How hard is it to just pray on your own fucking time?

[lordpasternack]

I'm sorry, but I find this a bit ridiculous. By all means have a sharp word with a teacher over bringing extraneous (superstitious) matter that parents might not approve of into conversation with a child - but suspension is a bit much, and calling it bullying is a bit much, unless it has been a repeating incident that the subject of the attention has already voiced their dislike over.

Parents who choose to hand over the education of their child to an institution should do so on the knowledge that it is 'not guaranteed nut free' - while if they dislike a specific aspect of something that has gone on at school - something non-criminal but offensive to them - then they can request that it be stopped. But pushing for, or endorsing, a suspension for an incident of someone sharing and offering to perform some physically non-harmful superstition with your child - particularly if it was a one-off, seems utter overkill.

Would some of the members here be responding the same way if the shoe was on the other foot, I wonder... If it were an atheist teacher who told a kid that they didn't believe in a deity and perhaps took it a step further by questioning the child about their reasons for believing, or whatever?

Edit: Just read XC's input at the top of this page, which has thrown some light on matters.

[klr]

and oh yes, she got her preachy little editorial!).

I'm sorry, I couldn't make it past the first paragraph without getting violently angry.

The Daily Mail ... well, well ...

Subject: How hard is it to just pray on your own fucking time?

The stupid cow (and millions like her) just can't see that getting a sick child's hopes up about a miracle cure is fucking sick.

If a muslim teacher started telling her children about the qu'ran she'd be the first to cry foul!

Hence my "shoe on the other foot" remark.

Has the Daily Mail got a hold of this yet?

[Horwood Beer-Master]

...an incident of someone sharing and offering to perform some physically non-harmful superstition with your child - particularly if it was a one-off...

This is the bit I doubt very much. If, as I suspect, this woman wanted this to happen to her, then I'd imagine she's been making a right in-your-face-christy pain-in-the-arse of herself at every opportunity, particularly around kids whose parents she knew, or at least suspected, were non-religious. I bet her nursery friend played a very similar tactic.


I wonder whether we're going to see a third 'prayer martyr' story from the Weston-super-Mare area in the near future? Or even a fourth? Or a fifth?

Who knows how big this circle of cranks is, or how many it would take before the media start to join-the-dots and look into just how these people are connected.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

Well what do you know...

...What is rarely said is that both Jones and Petrie had already been asked by their employers not to do this but did so again regardless, at least once and probably more often.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

Wait there's more!

...like the nurse Caroline Petrie who was disciplined for wanting to pray with patients ("coincidentally" - says the Mail - a friend of hers) Olive Jones is being represented by the Christian Institute, which makes a point of bringing lawsuits premised on the idea that Christians are being oppressed in "politically correct" Britain.

Looks like my instincts were absolutely spot-on on this one.

[Feck]

Wait there's more!

...like the nurse Caroline Petrie who was disciplined for wanting to pray with patients ("coincidentally" - says the Mail - a friend of hers) Olive Jones is being represented by the Christian Institute, which makes a point of bringing lawsuits premised on the idea that Christians are being oppressed in "politically correct" Britain.

Looks like my instincts were absolutely spot-on on this one.

Yep You were right .....still give me a long sharp stick and I will give the Christian Institute a Martyr to whine about :twisted:

[Horwood Beer-Master]

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Tut ... ticle.html

Tutor's religious talk 'distressed' our daughter

The parents who complained when a Christian teacher offered to pray for their sick daughter have spoken of their anger.

Paddy and Stephanie Lynch say maths tutor Olive Jones knew they were a "non-religious" family and that their 14-year-old daughter was "distressed" when she talked to her about heaven in visits to their home.

Mrs Lynch lodged a formal complaint about Mrs Jones, 54, of Weston-super-Mare, and Mrs Jones claims managers then dismissed her – an allegation which North Somerset Council denies.

Mother-of-two Mrs Jones said she had been made to feel like a criminal, and claimed that Christians were being persecuted because of political correctness.

Mrs Lynch, of Clevedon, said yesterday: "My daughter has leukaemia and has not been to school this academic year. The local authority provide a tutoring service so that my daughter doesn't fall too far behind her classmates.

"Mrs Jones was employed to teach maths but used every opportunity to discuss religion, despite the fact I made it clear we were a non-religious family and didn't want to talk about these issues in this way. On one occasion she asked my daughter to pray with her. My daughter was distressed by this behaviour.

"On another, after the death of my daughter's close friend, Mrs Jones told my 14-year-old daughter that when young people die they go to heaven. These conversations upset my daughter deeply. The sessions with Mrs Jones became increasingly traumatic and we decided it was not appropriate for this woman to come to my home."

In 2005, Mrs Jones got a part-time job at the North Somerset Council-run Oak Hill Short Stay School and Tuition Service North, in Nailsea, which caters for children with illness or behavioural difficulties.

In September, Mrs Jones made six visits to the girl, whom she was mentoring in GCSE maths. But on one visit the girl was too ill to study.

She says she discussed her faith with Mrs Lynch and told how she once experienced a miracle from God when surviving a tractor accident as a teenager. On a later visit she again discussed Christianity with the girl and Mrs Lynch, speaking of her belief in heaven.

Mr Lynch, 45, said: "Mrs Jones' actions caused our family much distress at what is a difficult time. We no longer wanted Mrs Jones to come to our home at any time in the future and we asked the tuition service to deal with the matter."

Andrea Williams, director of the Christian Legal Centre, made a statement on Mrs Jones' behalf.

