High School Student Claims She Was Suspended For Saying ‘Bless You’ After Classmate DYER COUNTY, Tenn. (CBS Charlotte) –
A highschool student
was allegedly suspended after breaking a class rule of saying “bless you” after a classmate sneezed.
Kendra Turner, a senior at Dyer County High School, said bless you to her classmate who sneezed and the teacher told her that the term was for church.
, said bless you to her classmate who sneezed and the teacher told her that the term was for church.
“She said that we’re not going to have godly speaking in her class and that’s when I said we have a constitutional right,” Turner told WMC.
and that’s when I said we have a constitutional right,” Turner told WMC.
When she defended her actions, the teacher told Turner to see an administrator. The student said that she had to finish the class period in in-school suspension.
said that she had to finish the class period in in-school suspension.
The girl’s parents were told by school leaders that their daughter shouted “bless you” across the room and that it was a classroom distraction.
leaders that their daughter shouted “bless you” across the room and that it was a classroom distraction.
School officials told her parents Tuesday that theteacher claimed that their daughter was aggressive and disruptive.
claimed that their daughter was aggressive and disruptive.
But Becky Winegardner, Turner’s youth pastor, disagrees with the school’s actions of in-class suspension.
“There were several students that were talking about this particular faculty member there that was very demeaning to them in regard to their faith,” Winegardner told WMC. “This was something that had come up previously in the last few weeks just since the beginning of school and I shared with all of those students what their rights were.”
that were talking about this particular faculty member there that was very demeaning to them in regard to their faith,” Winegardner told WMC. “This was something that had come up previously in the last few weeks just since the beginning of school and I shared with all of those students what their rights were.”
WMC reported that there are other expressions that are banned as part of class rules and they are listed on the teacher’s white board along with “bless you.”
Some of Turner’s classmates supported her Tuesday by wearing hand made bless you shirts. She explained that she doesn’t want trouble for her teacher but that she’ll stand up for her faith no matter what.
“It’s alright to defend God and it’s our constitutional right because we have a freedom of religion and freedom of speech,” Turner told WMC.
Tell me schools haven't become re-education camps!
The principal, Mrs, Dodds, has since stated, and Ms. Turner has further admitted, that she left the class on her own. She was put in ISS for the remaining 20 min of that specific class period, while things were sorted out. That is all. Administration had to go to the classroom to calm down the students. She wasn't in trouble for her statement, she was in trouble for being disruptive in the middle of a timed test. "Bless You" is a phrase that kids think is funny to all shout out at once, thus no one getting in trouble, which was why it was on the banned list. The teacher, Mrs. Kindle, is a devout Christian with over 40 years with no admonishment on her record, and is known for praying with students outside of school and being involved in the Christian organizations at the school. Unfortunately, Ms. Turner turned to social media and the news. A kind and Christian woman is at the base of a witch hunt.
ReplyDelete