Which right is right?

[SouthernN'Proud]

from BoP's favorite source...tonguetied.us


A resident assistant in a dormitory at the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire has been told that he cannot hold informal Bible study sessions in the dorm because it would amount to an illegal endorsement of religion by a state employee, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Lance Steiger held the weekly sessions with a small group of friends for much of last year, but over the summer he was told to stop.

Deborah Newman, associate director of housing and residence life, told Steiger: "As a state employee, you and I have a responsibility to make sure we are providing an environment that does not put undue pressure on any member of our halls in terms of religion, political parties, etc."

Steiger insists that the ban is an infringement on his First Amendment rights.

"I work for the school," he says. "It's my job, but I do have personal time. I should be able to talk about whatever I want to talk about in my own room. It's my home. It's where I live."

**end**

So. Does the right to spend your leisure time in your domicile as you see fit supercede the right to be unapproached about religion? Does the right to freedom of religion supercede...the right to freedom from religion? Will Marsha forgive John for his affair with Miss Congeniality 1965...oops, wrong drama.

Discuss.

 

[Gonz]

or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

 

[MrBishop]

does not put undue pressure If he's pressuring them into joining in the bible-study or refusing to talk with other students who are not members of the study group, that'd be one thing ... this is quite another.
Leave him alone.

 

[Uki Chick]

I agree with Bish to leave him the hell alone. It's his free time and he's not stopping people in the hall or on campus telling them they have to join. It's a group of his friends. They can talk about whatever they want.

 

[flavio]

He should probably grow up and get a place of his own. Dorms have rules.

 

[Uki Chick]

Dorms may have rules, but since when can you not talk about whatever you want to talk about in your own room? If I live in a dorm and i'm on the phone with a friend of mine talkling about religion or politics and someone overhears, I should stop? I don't think so. I am paying for that room, I am paying to go to that college, I have a right to open my mouth and talk about things with colleages as long as i'm not pushing it on anyone else.

 

[BeardofPants]

Is he preaching in his own room? If so, then I don't see a problem. If however, by 'dorm', they mean in the hall or whatever, then the complaint is valid, rules are rules.

 

[Leslie]

Some jobs have character clauses. If you don't want to have to follow a character clause, quit, or don't take the job.

 

[Uki Chick]

We're talking in his own room though. They allow people to have sex in their dorm rooms, masturbate, etc, etc, etc, but yet he can't have a religious discussion with people? Where's the logic there?

 

[SouthernN'Proud]

Is he preaching in his own room? If so, then I don't see a problem. If however, by 'dorm', they mean in the hall or whatever, then the complaint is valid, rules are rules.

I should be able to talk about whatever I want to talk about in my own room.

Seems to answer the question.

 

[BeardofPants]

Ah, I didn't see that. In which case, I don't see the problem. As long as he is not pressuring people to join him in his bible-thumping sessions, he should be allowed to do whatever he wants in his room, as long as it is legal.

 

[flavio]

We're talking in his own room though. They allow people to have sex in their dorm rooms, masturbate, etc, etc, etc, but yet he can't have a religious discussion with people? Where's the logic there?

Many dorms have strict rules on overnight visitors, alcohol (even if you're legally old enough), smoking, and all sorts of other things which you should be allowed to do in your own room.

If you don't want to follow all sorts of silly rules get off-campus housing.

 

[Uki Chick]

Many dorms have strict rules on overnight visitors, alcohol (even if you're legally old enough), smoking, and all sorts of other things which you should be allowed to do in your own room.

If you don't want to follow all sorts of silly rules get off-campus housing.

Those rules are one thing, but all he's doing is having a discussion. He's allowed to speak about whatever he wants as long as he's not forcing it on others. If it's done behind closed doors, with friends that have the same belief, it's none of anyones business.

 

[paul_valaru]

"I work for the school," he says. "It's my job, but I do have personal time. I should be able to talk about whatever I want to talk about in my own room. It's my home. It's where I live."

he lives on school grounds, he has to follow the school rules, if they where telling him to stop cause he was doing this at his personal residence, off campus they would be in the wrong. When he is living on campus he is representing the school.

 

[paul_valaru]

Those rules are one thing, but all he's doing is having a discussion. He's allowed to speak about whatever he wants as long as he's not forcing it on others. If it's done behind closed doors, with friends that have the same belief, it's none of anyones business.

A discussion, on school grounds, which are I guess common knowledge, if the school asked him to stop. A discussion whos topic might make others feel uncomfortable when dealing with this person who has authority over them. Using your arguement, he could be having discussions about white power in his room, and the school should be doing nothing. And yes white power is an offensive thing, but not to those people who truly beleive it, just like religion can be a offensive thing to those who don't beleive in it.

 

[flavio]

Those rules are one thing, but all he's doing is having a discussion. He's allowed to speak about whatever he wants as long as he's not forcing it on others. If it's done behind closed doors, with friends that have the same belief, it's none of anyones business.

I don't see how the rules I mentioned are anyones business either. Living in a dorm is like still having parents telling you what to do.

 

[rrfield]

he lives on school grounds, he has to follow the school rules, if they where telling him to stop cause he was doing this at his personal residence, off campus they would be in the wrong. When he is living on campus he is representing the school.

...ok, but the land the dorms are on are owned by the university, thus owned in part by tuition payers and in part by tax payers. Game Over? No. In America it has been common practice and upheld in court that schools MUST allow for religous groups to meet on school grounds AFTER HOURS as long as it is in no way funded by tax dollars. High schools cannot discriminate against a bible study group requesting a room to hold their meetings after school hours, just like they can't discriminate against the Spanish Club or the Drama Club.

 

[paul_valaru]

...ok, but the land the dorms are on are owned by the university, thus owned in part by tuition payers and in part by tax payers. Game Over? No. In America it has been common practice and upheld in court that schools MUST allow for religous groups to meet on school grounds AFTER HOURS as long as it is in no way funded by tax dollars. High schools cannot discriminate against a bible study group requesting a room to hold their meetings after school hours, just like they can't discriminate against the Spanish Club or the Drama Club.

but he WORKS for them, hence anything he does on school grounds can be seen as representing the school.

if he has a problem he should either quit of take his little group to the local Der Vafflehouse.

 

[Winky]

yep once this country is Godless
and overrun by 3rd werlders
it will be a mucho better place

 

[Uki Chick]

...ok, but the land the dorms are on are owned by the university, thus owned in part by tuition payers and in part by tax payers. Game Over? No. In America it has been common practice and upheld in court that schools MUST allow for religous groups to meet on school grounds AFTER HOURS as long as it is in no way funded by tax dollars. High schools cannot discriminate against a bible study group requesting a room to hold their meetings after school hours, just like they can't discriminate against the Spanish Club or the Drama Club.

Well said!