Principal fired after giving ‘inspirational’ prayer book to school workers

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

And I bet she votes democrat and can't understand how this happened.

An Illinois school administrator is fighting for her job after she was terminated from the district for handing out a book of prayers to staff as a gift for Staff Appreciation Week in May.

The DeKalb School District 428 school board voted 5-2 last Monday to dismiss Gwendolyn Brooks Elementary School principal Shahran Spears after several complaints against her, mostly for distributing the book “Inspire for Teachers: Prayers, Promises, and Proverbs for Those Who Change Lives and Touch Hearts” as a gift to teachers this spring, the Daily Chronicle reports.

Spears reportedly used a procurement card for $200 to buy the books.

Spears filed federal Title VII claims with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over the termination, alleging discrimination, and could sue the district if given approval in the next 30 to 60 days, according to the news site.

The board discussion about Spears’ termination took place in closed session, and officials wouldn’t discuss specifics about the move afterwards, Northern Public Radio reports.

“The hearing lasted six-and-a-half hours,” superintendent Douglas Miller told the Daily Chronicle. “In the end, everyone voted the way they thought they needed to.”

Spears spoke on camera after her termination, and vowed to continue her fight.

“What I beg of you today, is do not let my experience go in vain. I agree with Gemini, it’s 2015 I can’t believe we’re still here. It is not 1969,” she said, according to a Daily Chronicle video. “And so now you have an awesome responsibility. You need to attend these board meetings. You need to ask questions, even if you have to do a rotating schedule.

“You lose your grieving rights if you’re not present. So the times of saying, ‘I don’t know’ are over.”

“I did nothing wrong out of malice. It was a gesture,” she said. “And to turn it into something ugly, and say I have a bias toward kids with IEPs … no. But if that’s how you do the game, that’s how you do the game.

“I don’t play like that.”

READ THE REST HERE
http://eagnews.org/principal-fired-...nal-prayer-book-to-school-workers/#more-48091

 

[Webster]

I'm of two minds here...if someone wants to pray to the god/gods of their choice - or if they don't want to pray - that's their decision. OTOH, if they want to do so on the public dime and drag everyone else into it, not so much.

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

If it was on the public dime I agree. It's just not clear from this quote that is what the situation is.

Spears reportedly used a procurement card for $200 to buy the books.

 

[cali]

If you're going to give "prayer books" as a gift, ya better make DAMN SURE about the faith of the people you're gifting them to. Or else someone might complain and you might face consequences.

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

She was doing a kind gesture. I don't believe in any of it but I would appreciate it for what it was meant to be. Stop being pussified offended wimps.

 

[Jazzy]

I guess using public school funds to spread religious texts, no matter how is a violation of school policy.

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

I agree if she actually used school funds.

 

[Jazzy]

Spears reportedly used a procurement card for $200 to buy the books.

Procurement Card

Definition: A procurement card can be either a corporate debit card, which deducts cash directly from a company’s bank account, or a credit card. Under this system, the bank managing the procurement card program will bill the payer on a monthly basis for all charges made during the month, while remitting funds to the payee within a few days of each charge. A procurement card program is an excellent tool for any company making payments to its suppliers, since it circumvents the lengthy and expensive process of issuing purchase orders, matching receiving documents to supplier invoices, and making check payments.

From the above definition, she used school funds to pay for these prayer books. Do you agree?

 

[DrLeftover]

She probably thought they couldn't touch her.

 

[Jazzy]

She probably thought they couldn't touch her.

Does it sound to you like she used school funds to pay for these prayer books?

 

[DrLeftover]

Depends on the ultimate source of the card.

It could have been from an outside donor such as the Rotary Club through their educational outreach.

My thought that since she is a "double minority" she probably believed she could do almost anything and get away with it. And that will probably be brought up in her lawsuit as well.

 

[Webster]

*dusts off thread* Given the Supreme Court's Kennedy decision, I wonder if the principal in this case might want his job back now...

Kennedy v. Bremerton School District - SCOTUSblog

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www.scotusblog.com