Fla. Gov. calls for investigation into Student suspension over word Jesus

[tinydancer]

Bottom line is that it was an offensive exercise. The school has apologized.

 

[LoneLaugher]

It is not offensive to me.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

The student was charged because he complained. Again from Forbes:

Further, charging the student with an offense for complaining about the assignment brings up serious free speech and due process concerns.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it could be argued that it was simply a provocative pedagogical technique.

Instead, however, FAU saw fit to charge Rotela with violating a speech code FIRE has given a “yellow light” (on a red, yellow, and green light scale, depending on the severity of the First Amendment violation) because of the ease with which it can be unconstitutionally applied.

And unconstitutionally applying its speech code to a student guilty of nothing except complaining about a professor’s class looks to be exactly what FAU did here.

Hello? Anyone want to argue that there is more here than what we are being told? Some secret that is not being reported?

FAU College Student Who Didn't Want To Stomp On 'Jesus' Runs Afoul of Speech Code - Forbes

Your Op/Ed doesn't have any more "information" than other stories, they've just filled in the blanks with conjecture.

Your confirmation bias is showing - even the link you provided says that the school suspended the student for "threats", not for refusing to step on the word Jesus.

Oh bullshit. Charges dropped because the school knew they'd crossed a line and that this was a trumped up suspension.

They apologized because they knew they went too far. And that lesson has been dropped from the curriculum.

So prove to me he threatened the teacher. Otherwise your bias is showing. Where's the witnesses?

Trot them out. Give me links. Go for it.

You're not understanding my point.

I've made no claims that he threatened the teacher. I don't know what happened - which is what I've been saying all along.

You're the only one who's so sure of what happened - so certain that it happened in a way that just happens to confirm the opinion that you had already decided on.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

The student was charged because he complained. Again from Forbes:

Further, charging the student with an offense for complaining about the assignment brings up serious free speech and due process concerns.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it could be argued that it was simply a provocative pedagogical technique.

Instead, however, FAU saw fit to charge Rotela with violating a speech code FIRE has given a “yellow light” (on a red, yellow, and green light scale, depending on the severity of the First Amendment violation) because of the ease with which it can be unconstitutionally applied.

And unconstitutionally applying its speech code to a student guilty of nothing except complaining about a professor’s class looks to be exactly what FAU did here.

Hello? Anyone want to argue that there is more here than what we are being told? Some secret that is not being reported?

FAU College Student Who Didn't Want To Stomp On 'Jesus' Runs Afoul of Speech Code - Forbes

From your own link, according to the school, he was suspended for threatening the teacher.

Oh for heaven's sakes, read the whole article.

You are referring to the so called trumped up charge. All the student did was complain.

According to him.

Here's what counts. This is the true part. Read the whole damn thing.

All of what you've copied and pasted below is the "conjecture" I was speaking of.

Further, charging the student with an offense for complaining about the assignment brings up serious free speech and due process concerns.

He wasn't charged with anything for complaining.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it could be argued that it was simply a provocative pedagogical technique.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it would have defeated the point of the exercise.

Instead, however, FAU saw fit to charge Rotela with violating a speech code FIRE has given a “yellow light” (on a red, yellow, and green light scale, depending on the severity of the First Amendment violation) because of the ease with which it can be unconstitutionally applied.

The "speech code" that he violated was one against violent, threatening "speech" - not for complaining, or for refusing to step on the word Jesus.

And unconstitutionally applying its speech code to a student guilty of nothing except complaining about a professor’s class looks to be exactly what FAU did here.

It "looks" like that only if you really want it to.

 

[SuMar]

They should take the Professor's paycheck, throw it on the ground and stomp on it. Then give her directions to the unemployment office. She can join the ranks of Obama supporters and get on welfare.

Hmmm...some Christians are sounding more and more muslimish.......

Well I wonder what kind of backlash the Professor would have received if the assignment would be to write Mohamed's name on the piece of paper instead of Jesus? I'm sure the libs everywhere would be calling for her job.

 

[LeftofLeft]

The student was suspended. The student did not approach anyone over this issue until he received the suspension.

So was this a "lesson" or a "torment" for a devout Christian student?

I say the latter.

And why the suspension?

Mr Rotela said he went to speak with his professor's supervisor two days after, and found himself suspended.



FAU: University instructor told students to write the word 'Jesus' on paper, throw it on floor and stomp on it | Mail Online

"Torment"? The exercise was optional - no one was "forced" to do anything - and I don't know of any rule in Christianity that forbids stepping on Jesus's name.

And we only have the student's side of the story - we don't know why he was actually suspended, only what he claims was the reason.

You guys are insisting on painting this as an anti-Christianity thing, which is really missing the entire point.

Well, first and foremost, Jesus is a huge prophet in Islam so this isn't just anti Christian, this is anti Islam if one wants to really go at this.

Jesus is a biggie. Every time some one wants to slag Jesus, they're slagging Islam too.

