An old article that I saved for discussion from this week:
HAMPTON BAYS, N.Y. A Long Island elementary school teacher is suing the Hampton Bays school district after she was fired because her administrators allegedly believed she was a witch teaching witchcraft to her students. Her lawyer is calling the case a "21st century re-enactment of the Salem Witchcraft Trials."
Lauren Berrios told CBS 2 that she was terminated after she was told that she "entice[d] children into witchcraft and magic through literature."
Berrios, who was born a Catholic before converting to Judaism, said she was fired in 2001 after being falsely accused of being a witch, which is now the basis of her $2 million lawsuit. Her attorney, John Ray, says she was the victim of a public school district trying to push Christian values."
There's unquestionably in this matter a question of church and state being not separated, but being brought together by born-again Christians in this school," Ray said.A school spokesperson says Berrios' claim lacks merit, but in 2003 the school's principal at the time testified he believed that Berrios practiced witchcraft."
Every school that I go to interview in I have to disclose to them that I was denied tenure for enticing children into witchcraft and magic," Berrios says. Even before she was fired, Berrios says her principal removed books from her classroom, including the popular series "Goosebumps," as well as "Harry Potter." She believes books that didn't mesh with principal's religious values, even including African-American literature, were taken out of her curriculum.
Ray admits that Berrios' appearance didn't help her cause either, especially when she was teaching her students about the Salem witch trials. "Mrs. Berrios has long fingernails, wears dark make-up, wears black," he said.
Berrios' very own modern-day witch trial will likely draw to a close this week. The case will be decided by a federal jury beginning Wednesday.
28 comments:
So, let me get this straight. A woman has long fingernails and reads Harry Potter and now she is a witch? That's ridiculous. Honestly, I hope she gets the whole $2 million. This is just a simple case of a crazy religious principal that is trying to force his beliefs on his students in a subtle matter. This woman lost her source of income for that. If she only taught the Goosebumps and Harry Potter, I would think twice about this but she even had African-American literature in her room. Right now, in my english class, we are reading The Inferno. In case you don't know, It's about a journey through Hell. Throughout my high school career, I've had to read plenty of books about different views on the world and even different religions. That's the point of literature: to open our minds up to MANY different things. In my opinion, the principal should be fired. Separation of church and state is a pretty big deal, especially for those of us who don't have the same opinion as the majority of people. Anyone who tries to cross that line, or rather climb that wall, shouldn't be a part of the school system.
I don't even know where to begin. The teacher has her own religious beliefs protected under the Bill of Rights and I do believe that they were violated. She CANNOT express her beliefs in school, or encourage the students to believe what she does or "put them under a spell". And for the principal to judge her by the way she dressed is ridiculous. From the way she dresses, sounds like a bunch of my *no offense* ghetto relatives... dark make up, dark lipstick...
I know some people choose to dress in a certain way because that is the ONLY way that they know how to dress. And the removal of books from her curriculum seems a bit odd. If she were indeed a witch, I don't think she'd need a class of students...couldn't she pick ANY random person she sees off the streets and perform witchcraft on them?
Thats just me.
This is kind of ridiculous. You would think that our society would be mature enough to know that witches aren't real.
And can you really fire someone for teaching witchcraft through literature? I know lots of people who read Harry Potter and Goosebumps and they're not worshipping the devil.
If this is a question about church and state she's still the victim. You can't turn someone into a witch anymore because they don't believe or push your religious values. Especially in a public school.
And even if she did worship the devil and practice witchcraft (but she's Jewish!) isn't that her business? The school can't fire her because they believe she worships the wrong god.
However, it is unfortunately ironic that she was teaching about the Salem witch trials and isn't the preppiest teacher around when she was fired.
But the whole things insane and she didn't deserve to lose her job.
A witch, really? That's a random thing to accuse a person of being. Just because her religious views are different doesn't mean she's a "WITCH." She's not even practicing witchcraft, she's Jewish.
It's ridiculous to fire her just because she isn't practicing the religion the school wants. This is a public school, have these people never heard of separation of church and state?
I understand that some parents don't want their children to read Harry Potter of Goosebumps because they don't want their children exposed to that yet. That's their choice though and not all parents feel the same way. Just because the principal wasn't a fan doesn't mean that the books should have been taken away. I'm sure not every single kid in that school had the same religion, so were they going to deprive the other children as well?
What's really bad is that this teacher can't even get away from it. She has to explain the reason for being fired every time she tries to get a new job.
This teacher is being discriminated against for her appearance and her religious beliefs. It wasn't effecting her teaching, if it had then her termination as a teacher would be understandable. That wasn't the case though. The Hampton Bay school district was very wrong in all that it's done and deserves the lawsuit.
