Portfolio Artifact #6 1

Portfolio Artifact #6

Sasha Waters

EDU 210
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The Principal of an elementary school by the name of Bill Ward dismissed a kindergarten

teacher, Karen White, based off of a protest led by the parents of students in Ms. Whites class.

Principal Ward claimed that the dismissal was due to Ms. Whites inability to effectively meet

the needs of her students. The protest began after Ms. White told her class and the students

parents that she could no longer participate in certain activities and projects that involved

religious behavior. She explained to them that she had recently joined the Jehovahs Witness and

some activities were against her beliefs according to her new found affiliation. She went into

further detail explaining that the class would no longer be decorated for the holidays and there

would be no gift exchange for the Christmas season and that she could no longer recite the

Pledge of Allegiance nor sing Happy Birthday to the children. The Parents were outraged.

Students and faculty have their right to prayer in the school. Ms. White was denying them

that right but not allowing them to participate in such activities dealing with religion. She could

have still had the children decorate bulletin boards for the Christmas season, amongst other

things. She didnt have to hands on partake in those matters. Her religious preference would not

have been compromised. Bill Ward had the right to dismiss Ms. White in the defense of the

children and their upset parents. (Engel vs Vitale Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964).

There are justifiable reasons to support the reasoning behind the dismissal of Ms. White.

The courts will rule in favor of the decision of the dismissal. Everyone is entitled to their own

beliefs and Ms. White was taking the right away from the children. Activities and gift exchanges

during the holidays are a normal thing these days and for her to take that away from such young

children, they wouldnt have understood. It might even have went as far as to the students asking
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questions of why. Being that Ms. White cannot discuss those types of things with her students,

though her preference in religion is her decision, she might have gotten into more trouble by

discussing it. Thus, leaving her children clueless on why they could not do the fun stuff and

why the parents were so outraged. (Hazelwood School District vs Kuhlmeier)

Principal Ward did not have the right to decide for the dismissal of Ms. White based of

the feelings of parents. Ms. White is entitle to her freedom of religion as long as she is not

pushing it on, discussing with or publicizing her religious views. She was not doing of any of

these things and Ward had no probable cause to support the dismissal. Ms. White simply

exercised her rights and due to her newly found beliefs, explained that she could no longer

participate in such activities. (Lee vs Weisman)

Though the principal thought he was doing the right thing, perhaps he wasnt doing it for

the best interest of his students and the parents of those students. He may have gotten caught up

in his own beliefs and that may have upset him knowing that a teacher of his had different beliefs

than him. According to some court cases, endorsing religion is wrongful. So, Ms. White had

every right to not want to display religious things on her bulletin boards. Principal Ward cannot

dismiss a member of the staff every time he disagrees with one of them. The court will not

support this case. (Stone vs Graham).

This is a messy situation. I believe in religion and I do classify myself as a Christian. For

someone to tell me I could not share that would bother me but I accept that there are rules,

regulations and Rights and I abide by those. In the same breathe, for me not to believe and have

someone, or a group of people upset that I dont, would also be upsetting. We have got to stop
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preaching about freedom and being able to exercise our rights and get outraged when people do

so. We need to unite and be able to support one another, no matter who believes what. I am not

sure what the courts would decide in case scenario, but Im sure no matter which side they

choose, the other will be outraged. So, does anyone ever really win?
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References

Underwood, Julie and Webb, L. Dean. (2006). Students Rights. School Law for Teachers:

Concepts and Applications (page 212). Engel vs Vitale Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Pearson.

Underwood, Julie and Webb, L. Dean. (2006). Students Rights. School Law for Teachers:

Concepts and Applications (pages 214-215). Hazelwood School District vs Kuhlmeier. Pearson.

Underwood, Julie and Webb, L. Dean. (2006). Students Rights. School Law for Teachers:

Concepts and Applications (page 213). Lee vs Weisman. Pearson.

Underwood, Julie and Webb, L. Dean. (2006). Students Rights. School Law for Teachers:

Concepts and Applications (page 215). Stone vs Graham. Pearson.