Teachers Who Sprayed Holy Water on Atheist Colleague Return To the Classroom June 8, 2010

Teachers Who Sprayed Holy Water on Atheist Colleague Return To the Classroom

By Guest Contributor
June 8, 2010

A couple weeks ago, a bizarre story hit the media — something about how two teachers sprayed an atheist teacher with holy water in the classroom.

I’ve read countless stories about this case and still don’t have a clear understanding of what happened — just a few somewhat-similar accounts that don’t make any sense.

In any case, there’s an update: The Christian teachers will be returning to their classrooms.

Two teachers who were removed from their classrooms after they were accused of sprinkling holy water onto an atheist colleague have been reinstated, the South Florida Times has confirmed.

“They will be returning to their classrooms on Tuesday (June 8),” confirmed Johnny L. McCray Jr. the attorney representing Blanche Ely High School reading teachers Leslie Rainer and Djuna Robinson.

This is gonna make for one awkward end-of-the-year office party…

Previous Post
Update on the Atheist in the Maldives
Next Post
Religious People in Toronto Don't Have to Pay Parking Tickets
Browse Our Archives
What Are Your Thoughts?leave a comment
  • Alex

    Oh noes! 8 + ) = Sunglasses face!

  • Meaghan

    He he…I’m guessing the date they are returning is June 8 with a “)” behind it, based on the smiley face icon that showed up! Auto format FTW.

  • Chaoticag

    Obviously this is based on the smilian calender, and roughly corresponds to the 8th.

    On a more serious note though, I really hope they learned not to act like complete idiots, although only time will tell.

  • NewEnglandBob

    Someone throw holy water on the smirky smiley face.

  • Craig

    Why is the word “holy” in the title of this posting?

  • Maybe the sprayed-upon teacher should turn the year-end social into a seltzer-water fight.

  • T Ray

    Have you ever smelled holy water? yuck

  • I bet they were surprised when the atheist student didn’t melt when sprayed with holy water. That’s why I always keep a bottle of Eau de Raisonnable (TM) handy to counteract the damaging effects of irrational thinking. Tastes like clean water. 😉

    For serious attacks by water gun wielding wildmen I find a red apple keeps them at bay and out of range. That’s one reason to give apples to teachers. Others include the high vitamin C content and the fact that it is 100% biodegradable.

  • Bob

    If the atheist does not believe in God, then the artifacts of that belief, including ‘holy’ water … are about as useful as a homeopathic remedy.

    On the other hand, if the Christian asserts that their faith is real and tangible, that good and evil exists according to their doctrine, then what is the ‘holy’ water supposed to do? Convey God’s blessing, unwanted, thus ‘affecting’ the atheist against their will? Or have some kind of sunlight-vs.-vampire effect? Neither one would seem to confirm the existence of God, because the atheist is not going to be converted the moment a blessed droplet touches their skin, nor made to dissolve as the ‘power of God’ strikes them.

  • Evilspud

    I have to agree with the lawyer of one of the Christian teachers. It’s optomistic and very hopeful of course: http://www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4452&Itemid=1

    Some things don’t make sense. If it was a friendy discussion, then I see nothing wrong about a joke about holy water.

    The issue was that it was done in front of the students. both Rodriguez and what ever conversation was held between the other two teachers that coud have prompted the joke coudn’t have happen unless reigious beleifs were disclosed.

    But it is damn frustrating to get a picture, especially since Rodriguez is refusing to comment.

    Personally, it wasn’t wise, and borderine unethical for Rodriguez to be refuting ANY student’s beleif in her cassroom, and it wasn’t wise for the other two teachers to enter the classroom.

    the Holy Water incident seems to be less important.

  • Jolly Sapper

    I wonder if the teacher that was sprayed with water would be allowed to be armed with a blow dryer? How much would a battery powered blow dryer cost anyways?

  • Edmond

    Does the church authorize this kind of use of holy water by the laity? Isn’t this blasphemy?

  • L.Long

    I’m disappointed that the atheist teacher did not use the opportunity to say something meaningful…
    ‘It seems that the magic power of a spell cast by a representative of an imaginary sky-fairy on water can’t even affect one little person that don’t believe in it.’
    or
    Just laugh and comment on the lack of power in your sky-fairy.
    But the teacher choose to be silly about the whole thing. No imagination.