Holy Parents

[VanReal]

Okay, I put this in the religion area, not really sure where it should go.  Maybe a little advice, most likely an opportunity to vent.

I work for a public school district and it always interests me that prior to the board meetings and prior to employee functions and convocations we are always led in "a moment of prayer".  I generally look around the room of the hundreds of sheep and will see maybe three or four people looking around without bowing their heads.  It just strikes me as strange that this is occuring at a public school district, and curious to me that the group considers it as "okay".

There is also a group called "Holy Parents" that send lunch to all of the campuses and to the administration once a year, along with some random scripture, for the employees.  They also produce Christmas CDs, or planners, etc and distribute to all employees prior to the Winter break.  (Boy they have a massive budget!)  Of course I never eat the lunch and always leave my "gift" in our mailroom in case anyone wants to take it home.  It truly doesn't bother me because I just don't involve myself in it, but I wonder why it's so accepted when it's a school district and supposed to be separate from religion.

The kicker is that an employee several years ago was repremanded for sending a religious email.  It's funny because she was very nice and when she sent you a "first" email she always put a note at the bottom "If you would prefer not to receive this type of email please let me know and I will remove you from my list, no hard feelings, I don't want to offend anyone".  Anyway, she was reprimanded for sending an email, it was actually a political speech that contained some God reference.  I am so confused, how can they reprimand someone for sending an email to people who requested to be left on a mailing list, yet allow the "Holy Parents" to so openly participate within the schools and even hold their own prayers during public school meetings and events?

[curiosityandthecat]

Let's see.. I think there's a word for it. ....oh, gosh. I can't remember... it's... argh, this is going to drive me crazy!

Oh! Wait! I remember!

Hypocrisy!  

[VanReal]

I know! It's just so blatant that I can't wrap my brain around it!  I am middle management there so keep my trap shut, but geeze it drives me absolutely bonkers!!

[gwyn428]

Another horrible thing is that the group is actually called Holy Parents.  

[VanReal]

Actually one interesting thing has come from that parent group.  A girl in the personnel office that is a Christian mentioned to me this year if the christmas gifts bothered me or even if I had contacted them and asked them to not send them to me.  I explained that I just leave pull them from my inbox and put them in the mailroom.  She said "I can see how receiving those things each year would be offensive to someone who doesn't believe".  Although I think it's inappropriate it really doesn't offend me, but I was pleasantly surprised that she was so nice, considerate and even curious.  Just goes to show they aren't all trying to beat belief into you...kind of refreshing.  Too bad that planner this year has scripture on every page, it would have come in handy, hehe.

[Ihateyoumike]

I generally look around the room of the hundreds of sheep and will see maybe three or four people looking around without bowing their heads.

I know! It's just so blatant that I can't wrap my brain around it!  I am middle management there so keep my trap shut, but geeze it drives me absolutely bonkers!!

Perhaps it has to do with you and the other few people NOT speaking out against it. Are you wrong for not doing that? No. But, to get anything to change, will you have to do that? You bet. Or one of the other non-sheep will need to. It seems to me like a person of one faith will speak out immediately when someone of another faith offends them, but atheists don't seem to feel that urge all the time. My last job that I had, there was a supervisor who sat right by me who had all sorts of jesus quotes and crosses and whatnot on his desk. I was annoyed that I had to see it all day, but I never spoke out. Why? Probably because my beliefs are that even though that crap annoyed me, the guy had it there for his "benefit", not mine. He never asked me to pray with him, he never preached to me, but you can bet that the day he did, I would have been going to upper management about it. I think (especially in a public school) that these people are going too far by having a group prayer, and giving everyone material with the intent to try and convert them to their belief system. Maybe it's time you spoke up. Or talk with a couple of the other people you notice aren't praying, and perhaps in numbers make it easier to speak up against it.
Otherwise, there will be no change.

[Ihateyoumike]

The kicker is that an employee several years ago was repremanded for sending a religious email.  It's funny because she was very nice and when she sent you a "first" email she always put a note at the bottom "If you would prefer not to receive this type of email please let me know and I will remove you from my list, no hard feelings, I don't want to offend anyone".  Anyway, she was reprimanded for sending an email, it was actually a political speech that contained some God reference.  I am so confused, how can they reprimand someone for sending an email to people who requested to be left on a mailing list, yet allow the "Holy Parents" to so openly participate within the schools and even hold their own prayers during public school meetings and events?

Hypothetical situation:

You send out an e-mail to everyone you work with. This e-mail has information on evolution, and explains reasons why atheism is the way to go. Or, has quotes from Dawkins.
You end the e-mail with "If you would prefer not to receive this type of email please let me know and I will remove you from my list, no hard feelings, I don't want to offend anyone".

Question:

How quickly will you be fired and never allowed to teach again, anywhere. For that matter, how many of these "holy parents" or people of their ilk, will go as far to issue death threats against you or otherwise attempt to ruin your life?

[VanReal]

You are both right, I don't say a word.  Most of the people I work with know me and know I do not believe in God, but if it were to leak to the administration I'd be gone in a flash.  Sure wish that lotto would pay off....I already have my mutiny planned out.