directly to just how weak their arguments are. Why is it ever acceptable to teach things to children as facts, an educated adult would likely reject if hearing it for the first time? The people who thought this assembly was a good idea would be going out of their minds at the mere suggestion their children might be forced to attend an Islamic prayer fest.
Late 90s, the Scientology-based front group Narconon was allowed into schools to supposedly preach the dangers of drugs, but much of their program was based on L. Ron Hubbard's inaccurate or downright false bullshit. I don't think they have much success infesting public schools these days.
To be fair, the government-backed DARE program was bullshit, too- maybe not the same 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 of bullshit (it would take 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 effort to match Scientology's level of bullshit), but bullshit all the same.. The only thing kids ever learned from that whole era of "Drugs are Bad, Mmmkay?" nonsense was that grown-ups were lame-ass hypocrites.
That so many people could attach themselves to a religion dreamed up by a third rate science fiction writer, does not fill me with hope for our species.
It's pretty clear by now that whenever Christians falsely accuse others of having an agenda, they are admitting that it is they who have a very real agenda.
WV is ranked 46th overall as "Best State to Live In."
They're dead last in both Health Care and Infrastructure. And Education? It's tied with Economy for 47th. So many issues in their state to deal with, yet this school district decided the kids needed Jesus and sent in Nik Walker Ministries.
The outcome was inevitable. Bravo, Boyd County High/Huntington High. Bra-Vo. *sarcastic slow clap* A 'mistake?' No, Flowers. 2 + 2 = 5 is a mistake. This was a willful attempt at allowing xtians to proselytize in public schools. Mandatory attendance with no parental input. That's deliberate. You knew what you were doing was wrong and you did it anyway. And it cost you. You'd have saved yourself money and bad publicity simply by telling Nik Walker "absolutely not!"
You have to believe that there is only one God, Allah, who created the entire universe, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is his final messenger on earth. If you recite this, with total sincerity, in front of two witnesses, you have become a Muslim. It really is as simple as that.”
WV instructor - “Okay students repeat after me in all sincerity: There is only one…”. Said instructor would be fired on the spot by the Cable County School District.
It’s a good thing this is a settlement, there’s no opportunity for appeal, now we can’t have the SCROTUS ruling that schools ought to be having religious revivals every year.
Good to see the children are alright. Way to go students for standing up for the constitution and your rights.
I'm frankly surprised the district got away this lightly. Getting caught forcing a Jewish kid to raise their hands in prayer to Jesus... that easily could've been a big award. (Yes, I know, it shouldn't matter whether the teen is a none, Christian who does not wish to participate, or non-Christian believer. The offense is equally bad against all. But when you have bigots in the courts and jury, the above sort of plaintiff has a greater likelihood of getting through to them than the none. At least, for now.)
Ideally I'd like the school administrators and teachers who did this to bear some personal responsibility/penalty. Let's see that teacher apologize. Let's see that administrator apologize. To the student body, in an assembly. And let's see the school set up some independent counsel or reporting pathway for students, and let them know (in the assembly) that it exists, so that the kids who get religiously harassed by administration don't find themselves in the situation where the person they need to report it to is the person doing it.
It's not the imaginary Jesus those 50 kids have to worry about. It's Jesus' earthly adult representatives that are the real danger, if the police blotters are any indication.
LOL, it wasn't atheists, it was student activists who objected to having some clown rain his delusions upon their heads. However, a change of leadership in the school might be in order if these bible-thumping scofflaws continue attempting to proselytize public school children!
Those demon-possessed children who protested need an exorcism post-haste. Rejecting the glory of Jesus and persecuting his messenger. This is what happens when you ban the Bible and prayer from the schools. The kids start summoning demons with their D&D and video games and the rock and roll.
Unfortunately, just tuning out their bullshit isn't much of an option when they have the ears and eyes of half the electorate to spew said bullshit into- if not directly, then through their 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 influence over other right-wing media. It's just not safe to ignore them.
Furtive little fucks, I'll give them that. They will take advantage of any opening, any perceived loophole, or just outright kick the door down and barge in, with the cross of Jesus going on before.
And of course they don't see it as a war crime, which is why they bear watching. Very acute, careful, and intense watching.
Glad the kids and parents kicked their asses, because those Walker types don't back down when asked politely. They have to be frog-marched out the door and run off with buckshot peppering the dirt at their heels.
Of course, Nik Waker Ministries didn’t respond to your inquiry. These (fascist) people know exactly what they are trying to do and they will not stop until it becomes too expensive to pursue spreading these lies.
