Teacher penalizes students for saying "bless you"

[The Northerner]

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Northern California teacher says he doesn't want to hear a common courtesy in his classroom.

He's even lowering students' grades if they say "bless you" after someone sneezes.

Steve Cuckovich says the practice is disrespectful and disruptive. He's banned saying "bless you" in his high school health class in Vacaville.

He even knocked 25 points from one student's grade for saying the phrase in class.

Read more: http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news%2Fstate&id=8372183

[sakabatou]

1. Well that's stupid.

[FromMadera]

4. totally stupid

May God have mercy on his soul! ;)

[LeftyMom]

2. Oh great, now their souls might escape when they sneeze.

Why is this news?

[MineralMan]

3. Moronic. nt.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

5. does said teacher allow Gesundheit? n/t

[Fire Walk With Me]

22. Did you just say "Gesundheit"? This is going down on your permanent record...

[ProdigalJunkMail]

41. eh, I just get the feeling that he's trying to get past some

short lived problem in the classroom...i know how students can get out of hand with this sort of thing. i mean, seriously, do 29 people need to say bless you when you sneeze? (assuming his class size is 30)


i kind of agree with the guy...

sP

[Liberal_in_LA]

75. lol n/t

[REP]

111. It means 'good health' (loosely translated); not 'bless you'

[Lance_Boyle]

73. Even the staunchest atheist could not have a problem with 'health'

where s/he might have a problem with people delivering a religious blessing to sneezers.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

77. my thinking here is that the students are just using 'bless you'

as an excuse to be loud and disruptive. it would seem that the best thing to do would be to ban ALL responses to sneezes, burps, farts, coughs...whatever. i got a feeling this whole thing has nothing to do with 'god' or any such notion...

sP

[OhioChick]

6. Ridiculous n/t

[northoftheborder]

7. That is ridiculous. However, when people say that to me when....

....I sneeze, I feel like it is just calling attention to a spontaneous action which can't be helped. It is an "old timey" tradition to say it to people when they sneeze. Gezundheit means the same thing in German, which used to be considered clever to say instead of "bless you", now I consider it as superfluous also. But to outlaw these sayings is absurd.

[calendargirl]

13. Politeness is superfluous?

Gesundheit means health, or "to your health" by the way. Not "Bless you."

[Odin2005]

19. I grew up using "gesundheit" and I feel rude if I don't say it.

[Lost-in-FL]

44. Same here.

Not a believer but it is still second nature for me to react that way when someone sneezes. I try saying "Salud!" which has no religious underpinnings and it is Used mostly by Hispanics/Latinos, in the Spanish language of course. Salud=Health

[ProdigalJunkMail]

43. gesundheit does not mean bless you...though it is used in that way...

it is really a non-religious wish for good health.

sP

[OHdem10]

8. Not too smart. Attacking culture only creates dissension and

friction. Makes the person doing it look SMALL.

[Lost-in-FL]

9. And apparently... This is an example of "news"? How?

This teacher is too much, however, I wonder why this is important news.


No offense to the poster but the reporter that decided that this situation is worthy of "news" status.

[stuntcat]

17. no offense taken

OK I'm not The Northerner!!! But I thank them for pointing this story out, I mean showing me the fact that this is what ABC considers news.

It is news for the exact same reason that this teacher is doing this to his students.

People need to concern themselves with something that actually matters.

PLEASE HUMANS, WAKE THE FYCK UP ALREADY.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Warren DeMontague]

33. I thought the thread about Obama's uncle getting a DUI was helpful and informative

Anyway, you wouldn't be suggesting there's a pattern, there, would you? :shrug:

[blm]

39. Would I? Uh...that would be a....

YEP!!!

[geardaddy]

65. Delete

[PavePusher]

60. It becomes newsworthy when he is reducing grades for it, i.e. capriciously penalizing students.

A sign that he should be in another profession.

[HockeyMom]

10. Do you know where it comes from?

You SOUL could come out when you sneeze. A person would call on god to not let that happen. Ah, the wonderful things you "learn" in catholic school.

[truebrit71]

26. Actually it dates back to the Black Death in Britain and Europe...

...once of the symptoms of the plague was constant sneezing...hence people said 'god bless you' if you started to sneeze...

