Term paper about "God" earns student failing grade

[Unassisted]

http://www.vvdailypress.com/2005/111996392756993.html

Term paper about 'God' earns student failing grade

'He told me you might as well write about the Easter Bunny. He wanted to censor the word God.'

Aaron J.H. Walker / Staff Photographer
Bethany Hauf looks through a draft of her final paper titled 'In God We Trust' at her home in Apple Valley.


By LEROY STANDISH/Staff Writer

VICTORVILLE — For using the "G" word 41 times in a term paper, Bethany Hauf was given an "F" by her Victor Valley Community College instructor.

Hauf's teacher approved her term paper topic — Religion and its Place within the Government — on one condition: Don't use the word God. Instead of complying with VVCC adjunct instructor Michael Shefchik's condition Hauf wrote a 10-page report for her English 101 class entitled "In God We Trust."

"He said it would offend others in class," Hauf, a 34-year-old mother of four, said. "I didn't realize God was taboo."

Hauf has received legal assistance from the American Center for Law and Justice. The ACLJ is a conservative Christian legal foundation founded by Dr. M.G. "Pat" Robertson, who is also the founder, chairman and face of the Christian Broadcasting Network.

"I don't loose my First Amendment rights when I walk into that college," Hauf said. She is demanding an apology from the teacher and that the paper be re-graded.

The college says the issue over Hauf's paper, written during the spring semester, has been satisfactorily resolved. "We settled this matter during the course of this class," said Judy Solis, chair of VVC's English department. "She was treated fairly and she knew what the options were."

Shefchik could not be reached for this report.

Hauf took her concerns about not being able to use "God" in her report to her teacher, then to the department chair. During a joint meeting between all three the options were laid out: Hand in the report with the "G" word or revise, edit or re-write the paper, Solis said.

"She continued to write her paper," Solis said. "She knew what the consequences were."

Hauf acknowledges she knew her teacher's condition for writing the paper, but argued it would be impossible to write about the affect of Christianity on the development of the United States without using the word God. "He told me you might as well write about the Easter Bunny," Hauf said. "He wanted to censor the word God."

Hauf first approached her teacher about writing her paper in an April 12 e-mail, according to a 12-page ACLJ paper sent to the college offering legal opinions in favor of Hauf.

Shefchik wrote her back an e-mail approving her topic choice, but at the same time cautioning her to be objective in her reporting. "I have one limiting factor," Shefchik wrote, according to the ACLJ. "No mention of big 'G' gods, i.e., one, true god argumentation."

The ACLJ said his actions are unconstitutional. "A student's constitutional free speech rights to express religious views are fully protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments," the ACLJ wrote.

In addition to an apology and a re-grading of Hauf's paper, the ACLJ demands Shefchik "receive some kind of training to sensitize him to the constitutional dimensions of his employment in a public educational institution, including his duty to respect constitutional freedoms of expression."

Hauf's husband supports his wife's position. "She has to pursue this. Not only has her civil rights been violated this is an English class she took, not a political science course," Fritz Hauf said. "She should be graded on the composition not the 'G' word."

Though getting an "F" on the research paper Hauf got a "C" for the class.

[WVRed]

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[westofyou]

on one condition: Don't use the word God. Instead of complying with VVCC adjunct instructor Michael Shefchik's condition Hauf wrote a 10-page report for her English 101 class entitled "In God We Trust."

Well... I guess she's above the rules eh?

[Falls City Beer]

Somebody should send the author of this article to college for a brush-up on proofreading.

Or maybe I should just say, "God, what a stupid writer!"

Whatever, baby, life ain't fair, and the teacher makes the rules. Now go suck on your thumb.

[registerthis]

The ACLJ said his actions are unconstitutional. "A student's constitutional free speech rights to express religious views are fully protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments," the ACLJ wrote.

It sounds like the student was informed well in advance about the criteria for the paper, and chose to ignore them.

If the professor wanted her to write a paper without using the word "refrigerator", he could have done so. If the student intentionally ignored the criteria for the paper, then her grade is understandable. If she met with the teacher and department chair, and the criteria of the paper was firmly established, I don't know what her grounds for complaint are.

With regards to the quote above, she has every right to hold the views that she does...but the professor is under absolutely no obligation to give her a passing grade for them.

[traderumor]

Why didn't she just substitute Lord?

God help me, I agree with WOY and FCB here. I'm really not understanding her and the ACLJ's position. Where was her free speech violated? And does free speech extend to term papers with specific instructions?

[guttle11]

This is stupid. Its not a matter ofsupressing a religious belief. Its a matter of a student breaking the prompt. Ill go back a 5 years when i was in 8th grade. I took the Profiency test. The one thing our teacher told us was that you have to follow the prompt. Doesnt matter if your essay was Pulitzer worthy, if it doesnt follow the propmt, you fail. This is no different than if the teacher said dont write about Baseball, and she wrote a paper titled "Why Pete rose should be reinstated to MLB". Fail.