I wish that the school district would have had to pay more than a dollar to each student (how about $100 to all that ask for compensation?) and that Nik and his band of bigots were fined into bankruptcy. I have to stop now before I say something rash.
They want your kids. If they can get them to buy their fundamentalist bullshit before critical thinking skills develop, they have a better chance of making sure your child grows up to be twice the son of Hell that they are.
Never trust these folks around your children or your childrens' school.
It was the day before my 8th birthday. Didn't stick. Teacher asked the class a rhetorical question when I was 16. "What do you believe and Why?" Realized I didn't have a good answer for the second part of that question.
The fact is that the Cabell County School District wasn't penalized for holding that forced proselytizing meeting. They got penalized for being CAUGHT at it. What pleases the daylights out of me is that the corrective action being taken is thorough and appropriate, INCLUDING instruction on State / Church separation, as cited in the article. This kind of education and orientation in the secular nature of our government should be a standard element for any incoming teacher or administrator, not just in Cabell County but ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS, nationwide.
It wouldn't hurt if the students learned it, either.
I get the feeling they didn't make many converts that day.
They might have gotten some, but then that's part of the pernicious character of proselytizing kids: PEER PRESSURE.
It will be interesting to see if it lasts.
He said, “50 students gave their lives to Jesus at their voluntary club meetings!”
Those kids were probably already fundagelicals.
FFRF is a great organization, but I LOVE that they're awarding scholarships with the money to the student activists.
The obsessive need conservative Christians have to force their religion into the public schools, paid for with everyone's tax dollars, speaks directly to just how weak their arguments are. Why is it ever acceptable to teach things to children as facts, an educated adult would likely reject if hearing it for the first time? The people who thought this assembly was a good idea would be going out of their minds at the mere suggestion their children might be forced to attend an Islamic prayer fest.
Late 90s, the Scientology-based front group Narconon was allowed into schools to supposedly preach the dangers of drugs, but much of their program was based on L. Ron Hubbard's inaccurate or downright false bullshit. I don't think they have much success infesting public schools these days.
To be fair, the government-backed DARE program was bullshit, too- maybe not the same 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 of bullshit (it would take 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 effort to match Scientology's level of bullshit), but bullshit all the same.. The only thing kids ever learned from that whole era of "Drugs are Bad, Mmmkay?" nonsense was that grown-ups were lame-ass hypocrites.
That so many people could attach themselves to a religion dreamed up by a third rate science fiction writer, does not fill me with hope for our species.
Which third rate science fiction writer, Hubbard or Moses?
😊
Hubbard existed. Would the same could be said for Moses.
Attair's cuz them muslims is hell-bound heathens. /s
God's on OUR side.
It's almost they were grooming the kids.
Wadaya mean, "ALMOST?!?"
He just forgot to end the sentence with "/s". Or he, like me, loves it when people don't hear the sarcastic voice.
EDIT: I honestly don't know how "he" after the first full stop became "wreck".
It's pretty clear by now that whenever Christians falsely accuse others of having an agenda, they are admitting that it is they who have a very real agenda.
For the umpti-umpth time: PROJECTION.
Walker: Can't have his way? Can't force feed Christian slop down the throats of kids in public schools? PERSECUTION!!!
Hmph. Poor baby. Anyone here see Nik's binky?!? 😝
Perfect for little Niky.
https://www.amazon.com/Pacifier-Littletude-Rainbow-Silicone-Shield/dp/B086T65BFY/
I do wonder what would happen if one of these assholes received a fuckton of these from all over. Would they understand the message?
As obtuse as they tend to be, I'm not so certain.
WV is ranked 46th overall as "Best State to Live In."
They're dead last in both Health Care and Infrastructure. And Education? It's tied with Economy for 47th. So many issues in their state to deal with, yet this school district decided the kids needed Jesus and sent in Nik Walker Ministries.
The outcome was inevitable. Bravo, Boyd County High/Huntington High. Bra-Vo. *sarcastic slow clap* A 'mistake?' No, Flowers. 2 + 2 = 5 is a mistake. This was a willful attempt at allowing xtians to proselytize in public schools. Mandatory attendance with no parental input. That's deliberate. You knew what you were doing was wrong and you did it anyway. And it cost you. You'd have saved yourself money and bad publicity simply by telling Nik Walker "absolutely not!"
WV is ranked 46th overall as "Best State to Live In.
Yea that John Denver was full of shit!
"Almost heaven?" I think not.
If W Va is almost heaven, then an exit to the highway to hell is in order.
I'll take the highway rather than the stairway. I have bad knees.
John Denver was rich. He didn't have to deal with most of the stuff that makes the place an awful place to live.