She said: "Olive Jones stands by her account. She has immense sympathy with the family involved."

Zoe Briffitt, spokeswoman for North Somerset Council, said: "We feel we were right to investigate the concerns raised by a parent about Olive's actions in relation to their poorly child. We have invited Olive to meet with us to discuss the incident and we very much hope that she will accept the opportunity to meet with us in the near future.

"However, we are keenly aware of the importance of an individual's spiritual belief, and we recognise Olive felt she was acting in the best interests of her students.

"For some people of faith, prayer is seen as an integral part of providing support to an individual or family. But for teachers and tutors, whose main role is giving educational support, the views of the parents and students involved must be respected. It is acceptable to offer prayer but not to impose it against a family's wishes."

Meanwhile, readers have been contacting the Evening Post to express their views on Mrs Jones' story.

Plumber Mike Thorne said he had done work at Mrs Jones's home and she had never forced her religion upon him.

He said: "I am not religious myself but she is a good woman who would help anybody out. It would be a shame if the teaching profession lost a good teacher because of this."

Edwin Cox, a retired electrician of Hanham, said he had called North Somerset Council to complain. He said: "Whoever dismissed this lady has been stupid in the extreme."

I wonder whether 'Plumber Mike Thorne' is another member of the WSMPMC*


*(Weston-super-Mare 'prayer martyrs' conspiracy)

[Pappa]

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Tut ... ticle.html

Tutor's religious talk 'distressed' our daughter

The parents who complained when a Christian teacher offered to pray for their sick daughter have spoken of their anger.

Paddy and Stephanie Lynch say maths tutor Olive Jones knew they were a "non-religious" family and that their 14-year-old daughter was "distressed" when she talked to her about heaven in visits to their home.

Mrs Lynch lodged a formal complaint about Mrs Jones, 54, of Weston-super-Mare, and Mrs Jones claims managers then dismissed her – an allegation which North Somerset Council denies.

Mother-of-two Mrs Jones said she had been made to feel like a criminal, and claimed that Christians were being persecuted because of political correctness.

Mrs Lynch, of Clevedon, said yesterday: "My daughter has leukaemia and has not been to school this academic year. The local authority provide a tutoring service so that my daughter doesn't fall too far behind her classmates.

"Mrs Jones was employed to teach maths but used every opportunity to discuss religion, despite the fact I made it clear we were a non-religious family and didn't want to talk about these issues in this way. On one occasion she asked my daughter to pray with her. My daughter was distressed by this behaviour.

"On another, after the death of my daughter's close friend, Mrs Jones told my 14-year-old daughter that when young people die they go to heaven. These conversations upset my daughter deeply. The sessions with Mrs Jones became increasingly traumatic and we decided it was not appropriate for this woman to come to my home."

In 2005, Mrs Jones got a part-time job at the North Somerset Council-run Oak Hill Short Stay School and Tuition Service North, in Nailsea, which caters for children with illness or behavioural difficulties.

In September, Mrs Jones made six visits to the girl, whom she was mentoring in GCSE maths. But on one visit the girl was too ill to study.

She says she discussed her faith with Mrs Lynch and told how she once experienced a miracle from God when surviving a tractor accident as a teenager. On a later visit she again discussed Christianity with the girl and Mrs Lynch, speaking of her belief in heaven.

Mr Lynch, 45, said: "Mrs Jones' actions caused our family much distress at what is a difficult time. We no longer wanted Mrs Jones to come to our home at any time in the future and we asked the tuition service to deal with the matter."

Andrea Williams, director of the Christian Legal Centre, made a statement on Mrs Jones' behalf.

She said: "Olive Jones stands by her account. She has immense sympathy with the family involved."

Zoe Briffitt, spokeswoman for North Somerset Council, said: "We feel we were right to investigate the concerns raised by a parent about Olive's actions in relation to their poorly child. We have invited Olive to meet with us to discuss the incident and we very much hope that she will accept the opportunity to meet with us in the near future.

"However, we are keenly aware of the importance of an individual's spiritual belief, and we recognise Olive felt she was acting in the best interests of her students.

"For some people of faith, prayer is seen as an integral part of providing support to an individual or family. But for teachers and tutors, whose main role is giving educational support, the views of the parents and students involved must be respected. It is acceptable to offer prayer but not to impose it against a family's wishes."

Meanwhile, readers have been contacting the Evening Post to express their views on Mrs Jones' story.

Plumber Mike Thorne said he had done work at Mrs Jones's home and she had never forced her religion upon him.

He said: "I am not religious myself but she is a good woman who would help anybody out. It would be a shame if the teaching profession lost a good teacher because of this."

Edwin Cox, a retired electrician of Hanham, said he had called North Somerset Council to complain. He said: "Whoever dismissed this lady has been stupid in the extreme."

I wonder whether 'Plumber Mike Thorne' is another member of the WSMPMC*


*(Weston-super-Mare 'prayer martyrs' conspiracy)

It does seem as if she was rather persistent.

She should be lynched for that.

I'll get my coat.

[klr]

The fact that the girl has leukaemia raises another flag for me. The tutor probably saw her as a potential soul to be "harvested", given the serious nature of the girl's illness.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I now have my sneaking suspicion that this woman was a fucking godbothering pest, that wouldn't let it lie, confirmed.

Someone should point out to her that claiming to have been dismissed when in fact she has only been suspended pending an enquiry is breaking one of her god's commandments and she will go to hell because of it.

[devogue]

She needs a good rogering.