Girl in Trouble for Saying Bless You in Class, Could it Happen in Wyoming?

I’ve heard of kids being kicked out of school for causing an uproar in class, or for fighting, but one girl got suspension for saying BLESS YOU?

Kendra Turner, a student at Dyer County High School in Tennessee, was sent to the administrative office, after she said “bless you,” after another student sneezed in class.  Apparently, her teacher said that saying “bless you,” was for church!  When she tried to stand up for her religion, the teacher sent her to the administrator’s office, where she was put on “in-school suspension” for the rest of that class period.

Reverand Becky Winegardner, Kendra’s youth pastor said that students had just talked about how to stand up for their faith last week, saying that many of them stated that this particular faculty member was very demeaning when it came to their faith.  One of the students sent a picture of a list of words that the student claims came from that teacher on words they were NOT allowed to use in the classroom, and “bless you” is on the list.  Kendra said that when she said “bless you,” the teacher said “We will not have Godly speaking in my class.”

The superintendent of the school hasn’t commented on the issue, but according to WREG News, the school has a strict policy when it comes to outbursts in the classroom, including saying “bless you” when somebody sneezes.  They enforce this policy so that other students aren’t distracted, especially during tests.

What if this were policy in Wyoming schools?  What would you do as a parent, if your child was sent home from one of the schools in our district, just for saying “bless you?”

I looked through some of the ethical policies stated for educators and faculty working for Laramie County School District 1, and didn’t find any policies where saying bless you would be against any rules.  On of the faculty rules listed in the Laramie County School District 1 ethical code states that educators “Shall not impose personal opinions concerning politics of the District upon students,” even though the District recognizes and supports the First Amendment rights of it’s educators.

Do you think this school in Tennessee has a right to refrain students for using phrases like “bless you” because of religion.  Has your child, or anyone you know, been kicked out of a school in Wyoming for reasons you felt were unethical?