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submitted 4 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

The Wisconsin English teacher, Jordan Cernek, argues in the suit that the district violated his freedom of religion and free speech in mandating the use of the students' preferred names and pronouns.

A high school English teacher is suing a Wisconsin school district, alleging it did not renew his contract last year because he refused to use the preferred names of two transgender students.

Jordan Cernek's federal lawsuit alleges the Argyle School District violated his constitutional and civil rights to be free of religious discrimination and to be able to express himself according to his religious beliefs when it did not renew his contract because he refused to abide by a requirement that teachers use the names or pronouns requested by students.

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[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 203 points 4 months ago

He better not fucking win. Apart from it being bigoted against trans kids, this opens the door for teachers to give kids whatever insulting nicknames they want. Call the clumsy kid the r-word? Don't violate his free speech! Call the black kid the n-word? The Book of Mormon clearly says black people are inferior! Don't violate his freedom of religion!

[-] Samvega@lemmy.blahaj.zone 46 points 4 months ago

He better not fucking win. Apart from it being bigoted against trans kids, this opens the door for teachers to give kids whatever insulting nicknames they want.

Put Elon back in school and call him Cis.

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[-] rc__buggy@sh.itjust.works 28 points 4 months ago

He better not fucking win because a public school teacher needs to check their religion at the door. The SC said that private businesses can practice their religion as part of commerce but this is the public sector. Kim Davis lost her case about refusing the same sex marriage license due to "her religion" and this should follow.

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[-] betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world 121 points 4 months ago

Good, fuck off. He can find a new job where he's not expected to treat his fellow humans with the respect they deserve. Being wrong about the nature of reality doesn't grant the right to be an asshole even if they sincerely believe that it should.

[-] Samvega@lemmy.blahaj.zone 52 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Since I realised it, I have never forgotten that applying basic decency to all living beings is a revolutionary act that will be resisted in various ways, including violence, by those who uphold a status quo based on forced inequity.

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[-] ImADifferentBird@lemmy.blahaj.zone 106 points 4 months ago

I mean, good. If he isn't going to do even the single most basic thing to connect with his students and meet them where they are, how can he ever be an effective teacher?

[-] Sharkwellington@lemmy.one 47 points 4 months ago

Right? Some of these kids see their teachers more than their actual parents. Could you imagine having to deal with such blatant disrespect every day from someone that is meant to be your role model?

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[-] Zahille7@lemmy.world 85 points 4 months ago

Idk man. When I was in school before everyone started coming out as trans and such, all my teachers would still ask if there was a different name you preferred on like the first day of school. And they suck to it. It didn't matter if the student was gay, straight, trans, or whatever; they still had a preferred name they liked to be called by, the teachers asked, and they respected it. I'd like to think those teachers of mine would continue this practice and not have an issue with it, but you never really know.

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[-] flicker@lemmy.world 81 points 4 months ago

I'm not trans.

I hate my legal name. I will change it when I'm ready to do the paperwork. Until then, everyone calls me the name I prefer.

I would have been a thorn in this teacher's side. I'm not answering to that name, asshole. I'm not writing it on any documents. I'm allowed to tell you what to call me for whatever reason I want. My mother's best friend, who I was named for, was an abusive fucking cunt to me and every time you say her name I'm reminded of her.

What a douche. Stop policing names. The only names worth policing are the ones that are remarkably dumb.

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[-] TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone 69 points 4 months ago

The part of the gospel of Luke where he writes that Jesus said "oh and trans people? Not a fan, we shouldn't respect em." always did strike me as kinda out of the blue, but it is in there...

[-] jerkface@lemmy.ca 27 points 4 months ago

God hates figs. Everyone knows that. But while researching the a joke to reply to you with, I learned that apparently, figs are jews. Who knew!!

Never did come up with a joke.

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[-] Mediocre_Bard@lemmy.world 63 points 4 months ago

Yep, and good riddance.

If students do not feel respected, then they will neither give respect nor learn. You call a kid what they want to be called. Without a sense of shared community, the classroom will fail.

Additionally, there is not a religion on earth that says you can't use people's nicknames, preferred names, chosen names, or whatever. This guy can go eat a bag of Dicks.

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[-] swampwitch@lemmy.world 63 points 4 months ago

Don't know what happened to "love thy neighbour"/The Golden Rule, but some Christians sure are struggling with that part of the Bible.

[-] callouscomic@lemm.ee 26 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Most Christians have always struggled with that part.

Setting aside religion, I used to have a shitty boss who would never shut up about how the platinum rule (treat people how they want to be treated) is better than the golden rule (treat people how you want to be treated), but then would proceed to never actually follow it and never really understood how he treated people.

People suck in general at just giving a shit about others. They just want to sound and feel like they give a shit without actually following through.

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[-] SeaJ@lemm.ee 61 points 4 months ago

What religion requires you to use someone's birth name? It can't be Christianity since people always go around calling that one dude Jesus when his birth name was Yeshua.

[-] TheOctonaut@mander.xyz 36 points 4 months ago

Plus Jesus loved renaming people so there's that.

[-] masterofn001@lemmy.ca 29 points 4 months ago

Also, As a catholic or protestant you get to choose a confirmation name.

