I disagree with the teacher's actions for two reasons: (1) Allowing ALL books EXCEPT religious ones to be read during the free reading period constitutes a violation of the U.S. Constitutional; and (2) The young boy was in the fifth grade and children at that stage should be encouraged to read. The Bible was the child's favorite book and the teacher should have been delighted that he found a book which captured his interest. The following is from the link provided:
“Giovanni Rubeo is a fifth-grade student at the school, who had been given a Bible at church as a Christmas gift. It’s his favorite book, so he decided he’d like to read it during the time in class where students are allowed to read anything they choose.
“Swornia Thomas is Giovanni’s teacher. On April 8, Thomas told Giovanni he’s not allowed to read the Bible in her class and ordered him to put it away. Giovanni asked her to call his father, Paul Rubeo, about the incident.
“Thomas did so, leaving a voicemail that included, “I noticed that he [Giovanni] has a book—a religious book—in the classroom. He’s not permitted to read those books in my classroom.” Rubeo then contacted the school’s principal, Orinthia Dias, who brought in the school’s legal department. None of them are willing to acknowledge that Giovanni has a constitutional right to read the Bible.”
FL Teacher Banned Bible from 'Free Reading' Time in Classroom
I don't see any gray areas concerning the violation of the child’s First Amendment rights. While no child has a Constitutional right to read the Bible during a class such as math or even a study period (students are usually instructed that the study period is for school work only), excluding religious books from a class when all other literature is permitted - whether related to school work or not – will not pass constitutional muster. At least not in my humble opinion.
This is what I have been thinking.
I just can't quite grasp that this one teacher has the authority to decide that a religious book cannot be read in her class. It seems like the system would have a policy on this??
If there had been some previous problems with religious books at this school --that would be helpful information to include. There just has to be some underlying reason.
Is she some sort of passionate English literature teacher---are other books approved or not approved? It sounds like she has made her life quite complicated.
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no--after reading the letter from the Dept of Civil Rights/attorneys that were contacted---she is a fifth grade teacher.
Now what surprises me is that a fifth grade class would have a 90 minute period of free reading. Possibly part of some special reading program. 20 minutes or a half hour of free reading---would be more typical for that age child.
a bit more insight---
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2014/05/05/teachers-ban-on-reading-bibles-in-class-sparks-protest-change/
<“Good morning, Mr. Rubeo,” says a woman. “Giovanni called you because I asked him to. I noticed that he had a book, a religious book, in the classroom. He’s not permitted to read those books in my classroom. He said if I told him to put it away, you said not to do that. So please give me a call. I need to have some understanding on direction to him about the book he’s reading opposed to the curriculum for public school. Ms. S. Thomas. Thank you. Have a wonderful day. Bye, bye.”
Giovanni and his lawyer claim Giovanni was told on multiple occasions that he couldn’t read the Bible during free-reading time. In April, the boy’s dad went to the principal.
He says he got a letter stating Giovanni can read the Bible before and after school and during lunch. It makes no mention of free reading time.
“This is an egregious violation of the Constitution, as well as a very terrible violation of the United Sates Department of Education policy,” said Rubeo’s attorney Jeremiah Dys. “Students do not shed their constitutional rights when they enter through the schoolhouse gates.”
The Broward School District claimed it was told Giovanni was reading the Bible when he should have been reading an assigned book, not during free-reading time. The district stressed that any student may read the Bible, or any other religious book, during free time.
The boy’s father says he wants an apology from the school.
“This is your kids, too, it’s not just my son,” said Paul Rubeo. “To be able to read their Bible during free-reading time, there comes a point in life when you have to stand up for what’s right and what’s wrong.”
The district wouldn’t comment on what, if any, consequences the teacher might face. Giovanni says there has been no free-reading time, recently, so he hasn’t been reading his Bible at school.
CBS4′s Gaby Fleischman stopped by Mrs. Thomas’ home. Her husband told us she was not there and asked: “What the [expletive] do you want?”
Gaby responded that we want to speak to Mrs. Thomas’ to hear her side of the story.
“She ain’t got nothing to say to you, she ain’t got nothing to say,” responded her husband. “Get me on camera, get the [expletive] out of my yard.”
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