The childrens song 'Ring around the roses' is about the plague and it's various stages before the victims died...(also, the ending to the song isn't 'Ashes, Ashes, we all fall down' but rather 'A-choo, A-choo' 'we all fall down' ).

[Lost-in-FL]

38. Thanks for the lesson! nt

[Lance_Boyle]

74. I can't be the only one

who read that as "thanks for the lesion."

[kctim]

11. What an idiot

I would say it after every sneeze if I was one of his students, and I would make a point to say 'God bless you.'

[Hassin Bin Sober]

102. LOL. Of course you would. Always fightin' that "battle of ideas" eh?

[kctim]

130. Bleh

Some people have a problem with capitalism, I have a problem with authority. Especially when it's politically motivated.

[AngkorWot]

12. Likely the students were using it to disrupt class.

Somebody sneezes in the middle of a lecture, a bunch of students loudly say "bless you" to interrupt the lecture, giggle about it.

[uppityperson]

18. that was my thought. Not enough info in an article to decide. thanks. nt

[YvonneCa]

56. That what I guessed...

...too. But it was not a smart decision on the teacher's part, given the current education climate.

[Posteritatis]

108. Gotta love that carte blanche. OMG! Disruption! Panic! (nt)

[uppityperson]

14. It depends on the situation, how it is said. Not knowing any more but this small clip, can't have an

opinion.

If someone in a class repeatedly sneezes and others are disruptive, yelling "bless you bless you bless you", then I can see the problem. If it is a one time thing, done quietly, out of politeness and not with the main goal of disrupting a class, then go for it.

[Odin2005]

15. That's idiotic.

[arcane1]

16. I wouldn't call it disrespectful and disruptive

but I would call it silly.

[geardaddy]

20. Is the teacher going to dock the students for saying "good bye?"

Eejit.

[Warren DeMontague]

21. ZOMG! TEH WAR ON CHRISTMAS STARTED EARLY!!! ATHEISTS ON TEH RAMPAGE!!!

Anyway, Fresno? I call bullshit. Probably the same group that was bleating about the "declaration of independence being BANNED"

I'm certain there's more to this story, and underneath it is some prayer-in-school group.

...:boring:

[geardaddy]

23. You're probably right.

It is ABC news after all.

[LeftinOH]

24. The phrase "bless you" IS useless and disruptive -in class, and in most

workplaces. However, banning it and penalizing people for saying it is wrong. As a chronic sneezer (various allergies), I don't ever expect anyone to say 'bless you' -and I would prefer that they did not.

[JoePhilly]

27. The sneeze is far more disruptive than any response.

When I sneeze, people in far away places will acknowledge it. Some with "bless you" or other traditional responses, some with "Everybody Run!!!", or "What the heck was that!!!"

So, regardless of how people respond to my earth shattering sneezes, I usually, just say ... "thanks" ... or "sorry". And then we all laugh and move on.

[MedicalAdmin]

46. That reminds me of the last time I was shopping with my wife.

This was just after the last Harry Potter movie had come out and I heard 2 kids in the next isle saying "stupify!" to each other. So I yelled over the isles "expecto patronum" and I heard the kids run into a shelf, some stuff drop to the ground and then they started laughing and talking about an "adult playing" and how cool it was.

One should always look behind the intent of the words and the intent of the speaker. Meaning is decidedly connotative.

[JoePhilly]

86. Oh, that IS funny ... my 12 year old daughter and I have recently ...

started to do something very silly along similar lines.

There are a couple SNL skits in which Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Falin host a show called "The Barry Gibb Talk Show".

They do it as a political talk show, and Falin plays Barry Gibb. And he plays Barry as very, very, angry.

But Timberlake plays the brother "Robin Gibb" and Robin has absolutely no position on any issue.

So in these skits, as things get crazy, Barry always asks Robin does he have an opinion on each issue ... and Robin always says "No, no I don't". And they way he says it, is very funny.

So now, my daughter and I, will answer almost any question where the answer is "no", with a version of "no, no I don't".

When it happens, we crack up. And no one else gets it.

And for my daughter, I'm cool.

[MedicalAdmin]

127. Although I don't have any kids of my own ( that's another sad story),

I do enjoy them. They are entertaining. And reflective.

[calendargirl]

30. Do you consider please and thank you disruptive as well?

For many people, bless you and gesundheit are reflexive gestures of politeness. Of course no one has to say either of them, but it's silly to chastise people for common courtesy.