I completely agree with Olivia. I think it was unjust that she was fired because of "suspicions" of being a witch. Also, since when does reading Harry Potter make anyone a witch/wizard? I read Harry Potter, and I'm pretty sure I am no wizard (unfortunately). I do think that the woman is going to win all the two million, because what the principle did was unjust!
This teacher must have no clue what is going on outside of his little elementary school. Goosebumps?? really i read those when i was younger, and i dont see why those would have any association with practicing witchcraft, and Harry Potter is fiction! Not many people actually believe in this, I'm sure there are some people.. And that principle has no right in firing a woman on her appearance, and his claims are pretty flimsy. Has he presented any true evidence that she was practicing witchcraft?? and even if he had thats technically a religion, so hes going against the first amendment where it says freedom of religion. That man has no reason to be the head of a school for children. Hopefully the children won't go on to believe his ridiculous statements.
I hope she gets all the money she is sueing for. She got fired because of her attire and her choice in literature. Just because she had Goosebumps and Harry Potter does not mean she is trying to force any type of relgion or non- religion idea on to the children. If parents are upset about just those books in their childrens class rooms, just wait until their kids get to high school and they will be appalled. Growing up kids will have to experience things for themselves. Even if its a small thing like a book. They will have to keep an open mind.
This is crazy!! This woman was judged by her appearance. Just because she likes Harry Potter and likes to wear dark make-up does not mean sfe is a "witch". If anything the principal should get fired for taking away the teachers right of freedom of religion. (Even though she is jewish not a witch) She may have her own opinion of her religion but that still doesn't give someone the right to fire her!! She deserves the $2 million she is sueing for. If she is a "witch" that is her business not the rest of the school district.
It's pretty ridiculous if someone is accused of being a witch because she happens to like a different style. The fact that the principle is making the accusations and removing the materials that aren’t to his standings, that is pretty much unconstitutional in more than one way. Then she also lost her job, and almost has no chance of getting another teaching job because she has to tell them about her previous job. She deserves that money and if anything she deserves more considering the fact that they put her out of a job. Nobody should deserve that kind of treatment.
This is quite silly. I understand that parents may have hesitations on allowing elementary kids to read such books but to fire a teacher on the accusations of teaching witchcraft is rediculous. Also, why is a PUBLIC school pushing religious values? The division between church and state is deffinitely blurry in this situation. Because these books don't "mesh" with the principle's religious values is an obscure basis for taking them out of the curriculum and firing the teacher who taught them.
This situation reminds me of a scene in Monty Python when they ask "how do you know she's a witch?" and one of the men replies "she has a wart." Well, she wasn't really a witch just because she had a wart; this teacher isn't necessarily a witch just because she wears dark clothes and makeup and she likes to read Harry Potter. This whole thing is quite silly.
Let me see where to begin. I just want to say that this made me laugh hard core. It is so crazy that the principal thought this teacher was a WITCH! That is so crazy if you really think about it. So many rights were violated! What, a mexican american woman can't wear dark make up? Most of my aunts wear that type of make up,so are they witches? NO. I think this ex-teacher deserves that two million. Her human rights were violated and it is down right idiotic that the pricipal went as far as using Harry Potter and Goosebumps for proof. Half of America reads Harry Potter, because Harry Potter is a Boss not because we want to learn spells and scorcery. I think by her having those books in her classroom she is introducing imagination to the kids. It is just really sad that people judged this teacher based on her looks. What if a young blonde,foxy teacher, had Harry Potter Books in her room, would they fire her? Of course not! This whole case all leads down to apperance. The school should really consider hiring a less shallow wierdo to be thier procipal. In a overall statement, I suppport the ex teacher, because her rights were violated and Harry Potter is a Boss.
Let me see where to begin. I just want to say that this made me laugh hard core. It is so crazy that the principal thought this teacher was a WITCH! That is so crazy if you really think about it. So many rights were violated! What, a mexican american woman can't wear dark make up? Most of my aunts wear that type of make up,so are they witches? NO. I think this ex-teacher deserves that two million. Her human rights were violated and it is down right idiotic that the principal went as far as using Harry Potter and Goosebumps for proof. Half of America reads Harry Potter, because Harry Potter is a Boss not because we want to learn spells and scorcery. I think by her having those books in her classroom she is introducing imagination to the kids. It is just really sad that people judged this teacher based on her looks. What if a young blonde,foxy teacher, had Harry Potter Books in her room, would they fire her? Of course not! This whole case all leads down to apperance. The school should really consider hiring a less shallow wierdo to be thier principal. In a overall statement, I suppport the ex teacher, because her rights were violated and because Harry Potter is a Boss.
