Running head: EDU 210 ARTIFACT #6 1

Ch. 11 Portfolio Artifact #6

Melquisedec Velazquez

College of Southern Nevada

EDU 210 ARTIFACT #6 2

Ch. 11 Portfolio Artifact #6

A kindergarten teacher by the name of Karen White has recently joined and has

congregated with the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion. She has proclaimed her new faith to her

parents and her students. She explained to the class how she can no longer decorate the

classroom for holidays or plan for gift exchanges during the Christmas season. She also cannot

sing the “Happy Birthday” song or do the pledge of allegiance in the mornings. The parents of

the students were outraged and protested against the teacher. Bill Ward the principal of the school

recommended her dismissal due to her ineffectively meeting needs of her students.

Karen White is in the right for her to stick to her new ideology. She has the right to be

whatever religion she wants and believe as long as she is not promoting in her classroom, and

trying to make the students turn Jehovah’s Witnesses. In the court case of Wisconsin v. Yoder

(Georgetown.edu) the enforcement of state compulsory attendance law against Amish children

after eight grade violated their free exercise. That case proved that state can’t interfere with the

free exercise of religion unless there is state interest. In the case of Karen White her free exercise

is being violated and there is no type of state interest involved.

Karen White cannot be dismissed simply because she is exercising her religion. Her

purpose is not to promote the religion. She is individually exercising in a group setting so she is

not violating her free exercise clause. In the court case Engel v. Vitale (Uscourts.gov) it was

established that school sponsored prayer was a violation but a person praying in the classroom is

acceptable as long as they do not interrupt the class. Karen White also has the rights to believe as

she wants. She is not forcing the students to become like her.

The title of teacher means that you are in charge of teaching the students that are put in

your classroom. These students look up to the teacher. A teacher like Karen White is violating the
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constitution by enforcing her new religious ideology in her classroom. In the court case of Lee v.

Weisman (Lee v. Weisman) a principal violated establishment clause by inviting a member of the

clergy to speak at the graduation. It was school sponsored, so that’s what made it a big issue.

Karen White not allowing her students to due activities because of her own religion is technically

school sponsored since she is a teacher of the school. That automatically is a violation of the

establishment clause.

The parents of the students may feel like Karen White is promoting her religion in her

classroom even if it is not her intention. The kids are very young and they can be easily

influenced. In the court case of Stone v. Graham (Firstamendmentschools.org.) a school was

required to take down a poster of the 10 commandments because it was seen as promoting the

religion. Ms. White’s enforcement of not participating in happy birthday and other holidays can

be seen as a reinforcement of her views, so therefore she is promoting her beliefs. The principal

is in the right to recommend her dismissal.

I personally believe that teacher Karen White was violating the establishment clause. The

kids especially at that age are eager for fun activities such as things like Halloween and candy, or

even celebration of someone’s birthday. A teacher to take that away because of her religion is a

form of promoting religion and parents have the right to protest it. Cases like Wisconsin v. Yoder

were meant to stop things like this from happening in the classroom.
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References

Engel v. Vitale -Facts and Case Summary . (n.d.). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from

http://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/facts-and-case-

summary-engel-v-vitale

Lee v. Weisman -FindLaw's United States Supreme Court case and opinions. (n.d.). Retrieved

March 05, 2018, from http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/505/577.html

The Five Freedoms - Court Case. (n.d.). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from

http://www.firstamendmentschools.org/freedoms/case.aspx?id=1422

Wisconsin v. Yoder. (n.d.). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from

https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/cases/wisconsin-v-yoder