Muslims believe that Jesus will return to earth near the Day of Judgment to restore justice and to defeat Masih ad-Dajjal ("the false messiah", also known as the Antichrist)

Jesus in Islam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



And it's not the students side of the story for crying out loud. Read the article. The University has apologized and admitted that this was insensitive.

When was the last time a writer or artist had to go into hiding for safety from jihadists due to an offensive portrayal of Jesus?

 

[auditor0007]

university instructor told students to write the word 'Jesus' on paper, throw it on the floor and stomp on it

What exactly was the professor trying to teach?
Is their apology good enough.... Hell no, someone needs to be fired.
There is absolutely no excuse for this type of behavior from the professor and there is no excuse for the University for backing him up.

The class was on symbolism.

The entire point of the exercise was that people would object to it - the point of the exercise is that people would hesitate to step on a piece of paper with Jesus written on it - a symbol with no actual religious meaning - because their mind would associate that symbol with what it represents.

It was actually quite a good lesson plan - and if anything, the whole "scandal" about it proved the professor's point.

If the point was to show that some would object, then the point was made. There would be no reason to suspend the student. Your version doesn't make sense because the student was kicked out of the class for not participating. Had the professor made that point, the class should then have moved on with the student being permitted to choose against stepping on the paper.

 

[Obamanation]

university instructor told students to write the word 'Jesus' on paper, throw it on the floor and stomp on it

What exactly was the professor trying to teach?
Is their apology good enough.... Hell no, someone needs to be fired.
There is absolutely no excuse for this type of behavior from the professor and there is no excuse for the University for backing him up.

The class was on symbolism.

The entire point of the exercise was that people would object to it - the point of the exercise is that people would hesitate to step on a piece of paper with Jesus written on it - a symbol with no actual religious meaning - because their mind would associate that symbol with what it represents.

It was actually quite a good lesson plan - and if anything, the whole "scandal" about it proved the professor's point.

If the point was to show that some would object, then the point was made. There would be no reason to suspend the student. Your version doesn't make sense because the student was kicked out of the class for not participating. Had the professor made that point, the class should then have moved on with the student being permitted to choose against stepping on the paper.

The "professor" is a liberal activist. He shouldn;t be teaching our children at all.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

university instructor told students to write the word 'Jesus' on paper, throw it on the floor and stomp on it

What exactly was the professor trying to teach?
Is their apology good enough.... Hell no, someone needs to be fired.
There is absolutely no excuse for this type of behavior from the professor and there is no excuse for the University for backing him up.

The class was on symbolism.

The entire point of the exercise was that people would object to it - the point of the exercise is that people would hesitate to step on a piece of paper with Jesus written on it - a symbol with no actual religious meaning - because their mind would associate that symbol with what it represents.

It was actually quite a good lesson plan - and if anything, the whole "scandal" about it proved the professor's point.

If the point was to show that some would object, then the point was made. There would be no reason to suspend the student. Your version doesn't make sense because the student was kicked out of the class for not participating. Had the professor made that point, the class should then have moved on with the student being permitted to choose against stepping on the paper.

According to the professor and the school, that's exactly what happened. No one was removed from the class or forced to participate.

The student in question was suspended a few days later, after meeting with the professor's supervisor.

 

[Circe]

The "professor" is a liberal activist. He shouldn;t be teaching our children at all.

The "professor" is plainly poorly read and mentally challenged. He no doubt got his position through "affirmative action" and THAT is why he will of course not be fired.

If this were a white guy at Duke or Yale or whatever, he would be out the door already.

This guy? They can't possibly fire him.

 

[ShaklesOfBigGov]

It is not offensive to me.

It doesn't have to be offensive to "you", that's not the point.

Would you say then that there is nothing wrong with a teacher hanging a Confederate flag in front of the entire class? Then while the teacher instructs the class about the Civil War, he chooses to have his students salute the flag as a part of an "exercise", just to observe what happens. After all it's only a piece of cloth, it doesn't mean anything, right? What could possibly be so offensive about that?

 

[Circe]

It is not offensive to me.

It doesn't have to be offensive to "you", that's not the point.

Would you say then that there is nothing wrong with a teacher hanging a Confederate flag in front of the entire class? Then while the teacher instructs the class about the Civil War, he chooses to have his students salute the flag as a part of an "exercise", just to observe what happens. After all it's only a piece of cloth, it doesn't mean anything, right? What could possibly be so offensive about that?

Or you could have students burn the U.S. flag as part of a class about the Vietnam War and the protests.

No problem there, right? It's just cloth, no reason anyone would get upset, right?

 

[Katzndogz]

If the class was about symbolism, write obama's name on a piece of paper and step on it.

 

[Oldstyle]

university instructor told students to write the word 'Jesus' on paper, throw it on the floor and stomp on it

What exactly was the professor trying to teach?
Is their apology good enough.... Hell no, someone needs to be fired.
There is absolutely no excuse for this type of behavior from the professor and there is no excuse for the University for backing him up.

