Religion

rug

(82,333 posts) Tue May 6, 2014, 12:40 PM May 2014

Group charging schools with religious discrimination picks Broward as latest target

Posted on Monday, 05.05.14
By Michael Vasquez
mrvasquez@MiamiHerald.com

A conservative religious-rights group targeted Broward County on Monday in an ongoing campaign contending that faith is under attack in America’s elementary schools.

The facts involving a Park Lakes Elementary student seeking to read a Bible in school, like other similar cases before it, are in dispute — but that didn’t prevent the story from going viral on conservative websites and news media.

At a media event organized by Texas-based Liberty Institute, Park Lake fifth-grader Giovanni Rubeo and his father complained that his classroom’s “free reading time” excluded the Bible — and threatened to file a federal religious discrimination lawsuit against the Broward school district.

Giovanni said he tried to read his new Bible repeatedly over the last few weeks during free-reading class periods — but said his teacher didn’t approve. The student and his father claim that the teacher instead forced Giovanni to pick up another book.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/05/4099850/group-charging-schools-with-religious.html#storylink=cpy

9 replies

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Group charging schools with religious discrimination picks Broward as latest target (Original Post) rug May 2014 OP

Reading his own bible during a free reading class? cbayer May 2014 #1

bibles = rape incest bestiality torture murder witches....not suitable for elementary schools nt msongs May 2014 #2

You must consider history unsuitable as well. rug May 2014 #3

Oh, dear. You are a book banner? cbayer May 2014 #4

Maybe the Bible isn't on the approved reading list. sinkingfeeling May 2014 #5

Actually, the school has made clear that kids can read bibles cbayer May 2014 #6

Update: Broward schools chief apologizes for Bible incident cbayer May 2014 #7

Thanks for the update. rug May 2014 #8

It looks like they did what they were accused of doing, and I am glad cbayer May 2014 #9

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

1. Reading his own bible during a free reading class?

Reply to rug (Original post)

Tue May 6, 2014, 01:39 PM

May 2014

The school says that is not accurate, but that he was in an "accelerate reading" class.

I trust Liberty not at all and think they have probably invented another bogus case.

msongs

(67,420 posts)

2. bibles = rape incest bestiality torture murder witches....not suitable for elementary schools nt

Reply to rug (Original post)

Tue May 6, 2014, 01:58 PM

May 2014

rug

(82,333 posts)

3. You must consider history unsuitable as well.

Reply to msongs (Reply #2)

Tue May 6, 2014, 02:01 PM

May 2014

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

4. Oh, dear. You are a book banner?

Reply to msongs (Reply #2)

Tue May 6, 2014, 02:02 PM

May 2014

Who would have guessed?

sinkingfeeling

(51,460 posts)

5. Maybe the Bible isn't on the approved reading list.

Reply to rug (Original post)

Tue May 6, 2014, 03:11 PM

May 2014

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

6. Actually, the school has made clear that kids can read bibles

Reply to sinkingfeeling (Reply #5)

Tue May 6, 2014, 03:29 PM

May 2014

during any free times.

The issue here appears to be that this wasn't a "free time" but a designated class.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

7. Update: Broward schools chief apologizes for Bible incident

Reply to rug (Original post)

Wed May 7, 2014, 10:05 AM

May 2014

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-05-06/news/fl-broward-school-bible-20140506_1_runcie-bible-liberty-institute

May 6, 2014|By Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel

Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie apologized Tuesday for an incident in which a 12-year-old was told he couldn't read the Bible.

Gio Rubeo said he was told three times by his teacher at Park Lakes Elementary in Lauderdale Lakes to put away his Bible. His father demanded an apology, saying the teacher had violated his civil rights.

"First, let me apologize to the student and his family. This was a situation that should have been handled differently," Runcie said at Tuesday's School Board meeting. "It does not represent the values of our school system. Let me be clear. Broward County Public Schools respects and upholds the right to bring personal religious material to school, including the Bible."

He said his administration has reached out to the faculty at the school to ensure they are familiar with district policies and state and federal laws.

more at link

rug

(82,333 posts)

8. Thanks for the update.

Reply to cbayer (Reply #7)

Wed May 7, 2014, 01:04 PM

May 2014

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

9. It looks like they did what they were accused of doing, and I am glad

Reply to rug (Reply #8)

Wed May 7, 2014, 01:16 PM

May 2014

they offered an apology.

Either that, or the lawyers got together and came to an agreement, lol.

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