Fla. Gov. calls for investigation into Student suspension over word Jesus

[tinydancer]

Doctor seems to be the only rational person here. At least Doctor sees the whole point of the exercise. The Mormon student was EXPECTED to not step on the paper. Why the hell would he get suspended for simply refusing to step on the paper? There's something we aren't hearing.

Jesus is a very strong cultural symbol in America. That's why Mohammad or Obama would not have been a good choice for this exercise. The point was to make students think, "Why is it so hard for me to step on a piece of paper?" "Why is this any different than a blank piece of paper?"

If the professor kicked him out of class for refusing to step on the paper, I'd side with the student, but I highly doubt that's what happened. I'll reiterate, he was EXPECTED to refuse so why would he get suspended for refusing?

Ok all you Sherlock Holmes out there; go find a link to dispute the Daily Mail's investigative report about the Mormon student and his suspension.

Otherwise all of you are just making shit up. Go find out "what we're not hearing". And link it.

 

[Mustang]

Doctor seems to be the only rational person here. At least Doctor sees the whole point of the exercise. The Mormon student was EXPECTED to not step on the paper. Why the hell would he get suspended for simply refusing to step on the paper? There's something we aren't hearing.

Jesus is a very strong cultural symbol in America. That's why Mohammad or Obama would not have been a good choice for this exercise. The point was to make students think, "Why is it so hard for me to step on a piece of paper?" "Why is this any different than a blank piece of paper?"

If the professor kicked him out of class for refusing to step on the paper, I'd side with the student, but I highly doubt that's what happened. I'll reiterate, he was EXPECTED to refuse so why would he get suspended for refusing?

You are more than likely right. All these weird stories have a eureka moment when the curtain is pulled aside to reveal some previously unknown fact which changes the whole story in terms of what really happened and why.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

the professor is a he, dear. Deandre Poole.
School of Communication & Multimedia Studies
He is also the the Democratic vice chair for Palm Beach county.
Scott wants answers on FAU ?Jesus?-stomping controversy | Post on Politics

I already noted my mistake.

What does his vice-chairmanship of the Palm Beach Democratic Party have to do with anything?

if you lived here you would understand.

I lived in Palm Beach County for 5 years between 2002 and 2007, and I took classes at FAU.

What do you think that I'm not understanding?

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Doctor seems to be the only rational person here. At least Doctor sees the whole point of the exercise. The Mormon student was EXPECTED to not step on the paper. Why the hell would he get suspended for simply refusing to step on the paper? There's something we aren't hearing.

Jesus is a very strong cultural symbol in America. That's why Mohammad or Obama would not have been a good choice for this exercise. The point was to make students think, "Why is it so hard for me to step on a piece of paper?" "Why is this any different than a blank piece of paper?"

If the professor kicked him out of class for refusing to step on the paper, I'd side with the student, but I highly doubt that's what happened. I'll reiterate, he was EXPECTED to refuse so why would he get suspended for refusing?

Ok all you Sherlock Holmes out there; go find a link to dispute the Daily Mail's investigative report about the Mormon student and his suspension.

Otherwise all of you are just making shit up. Go find out "what we're not hearing". And link it.

The Daily Mail doesn't do "investigative reports". They're a tabloid.

They repeat rumors to maximize outrage.

 

[zombiehunter696]

Doctor seems to be the only rational person here. At least Doctor sees the whole point of the exercise. The Mormon student was EXPECTED to not step on the paper. Why the hell would he get suspended for simply refusing to step on the paper? There's something we aren't hearing.

Jesus is a very strong cultural symbol in America. That's why Mohammad or Obama would not have been a good choice for this exercise. The point was to make students think, "Why is it so hard for me to step on a piece of paper?" "Why is this any different than a blank piece of paper?"

If the professor kicked him out of class for refusing to step on the paper, I'd side with the student, but I highly doubt that's what happened. I'll reiterate, he was EXPECTED to refuse so why would he get suspended for refusing?

Ok all you Sherlock Holmes out there; go find a link to dispute the Daily Mail's investigative report about the Mormon student and his suspension.

Otherwise all of you are just making shit up. Go find out "what we're not hearing". And link it.

So tell me, why is it rational to think he was suspended simply for refusing to participate in an activity he was expected to refuse to participate in?

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Well, sure. The fact that it is reprehensible to Christians doesn't count at all.

Stepping on the word "Jesus" is "reprehensible to Christians"?

Yes.