The class was on symbolism.

The entire point of the exercise was that people would object to it - the point of the exercise is that people would hesitate to step on a piece of paper with Jesus written on it - a symbol with no actual religious meaning - because their mind would associate that symbol with what it represents.

It was actually quite a good lesson plan - and if anything, the whole "scandal" about it proved the professor's point.

If the point was to show that some would object, then the point was made. There would be no reason to suspend the student. Your version doesn't make sense because the student was kicked out of the class for not participating. Had the professor made that point, the class should then have moved on with the student being permitted to choose against stepping on the paper.

Exactly! The reason I'm scratching my head over this...is that I can't grasp what the teacher's trying to achieve here. If he's trying to show that people put way too much emphasis on "symbols" then having someone refuse to step on the paper accomplishes that. That's when you halt the exercise and talk about WHY that took place if that's your "lesson". How did this escalate into the need to suspend a student?

 

[Oldstyle]

The class was on symbolism.

The entire point of the exercise was that people would object to it - the point of the exercise is that people would hesitate to step on a piece of paper with Jesus written on it - a symbol with no actual religious meaning - because their mind would associate that symbol with what it represents.

It was actually quite a good lesson plan - and if anything, the whole "scandal" about it proved the professor's point.

If the point was to show that some would object, then the point was made. There would be no reason to suspend the student. Your version doesn't make sense because the student was kicked out of the class for not participating. Had the professor made that point, the class should then have moved on with the student being permitted to choose against stepping on the paper.

According to the professor and the school, that's exactly what happened. No one was removed from the class or forced to participate.

The student in question was suspended a few days later, after meeting with the professor's supervisor.

That doesn't make sense to me, Doc. If the class went on without a hitch then why the suspension later on? Because the student complained?

 

[Circe]

If the point was to show that some would object, then the point was made. There would be no reason to suspend the student. Your version doesn't make sense because the student was kicked out of the class for not participating. Had the professor made that point, the class should then have moved on with the student being permitted to choose against stepping on the paper.

According to the professor and the school, that's exactly what happened. No one was removed from the class or forced to participate.

The student in question was suspended a few days later, after meeting with the professor's supervisor.

That doesn't make sense to me, Doc. If the class went on without a hitch then why the suspension later on? Because the student complained?

Yeah.....these are good points. The governor of Florida has called for an investigation, and I agree, there should be an investigation. It's too smoky now and way too likely that some nasty "affirmative action" coverup was going on. Easy to get rid of the white male student, hard to get rid of the affirmative action prof.

An important issue might be, was the lesson plan the school's lesson plan, or did this defective prof think it up himself? And really, why Jesus? Why not Obama or Mohammed or Allah as several posters have said? There's a real PC stink about this whole thing.

It is, however, just possible that the choice of Jesus was made because that's the only symbolic figure they could count on no one being actively enthusiastic about stepping on -- lots of people would step on Obama or Mohammed with cheers and expressions of delight, after all. That wouldn't be ....discomfort with attacking symbols. So maybe Jesus was chosen with that issue in mind, but it's a lousy, lousy thing to do to young people, IMO.

 

[flacaltenn]

If the class was about symbolism, write obama's name on a piece of paper and step on it.

Maybe because the professor Dr. Deandre Poole is also the Vice Chair of the Palm Beach County Democrats? BTW: DoctorIsIn -- you need to broaden your cultural sensitivities. A full lunch at PopEyes says that Deandre IS a male.

What were told is that the student asked the teacher "not to do that again". Which was an adequate threat to get him tossed from classes.

Seems like the University has a glaring inconsistentcy in their tolerance for speech if the Professor can get that much rope and the student has none. "Don't do that again" is not a threat in itself. Or do we need to analyze this from the Palm Beach Democrat prospective?

 

[theDoctorisIn]

If the point was to show that some would object, then the point was made. There would be no reason to suspend the student. Your version doesn't make sense because the student was kicked out of the class for not participating. Had the professor made that point, the class should then have moved on with the student being permitted to choose against stepping on the paper.

According to the professor and the school, that's exactly what happened. No one was removed from the class or forced to participate.

The student in question was suspended a few days later, after meeting with the professor's supervisor.

That doesn't make sense to me, Doc. If the class went on without a hitch then why the suspension later on? Because the student complained?

You're right, it doesn't make sense. Which is why I'm sure there's more to the story than just the student's side.

 

[Oldstyle]

Well shouldn't the school have an explanation for suspending a student like this? Why aren't we hearing their side of the story?

 

[Circe]

Well shouldn't the school have an explanation for suspending a student like this? Why aren't we hearing their side of the story?

Probably because their side of the story is indefensible and would lead to calls to fire this prof. Which they can't do for PC reasons. So they are lying low and hoping it all goes away.