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EDU 210 Portfolio Artifact #6

Jessica Beasley
October 19, 2014
College of Southern Nevada

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Karen White is a kindergarten teacher. She is also newly found
Jehovahs Witness. She had to inform parents and students that she could
no longer participate in certain activities because it was against her religion
to do so. She could no longer decorate the classroom, sing Happy Birthday
to students, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Now parents are protesting
and the principal, Bill Ward, is recommending dismissal based on her
ineffectively meeting the needs of her students.
Karen White should be dismissed. In case Lee v. Weismen (1992), the
court stated that although government may accommodate the free exercise
of religion, such accommodation cannot supersede the fundamental
limitations imposed by the Establishment Clause, which prevent the
government from using coercion to support or encourage participation in
religious exercise or worship. Karen White would be supported her religion in
the classroom by not participating in the occasions of the needs of her
students.
Karen Whites religion is interfering with her educational classroom. In
case Stone v. Graham (1981) The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prominent
display of Jesus Christ displayed outside the principals office violated the
Establishment Clause. This relates to Karen Whites case because her
displays of being a Jehovahs Witness are affecting her students. If she

cannot accommodate to the various amounts of diverse students while being

a teacher, then she should be dismissed.
On the other hand, there is no justifiable basis for Karens dismissal. In
Supreme Court Case, Engel v. Vitale (1962) a student cannot be compelled to
recite a state-composed prayer at
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school even if it is nondenominational. The court ruled that it is no part of
the business of government to impose official prayers for any group of
American people. Therefore, Karen should not be dismissed based on the
fact that it is against her religion to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. It is not
the governments business to decide on what she can and cannot do.
Also in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943),
Barnette challenged the Board that they should not be required to recite the
Pledge of Allegiance in the school because it was against their religion to do
so. The court ruled in favor of Barnette. Just like Karen White, she should
not be required to recite the Pledge, or do anything that is against her
religion.
However, Karen White should be dismissed on the grounds that she is
not meeting the needs of her students. Teachers have rights. But they are
not allowed to have their religion affect their performance as a teacher. And

in her being a Jehovahs Witness, it affects her ability to successfully execute

events that the students need. So therefore, Karen White needs to be
dismissed.

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References
Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S 421 (1962).
Lee v. Weismen, 505U.S. 577 (1992).
Stone v. Graham, 449 U.S. 1104 (1981).
West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943).