Why?

 

[tinydancer]

It doesn't take much, does it?

Once upon a time, Christians were thrown to the lions. I think that qualifies as horrific.

Now we're supposed to be outraged because students were asked to step on pieces of paper that had the name Jesus written on it?

Are people crazy? Seriously!

Now, if the students would have been thrown to the lions if they refused to comply, then, and ONLY then, would there be a valid complaint.

It doesn't matter what you believe.

It's his faith. If there was a Muslim student in the classroom, he/she would not have stepped on the name of Jesus either considering Jesus is such an important figure in Islam.

The outrage came over the Mormon student going to talk with the Professor's administrator only to find out he'd been suspended.

I'd take action too.

Yeah, I get the whole suspension thing. However, is the faith of some people SO fragile as to make them unwilling and/or unable to step on a piece of paper with the name of their savior on it?

If you ask me, that Mormon hasn't learned a damn thing in that school. He certainly hasn't learned anything about context. What an example of superstition. It certainly isn't an example of faith.

I'm not going to judge his faith. Nor would I judge a Muslim student refusing to step on the name of Mohammed or Jesus.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Fucking One-A-Day outrage.

 

[Mustang]

It doesn't matter what you believe.

It's his faith. If there was a Muslim student in the classroom, he/she would not have stepped on the name of Jesus either considering Jesus is such an important figure in Islam.

The outrage came over the Mormon student going to talk with the Professor's administrator only to find out he'd been suspended.

I'd take action too.

Yeah, I get the whole suspension thing. However, is the faith of some people SO fragile as to make them unwilling and/or unable to step on a piece of paper with the name of their savior on it?

If you ask me, that Mormon hasn't learned a damn thing in that school. He certainly hasn't learned anything about context. What an example of superstition. It certainly isn't an example of faith.

I'm not going to judge his faith. Nor would I judge a Muslim student refusing to step on the name of Mohammed or Jesus.

Step on a crack, break your mother's back.

 

[depotoo]

Doctor seems to be the only rational person here. At least Doctor sees the whole point of the exercise. The Mormon student was EXPECTED to not step on the paper. Why the hell would he get suspended for simply refusing to step on the paper? There's something we aren't hearing.

Jesus is a very strong cultural symbol in America. That's why Mohammad or Obama would not have been a good choice for this exercise. The point was to make students think, "Why is it so hard for me to step on a piece of paper?" "Why is this any different than a blank piece of paper?"

If the professor kicked him out of class for refusing to step on the paper, I'd side with the student, but I highly doubt that's what happened. I'll reiterate, he was EXPECTED to refuse so why would he get suspended for refusing?

Ok all you Sherlock Holmes out there; go find a link to dispute the Daily Mail's investigative report about the Mormon student and his suspension.

Otherwise all of you are just making shit up. Go find out "what we're not hearing". And link it.

Exactly right, tinydancer. For all the rumors, etc. the real story is pretty obvious in the University now issuing an apology and stating the lesson will not be used again.
Here is the video again of the apology. Go to the 0:42 mark to hear just that -
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB7vD_NHFic&feature=player_embedded]A Message from Dr. Charles Brown, FAU's Senior Vice President for Student Affairs - YouTube[/ame]

 

[tinydancer]

It doesn't matter what you liberals believe.

Forbes points this out:

First, let me be clear: Students do not have a right not to be offended by classroom speech, including assignments.

Yet what precisely happened in Rotela’s class matters in determining what rights and principles are at stake.

The idea of students at a public institution being required to stomp on the word Jesus evokes the 1943 decision in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, where the Supreme Court found that students could not be compelled to salute the American flag against their will.

In the case, brought by Jehovah’s Witnesses who believed the salute was blasphemy, the Supreme Court staked out a broader moral argument defending the right of private conscience in rousing language.

The Court held that students in a free society could not be compelled to engage in an act that amounted to a rejection of their most deeply held beliefs.

FAU College Student Who Didn't Want To Stomp On 'Jesus' Runs Afoul of Speech Code - Forbes

 

[tinydancer]

The student was charged because he complained. Again from Forbes:

Further, charging the student with an offense for complaining about the assignment brings up serious free speech and due process concerns.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it could be argued that it was simply a provocative pedagogical technique.

Instead, however, FAU saw fit to charge Rotela with violating a speech code FIRE has given a “yellow light” (on a red, yellow, and green light scale, depending on the severity of the First Amendment violation) because of the ease with which it can be unconstitutionally applied.

