Louisiana public school principal apologizes after punishing student for dancing at a party
Louisiana public school principal apologizes after punishing student for dancing at a party
A Louisiana public school principal has apologized and requested leave for punishing a student and questioning her religious beliefs after he saw a video of her dancing at an off-campus party.
The 17-year-old student government president and scholarship candidate was videotaped dancing at an off-campus party following Walker High School’s Sept. 30 Homecoming festivities. A hired DJ took the video and posted it on social media. Three days later, Jason St. Pierre, principal of the public high school near the state capital of Baton Rouge, told the student she would be removed from her position with the student government association and that he would no longer recommend her for college scholarships.
At a meeting in his office with the assistant principal, St. Pierre told the student she wasn’t “living in the Lord’s way,” her mother said, according to The Advocate. He printed out Bible verses with highlighted sections and “questioned who her friends were and if they followed the Lord,” the news outlet reported.
In a statement published Sunday on the Livingston Parish Public Schools district Facebook page, St. Pierre reversed course. Citing the significant public attention the episode had received and more time to consider his decision, the principal apologized to the student’s family and undid his previous disciplinary plans. He also addressed his invocation of religion.
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“Finally, during my conversation with (the student) regarding the dance party, the subject of religious beliefs was broached by (the student) and myself,” St. Pierre wrote. “While that conversation was meant with the best intentions, I do understand it is not my responsibility to determine what students’ or others’ religious beliefs may be – that should be the responsibility of the individual.”
The student and her mother said St. Pierre brought up religion, not her. The mother and daughter have also said the deadline for her scholarship application was on Oct. 3, and questioned whether St. Pierre could have reinstated his scholarship endorsement sooner, The Advocate reported.
In a statement Monday, district officials said St. Pierre had requested to take leave for the remainder of the school year.
“Walker High School Principal Jason St. Pierre has requested to take leave for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year,” said Livingston Parish Public Schools Superintendent Joe Murphy. “The district office is awaiting his paperwork to process his request.”
Fuck this guy for bringing his religion into school administration, and infringing this student's 1A rights with it. Hopefully his leave will become a resignation.
I want to see him fired, not terminated. He’ll probably be allowed to resign, but that doesn’t look as bad on his resume.
My gut tells me that there's some behind-the-scenes going on that we're not aware of. I find it highly unlikely that someone who so brazenly punishes a public school student on religious grounds would reverse course so completely without some more sensible person in a position of authority doing a "U fukn wot m8?"
Somebody grabbed that guy by the collar and told him exactly what he was going to do next: take the blame, apologize, and gtfo.
Probably, still, it’s far more common that religious louts force their beliefs than not-religious people- and it’s starting to get to the point where their beliefs are in fact dangerous.
Speaking as a "not-religious-people," when I force my beliefs on people, it's things like "We call people what they want to be called," and "We don't criticize people for things they didn't choose."
As an atheist, that’s really. It forcing beliefs on others- that’s just common decency, politeness, and good manners.
To force matters, you’re going to have to take a stone or two from their book.
You know, for when they dare where a crucifix. Or dare to check out a Bible from the school library.
This is the second time in this post's comments that I've seen the idea that the pushing of religious beliefs into politics, into non-religious people, etc, is "starting" to become a problem.
No.
It is a problem.
It is dangerous.
It's the reason for the repeal of Roe v Wade, leaving to such atrocities as a 10 year old child being forced to go out of her home state to abort her rapist's baby.
It's the reason Republicans spent so many decades stacking the Supreme Court in the first place, to get outcomes like the above. Remember Mitch McConnell not letting President Obama appoint a replacement for Scalia? That had nothing to do with the people's will and everything to do with conservative, religious beliefs.
It's the reason so many states are passing anti-LGBTQ laws, particularly anti-trans laws, putting queer people of all kinds at risk of violence, depression, and suicide.
It's the reason so many states are banning books and the teaching of accurate history. Suppression of knowledge carries with it a danger all its own.
There is no "starting". The danger is here. Now.
It’s always been a problem, but it’s getting dangerous. As in, physical violence.
Probably this guy was already on someone's radar and they were just waiting for him to fuck around. Then they let him find out.
He was on their radar...he was up for Principal of the Year award.
It's Lousiana, so yes, but definitely not in the way you're thinking
The person you are describing is typically the school district or parish’s lawyer.
He brought up religion; he had pre-printed some scriptures to back up his argument that she was displeasing to God and morally corrupt. Also told her she was going to suffer in her afterlife.
She may have responded to him, but he 100% brought religion into the conversation. By phrasing it the way he did, he was trying to slough off responsibility.
Apparently other students have come forward to say this is NOT the first time he's used his religious beliefs to discipline.
Apparently other students have come forward to say this is NOT the first time he’s used his religious beliefs to discipline.
That was also my suspicion, though I have not read anything about that. Source?
He should be fired, and no retirement package.
It's a retirement or a paid vacation?
Hopefully his leave will become a
resignationfiring.A public firing with a legal opinion from the district lawyer outlining all the laws he broke and a public recommendation for other districts not to hire him because of his illegal behavior would do nicely
We really need a movement anti religion. Enough is enough. No, i dont want to erradicate religion, I want religion out of day to day decisions.
Lmao. My friend showed me a TikTok of some dingbat Christian Lady talking about how hard it is to be a Christian since they're being persecuted so much. Like bitch, it has literally never been easier to be a white Christian in the US with how we're barreling down to good ol' theocracy land