I don't believe any of this. This teacher was fired because this Christian principal thought that she was a witch because of the way she looked and that she had "Harry Potter" books and "Goosebumps" books in her classroom?
First of all, this principal tried to push Christian values in a public school run by the state, which is a major violation of the Establishment Clause. Second, because Belios is not a Christian and therefore does not support his beliefs, he just accuses her of being a witch a la the Salem witch trials. And third, the principal removed books that didn't support his beliefs from her classroom, violating her civil rights as a teacher.
Not only that, but the principal, as Kaitlin stated, had no right whatsoever in firing her due to her appearance and her differing beliefs. This principal's reasoning is indeed flawed. Firing someone because of his/her differing beliefs, like in this instance, is unfair and against that person's freedom of religion. If Belios doesn't win this lawsuit and the two million dollars she rightly deserves, I will be very surprised.
Okay, so just from reading this article I can understand her being angry with the school district because she was "wrongfully terminated." It appears that she was terminated because her beliefs did not mesh with those of the principal. It is a clear violation of the first amendment and she should not have been fired. It is ridiculous that the principal even got away with removing those books from her curriculum. However, I did some more research on this case and found that the school district's attorney revealed that Berrios did not get along with co-workers, had a condescending attitude and was eventually reported to Child Protective Services after telling stories about injuries to her own son that turned out to be fictitious. The school district's attorney as well as the school officials were worried because Berrios may be suffering from Munchausen's syndrome by proxy. Co-workers have confimed that this is true. Berrios had made up stories including one where her son's fingers had been chopped off when his hand had been caught in a VCR. She then sent letters to the school staff warning about the dangers of VCRs. Berrios attorney then claimed that the principal, Andrew Albano, "brought his own religion into the school," by singing Christian hymns over the PA. In light of this new information, this case takes on a whole new issue. Why was Albano able to get away with instituting his own beliefs in the school and was Berrios really terminated wrongfully? I beieve that she is definately unstable and needs help. I think that the witch allegation helped in her firing but she was going to get canned when her stories became more eccentric and the complaints from her co-workers grew. As for Mr. Albano, he should not be able to express his views of religion anywhere in the school and was being extremely hypocritical about "enticing children" into her beliefs. As for the books, literature should not be banned because it gives a view that does not fit with what society thinks. We should have moved past the whole "individual-ideas-are-bad-and-we-need-conformity."
Its ridiculous that the basis of her being fired was witchcraft of all things. Just because she's not Christian, reads Harry Potter & Goosebumps, and dresses differently does not mean that she's a witch! The principal obviously is close-minded and prejudiced against Jews, or non-Christians. I sincerely hope that she wins the case. Although I'm curious as to why she's bringing this up now instead of back when she got fired.
I think this is retarded. Today's society has taken appearance too far. I bet the only real reason this little shindig when down is because she did not dress and act like everyone else. People care too much about what others are doing and this case is a great example of it. Completely and utterly ridiculous. We have read books with similar principles our whole school career. She is not forcing a religion or "witchcraft" onto anyone. Its like convicting a teacher who is someone laid back, laughs a lot and listens to Bob Marley a weed user.
I don't know how a narrow minded person like that could end up becoming principal of a school. I mean, he came with the most ridiculous excuse ever to fire a teacher because of her religious belief's and the way she looks, really? You would think that the principal could have atleast come up with a better excuse to fire her but accusing her of being a witch. He should have been fired and put in jail for this. Kids are supposed to be taught early in school that they should read and be free and make their own decisions and by the principal taking away the books from her class he is closing the student's minds.
This is absolutely ludicrous. If Berrios was fired due to her "shady" appearance, then millions of other people would also be out of work right now. This school principal is obviously lacking common sense if he truly believes this woman to be a 'witch' based off of her preferences in literature and physical appearance; preferences she shares with millions of others world wide. The titles of Harry Potter and Goosebumps are a common name across the nation and of course, there are those who protest their publishing. However, this is irrelevant..if parents do not want their children reading these books, that's their choice entirely. Ms. Berrios, from the information provided, was clearly not forcing her religious opinion on any student and if the schoolboard is going to punish her for having copies of popular titles in her classroom, they have another thing coming. And even if this teacher was a witch, it should be completely legal for her to teach; thus the freedom of religion. So long as she kept her religious beliefs and opinions to herself, whatever they may or may not be, Ms. Berrios is more than deserving of that $2 million check.