[LeftinOH]

40. After the first sneeze, I usually have to announce that there will be other sneezes

to come -and that saying "bless you" one time is sufficient..and thank you.

[LanternWaste]

55. As are handshakes, hugs, and saying "hello".

"The phrase "bless you" IS useless and disruptive -in class, and in most workplaces."

As are handshakes, hugs, the sneeze itself, and even saying "hello".
No more, no less.

[JoePhilly]

25. Bless his heart!!!!

Sorry ... this agnostic could not resist.

[RevStPatrick]

29. I'm in the habit of saying...

You're SOOOOO good looking!

[geardaddy]

32. LOL

[Warren DeMontague]

31. The "Intolerant Atheist Teacher" ranks right up there with "Bon-Bon Eating Welfare Queen in Limo"

and "woman who is pregnant for 8 months and DEMANDS an abortion because she thinks she looks fat"

:eyes:

[loyalsister]

36. + 1

My thoughts exactly

[blm]

37. Exactly!!!

.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

79. Is this guy an atheist?

He just sounds like a run of the mill asshole to me. Agreed?

[Warren DeMontague]

96. I think the story sounds like bullshit, and given especially that it's Fresno, I suspect there's

more going on.

To wit, I'm reminded of the bullshit brou-ha-ha over the "Declaration of Independence BANNED AT CALIFORNIA SCHOOL!!!!1111!!!" crap that went on a few years ago:

http://mediamatters.org/research/200412090002

I strongly suspect there's more to this story, and it's been somehow deliberately generated for the purposes of right-wing radio fodder.

[greiner3]

34. When someone says this stupid saying;

I say Darwin!

[MedicalAdmin]

50. Do you say it to be mean, or in fun.

Intent, in this case is important.

I always try to reply to courtesy with courtesy. And I make an effort (despite the fact that it is not my natural inclination) to be polite to the impolite. I find it is more effective most times.

ANd then I move on.



I can see where, in the right circumstances and said the right way where that would be funny and thought provoking.

[Lint Head]

35. This teacher is pathetic and wasting educational time with trivialities

[FreeJoe]

42. I hate sanctimonious teachers

I hate sanctimonious teachers, regardless of their stripes. When I was a child, we moved from Texas to New York. On the first day of school, my sister, who was very shy and very disturbed by the move, answered a teacher by saying "yes, ma'am". She was berated in front of the class by the incredibly insenstive teacher for calling her "ma'am". I'll never forget how upset that made her. Stupid teacher.

[RebelOne]

45. I am an atheist and do not object to anyone saying

"bless you" when I sneeze. I just say thank you. I live in North Georgia, and there are a lot of very religious fundies here. Often, when I am shopping, a cashier will say, "Have a blessed day." I just say, "same to you" even though I don't mean it.

[ebayfool]

100. I usually reply 'No thank you' ...

by the time they process it I've proceeded on my way & they can figger it out!

[Lucian]

47. I never understood why people have to be polite when someone sneezes.

I've never been a fan of social niceties. Why do we have to say "bless you" when someone sneezes? How come we don't say that if someone farts or burps in public? Those are natural bodily functions too. And who is blessing the person when you say "bless you?"

I shake my head at the whole practice.

[HuckleB]

48. No one says you must.

But social niceties are about connecting with one another as humans. That's not a bad thing, IMO.

[Lucian]

49. Social niceties are insincere and pointless.

[H2O Man]

52. In your case,

that appears to be true. I'm comfortable taking your word for it.

In many, perhaps most other cases, it is not.

[Lucian]

53. Well, I would like to have a discussion about this.

When you say "bless you" when someone sneezes, do you mean it? Or, when you say "thank you" to someone who holds the door open for you, do you mean that also? Or, if someone's upset, and you ask the person if everything is okay, do you really care to know? How many people actually do?

[NYC Liberal]

54. I say Thank You when someone holds the door and I do mean it.

However, I don't say anything when someone sneezes.

I love when I sneeze a few times in a row and someone keeps saying "Bless you" "Bless you" "Bless you" each time. Really?

[Lucian]

58. That can be annoying, yes.

[LanternWaste]

59. I imagine more than you may believe.

"How many people actually do?"

