Atheist Offended By Teacher's Religious Symbols
CLOVIS, Calif. (KMPH) — Parents of students that go to Clovis' Garfield Elementary are upset their kids were told to go play, while school staff and administrators held an emergency meeting.
The meeting took place Wednesday morning while parents dropped off their kids for school.
Parents tell KMPH News their kids' teachers were in a meeting being reminded about the district's policy regarding religion and religious symbols.
Parents say teachers told them an atheist parent was offended because of religious symbols they were wearing.
Resident Ruth Morales says, "I think its ridiculous. I think they should be allowed to wear their symbols that they want, I think any religion."
Elisa Hutcheson says, "Everybody should express what they feel, that's what this country is all about. Even the dollar bill says 'In God We Trust.'"
Clovis Unified School District's policy says student education would be incomplete without an understanding of the role of religion in history and society, as long as the school remains neutral with respect to religion.
Clovis Unified spokesperson Kelly Avants emailed this statement to KMPH News, "The district has not changed its existing board policy related to the recognition of religious beliefs. However, we are in the process of revisiting with all of our schools these policies and procedures in order to ensure that all of our Clovis Unified staff is correctly implementing the policy."
