It's Not About Religion
When Vacaville teacher Steven Cuckovich docked points from a student's
grade for saying "bless you" after someone sneezed in class, some of
the media sensationalized the item with accusations about the teacher
"...bringing god into his grading." I have to side with the educator on
this one. As a former classroom math teacher, I know exactly what it is
about, and it's not about religion. It's about disruption in the
classroom.
Teachers have to cover the curriculum in the designated time period
working within the reality of absences, disruptions, and different
learning styles. Of course we can't control absences and learning
styles, but we can make rules for our classroom about behavior. I, too,
had to deal with verbal outbursts from students. I, too, made clear
rules about when talking was appropriate, and I, too, was on the
receiving end of what I call "Creative Disruptions," where students
tried to bend the rules. Since I wanted students to feel valued about
their input, and reassured during their confusion, my style was to be
lenient about talking during instruction time.
During testing, however, no talking was allowed, not even a "god
bless you," which came under my "No talking or disruptions of any kind
during tests" rule. Creative Disruptions occurred for different reasons.
Students made noises during exams to amuse their friends ("See, I
talked during Ms. Mulkey's math test, and you said I didn't have the
nerve.") and they made creative disruptions in order to cheat on tests
(the old trick of "oops, dropped my paper" to trade answers with
neighbor). And, during tests, there was the "bless you" after sneezes
real and faked, just for the sake of disruption. I knew the sounds, and
I knew the students involved well enough to tell faux from genuine.
Why is Cuckovich's practice not about religion? It's not about
religion because religion has no place in the classroom. It's not about
religion because a teacher's very reasonable rules should not and cannot
be trumped by a pretended religious "practice" (there were times when
"bless you" was uttered during a test by a student who never said it in, say,
the lunchroom. That's how I know when it was for disruption.)
Sadly, there is an even more disturbing possibility in this. We need
to recognize that some elements of the Right may use this story and
others as propaganda for something like a Christian Theocracy
Manifesto. Just ask the loudest critics of Mr. Cuckovich what would
have been the right teacher response if instead of saying "bless you"
during a test, a student disrupted class by pulling out a prayer rug
and kneeling on it. Just ask them.
grade for saying "bless you" after someone sneezed in class, some of
the media sensationalized the item with accusations about the teacher
"...bringing god into his grading." I have to side with the educator on
this one. As a former classroom math teacher, I know exactly what it is
about, and it's not about religion. It's about disruption in the
classroom.
Teachers have to cover the curriculum in the designated time period
working within the reality of absences, disruptions, and different
learning styles. Of course we can't control absences and learning
styles, but we can make rules for our classroom about behavior. I, too,
had to deal with verbal outbursts from students. I, too, made clear
rules about when talking was appropriate, and I, too, was on the
receiving end of what I call "Creative Disruptions," where students
tried to bend the rules. Since I wanted students to feel valued about
their input, and reassured during their confusion, my style was to be
lenient about talking during instruction time.
During testing, however, no talking was allowed, not even a "god
bless you," which came under my "No talking or disruptions of any kind
during tests" rule. Creative Disruptions occurred for different reasons.
Students made noises during exams to amuse their friends ("See, I
talked during Ms. Mulkey's math test, and you said I didn't have the
nerve.") and they made creative disruptions in order to cheat on tests
(the old trick of "oops, dropped my paper" to trade answers with
neighbor). And, during tests, there was the "bless you" after sneezes
real and faked, just for the sake of disruption. I knew the sounds, and
I knew the students involved well enough to tell faux from genuine.
Why is Cuckovich's practice not about religion? It's not about
religion because religion has no place in the classroom. It's not about
religion because a teacher's very reasonable rules should not and cannot
be trumped by a pretended religious "practice" (there were times when
"bless you" was uttered during a test by a student who never said it in, say,
the lunchroom. That's how I know when it was for disruption.)
Sadly, there is an even more disturbing possibility in this. We need
to recognize that some elements of the Right may use this story and
others as propaganda for something like a Christian Theocracy
Manifesto. Just ask the loudest critics of Mr. Cuckovich what would
have been the right teacher response if instead of saying "bless you"
during a test, a student disrupted class by pulling out a prayer rug
and kneeling on it. Just ask them.