Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in Florida

Teacher in public college opens class by saying that her religious duty requires her to tell us that we will all go to hell without accepting jesus. Is this legal in a public school system?


Asked on 12/08/11, 8:58 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Samuel Mutch Samuel A. Mutch, P.A.

Good question and a hard one depending on where one is located.

It is inappropriate for a teacher to enforce her religion on students, but is she expressing her First Amendment Right to Free Speech and Religion by telling you that it is her "religious duty" to make the statement.

I would think that the federal courts would say that she has no right to violate others freedom of expression while she is in control of the classroom and therefore she may not make such a comment. She does have academic freedom but that is circumscribed by her responsibilities as a public employee not to use her position to promote her religion.

As a Christian, I would find her comments offensive in the classroom or any other place. I can imagine how non-Christians feel when she makes that statement.

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Answered on 12/08/11, 12:24 pm


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