Eric Zorn, Chi.Tribune: Atheist's son deserves job on own merits

Eric Zorn

It couldn't be--could it?--that officials at High School District 211 in Palatine yanked a job offer away from a prospective teacher this week simply because administrators don't like the religious views of that teacher's father?

I'm open to other interpretations, but Supt. Roger Thornton declined to comment Wednesday and seven other officials didn't respond when I sent them a detailed outline of the story Richard Sherman is telling:

Sherman, 23, is the son of civil rights activist and atheist leader Rob Sherman of Buffalo Grove, whose relentless crusades of the last 20 years, most over church-state issues, have alienated many who don't share his interpretation of the Constitution or God.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ericzorn/chi-0505260158may26,1,7687291.column?coll=chi-news-hed

beliefs?

You know, like you really can't fire someone because they're a Christian?

But, hey, if you're not a "mainstream religion" - "we'll think of something good".

I smell a lawsuit . . . especially since they have no evidence that he follows his father's beliefs to a T, nor any that he would force someone else (unlike some we're aware of) to believe as he does . . .

And a freedom of religion clause in the Illinois constitution. And the Human Rights statutes.

It's a public entity and can't discriminate. Not legally, anyway.

And I don't know if he's an atheist or not.