Almost Mississippi, maybe.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0194653/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4
He was speaking to the beauty of the State.
I've driven through there a couple of times. The scenery is gorgeous.
But I sure as hell wouldn't want to live there.
FWIW, WV ranks 41st in Natural Environment.
" TELL me the old, old story"
(Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love.
Tell me the story simply,
As to a little child;
For I am weak and weary,
And helpless and defiled.)
“Becoming a Muslim
You have to believe that there is only one God, Allah, who created the entire universe, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is his final messenger on earth. If you recite this, with total sincerity, in front of two witnesses, you have become a Muslim. It really is as simple as that.”
WV instructor - “Okay students repeat after me in all sincerity: There is only one…”. Said instructor would be fired on the spot by the Cable County School District.
I blame this on the lack of churches in Cabell County.
It’s a good thing this is a settlement, there’s no opportunity for appeal, now we can’t have the SCROTUS ruling that schools ought to be having religious revivals every year.
Good to see the children are alright. Way to go students for standing up for the constitution and your rights.
The kids are alright.
I'm frankly surprised the district got away this lightly. Getting caught forcing a Jewish kid to raise their hands in prayer to Jesus... that easily could've been a big award. (Yes, I know, it shouldn't matter whether the teen is a none, Christian who does not wish to participate, or non-Christian believer. The offense is equally bad against all. But when you have bigots in the courts and jury, the above sort of plaintiff has a greater likelihood of getting through to them than the none. At least, for now.)
Ideally I'd like the school administrators and teachers who did this to bear some personal responsibility/penalty. Let's see that teacher apologize. Let's see that administrator apologize. To the student body, in an assembly. And let's see the school set up some independent counsel or reporting pathway for students, and let them know (in the assembly) that it exists, so that the kids who get religiously harassed by administration don't find themselves in the situation where the person they need to report it to is the person doing it.
It's not the imaginary Jesus those 50 kids have to worry about. It's Jesus' earthly adult representatives that are the real danger, if the police blotters are any indication.
LOL, it wasn't atheists, it was student activists who objected to having some clown rain his delusions upon their heads. However, a change of leadership in the school might be in order if these bible-thumping scofflaws continue attempting to proselytize public school children!
So, how long before Mr. Walker gets a guest spot on Fox News to whine about being Cancelled?
They haven't booked him already?
Ah yes, the obligatory weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth for the poor oppressed predators.
Those demon-possessed children who protested need an exorcism post-haste. Rejecting the glory of Jesus and persecuting his messenger. This is what happens when you ban the Bible and prayer from the schools. The kids start summoning demons with their D&D and video games and the rock and roll.
Is Fox News still a thing? I didn't know. Lucky me.
Unfortunately, just tuning out their bullshit isn't much of an option when they have the ears and eyes of half the electorate to spew said bullshit into- if not directly, then through their 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 influence over other right-wing media. It's just not safe to ignore them.
Furtive little fucks, I'll give them that. They will take advantage of any opening, any perceived loophole, or just outright kick the door down and barge in, with the cross of Jesus going on before.
It's a war for souls. All's fair in Love and War. Especially war. What's a war crime?
And of course they don't see it as a war crime, which is why they bear watching. Very acute, careful, and intense watching.
Glad the kids and parents kicked their asses, because those Walker types don't back down when asked politely. They have to be frog-marched out the door and run off with buckshot peppering the dirt at their heels.
I'm not sure the dirt will be enough of a deterrent. Maybe buckshot in the fundament for the fundamentals.
Luckily I live in Norway. We have so many political parties here that Fox News would not know wich ones to support.
Of course, Nik Waker Ministries didn’t respond to your inquiry. These (fascist) people know exactly what they are trying to do and they will not stop until it becomes too expensive to pursue spreading these lies.
I wish that the school district would have had to pay more than a dollar to each student (how about $100 to all that ask for compensation?) and that Nik and his band of bigots were fined into bankruptcy. I have to stop now before I say something rash.
Don't be hasty. Giving the perpetrators a rash would be biblically apt.
Four to Fourteen window.
They want your kids. If they can get them to buy their fundamentalist bullshit before critical thinking skills develop, they have a better chance of making sure your child grows up to be twice the son of Hell that they are.
Never trust these folks around your children or your childrens' school.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e09066e28b286dd3402779bf31fdd9d0774672faadd4d6a090ff44850a652173.jpg
It was the day before my 8th birthday. Didn't stick. Teacher asked the class a rhetorical question when I was 16. "What do you believe and Why?" Realized I didn't have a good answer for the second part of that question.