The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) along with its parent organization is suing Sabine Parish School District because it allegedly has a “long history of proselytizing students and promoting religion.” The problems surfaced after plaintiffs Sharon and Scott Lane and their five children including CC, a sixth grade Buddhist of Thai heritage, who does not believe in god, spoke out against Negreet High School’s practices in the school district.
Rita Roark, CC’s science teacher, reportedly taught students that “evolution is impossible,” “the earth was created by god 6000 years ago” and “the Bible is 100 percent true.” She is also believed to test her students with fill in the blank questions that revere religion. On one such instance, when CC failed to answer appropriately, Roark apparently belittled him in front of other students and said that Buddhism is “stupid”.
When CC’s parents brought up the issue before the authorities, Sara Ebarb, superintendent of the school district referred to the area as the ‘Bible belt’ and said that CC should either “change” his faith or move to another school district school 25 miles away “where there are more Asians.”
The plaintiffs also said that Roark offered extra credits to those students who were willing to profess their faith in Christianity. “She demands that students write a Bible verse or “Isn’t it amazing what the Lord has made” at the bottom of exams and assignments if they want extra credit. Roark writes “Yes!” next to the verse or religious affirmation and awards students five additional points when they comply with this mandate,” said the Lanes.
Such incidents have taken place outside Roark’s classroom as well. The school allegedly incorporates Christian prayers into different events and displays religious iconography in the classrooms and hallways. While CC moved to another school to avoid such proselytizing, he experienced similar problems in his new school as well. At the new school, he had to bear with prayers at assemblies, before football games and storytelling sessions of Jesus’ birth.
After repeated attempts to have the issue resolved within the school district, the plaintiffs decided to sue the Sabine Parish School District so their child would not be harassed any further and they could recover the money that they spent in transporting CC to another school, 25 miles away. They have garnered support from several quarters with some suggesting CC’s proselytization could count as child abuse or even worse, a potential hate crime.
Photo Credits: Adam Fagen