And unconstitutionally applying its speech code to a student guilty of nothing except complaining about a professor’s class looks to be exactly what FAU did here.

Hello? Anyone want to argue that there is more here than what we are being told? Some secret that is not being reported?

FAU College Student Who Didn't Want To Stomp On 'Jesus' Runs Afoul of Speech Code - Forbes

 

[ShaklesOfBigGov]

Stepping on the word "Jesus" is "reprehensible to Christians"?

Yes.

It doesn't take much, does it?

Once upon a time, Christians were thrown to the lions. I think that qualifies as horrific.

Now we're supposed to be outraged because students were asked to step on pieces of paper that had the name Jesus written on it?

Are people crazy? Seriously!

Now, if the students would have been thrown to the lions if they refused to comply, then, and ONLY then, would there be a valid complaint.

Stepping on the name "Jesus" is a sign of disrespect, not to mention only ONE individual has to take issue with the act to be considered offensive. Your "opinion" of whether YOU feel it ought to be offensive is irrelevant.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

The student was charged because he complained. Again from Forbes:

Further, charging the student with an offense for complaining about the assignment brings up serious free speech and due process concerns.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it could be argued that it was simply a provocative pedagogical technique.

Instead, however, FAU saw fit to charge Rotela with violating a speech code FIRE has given a “yellow light” (on a red, yellow, and green light scale, depending on the severity of the First Amendment violation) because of the ease with which it can be unconstitutionally applied.

And unconstitutionally applying its speech code to a student guilty of nothing except complaining about a professor’s class looks to be exactly what FAU did here.

Hello? Anyone want to argue that there is more here than what we are being told? Some secret that is not being reported?

FAU College Student Who Didn't Want To Stomp On 'Jesus' Runs Afoul of Speech Code - Forbes

From your own link, according to the school, he was suspended for threatening the teacher.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

The student was charged because he complained. Again from Forbes:

Further, charging the student with an offense for complaining about the assignment brings up serious free speech and due process concerns.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it could be argued that it was simply a provocative pedagogical technique.

Instead, however, FAU saw fit to charge Rotela with violating a speech code FIRE has given a “yellow light” (on a red, yellow, and green light scale, depending on the severity of the First Amendment violation) because of the ease with which it can be unconstitutionally applied.

And unconstitutionally applying its speech code to a student guilty of nothing except complaining about a professor’s class looks to be exactly what FAU did here.

Hello? Anyone want to argue that there is more here than what we are being told? Some secret that is not being reported?

FAU College Student Who Didn't Want To Stomp On 'Jesus' Runs Afoul of Speech Code - Forbes

Your Op/Ed doesn't have any more "information" than other stories, they've just filled in the blanks with conjecture.

Your confirmation bias is showing - even the link you provided says that the school suspended the student for "threats", not for refusing to step on the word Jesus.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Yes.

It doesn't take much, does it?

Once upon a time, Christians were thrown to the lions. I think that qualifies as horrific.

Now we're supposed to be outraged because students were asked to step on pieces of paper that had the name Jesus written on it?

Are people crazy? Seriously!

Now, if the students would have been thrown to the lions if they refused to comply, then, and ONLY then, would there be a valid complaint.

Stepping on the name "Jesus" is a sign of disrespect, not to mention only ONE individual has to take issue with the act to be considered offensive. Your "opinion" of whether YOU feel it ought to be offensive is irrelevant.

No one has the right to not be offended.

 

[tinydancer]

The student was charged because he complained. Again from Forbes:

Further, charging the student with an offense for complaining about the assignment brings up serious free speech and due process concerns.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it could be argued that it was simply a provocative pedagogical technique.

Instead, however, FAU saw fit to charge Rotela with violating a speech code FIRE has given a “yellow light” (on a red, yellow, and green light scale, depending on the severity of the First Amendment violation) because of the ease with which it can be unconstitutionally applied.

And unconstitutionally applying its speech code to a student guilty of nothing except complaining about a professor’s class looks to be exactly what FAU did here.

Hello? Anyone want to argue that there is more here than what we are being told? Some secret that is not being reported?

FAU College Student Who Didn't Want To Stomp On 'Jesus' Runs Afoul of Speech Code - Forbes

From your own link, according to the school, he was suspended for threatening the teacher.

Oh for heaven's sakes, read the whole article.

You are referring to the so called trumped up charge. All the student did was complain.