In my opinion this trial is stupid. The principal cannot not go around a pretend that he is a profesional "witch hunter".And i highly doubt that this woman was in fact was trying to teach a child witchcraft.thprincipal may have say about what the teachers of the school wear, because if all teachers could just wear what ever i doubt they would come to school in slackd and a collad shirt.(no offense). but that is not the big issue at hand. in my oppinion this woman is innocent.done
Maybe because of the Puritan background in the area??I dont know..but just because she's reading Harry Potter and Goosebumps, doesnt mean she's a witch..She has the right to believe in what she wants to believe..Its protected in the 1st Amend...Just because her class is reading books about the supernatural, doesnt mean she believes in them. And even if she did, she has the right to believe in it. And really?? "Her appearance didnt help her case either"?! She has the right to wear whatever she wants. And i have to agree with Phyllis. Who believes in witches nowadays? I'm sure Harry Potter's producer doesnt practice 'witchcraft and wizardry'.
I think the teacher gets all the money she is asking for. She is not a witch because she reads Harry Potter or Goosebumps who hasn't read those books. The principle needs to stop forcing his values on everyone else. She is not teaching the kids witchcraft at school so what ever she does on her own time is her business. She was wrongly accused and fired for a idiotic reason and no when she goes for an interview she as to explain why she got fired and that could be costing her jobs, and a way surviving.
I'm surprised to see an article as ridiculous as this in the year 2009. You would think that by now people wouldn't act like the principal did and assume witchcraft as soon as they saw an odd person dressed in black.
The most interesting part about this ordeal though, is the clear mismanagement in the school, or even the school district. From the information being given, the principal took it upon himself to push Christian values in a PUBLIC school, clearly violating separation of church and state.
This is crazy, accusing a teacher of being a witch even though she is jewish. This sounds fishy to me. When did reading harry potter and goosebumps make you a witch. I think the principal has some issues. Also judging someone on the clothes they have on is kind of snobby. Haven't you heard dont judge a book by its cover. i guess not. i think she will get some amount of money in this lawsuit. I dont think it was right for the teacher to get fired over something like this.
Just because the teacher believes in that doesn't mean that she should teach the students that. Some parents may not like what the teachers teach their children. So witchcraft shoudn't be taught in school. Parents may believe in different things and teachers are only there to edcaute the students on things they need to be taught. So these case should be won by the students and parents. Teachers just need to do what were hired for and edcuate the students.
This is just another form of discrimination. Just because a woman wears black, has long fingernails, and reads Harry Potter and Goosebumps doesn’t show any proof that she is a witch. And in our society today are we really calling people witches? Wow that is just ridiculous. Just because this woman doesn't practice the same religion as the principal she loses her job? This is unfair because as long as she isn't practicing her views in the class setting then she shouldn't have lost her job. That is a violation of her Freedom of Religion rights. Teachers should have the right to teach various subjects in a class setting because students will come in contact with the information one time or another. The Salem Witch Trials are apart of history and just because she is teaching her students about it she loses her job? So I guess if a teacher teaches their students about the Klu Klux Klan they are apart of that too. This woman deserves to win her lawsuit because in losing her job with that particular school district hurts her chances with getting other jobs in the future.
This is a case that is absolutely RIDICULOUS. Just because someone wears dark makeup, has long fingernails, reads harry potter and literature other than what the principle likes doesn't mean they are a witch. There is probably more than a million people that do these same things and don't get fired from their jobs. I believe the teacher deserves all of the two million and hopefully she gets it.
ohmygoshhhhh seriouslyyy?? i once went to go watch the golden compass with a friend who said her grandparents would freak cause it relates t"demons" come on seriously thts like sayying we should ban all teachers who have said something wrong this is ridicuouls to accuse someone of doing this. the fact is that with or without schoolteachers encouraging this there aare still sevrral kids still out there watching haryypotter and all kinds of other things. FREEEEEDOOOMMM OF SPEECHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH this woman should win the case this is sooo dumb i better not go get my nails done anymore. or watch transformers cause theyyy might close out science fiction toooooo!
goodnessss gracious imm sooo ahhhh lol
So she was fired cause she taught what she loved? So what if shes alil creepy looking and likes fantasy? Does that make her a witch? No, I think the principle was alil too harsh in that move. I hope that teacher gets her job back PLUS the $2+ million she is sueing for. Fire the principle as repetion to her suffering too. Though I am curious on to one detail that didn't say in, if she was found guilty, who they burn her at the stake? There hasn't been a good buring in a looooooooooooooooong time you know... Plus, I wonder why no one has interviewed the kids, I mean shewas their teacher, the should have an opinion on this matter.
Fantasy all the way!!!
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