Pregnant, unmarried Catholic school teacher forced to quit ... [yet school is covered by US employment law?]

Pregnant, unmarried Catholic school teacher forced to quit | David Edwards and Mike Sheehan | Published: Wednesday February 13, 2008

An unmarried teacher alleges that she was forced to resign from a Minnesota Catholic school after informing the principal she was pregnant.

The teacher, "Emily," who asks that her last name not be used, says she is coming forward in order to help other women who may be in a similar situation.

"I just don't want it to happen to anybody else," says the former 5th-grade teacher at St. Felix School in Wabasha. "I feel it was an unjust act and I don't feel that ... anybody deserves to be treated in the way I was." ...

“I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.”

Watch Out for those Terrible Atheists | by Lee Salisbury / February 12th, 2008

A recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota shows that atheists are more distrusted and despised than any other minority and that an atheist is the last person for whom Americans would vote in a presidential election. “Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians” all ranked higher than atheists in public acceptability. Furthermore, Americans are “least willing to allow their children to marry” atheists.

State laws instill and perpetuate this attitude. Article IX, Sec. 2, of the Tennessee constitution states: “No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments shall hold any office in the civil department of this state.” Arkansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas have similar laws.

George H. W. Bush while campaigning for President in 1987 exhibited this same attitude, “I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.”

Florida: Only 22 percent want public schools to teach an evolution-only curriculum

Schools | Public: Faith trumps science | Proposed teaching standards are at odds with what most Floridians believe. | By Ron Matus and Donna Winchester, Times Staff Writers | Published February 15, 2008

Florida parents don't have much faith in evolution.

Only 22 percent want public schools to teach an evolution-only curriculum, while 50 percent want only faith-based theories such as creationism or intelligent design, according to a new St. Petersburg Times survey.

"I have a very firm religious background," said Betty Lininger of Lecanto, who is raising her 15-year-old niece and thinks public schools should teach intelligent design but not evolution. "I can't just shove it out the door."

The survey findings stand in stark contrast to the state's proposed new science standards, which describe evolution as the pillar of modern biology and do not include alternative theories.
...
Twenty-nine percent said evolution is one of several valid theories. Another 16 percent said evolution is not backed up by enough evidence. And 19 percent said evolution is not valid because it is at odds with the Bible. ...

"Every time I hear the word “conservative,” it makes me sick to my stomach, because they’re really just fake Christians, "

Charles Barkley on The Situation Room: GOP full of “fake Christians” | By: Nicole Belle on Friday, February 15th, 2008 at 7:00 PM - PST

Charles Barkley appeared on The Situation Room to promote Barack Obama’s candidacy. As you may remember, Barkley was a very vocal Republican not that many years ago. Well, no more. Barkley’s disgust with the Republican Party was so palpable that Wolf Blitzer could only flounder to try to make it a little less vitriolic.

BARKLEY: Hey, I live in Arizona. I have got great respect for Senator McCain. Great respect. But I don’t like the way the Republicans are taking this country. Every time I hear the word “conservative,” it makes me sick to my stomach, because they’re really just fake Christians, as I call them. That’s all they are. But I just — I’m going to vote Democratic no matter what. [..]

BLITZER: All right. One quick point before I let you go. You used the phrase “fake Christians” for conservatives. Explain what you’re talking about.

BARKLEY: Well, I think they — they want to be judge and jury. Like, I’m for gay marriage. It’s none of my business if gay people want to get married. I’m pro-choice. And I think these Christians — first of all, they’re supposed to be — they’re not supposed to judge other people. But they’re the most hypocritical judge of people we have in this country. And it bugs the hell out of me. They act like their Christians. And they’re not forgiving at all.

BLITZER: So you’re going to get a lot of feedback on this one, Charles.

BARKLEY: They can’t do anything to me. I don’t work for them.