An uproar has been brewing for weeks over at the Orange Juice blog’s long-running SAUSD thread, regarding Willard Principal Dennis Cole, who has apparently been injecting religion into his school.
I am a Christian, but I can understand how religious activities in our public schools could backfire. I don’t know Mr. Cole, but it sounds like he is definitely pushing the envelope.
Here is an excerpt from one comment, regarding teacher-led student prayer groups:
SAUSD continues to allow teacher led student prayer groups held during the students’ lunch period. Willard Intermediate School in Santa Ana, CA has formed a teacher led student prayer club held during the students’ lunch time. The group is named “Jaguars for Jesus.”
The principal of the school, Dennis Cole, initially approached teachers and counselors to find teachers willing to lead the prayer groups.
The teachers’ union met with Superintendent, Jane Russo. Both Russo and SAEA agreed that Principal Cole is not allowed to request any staff member to lead such a group nor is he allowed to ask other staff members to recruit for him. This, of course, was after the teachers had already been recruited.
Superintendent Jane Russo and SAEA did agree that a teacher’s lunchtime is not considered duty time. This, according to SAEA and Ms. Russo, allows teachers to participate in teacher led prayer groups for students. Therefore, the view of both SAEA and Ms. Russo is that this issue has been “resolved”.
An additional issue has surfaced. The First Presbyterian Church, located on 600 N. Main St. in Santa Ana, regularly sends individuals from that organization to attend these “club” meetings (“Outsiders, such as clergy members, may not initiate club meetings. Outsiders may not direct, conduct, control or regularly attend activities of student groups.”).
These individuals do not sign-in as other visitors are required to do nor is it clear that they have gone through the background checks and finger printing required by SAUSD for all school volunteers.
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Kevan Hanson, Director of Youth Ministry for the First Presbyterian Church, reports that he serves as a “lunch supervisor” at Willard Intermediate and has gone through the background check and has been finger printed through the Santa Ana School District Police.
The California School Employees Association (CSEA) reports that lunch supervisors are paid employees of the Santa Ana Unified School District. CSEA further reports that lunch supervisors have a Board approved job description and that if Mr. Hanson is a lunch supervisor he should be working in the lunch area and should not be in a classroom.
I wonder what would happen if any of these folks got hurt on campus? It would open up the district to major liability. They aren't employees, but any such incidents would fall under the district's general liability policy.
Again, I am all for ministry, as a Christian, but doing this in a public setting is disturbing.
You can have a lesbian and gay club in the schools, but not a prayer club!
What is more distrubing than that??? Not that I care about lesbians and gays, but really in the school??
I am not religious, but with the idiot teachers/union thugs you have like Annon; who care more about a few kids praying instead of thousands of kids passing actual tests, what is more distrubing than that!
I say keep the prayer meeting and get rid of lousy teachers like Annon! I heard she is a nosey cow any how!!
Good for you kids and Mr. Cole, aleast you are doing something positve instead of being a big negative like most of the teachers and staff at your awful district!
"I am a Christian, but I can understand how religious activities in our public schools could backfire."
MQ says:
You were all about being born again last week, then when an idiot like annon askes you to slander a relgious group; you are all over it!
And the question of the day is: HOW COULD IT BACK FIRE?????
Michelle,
I have not slandered anyone. Please stop with the exaggerations.
How could it backfire? How about a lawsuit by the ACLU?
As for my faith, it continues but I do believe that we have to be cautious when mixing religion with the public arena. Bad mix!
If you would like to have some where to pray come over to my house; cookies and milk are on the house!
If you have a picture of the yellow cow annon, bring a few darts, I have the board!
God won't mind I am sure, he know's he screw up with a few human beings!
Well phrased, Art. Religion and Politics: the fact that we can have a system which celebrates and defends the differences in point of view, and accepts an openness of "agree to disagree without anger and without a requirement that one must be better than others must be the pillars upon which our public institutions, including schools, must operate.
There is a concerted effort right now at Calvary Chapel to begin to exploit the 1993 Lamb Chapel v.Center Moriches School District ruling in which the Supreme court ruled that if the Boy Scouts and Little League can use school property, so can churches.
The trouble I have with this is that Churches like Calvary (or the RCDO) don't pay taxes, they use the tax payer funded facilities to build the congregation and then buy land again, TAX FREE.
These kids at Willard are among the most vulnerable among us. How the district could allow them to be exploited is beyond me.
Don't the Calvary Churches often host Republican politicians? Wasn't Bush at one of these churches just this past week?
