One of my teachers (public school) plays the radio in her class, it is always tuned to a contemporary christian station. I am forced to sit in this class, being preached at by the radio. I have asked her to either turn it off or change the station, but she won’t, saying it’s her classroom, she can listen to it if she wants.
Now, I live in the buckle of the bible belt, not a fun place to admit being a non-christian, but I’m willing to fight this, and I need to know if I’m even in the right here.
I don’t want all teachers forbiden from playing the radio in their classrooms, I just don’t want to be preached at. That’s my delema, is it right to censor the christian station, but not the others? should it (they realy) be held toa different standard because they preach a religous message?
Interesting question. I’m a pretty die hard believer in seperatio of church and state, but this seems slightly different. Unless she’s playing the radio with Intent to Convert, I would guess she’s in the clear. It’s just her taste in music, and I doubt she could be forced to stop playing it any more than she could be forced to stop wearing a crucifix around her neck. If everything that was reverant of religion was banned from schools, there’d be a much smaller canon of works (in literature, for example) from which to choose from. Of course, if she were at all sensitive to your situation, she would agree to change the station.
As I always say, you never can trust anyone who takes monotheism so seriously.
I take it this is during class time? In a public school? What is your teacher doing listening to the radio during class? Shouldn’t she… I don’t know… be teaching the class? I don’t see anything wrong with restricting what she listens to on the radio. It’s not her classroom, it’s the taxpayers’ and you’re a taxpayer. If you don’t want to listen to a Christian station, you shouldn’t have to listen to a Chrsitian station. As far as I’m concerned, you shouldn’t have to listen to a country station if you don’t want to, but that would be harder to fight on constitutional grounds.
Contact the nearest chapter of the ACLU and describe the situation–they’ll know if something can be done.
actualy, no. I go to an alternitive school, the students teach themselves, we watch video lessons and go completely at our own pace. (as much as that seems to be dripping with sarcasm, i’m being 100% serious) It’s great, you can get as many cedits as you want, as fast as you want. I love it.
I’m sure she isn’t trying (activly) to convert anyone, there are sessions on this station that encorage the listener to “Pray with me now…”, and ALL the songs tell me to praise god, that seems to violate the “no public (on the PA system) prayer in school” rule.
No, preaching is not allowed in public school. Contemporary christian music (hymns), is preaching.
Contact your local chapter of the ACLU and ask them. They’re on the internet. Right here;
They’re fund raising right now.
And you’re right. It’s not a small thing. It’s a true “slippery slope”. Esp. in the buckle. Be prepared to catch some grief from others, though.
Good luck.
Peace,
mangeorge (Grumpy old liberal.)
This sounds like an end run around the 1st Ammendment.
She is a government employee and your presence their is mandatory (assuming you cannot afford private school). She could not witness for Jesus in class anymore than she could preach about Allah or read from the Torah. Allowing someone else to do it, in person or on the airwaves, is a violation. (this assumes, of course, that this is not a contemporary religions class)
I would take it up with the principal right away. The Ryan is right. She’s not on her own time, she’s on yours.
Or you can just convert to Christianity 
eggo,
It’s not clear from your answer to The Ryan- is this a public school, or by “alternitive school” do you mean a private school? If it’s a private school, the situation may be different.
Eggo says in the OP it’s a public school … I assume the “actually, no” reply was answering the question of whether the teacher should be spending her time teaching.
This link may be of interest.
So much for tolerance, diversity and respect.
This country is turning into the biggest bunch of cry babies. IMHO you have WAY to much free time on your hands and you should find something positive to do instead of worrying about controlling everyone else’s behavior.
Is there really any difference between your intolerance and the intolerance of some of the religous right against other people’s lifestyles?
FYI…I can find no mention of “Seperation of Church and State” anywhere in the Constitution, but I can find "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; "
It would not matter to me if she were a Buddhist, Jew or Muslim (or any other religion), if other teachers are allowed to freely choose their radio staions, she also has that right. When her choice is different than yours, that is called DIVERSITY.
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*Originally posted by eggo *
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Alternative school?
What is it? Private or public?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by eggo *
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So if you love it, what’s the issue?
If eggo’s teacher were a wiccan, and was listening to radio (or tapes, or whatever) that promoted pagan beliefs through music, I doubt that you’d see much tolerance from the parents and teachers. It’s fundamentally the same thing, Freedom2.
The teacher would be wise to tune into a classical music station, and leave religion out of the curriculum.
Peace,
mangeorge
What I want to know is, why is this music loud enough for the students to hear? I assume she’s sitting by her desk, not right smack dab next to all the students, right? What is she, deaf? Why can’t she just turn it down?
If she had it turned down low, perhaps the students could hear melodies, and get a vague impression of lyrics, but they wouldn’t be blasted with content they don’t want to hear. I would hope that a vaguely audable radio would not be offensive to anyone?
Basically, asking her to change the station is not going to work. What is she going to change it to? The local C&W or Rock station? Those stations promote godless heathenism, infringing on the rights of any of your fellow students who share her beliefs.
I go along with *yosemitebabe that the solution is volume control, not channel control. (Buy her some earphones.)
I’m afraid that if the teachers (in general) are allowed to play the radio in the classroom, objecting to hers because it offends your sensibilities is an abridgement of her freedom. It is hardly an abridgement of your freedom to hear shows you don’t enjoy.
Unless her lesson plan includes your responding to questions based on the stuff played on the radio, I do not believe that the First Amendment has any bearing on this situation.
yes, It’s aa publicly funded school, part of the regular ISD of my area, but it is sort of an “experiment” to see how well this idea works. (VERY well, IMHO–I earned 15 credits last year alone)
the radio is not next to her desk, but rather on the oposite side of the room, clearly meant for all to hear.
what I meant was that I love the way the school is set up–us going at our own pace and all.
If you don’t want to hear any radio in schools anywhere make a issue of it.
Although I’m a Christian, I think she is out of line playing this in your class if it offends you. Go to the principle, and if you don’t get a response, to the ACLU. I don’t want someone elses religion shoved down my childs throat, SO my religion shouldnt be shoved down yours.
Can you listen to your walkman while she does this?
We had art teachers who put on the radio, but NEVER religious stuff…except at Xmas, when everyone wanted to listen to Xmas stuff (we even did Xmas projects, and this was a public school.) Although the teachers would have let someone do something else instead if religion was a problem.
I don’t know what this is, but I think asking her to put the radio by her desk and turning it down would be in order.
Tell her the radio distracts you-maybe that will have better results.
I think you’re missing the point. It isn’t that eggo doesn’t “enjoy” the programs. Having someone in a position of authority loudly proclaim her beliefs, in a way that is impossible for eggo to avoid, is intimidating and hurtful. Even more so after she ignored requests to turn it off. No one should have to go through that at school.
If you truly believe that no one can tell an employee what to listen to at work, I suggest you take a radio to work and put it on a similar station, loud enough that others can’t ignore. Better yet, set up a PA system at your home and blast it for all your neighbors to hear.