Here's what counts. This is the true part. Read the whole damn thing.

Further, charging the student with an offense for complaining about the assignment brings up serious free speech and due process concerns.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it could be argued that it was simply a provocative pedagogical technique.

Instead, however, FAU saw fit to charge Rotela with violating a speech code FIRE has given a “yellow light” (on a red, yellow, and green light scale, depending on the severity of the First Amendment violation) because of the ease with which it can be unconstitutionally applied.

And unconstitutionally applying its speech code to a student guilty of nothing except complaining about a professor’s class looks to be exactly what FAU did here.

FAU College Student Who Didn't Want To Stomp On 'Jesus' Runs Afoul of Speech Code - Forbes

 

[tinydancer]

The student was charged because he complained. Again from Forbes:

Further, charging the student with an offense for complaining about the assignment brings up serious free speech and due process concerns.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it could be argued that it was simply a provocative pedagogical technique.

Instead, however, FAU saw fit to charge Rotela with violating a speech code FIRE has given a “yellow light” (on a red, yellow, and green light scale, depending on the severity of the First Amendment violation) because of the ease with which it can be unconstitutionally applied.

And unconstitutionally applying its speech code to a student guilty of nothing except complaining about a professor’s class looks to be exactly what FAU did here.

Hello? Anyone want to argue that there is more here than what we are being told? Some secret that is not being reported?

FAU College Student Who Didn't Want To Stomp On 'Jesus' Runs Afoul of Speech Code - Forbes

Your Op/Ed doesn't have any more "information" than other stories, they've just filled in the blanks with conjecture.

Your confirmation bias is showing - even the link you provided says that the school suspended the student for "threats", not for refusing to step on the word Jesus.

Oh bullshit. Charges dropped because the school knew they'd crossed a line and that this was a trumped up suspension.

They apologized because they knew they went too far. And that lesson has been dropped from the curriculum.

So prove to me he threatened the teacher. Otherwise your bias is showing. Where's the witnesses?

Trot them out. Give me links. Go for it.

 

[depotoo]

The student was charged because he complained. Again from Forbes:

Further, charging the student with an offense for complaining about the assignment brings up serious free speech and due process concerns.

If the professor had stepped on the word Jesus on his own, it could be argued that it was simply a provocative pedagogical technique.

Instead, however, FAU saw fit to charge Rotela with violating a speech code FIRE has given a “yellow light” (on a red, yellow, and green light scale, depending on the severity of the First Amendment violation) because of the ease with which it can be unconstitutionally applied.

And unconstitutionally applying its speech code to a student guilty of nothing except complaining about a professor’s class looks to be exactly what FAU did here.

Hello? Anyone want to argue that there is more here than what we are being told? Some secret that is not being reported?

FAU College Student Who Didn't Want To Stomp On 'Jesus' Runs Afoul of Speech Code - Forbes

Your Op/Ed doesn't have any more "information" than other stories, they've just filled in the blanks with conjecture.

Your confirmation bias is showing - even the link you provided says that the school suspended the student for "threats", not for refusing to step on the word Jesus.

here is what the letter stated, without any explanation as to which it actually was -

Rotela received a March 8 letter from an FAU associate dean telling him he had been charged with violating the university’s code regarding “Acts of verbal, written (including electronic communications) or physical abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, coercion or other conduct which threaten the health, safety or welfare of any person.”

Here is a link to an interview with the kids attorney in the case -
Florida governor wants probe of FAU ?step on Jesus? exercise | www.palmbeachpost.com
Now, it would appear, from all I am hearing and reading that after the boy complained, suddenly he was being suspended. And when he brought it to the attention of the media and had his own attorney, suddenly the university is apologizing and dropping the supension against him? Rather suspicious that something was awry here to begin with. It is also interesting that the prof has refused all comment on the matter.

 

[tinydancer]

And now this:

His lawyer Hiram Sasser shared the notice of charges that Rotela received from FAU for violating the student code of conduct.

"You are requested to attend a Student Conduct Conference," the notice read.

"In the interim, you may not attend class (SPC 3710) or contact any of the students involved in this matter – verbally or electronically – or by any other means," the notice stated.

Dr. Charles Brown, FAU's senior vice president of student affairs, said that Rotela was never up for punishment for refusing to participate in the exercise, however.

"We apologize to all of our students and the community and people beyond the community who felt it was too sensitive," Brown said.

Florida school apologizes after students stomp on 'Jesus' - U.S. News