Milton Middle School teacher scrutinized for in-class comments | Education | wvgazettemail.com
By: LUKE CREASY (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
MILTON — A health teacher at Milton Middle School has caused a stir in the community after an audio recording surfaced of remarks she made in class pertaining to her personal beliefs and the Bible.
Teacher Karen Ashworth's commentary, which continued for about three minutes, occurred during a lesson seemingly aimed toward the subject of abstinence but which took a turn to religion when she addressed topics such as sexual orientation and same-sex relationships to her students.
In the audio recording shared by Owen Morgan, the father of a student, the teacher seems to imply that non-Christians are not and cannot be brought up with "morals and values."
Ashworth admitted that she is aware she is not allowed to promote her personal religious beliefs in class and can be heard in the recording saying she "tries to squeeze it in a little bit without getting in too much trouble."
She also said that she doesn't "believe in" same-sex relationships when teaching students about hormonal changes during puberty.
"The thing is you have to choose, what are you going to do with those feelings and thoughts? And if you're brought up with morals and values, then God's going to be there to help you make better decisions," Ashworth said in the recording.
Morgan responded Tuesday to the audio recording provided by his daughter on his YouTube channel, TellTale, which includes several videos criticizing evangelical culture.
In a profanity-laced video, Morgan said he didn't plan to make the information public yet, but made several threats to ruin Ashworth's career in the video, which had surpassed 80,000 views by Friday morning.
A public Facebook group called "Support an Excellent Cabell County Teacher" now has 1,600 members, and the group leader organized a protest at the bottom of the hill leading to the middle school, which happened early Friday morning.
A Milton gas station changed their company sign in support of the teacher, adding the phrase "Team Ashworth" at the bottom of the message board.
Morgan reportedly contacted the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a nationwide nonprofit created to protect the constitutional principle of separation between church and state.
In a media release, the FFRF stated it has written a letter to Cabell County Superintendent Ryan Saxe asking that the district ensure Ashworth stops preaching her religious beliefs to students, teaching from the Bible or denigrating non-Christians.
"Because this teacher has admitted that she is aware of, and yet unwilling to follow, the law, which prohibits religious indoctrination in the classroom, she has admitted that she is not fit to be a public school teacher," said FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line in the release. "She understood the law and deliberately violated it, imposing her religion on other people's children in the process."
A Cabell County Schools official said the administration is aware of the situation but could not comment as it was an "ongoing personnel issue." A message was left for Ashworth seeking comment on the situation.
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Religious bigotry on the taxpayer dime.
Bingo.
maybe she'd be happier at a religious school, without a teacher's union, no retirement plan, and teaching for less compensation.
Some people are happy with that. I had Aunt's who were nuns, one taught inner city Philly kids,
the other taught in leper colonies in the Pacific. Neither missed unions, pay etc.
...but they got housing, meals, uniforms, and a small pension upon retirement.
One left the calling, married and drank herself to an early grave.
There other retired at the mandatory age and spent 15 years bed bound in a nun home.
Don't envy either one.
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Questions.
Was Ashworth sending a message to someone in class, more appropriately done by a counselor or in church?
Who recorded the comments ( most likely without permission ) ?
And WHY is this one parent so damned angry?
It sounds like, by the letter of the law and her own admission, some sort of discipline is in order to prevent it from happening again.
I do not see termination as a reasonable solution.
What were the chances that her name was really Karen, lol?
I disagree. From her own words, she knew that what she was doing was illegal, and she did it, anyway.
although I really don't think this is the first time, since it was recorded and then exploited.
when they climb up on the cross, they really do want the hammer and nails.
The thing is, they are emboldened by the wink and nod attitude they get in response to these actions. This woman has community support - a Facebook page, businesses putting out signs rooting for her. They know they'll get away with it. Give them an inch, and they'll take a mile. That's why I favor severe consequences off the bat.
I think it's a regional thing. in colorado that kind of BS would generate death threats, from republicans, and the school district would cave immediately to avoid lawsuits.
WV had a bill recently introduced to mandate that schools have elective Bible classes. I think it failed. Somebody likely pointed out that mandated elective Quran classes were sure to follow.
I think they should have mandatory classes about the English Queens through history.
It might straighten a lot of modern people out.
What this teacher did was wrong, but I don't think it's torches and pitchforks wrong. This is the impression I get from the description of the father's reaction. Maybe just tell her if she does that again, she's out?
Religious types have trouble understanding that their beliefs are just that, beliefs. I remember a conversation between my Mom and her sister. The sister said she couldn't understand how anyone could be anything but Catholic, after all, that's the true religion. My mom said that other people think that theirs is the true one, but the sister just couldn't understand that, no matter how my Mom adjusted her explanation.
I agree but what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Beliefs are beliefs whether they be religious or political, liberal or conservative and Teachers and Administrators need to keep their beliefs to themselves. Kids go to public school to learn general studies not to be indoctrinated into a belief system no matter what that might be. Teaching Progressive Ideology in schools should be treated the same way as teaching Religious Ideology would be, both are belief systems that may or may not be the chosen belief system of the child's parent and so do not belong in public schools. If you want your child to attend a school that teaches your chosen belief system send them to a private school.
... on your own fucking dime and not the taxpayers.
Why ? If your public school system spends ten grand a year per student in federal, state, and local funds why shouldn't a parent be able to get a voucher from the public school system for that same amount to use towards the tuition at the private school of their choice. I know why the Teachers Unions at Public Schools are against it, they're afraid to compete. I remember when I was in Public School half the Teachers there sent their kids to Catholic Regional Schools. It's kind of like a Doctor working at a Hospital that he doesn't trust to treat his own Family.
so sorry, no taxpayer dollars for thumper madrasas that promote unamerican and unconstitutional ideologies.
Because taxpayers shouldn't be forced into supporting religious schools via school vouchers. Remember that Republicans in Louisiana were all for school vouchers, until they found out parents could use them to send their kids to Islamic schools. They didn't want to support Islam with their tax money, and I don't want to support any religion with mine.
Teachers' unions don't want to compete because they know it won't be a level playing field. Private schools can pick and choose which students they admit; they don't have to take students with special needs. Public schools do.