fired for being an atheist

fired for being an atheist (Full Version)

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GotSteel -> fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 9:40:00 AM)
Abby Nurre worked as a math teacher at St. Edmonds Catholic School and was fired for joining a social networking site for nontheists. "The main thing is that she stated she didn't believe in God," (spokeswoman for the Sioux City Diocese) Arlt said. http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-05-29-fired28_ST_N.htm I've heard claims recently that this sort of discrimination doesn't happen anymore but yeah it's still around.

SL4V3M4YB3 -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 9:44:49 AM)
There must be at least one other atheist working at that school or perhaps the students found out somehow??? Someone with a grudge obviously reported it. These things are never as clear cut as reported, reporters always assume the victims are telling the whole truth. That said it is obviously still wrong.

bondmaid123 -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 10:15:56 AM)
Well.... It's a CATHOLIC school. I mean, this isn't the public school system we're talking about. Morality clauses are all over all sorts of private companies' "Codes of Conduct". People choose to send their kids to religious-based schools partly to shield them from the "godless heathens" or because they simply want their kids learning in an environment that is aligned more closely with their own ethical/moral stances. (Not JUST because the quality of education is sometimes pretty significantly superior to that in the public school system, sad but true). How, exactly, she got outed, I'd question... but she had to be a little dense to think that this sort of thing wouldn't impact her employment status. If her employment contract didn't include some language stating that she would not engage in activities contrary to the mission statement of the school, I'd be surprised (and I imagine she would have won her case, in that situation).

bondmaid123 -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 10:17:50 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: SL4V3M4YB3 There must be at least one other atheist working at that school or perhaps the students found out somehow??? That is the risk you take when you choose to enter into a situation with skeletons in your closet. Aspiring politicians learn this same lesson all the time. (I do it myself... but I walk in with my eyes open).

SL4V3M4YB3 -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 10:20:59 AM)
Well I believe atheists can teach maths just as well as Catholics and from what I remember of maths we didn't really get into pointless discussions about religion during such lessons as there wasn't time for it. Maths is a big subject, big enough to fill at least four hours a week.

bondmaid123 -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 10:25:32 AM)
Hey, I believe that too (I am an atheist, just for the record). I just think she should have given it a little more thought before accepting a job at a CATHOLIC school.

myotherself -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 10:36:02 AM)
In the UK, faith schools can ask you your religious beliefs. But technically they can't discriminate against you because you state you are not of that faith, although if it comes down to 2 good teachers to choose between and one of them is the faith the school is based upon, they're going to get the job. BUT if you lie on your application and state you have faith when you don't, then the school has the right to question all the information you have given and then discipline you for lying on your application. Whatever your religious (dis)beliefs, the school has the right to rely on you to promote faith. If you're an atheist, the easiest way to do this is to say nothing. If a kid asks about your faith, it's easy to say "it's not what I think or believe that's important here, it's what YOU think or believe". Any half-decent teacher can turn a tricky personal question back on a kid [:)] The teacher in question did something pretty stupid, IMO. There's no reason why she had to post what she did, using her real name. It appears the school had, as part of its employment contract, the clause that she had to promote the faith of the school. She broke the contract, and got what was coming.

pahunkboy -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 10:43:42 AM)
Was this done while on the time clock? Probably not. Why not bug the bedroom too?

eyesopened -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:00:53 PM)
When you post something on a website or let's say a religion and politics discussion board on a bdsm website, it becomes public domain and there is no expectation of privacy. None, nada, zip, zero. No one was "bugging" her home. "Nurre was suspended by Monsignor Kevin McCoy and later fired by the school board for violating a policy that prohibits employees from advocating "principles contrary" to the teachings of the church." When I read the article I could see that her actions could have easily been construed as being an advocate for proinciples contrary to the teachings of the church. She was not fired because she doesn't believe in God, she was fired for advocating atheism in violation of her employer's explicit policy for employees. I'm shocked that she was able to collect unemployment!

pahunkboy -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:05:28 PM)
Eyes, so my posts here would crash my job?? How unfair is that?

eyesopened -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:12:04 PM)
If you want privacy, turn off your computer.

pahunkboy -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:12:55 PM)
I am sorry- but that is NOT good enough.

tazzygirl -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:15:09 PM)
You can be fired for what you post on facebook, pa, this site is no different. Corporations scan blogs all the time for mention of their companies. One wrong word and you are out the door.

pahunkboy -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:17:26 PM)
The fired one-- did she mention her company? -- I mean-- you could monitor CB communications too.

rulemylife -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:21:43 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: pahunkboy Was this done while on the time clock? Probably not. Why not bug the bedroom too? If you had bothered to read the damn link you would not have to be asking this question.

GotSteel -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:22:26 PM)
I basically posted this as a response to a thread from a while ago where it was stated that since the ruling that atheism counted the same as a religion, people couldn't be fired for being atheist. Apparently not the case, the discrimination against us is alive and well.

pahunkboy -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:23:47 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: rulemylife quote: ORIGINAL: pahunkboy Was this done while on the time clock? Probably not. Why not bug the bedroom too? If you had bothered to read the damn link you would not have to be asking this question. Gosh- I am pretty sure if I looked thru YOUR posts- there is enough in there to get you fired, evicted, deported. HMMM.

pahunkboy -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:25:10 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: GotSteel I basically posted this as a response to a thread from a while ago where it was stated that since the ruling that atheism counted the same as a religion, people couldn't be fired for being atheist. Apparently not the case, the discrimination against us is alive and well. I view this more as a privacy issue. She was on her own time- on her own computer.

myotherself -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:25:29 PM)
When you become a teacher, you have to accept that you will be held to a higher standard of behaviour at work and in your private life than many other jobs. Only police officers, medical staff, firefighters and the like are expected to be similarly held. In the UK you can be fired if you are deemed to be 'unsuitable' to be in charge of children. So if in your private life you attended fetish clubs and were found out, you could be disciplined. In reality you'd have to do something pretty drastic to be fired and lose your licence, but it's always a risk. But on the flip side, how many of us can say we have had a major impact on a child's life? It's a great responsibility and a huge privilege. Every year a teacher can positively influence the life of hundreds of children, through their teaching and by being a good role model. If that means you have to be more careful in how you present yourself to the world, is that such a bad thing?

Fellow -> RE: fired for being an atheist (6/4/2010 12:26:24 PM)
In order to be considered as a teacher in religious schools the applicant usually needs to sign a statement confirming his/her faith and active involvement with a church. So, she violated the employment policies that was the basis of termination. I see nothing wrong here. Teaching math ( "the language of Gods" ) by an atheist can not meet high level teaching standards.

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