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Termination
Of New York Teacher For Praying With Students Was Justified, Says Americans United
Recalcitrant Teacher Vowed To Break The Law Again
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WASHINGTON
- June 25 - Education officials in New York City took the
right step when they fired a public school teacher who prayed with students in class and
defiantly said she would do it again, according to Americans United for Separation of
Church and State.
The church-state watchdog group says Mildred Rosario violated the Constitution and the
rights of parents and students by preaching her personal religious views to elementary
schoolchildren, praying with them and laying on hands.
"Parents, not teachers or school officials, should decide what religious views
children are exposed to," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive
director. "Teachers must not foist their personal religious views on students."
Rosario was ousted from I.S. 74, a Bronx public school, after the June 12 incident, which
came to light when a Jehovah's Witness student expressed reservations about the activity.
The family of that child, an 11-year-old girl, says she is afraid to return to school.
Rosario has remained recalcitrant, and during a June 17 rally told supporters, "I
would do it all over again."
Lynn said comments like that indicate education officials did not overreact in firing
Rosario. "If Ms. Rosario had apologized and agreed to obey the law, a reprimand might
have sufficed," Lynn said. "But she pledged open defiance of the Constitution
and court rulings. It seems to me that the Board of Education had no choice but to let her
go."
Lynn criticized Rep. Tom DeLay and other members of Congress for championing Rosario's
cause. "This incident has become a political football and an opportunity for
politicians to engage in demagoguery," observed Lynn. "Do they really think it's
okay for teachers to break the law?
"Some members of Congress are clearly desperate to placate their disgruntled
Religious Right constituency," Lynn charged.
The New York Post has reported that Rosario was due to be fired anyway for poor classroom
performance and absenteeism.
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