I think Churches should stay out of politics - and out of public schools.
So the ACLU is our moral compass???? The ACLU is nothing but a bunch of out of work liberal lawyers are able to terrorize people using the now corrupt (especially in California) liberal courts!
Come on Art!
As far as mixing religion with the public area: yeah, when it comes to Shari law I agree! A couple of kids praying for granny to get better or praying to pass a test is all but good!
Where the heck is the common sense here! And why the hell are people including yourself so afraid of the ACLU!
They sue, because they know in this country they can hurt and terrorize people that way...Courts in this country have become nothing but a way to destroy, silence and erase common sense!
Business and people are moving out of here in droves! This state is in very serious trouble!
Michelle,
What I was referring to is the COST of defending the district in the event of a lawsuit. Not cheap!
I am not by the way afraid of the ACLU. I am a member of the ACLU. That's right. I am both a born again Christian and an ACLU member. Ponder that one for awhile...
Michelle Quinn
Posted December 6, 2010 at 9:42 PM
Michelle Quinn
Posted December 6, 2010 at 5:50 PM
Michelle Quinn
Posted December 6, 2010 at 5:46 PM
What can I say about Dennis Cole.
Bigot
A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs.
This describes Cole perfectly, every word is exactly who he is.
If you do not respond with a Yes, Sir. He will make sure you pay dearly for you defiance. He is no man of god. He is and always will be a BIGOT.
Why shouldn't he, he has the district approval. after all he was their best choice to "reform" Willard Intermediate after all. Little did Jane Russo know, he was going to turn Willard into a church. Now, Jane Russo has no choice but to support this godly man or else she will look bring upon herself a negative ray of sunshine and end up in the depths of hell.
If you are of Dennis Cole's religion and beliefs you are welcome at Willard (home of the holy) if you are not Cole will make your life a living hell. Most, not all teachers are to afraid to say or contradict him on anything so they have all become the "Yes" group.
Michelle,
you obviously don't have or don't believe in something called the "Constitution"
and you probably don't have a loved one in any of the Armed Forces, because if you did. You would defend your constitutional rights.
Bottom line:
Cole is violating this. his and the districts excuse is what?
As long as you only preach during your break it's okay. Well its not!
Teachers are doing this everyday, and getting paid for it.
Their Bible club or any other religious club is organized by teachers, let by
teachers, and hosted by teachers. If this wasn't bad enough they are using these hours towards $1000.00 stipend. Now, who is the bad person here.
There is a reason why there are laws in this country. No one is above. We all have to follow them. Unless you are Cole of course.
Michelle you have no common sense.
"If you have a picture of the yellow cow annon, bring a few darts, I have the board!
God won’t mind I am sure, he know’s he screw up with a few human beings!"
BIGOT!
Kevin hanson is no supervisor.
How can he lie and he is supposed to be a man of the church and a man of god.
I answered my own question, he is a friend of Dennis Cole. If Cole can Lie to everyone so can he.
He must think all adults at Willard are blind. Maybe thats the new name for preacher or pastor.
Will have to wait and see how Jane Russo and company respond to the lawsuit, Dennis Cole brought upon himself and the district.
You can only bullied people for so long, Mr. Cole, before they start to revolt and revolt they will.
Cole's apostles think they can violate the law because they have his blessing and continue to hold prayer sessions during lunch time.
This only goes to prove one point!
Cole and his apostles are so ignorant that they don't realize the damage they are causing to the Willard student population be imposing their own religious beliefs and jeopardizing Title 1 funding.
Willard is the lowest performing intermediate school in the district. Dennis Cole should be concentrating on bringing the Willard Staff together and finding ways to improve the API scores and not trying to convert students into his own religion.
He has crossed the line.
What will it take before Russo and Dawn Miller put a stop to his madness and remove his from the position of power that his has obviously abuse for his own enrichment.
From what I saw yesterday and today the lunch prayer meeting, I misspoke —- the lunch bible club —- that is how Cole labeled the club in a staff meeting —-, with teacher, met on Thursday and on Friday after PC himself —- Preacher Cole —- said ALL of the clubs were canceled. I seriously doubt if PC’s followers would have continued meeting without Cole’s blessing.
His staff already knows PC doesn’t understand anything as complicated as the Constitution and now we all know he doesn’t understand what the word “all” means.
That was an incredible staff meeting on Wednesday —- at least the last 25 minutes of it —- where someone finally and literally stood up to Cole.
Cole saw what standing up for something you believe in really looks like. Everyone I spoke to thought it was great and we appreciate what was done for us.