I imagine more than you may believe. Difficult to predicate the particular mores of others on our own particulars I would think...

[fishwax]

72. I do

Well, not so much with the bless you thing. Sometimes I say gezundheit (or, more rarely, the Lithuanian sveikata, which likewise means to your health). I suppose I mean it, though it doesn't reflect a deep feeling from the bottom of my heart or anything.

When I see someone coming out a door I'm walking in, I tend to hold the door for them, especially if their hands are full or if they're with kids; I don't do it simply because it's "socially expected" or polite, but because it's a simple way to help out my fellow man in some small way with a bare minimum of effort. I don't care whether they say thank you, but when someone does the same for me I say thanks and I mean it, since I appreciate the gesture.

When I ask if everything is okay, I really care to know (I suppose that may not always be the case, but generally). Also, when I ask "how's everything going today" I'm fine with either a reflexive "fine" or an honest answer. I don't ask simply to be polite or because it's socially expected, but because I usually get a kick out of the times when it leads to an actual conversation. (I apparently have a face that, for whatever reason, random people like to talk to, so it seems to lead to conversations with me more than it does with other people.)

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

80. Why wouldn't you say "thank you" for someone holding the door?

I understand dismissing "bless you" being only an ingrained reactive thing at this point, but why wouldn't you thank someone for giving you a hand?

[HuckleB]

69. Not if I'm offering them, they're not.

Read some of John Gottman's research on human interaction. Treating each other well is not a bad thing.

[PavePusher]

62. "I've never been a fan of social niceties."

Fine. Don't be surprised the next time someone lets a door slam in your face when you hands are full.

[Lucian]

66. I can always manage to open a door if my hands are full.

Or, I make more than one trip.

I don't really like it when people are nice to me. To me, they're doing those nice things because it's the socially acceptable thing to do, not because they really want to help.

[PavePusher]

68. Well, I'm glad you are so good at telepathy.

I'm sure you have a bright future in the mental health field...

[Bucky]

78. "*A-choo!*". "God bless you". "Fuck you and your patriarchal bullshit, asshole!"

:rofl:

[Lucian]

89. Haha.

I'm not that bad.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

81. Wow....

That's really sad. I feel really sorry for you, and I truly mean that.

[Lucian]

88. Why?

I just have a pessimistic view of humanity. I don't really see the good in people. I just see a planet full of selfish people with no care in the world other than completing their own selfish goals, even if that means walking all over everyone else to accomplish those goals.

Don't feel sorry for me.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

90. Yet these selfish people take time out of their selfish lives...

....to recognize you exist, and to hold the door for you, so it must be some sort of societal brainwashing doing it? A truly absorbed person wouldn't bother.....and many don't (and I might infer, you don't), but there are those who do. What makes them different?

What caused those bystanders a few weeks ago who lifted a burning car to pull an injured motorcyclist out from under it? Because I think that goes above and beyond all forms of society's constructs.

If you can't see the good in people, how do you make friends?

[Lucian]

91. I don't really have any friends.

I don't really like people. I don't like interacting with them, except through a discussion forum like this one. Like I said, I question people's motives and I don't trust them.

In my experience, no one gives a shit. So I figure, why the hell should I?

Pulling a burning car off an injured motorcyclist is a bit different than holding the door open for someone. That's an issue of life or death. Holding the door isn't.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

93. Hmm....well I guess you pretty much confirmed what I thought the issue was

I don't like the initial awkwardness of interacting with people much either. But when I find people I do like, it's a joy. If you question people's motives and don't trust them......I'm guessing that is more a reflection of what you think of yourself and your worth to anyone. And that is why I feel sad for you.

But as to the last line, again.....if people aren't good and selfish, why should they risk their life to save some else? I realize holding the door and lifting a car aren't the same......so what's the selfish husk's motivation?

[PavePusher]

104. They are the same.

The difference is in degree, not kind.

[PavePusher]

103. Your blinders may be on too tight.

But it's a problem you can only fix yourself.

I wish you the best of luck with that, and hope you can find your cure as soon as possible.

[LanternWaste]

83. I imagine we often presume and guess at the intent of others

"they're doing those nice things because it's the socially acceptable thing to do, not because they really want to help..."

I imagine we often presume and blindly guess at the intent of others in such a way as to better validate our own civility.

