Advertisement When the student tore up a copy of a class policy that prohibits religion in art, the teacher booted him and the student was assigned a couple of detentions for his trouble.
So he sued.
And visitors at www.lacrossetribune.com debated.
And debated.
And debated some more.
Here’s a sample from the more than 200 comments attached to that story so far:
marley wrote: “I commend that kid for taking a stand. It’s sad that something like this even had to happen. All over a Bible verse? And public schools wonder why their numbers are dropping.”
jjsmith wrote: “People, relax. It’s only a Bible verse. I am not a religious person, but I think we have taken this issue to a pathetic extreme. This is a child in an art class. How much offense can he really be dishing out? The teacher in question has made a big issue from nothing and should be embarrassed by such childlike behavior.”
Teiresias wrote: “If it isn’t challenging, it’s not art, merely decoration. The art teacher should be the first one to recognize that. That said, this kid has obviously been gunning for a lawsuit, coming up with all kinds of clever ways to be discriminated against. His big mistake was throwing a hissy fit and ripping up the school’s formal policy. ...”
Willie wrote: “Morals are definitely out in the current amoral society. Satanists, Buddhists and other religions now have more rights than Christians? Sounds like discrimination to me. This is his PERSONAL belief, not school-sponsored. By not allowing him to display his artistic expression and allowing the rest of the religious-based ideas to be displayed, I think this kid actually might have a case. ... To all you anti-Christians: if this was any other form of artistic expression you would be screaming to high HEAVEN about it being censored, think about it! His poor behavior in the face of it is no excuse to discriminate, either ...”
Drael wrote: “I am not a follower of organized religion; however, I am an artist, and I think that what this teacher did was wrong purely because art should never be censored. It should be an expression of the artist’s thoughts, beliefs, and self. ...”
Athenry wrote: “... Here is the subtle difference of the situation. While the teacher cannot require students to create religious art, at the same time, she cannot allow some who are
creating satanic religious art and disallow others for creating Christian religious art. ...”
Mack wrote: “Long for the good old days when they used to flip out over a little nudity.”
packer backer wrote: “I wonder what the Tomah School District would do if I walked in through the front doors with a cross on the chain around my neck placed OUTSIDE of my shirt. Probably call the SWAT team because I ‘offended’ the school secretary.”
Some say we rent our property from the state
When authorities turned to armored vehicles, gunfire and tear gas to remove a man who owed $5,647 in delinquent property taxes and interest from land that now belongs to Richland County, several visitors at www.lacrossetribune.com were sympathetic.
Some chimed in that describing than man as having “strong anti-government attitudes” was an unfair slam. Here’s a sample:
mossberg590 wrote: “As this country continues to decay, we will see more and more of these people. The poor, elderly, fixed income and families tired of working three full-time jobs to support themselves come unglued. The oil companies, rich and the ‘lawmakers’ continually take from the American people, giving nothing back except empty promises. Do you really believe that a new president is going to be any better. Same show, different actors. At least this guy will have a nice place to stay, three hots and a cot. Free medical and clothes. Beats living under a bridge ...”
wizewitch wrote: “He hasn’t paid taxes in seven years. That’s about $806 a year. Seems like he’s a crank that likes the services government provides (roads, water, trash collection, police and fire) when it suits him. However, unlike the rest of us, he feels he is special and shouldn’t have to pay his fair share.”
mike tellier wrote: “I find this statement very disturbing: ‘The dispute had started four days earlier when some deputies tried to serve Bayliss with a lawsuit seeking to evict him for failure to pay property taxes back to 2001 on his home and 18 acres, County Corporation Counsel Benjamin Southwick said.’ ... So the government assumes your property if you don’t pay them their rent? In America you don’t own your property — you just pay rent to the government (TAXES)! “
Frank wrote: “They tried to take away his property, what would you expect? This doesn’t sit right. He had anti-government views — so that makes the abuse of power OK.”
By the numbers
You may reach Tribune online editor Marc Wehrs at mwehrs@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8218.
