Comments on: Illinois Family Institute Goes After Me Again

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:49:08 +0000

I second what Dave (above) writes. Just came across this and plan to immediately buy Mr. Mehta’s book, the least I can do to support someone with integrity _and_ a sense of humor. Keep it up, sir.
Bill

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:04:55 +0000

I’m not very good at coming up with collected intelligent arguments and I admire you for that. Kudos. It’s probably better to ignore the assholes like this, cause should you fight back it can easily spiral downwards. I concocted a small mathematical formula that you might understand that fits such a situation.

Idiots + Controversial Issue x Internet = Shitstorm.

Don’t Let the trolls get you down and Keep on rollin’ my friend.

Dave

By: Daylight Atheism > Christians Persecute Atheist Teacher

Daylight Atheism > Christians Persecute Atheist Teacher — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:31:45 +0000

[...] in Hemant’s own words in three posts, Why the Illinois Family Institute Is Angry With Me, Illinois Family Institute Goes After Me Again, and most recently, Laurie Higgins of the Illinois Family Institute Issues an Open Letter to [...]

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:45:43 +0000

Don’t feel lonely, the Illinois ‘Family’ Institute are also opposed to ‘freedom stealing’ universal health care, people who can afford and profit from health care, obviously have the right to watch other families suffer and die due to a lack of health care. Damn that must have one interesting version of the bible, either that or they are ‘er’ likely more ‘er’ atheist than you, they just like to wrap themselves in a cloak of Christianity for marketing purposes.

By: Qwerty

Qwerty — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:56:25 +0000

She now claims in an “open letter” that you’ve made two factual errors in your post. The first is that you state she wants you fired, but she claims her post is some sort of warning to parents. Of course, if all parents removed their children…

Anyhow, as a gay male, I think she’s another homophobobe using a “family” organization to promote her intolerance. I remember the Minnesota Family Council wanted a teacher fired for having a rainbow sticker on his car.

By: abb3w

abb3w — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:32:20 +0000

Ah, missed Ms. Higgins post here: “I have also made it abundantly clear that my goal is to provide information to District 204 parents–particularly IFI readers—about the nature of the ideas you express and endorse on your public blog so that they can make informed decisions as to whether they want their children to spend a school year under your tutelage.” However, the remark on her blog that “parents have the right not to have him as a teacher and a role model for their children” leaves that in question.

Does the school district in question have procedures for moving a child from one math class to another, simply due to personal dislike? My experience with public schools is limited, but given that there are other concerns that have higher administrative priority (making sure classes do not exceed NCLB size limits, making sure all students have a section for courses required for graduation), the additional work-load may goes beyond “reasonable accommodation”. In that sense: no, parents might NOT have the right to demand another teacher.

Another alternative for parents is to withdraw their students from public schools, and arrange home schooling or private school education. If this was the focus of the advocacy, however, I see no need for Ms. Higgins to be communicating with District officials on the topic.

By: Gerard

Gerard — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:12:24 +0000

Hemant – I’m actually sorry that you’re being persecuted in this way. It really is inconceivable that attitudes like this should exist these days.

Perhaps it’s because we friendly Atheists envision a world where people respect free thought and can agree to disagree without trying to destroy someone’s career. Imagine if the shoe were on the other foot and Atheists led a campaign against Christians working in schools polluting the minds of our children?

By: Dale McGowan

Dale McGowan — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:32:31 +0000

This kind of nut-hatchery is an incredible pain, but when there’s someone of your caliber in the hotseat, it can end up as a real positive. I assume you have a solid relationship with your administrator, yes? If s/he supports you and knows the law, let the crazy winds blow. You’ll bring credit to us all, and the non-crazy majority will learn something.

By: 011235813213455

011235813213455 — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:42:23 +0000

Ms. Higgins makes the mistake of assuming, because she has one, that she “understands the adolescent mind.”

What a cretin.

My own kids are out of the public school system because they’re forced to acknowledge a deity in the prayer they call “The Pledge.” More than that, my eldest’s second grade teacher required the children say “Grace” before they were allowed to eat! She withheld food!

Hey Higgins! Got a problem with that? Simpleton! Where are MY rights? Don’t have a problem trouncing my rights and taking my tax dollars to do it – now do you?

By: AdrianT

AdrianT — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:59:35 +0000

This is a cheap, malicious, vindictive deceitful attempt by Higgins to shut down free speech and it must be resisted head-on.

Laurie Higgins and her crackpot organization are well known to the GLBT community. They have fought constantly to oppress gay people – most disgracefully, last year when they made TV commercials, effectively endorsing the bullying of gay kids with a sickening ant-Day of Silence advert.

You can read on more of that on the BoxTurtleBulletin, http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/04/17/10744

Showing solidarity from London, England.

Adrian