[TorchTheWitch]

112. You don't like it when people are nice to you???

Well, if you would be happier being treated with rudeness and contempt so that you can reassure yourself that your stratospheric level of cynicism is justifiable I'll do my best. But of course, with that level of cynicism you'd be suspicious that I was only treating you with rudeness and contempt just to be polite when I really would rather treat you with kindness, and apparently that would upset your stratospheric level of cynicism applecart as well.

:crazy:

[geardaddy]

63. Excellent point.

Why is sneezing the one function that the offenders have to offer a nicety for? If I farted or burped and didn't say "excuse me," I'd be glared at, but some consider it rude if someone sneezes and the other people don't say, "bless you," "Gesundheid," or "you're sooo good looking."

[Lucian]

64. Sneezing seems acceptable in public, yet...

it's the one thing that can make others sick. When I fart or burp, it affects no one directly (except if the gas is smelly).

I just don't get it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

67. Saying "bless you" when someone sneezes is calling on God

to keep the person's soul from escaping through the sneeze. Your soul does not escape via belches and farts, so there's no need to say "bless you."

You might try it, though, next time you witness somebody farting, but the person might feel insulted that you were assuming their soul could escape out their butthole.

[HuckleB]

70. Or you might just realize that meanings change over time, and say thanks.

[Warren DeMontague]

98. Maybe YOUR soul doesn't escape via farts, buddy.

Mine do, that's why they smell like honey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ggQBU8eSXM

[Raine]

51. IDIOTIC nt

[IndyPragmatist]

57. if you want to make a person feel better after they sneeze, you shouldn't say 'God bless you'...

you should say, 'You're soo good lookin''.

[Freddie Stubbs]

61. It's good to see that this teacher has given in to pressure and stopped this silly idea

[CopingBarker]

71. He says it has nothing to do with religion

and then says this:
"When you sneezed in the old days, they thought you were dispelling evil spirits out of your body," Cuckovich said. "So they were saying, 'god bless you' for getting rid of evil spirits. But today, I said what you're doing doesn't really make any sense anymore."

Either it's about disrupting class or it's about what you consider "religious" superstition.

Which one is it Steve?

Why db's like this pick these kind of fights is beyond me. Get over yourself and get back to teaching, or whatever it is you spend your time doing at school.

[Bucky]

76. I can understand how this comes about. Kids imprisoned in a classroom will "bless" each other...

when someone sneezes as a passive aggressive means of rebelling against strictures. As a teacher, I also put in arbitrary rules designed to enforce silence during a test. I take off 10 points for talking during the test and seriously enforce this rule (but they get the 10 points back if they finish the rest of the test in "monastic silence." First off this given them a carrot-stick situation to practice respecting other students' right to work in a studious environment. Second off, it gives those that need it a baby-steps formula for learning to work in an academically rigorous environment. Study, after all, requires concentration. It's not about hurting that talkative kid; it's about forcing them to respect the rights of other students who might need the silence to do their best on the exam.

Please try to avoid over-reacting to these out of context headlines. The teacher was probably dealing with disruptive students and simply undertook efforts to impose order onto his classroom. Sadly, some kids need this.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

82. "Reggie Jackson bless you"

This is from an episode of "Webster" when Webster realizes he hates God for killing his parents.

[Donnachaidh]

84. Steve-O needs a high colonic

The kids aren't the problem -- HE IS.

[11 Bravo]

85. Dumb ass. (I know it's redundant, but I just had to say it.)

[workinclasszero]

87. What a jerk

So this teacher has nothing more important to focus on than students saying "bless you"?

Really? With all the garbage goin on in this world, that's the "wisdom" he wants to impart to his students?

The students aren't the ones being disruptive, he is. This guy has no business teaching IMO.

[fascisthunter]

92. more red meat for the reich wingers

[BeHereNow]

94. What an idiot. What's next? "Excuse me?" 50 points off?

A great number of people have been conditioned,
in an unspoken social agreement that certain
phrases are a show of politeness or kindness towards other people.

"Bless you" is one such phrase.
As is "Excuse me."
Or "Thank you."
Or "You're Welcome."

This teacher is an idiot and should probably look
into a job with TSA. Not education.

BHN

[Warren DeMontague]

101. I know. People have been conditioned to respond with knee-jerk predictability to certain things

like, "lookit the out of control, intolerant Atheists waging war on persecuted harmless religious expression!"