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[-] zbyte64@awful.systems 60 points 4 months ago

If your religion tells you to be an asshole to kids, find a new religion. Weird how there are many Christians who don't have this problem, almost like this is not how normal people act but we have an asshole looking for an excuse 🧐

[-] SapphironZA@sh.itjust.works 21 points 4 months ago

Also weird that they have no problems with that same religion being a hotbed for pedophiles.

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[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 57 points 4 months ago

Let's all say it together.

Your Rights. Do Not. Override. The Rights. Of Others.

It's a far smaller imposition to use a preferred name than it is to be dead named.

[-] norimee@lemmy.world 56 points 4 months ago

It's discrimination because he can't discriminate others?

Freedom of discrimination for me, but not for thee?

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[-] HawlSera@lemm.ee 48 points 4 months ago

Sounds like a bigot was fired for bigot shit

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[-] Ilovemyirishtemper@lemmy.world 47 points 4 months ago

Whelp, Walker neutered our teachers' unions, and the conservatives pushed for being a right to work state, so here are some unexpected consequences of that. They do not have to tell him why his contract wasn't renewed, and now he doesn't have a union backing his position. Plus, he wasn't even "fired," just not renewed.

F this teacher for creating an environment of hate.

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[-] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 42 points 4 months ago

"Teacher suing school after being fired for being purposely hurtful to students for ReLiGeOuS rEsSoNs"

[-] AVincentInSpace@pawb.social 42 points 4 months ago

Republicans: "We need to police what's taught in schools! Leftists shouldn't have the right to teach whatever they like to our children! I don't want my tax dollars being spent filling their heads with woke garbage!"

Republicans when a teacher gets suspended for teaching their views to children: "But muh freeze peach! I have the right to teach whatever I like to children!"

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[-] StrandedInTimeFall@lemm.ee 41 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Your pastor or preacher told you to do it, not your religion. Pretty sure there's no explicit mention how to use or not use pronouns or using someone's preferred name in the bible. Language is just arbitrary, made up bullshit anyways. Let's reverse it, his name is no longer Jordan Cernek using pronouns he/his/him. Now, it Jerkin Cumneck with the special pronoun of shitstain.

Jerkin Cumneck is a dumbass. Shitstain shouldn't bring shitstain's political views to work. Jerkin should teach at a private christian academy because shitstain can be an obnoxious asshole over there without having shitstain's fragile little mind broken every time shitstain has to use words that shitstain doesn't like.

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 39 points 4 months ago

If he can't show common decency for his students, he absolutely needs to go.

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[-] isyasad@lemmy.world 36 points 4 months ago

"It's against my religion to use preferred pronouns"
Also that religion: hi my pronouns are He/Him CAPITALIZED please. Please capitalize them when you use them.
🤷‍♀️

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[-] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world 33 points 4 months ago

Jordan Cernek's federal lawsuit alleges the Argyle School District violated his constitutional and civil rights to be free of religious discrimination and to be able to express himself according to his religious beliefs

Fun fact: when your religious beliefs include a mandate to trample on the rights of others based on pure bigotry, you and your obnoxious interpretation of bronze age fairy tales can fuck off.

[-] Blum0108@lemmy.world 22 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I also am unsure of where in the Bible it states that pronouns are immutable.

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[-] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 31 points 4 months ago

Booohooo they don't let me discriminate against people I don't like! So intolerant!

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[-] IzzyJ@lemmy.world 30 points 4 months ago

Just wanna point out, noone is threatening the teachers right to be a dick, just lost his government job over it. This is basic seperation of church and state. A member of a racist religion would be fired for trying to only teach white kids.

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[-] Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 30 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Good. Who the fuck wants their children being taught by intolerant bigots? What kind of example is that setting for them? Freaks like this shouldn't be allowed anywhere near kids.

[-] MagicShel@programming.dev 29 points 4 months ago

My interpretation is there are many reasons why his contract wasn't renewed. I think he's trying to make it political by claiming he's being cancelled. He is shitty. He doesn't deserve to be a teacher. I just think this is his way to go on the attack instead of having to defend his record.

I could be wrong, but no fucking way we're getting the whole story just listening to him.

[-] KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com 28 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

didn't know being an asshole was a religious freedom, at this rate domestic terrorism is going to be covered under religious freedom, jesus christ.

also, separation of church and state, gotta love it.

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[-] eestileib@sh.itjust.works 25 points 4 months ago

Freedom of religion = freedom to be a bigoted jerk

[-] auzy@lemmy.world 23 points 4 months ago

Sounds like he was actually kicked for being disrespectful. You can use your freedom of speech to be an ass surprisingly enough

[-] andros_rex@lemmy.world 22 points 4 months ago

I’m a transgender teacher that can’t work in public schools because I’m trans.

In fact, Oklahoma has executive ordered trans people out of existence.

Can I get news coverage please?

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[-] answersplease77@lemmy.world 22 points 4 months ago

those poor students felt awful considering not being able to correct him on top. So, highly likely a horrible teacher to begin with

[-] irotsoma@lemmy.world 22 points 4 months ago

No "personal freedom" to violate the rights of others should exist when you are acting on behalf of the government, just like you can't advertise AT&T's service while on a call working tech support for Verizon and not expect to get fired.

[-] vala@lemmy.world 19 points 4 months ago

What part of the Bible discussed gender identity???

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this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2024
443 points (95.3% liked)

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