Nearly two weeks after the “Stomp on Jesus” class assignment came to light, the genius administrators [sarcasm alert] at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) finally did something.
Deandre Poole, the instructor (not professor! Big Difference!) who had his students write the name of “Jesus” on a piece of paper, then stomp on it, has been put on administrative leave.
Poole is the vice chair of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party.
CBS Miami reports, March 29, 2013:
Officials at Florida Atlantic University announced the move against Dr. Deandre Poole after receiving a complaint from student Ryan Rotella, who claims he was unfairly suspended from class for not writing the word ”Jesus” on a piece of paper and stomping on it as part of a class exercise.
The schools said removing Dr. Poole from the classroom was “for safety reasons” after the incident garnered a lot of media attention.
The controversy has even caught the attention of Governor Rick Scott, who called on University System Chancellor Frank Brogan to thoroughly investigate Rotella’s claims. “As we enter the week memorializing the events of Christ’s passion, this incident gave me great concern over the lessons we are teaching our students,” Scott wrote in the letter.
Rotella, a deeply religious Mormon, told CBS12 that he was offended and refused to participate in the exercise. “Anytime you stomp on something it shows that you believe that something has no value. So if you were to stomp on the word Jesus, it says that the word has no value,” said Rotella.
Rotella said he voiced his concerns to his teacher’s supervisor and later learned he was suspended from the class.
So, Poole is put on administrative leave NOT because of his offensive class assignment but because the university fears for his personal safety!
God help us.
Please see FotM’s previous posts on this story here, here, here, and here.
~Eowyn