:eyes:

I'll bet anything this story is being misrepresented, but that hasn't stopped folks from falling all over themselves to lap up the stupid RW meme.

[Union Scribe]

118. Well be sure to let us know when you get the "real" story.

I haven't seen anyone in this thread condemn anyone but the teacher. You're the only one talking about a "war on...religious expression" or talking about atheists, which we don't even know about the teacher.

[Warren DeMontague]

119. Right. The "real" story is undoubtedly that a teacher just forthehellofit decided to pick on a

common expression of courtesy, out of the blue, that was causing no disruption whatsoever and had no further back-story.

There are plenty of people in this thread BESIDES me who think this story stinks to high heaven. I'm obviously not the only one who remembers THIS story:

http://mediamatters.org/research/200412090002

At the very least I suspect there was some fucking around going on in the class with kids playing a game of saying things like "bless you" to disrupt the class. I highly doubt this was just some teacher deciding to do this because he woke up one day with a stick up his ass.

[Warren DeMontague]

121. Here's the real story for you, or at least a clue towards what I suspect it is:

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Steve-Cuckovich-Defends-Sneezing-Policy-130806173.html

"It was brought to the District’s attention a few days ago that students were disciplined for beingdisruptive in class. The teacher believed that students were dramatically sneezing and responding in repetitive fashion “Bless You”. One of the concerns is the social convention of saying “Gesundheit”, “God Bless You”, or “Bless You” after someone sneezes. Of question is whether a series of these repeated remarks by several students constitutes freedom of speech or a classroom disruption and merits student discipline. Vacaville Unified’s Administration is continuing its investigation of this reported classroom disruption. We are reviewing the impact of this disruption and the student grading policy. Certainly a blessing by one individual to another after a sneeze is a welcomed acknowledgement of a social norm. Hopefully it is not abused as a disruption of classroom instructional activities." Dr. John Niederkorn, Superintendent

Example A) Student Sneezes. Kid next to him quietly whispers "bless you"

Example B) Student Sneezes Loudly in the middle of teacher lecture. 20 students, in turn, all spend the next 5 minutes interrupting the teacher by saying, loudly, "bless you" "gezundheit" "GOD BLESS YOUUUUUUUUUU!!!!"

Example C) After several moths of Example B, Teacher has had quite fucking enough of Example B, and decides to put his foot down.

Example D) Approximately 72 hours after Example C, Nightly News Teams from FOX News and ABCCBSNNBC beat down the door to the high school, driven on by irate right-wing radio bobbleheads who have been screaming all day about "KIDS BEING DISCIPLINED FOR SAYING BLESS YOU!!!!"

[pipi_k]

95. Since when is it a "common courtesy"?

As someone else pointed out above, its roots stem from the hope that the person who sneezed would not develop the plague.

I thought we were past all that mumbo jumbo bullshit by now.


I don't like it when people say "Bless you" to me when I sneeze. I don't need to be blessed. What needs to happen is that I say "Excuse me" for spewing possibly germ-infested snot and spit in the immediate vicinity. And that's what I do.

Common courtesy is saying "Excuse me" whenever something comes flying out of our bodies...farts...belches...coughs...and sneezes.


Having said that, I do think that teacher is being a bit unreasonable about the whole thing. :eyes:

[Taverner]

97. There is something more to this story. I know it.

[Warren DeMontague]

99. Exactly. nt

[pokerfan]

106. maybe

It was brought to the District’s attention a few days ago that students were disciplined for being disruptive in class. The teacher believed that students were dramatically sneezing and responding in repetitive fashion “Bless You”.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Steve-Cuckovich-Defends-Sneezing-Policy-130806173.html

[Posteritatis]

109. Or maybe the teacher's just an asshole, which has been known to happen. (nt)

[Yo_Mama]

115. And most of us are doomed to be one some days,,,

... but it's hard to get away with when you are in front of a class. They'll give you a couple days, but how many high school students would take a couple weeks of this without internally rebelling?

Gesundheit!

[Posteritatis]

125. Personally I wouldn't take one single day of having my grades docked for non-academic reasons. (nt)

[Warren DeMontague]

120. So it's your opinion that kids can fuck around endlessly in a HS classroom, if they're saying "bless

you"?

