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essentialsaltesSixth-grade [Louisiana public school] teacher Rita Roark has told her students that the universe was created by God about 6,000 years ago, and taught that both the Big Bang theory and evolution are false, according to the lawsuit. She told her students that “if evolution was real, it would still be happening: Apes would be turning into humans today.”
One test she gave to students asked: “ISN’T IT AMAZING WHAT THE _____________ HAS MADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” The correct answer was “Lord,” but C.C. wrote in something else. Roark responded by scolding the boy in front of the entire class.
When informed that C.C. was a Buddhist and therefore didn’t believe in God, Roark allegedly responded, “you’re stupid if you don’t believe in God.”
When the outraged parents confronted Sabine Parish Superintendent Sara Ebarb about the incidents, she allegedly told them “this is the Bible belt” and that they “shouldn’t be offended” to “see God here.” Ebarb advised that C.C. should either change his faith or be transferred to another District school where “there are more Asians.”
The lawsuit claims that other teachers and faculty members also push Christian beliefs on their students. Prayer is often lead by teachers in classrooms and during school events. Religious literature that denounces evolution and homosexuality has been distributed by faculty members to students. The school’s hallways are filled with Christian iconography and electronic marquee in front of the school scrolls Bible verses.
In possibly related news, Shreveport, Louisiana is ranked the 5th Bible friendliest city in America.
Providence, RI, home of HP Lovecraft, takes the honors as least Bible friendly. Out of the 100 metro areas ranked by the American Bible Society, Los Angeles comes in at #73.
ETAThe ACLU complaint contains lots of other horrifying information:
53. Another display in the main foyer of the school informs students that “ACTIONS
SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.” It features several posters, including one of a child praying
that instructs students to “Pray,” another that urges them to “Worship,” and another that
encourages them to “Believe.”