I am conservative and a christian, but come on, this is stupid

[RedFanAlways1966]

So a simple three letter word, GOD, is a bad word? It is like words that I cannot type in here... the F word, a slang word for feces, a word that means a female dog?!? So much for freedom-of-speech. I am holding my breath until the ACLU comes in and protects this lady (the student, not the teacher). Where uis the ACLU?!?

... sounds like the student was informed well in advance about the criteria for the paper, and chose to ignore them

Whatever, baby, life ain't fair, and the teacher makes the rules. Now go suck on your thumb

Criteria? Rules made by others? Gee... I guess these comments open a BIG can of worms for the future on the non-BB side of RZ.

Go suck your thumb? I might use that phrase the next time Rove or Rummy make comments that seem to offend certain types. I love it! I really do!

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by RedFanAlways1966

So a simple three letter word, GOD, is a bad word? It is like words that I cannot type in here... the F word, a slang word for feces, a word that means a female dog?!? So much for freedom-of-speech. I am holding my breath until the ACLU comes in and protects this lady (the student, not the teacher). Where uis the ACLU?!?





Criteria? Rules made by others? Gee... I guess these comments open a BIG can of worms for the future on the non-BB side of RZ.

Go suck your thumb? I might use that phrase the next time Rove or Rummy make comments that seem to offend certain types. I love it! I really do!

Are you implying that I break the rules of Redszone? Or that I cry about Rummy's or Rove's comments? I shriek like a girl, I don't cry.

But seriously, what on earth are you talking about?

[guttle11]

Originally Posted by RedFanAlways1966

So a simple three letter word, GOD, is a bad word? It is like words that I cannot type in here... the F word, a slang word for feces, a word that means a female dog?!? So much for freedom-of-speech. I am holding my breath until the ACLU comes in and protects this lady (the student, not the teacher). Where uis the ACLU?!?





Criteria? Rules made by others? Gee... I guess these comments open a BIG can of worms for the future on the non-BB side of RZ.

Go suck your thumb? I might use that phrase the next time Rove or Rummy make comments that seem to offend certain types. I love it! I really do!

there is nothing wrong with the word GOD.

The problem is that she is whining about a failing grade when she deserves it. She didnt follow the prompt. Fail.

its not a constitutional matter. Not a matter of church and State. Its a matter of following directions. Something they taught me in preschool.

Kudos to the teacher

[RedFanAlways1966]

Originally Posted by guttle11

there is nothing wrong with the word GOD.

The problem is that she is whining about a failing grade when she deserves it. She didnt follow the prompt. Fail.

its not a constitutional matter. Not a matter of church and State. Its a matter of following directions. Something they taught me in preschool.

I respect that, but.... and the list of other banned words that this teacher gave to the whole class? I want to see the whole list of banned words.

Why was GOD banned? Was this a class about satanism or is it the teacher's personal views that caused him/her to ban GOD? If so, does that make GOD a bad word like the afore-mentioned words in my 1st post?

I want to see all the banned words! If there is not a list or other banned words (that are not considered curse words), then something smells rotten.

[guttle11]

but hey, at least she's hot

[Unassisted]

Originally Posted by traderumor

Why didn't she just substitute Lord?

I agree. Surely, a good writer could have come up with enough synonyms to comply with the "letter of the law" here.

[Red Leader]

I was given a little "lesson" on following directions in 5th grade. Our last math test of the year. Our teacher had been building this thing up for weeks telling us this was going to be the hardest test we ever took. Test day came. She passed out the test. Told us to read the directions, take our time, and turn in papers when finished. If you read the directions, the directions stated "Do not answer any of the questions, simply write your name at the top of the page, sit in your seat quietly until 2:15pm, and then get in line at the desk to hand in your paper."

I did not read the directions. I was so concerned about doing well on the test, I looked at the first problem and started working on it. It took me about 45 minutes to do the test (25 questions). I handed it in shortly before the bell rang. I got it back the next day......F. Confused, I took it home to my Dad. We worked the problems at home. All of my answers to the problems were correct. My Dad went into school with me the next day to talk to the teacher. She had him read the directions at the top of the page. He was upset about it, and told her so. He, nor I, could do anything about it, though. Those were the directions. I didn't follow them, and I failed that test (and got a B for the class as a result). I always read directions on everything to this day.

[guttle11]

Originally Posted by RedFanAlways1966

I respect that, but.... and the list of other banned words that this teacher gave to the whole class? I want to see the whole list of banned words.

Why was GOD banned? Was this a class about satanism or is it the teacher's personal views that caused him/her to ban GOD? If so, does that make GOD a bad word like the afore-mentioned words in my 1st post?

I want to see all the banned words! If there is not a list or other banned words (that are not considered curse words), then something smells rotten.

Ever heard of "seperation of church and state" I think he wanted to avoid issues with that and possible heat from the school. instead he got this

EDIT

Please disregard the above post. I didnt read the whole story, maybe she should take note