Example A) Student Sneezes. Kid next to him quietly whispers "bless you"

Example B) Student Sneezes Loudly in the middle of teacher lecture. 20 students, in turn, all spend the next 5 minutes interrupting the teacher by saying, loudly, "bless you" "gezundheit" "God Bless You!!!!"

Example C) After several moths of Example B, Teacher has had quite fucking enough of Example B, and decides to put his foot down.

Example D) Approximately 72 hours after Example C, Nightly News Teams from FOX News and ABCCBSNBC beat down the door to the high school, driven on by irate right-wing radio bobbleheads who have been screaming all day about "KIDS BEING DISCIPLINED FOR SAYING BLESS YOU!!!!"

[Posteritatis]

124. I love it when people fabricate statements so they can respond to those instead. (nt)

[Warren DeMontague]

129. I think that's at least as reasonable a hypothesis as "teacher just decided to ban BLESS YOU because

he's an asshole"

[Nye Bevan]

105. Saying "bless you" when someone sneezes is clearly tantamount to having a state-sponsored religion,

in violation of the Constitution.

This *evil* practice needs to be stamped out ASAP.

[Ter]

133. You forgot your sarcasm tag

I hope at least...

[Yo_Mama]

107. Not a born teacher

His explanation is that it is an outmoded practice based on superstition, but for most people it's just a way to be polite, and for many it's an ingrained reflex.

I mean, I say sir and ma'am because I was raised that way, and it doesn't meaning I'm saluting my feudal lords and ladies, if ya know what I mean. For most people saying Gesundheit (health) or Bless you is just a polite acknowledgment of the other person.

You can guess just what happened. This guy has a bit of a rigid personality, and this is one of his pet peeves. So he gives a big lecture on it initially, and of course kids forget and say it, and then he really goes off, and by that time he's picked a fight with the class and everybody says it every time someone sneezes, because they really think he's a bit of an ass and overly controlling.

High school students can be rough on the ego, and certain people just aren't cut out to teach. Kids of that age have a high regard for fairness and, well, respect, and I doubt this teacher gets it.

[Nye Bevan]

113. "bit of an ass and overly controlling"

Sounds accurate to me.

[ZombieHorde]

110. He is being ridiculous, and he is giving conservatives pointless fodder. nt

[Yo_Mama]

116. He's not giving anyone fodder

Teachers that are trying to force their beliefs on others don't come in one political denomination, or one creed, or ethnicity. This is a personal problem. He says it's not anti-religion and I believe him - it's because he wants to force his pet peeves on a bunch of teenagers.

For all you know he could have voted straight-ticket Republican every election since he turned 18.

[ZombieHorde]

128. His politics don't really matter to FOX News.

Just think about how this story will sound to many.

[sabrina 1]

114. And another authoritarian surfaces.

Petty, stupid, and ignorant. What is he doing teaching young children?

[Posteritatis]

126. Lots of them actually, considering the teacher's cheerleaders in this thread. (nt)

[sabrina 1]

135. I am normally a teachers' cheerleader, but not his one.

[Posteritatis]

136. Same here for certain. (nt)

[marshall]

117. Can they say "Excuse me" after farting?

I understand it is annoying, but trying to ban such behaviour is extreme.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

122. I am supposedly left of Gandhi...and I think this is ridiculous. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

123. Yeah, kids should be able to disrupt high school classes at will

especially if they know that if they do it by repeatedly, loudly, disruptively saying "BLESS YOU!!!" in the middle of a lecture, if the teacher tries to do anything about it, he will have Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Michelle Bachmann and FOX NEWS on his ass.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Steve-Cuckovich-Defends-Sneezing-Policy-130806173.html

[w8liftinglady]

131. my partner is an agnostic 5th grade teacher who says "Bless You"

That being said- I think there is a lot more to this story than a simple "Bless you".
Discipline is tough enough in a high school class...I can only imagine trying to lecture when kids consistently sneeze and say bless you.....
..and I can see high schoolers taking advantage of it,too- I was one... and am a mother of three former and current high school students...I know how they think!

[Ter]

132. How does he still have a job?

If my kid was in his class, I'd got down there and tell him to fuck off. He doesn't like manners, so he'd understand.

[tawadi]

134. Crazy

Just crazy.