WitchCraft in Elementary Schools?

Woman Says She Was Fired Because Principal Said She Practiced Witchcraft

(CBS) HAMPTON BAYS, N.Y. A Long Island elementary school teacher is suing the Hampton Bays school district after she was fired because her administrators allegedly believed she was a witch teaching witchcraft to her students. Her lawyer is calling the case a "21st century re-enactment of the Salem Witchcraft Trials."

Lauren Berrios told CBS 2 that she was terminated after she was told that she "entice[d] children into witchcraft and magic through literature."

Berrios, who was born a Catholic before converting to Judaism, said she was fired in 2001 after being falsely accused of being a witch, which is now the basis of her $2 million lawsuit. Her attorney, John Ray, says she was the victim of a public school district trying to push Christian values."

There's unquestionably in this matter a question of church and state being not separated, but being brought together by born-again Christians in this school," Ray said.

A school spokesperson says Berrios' claim lacks merit, but in 2003 the school's principal at the time testified he believed that Berrios practiced witchcraft."

Every school that I go to interview in I have to disclose to them that I was denied tenure for enticing children into witchcraft and magic," Berrios says.

Even before she was fired, Berrios says her principal removed books from her classroom, including the popular series "Goosebumps," as well as "Harry Potter." She believes books that didn't mesh with principal's religious values, even including African-American literature, were taken out of her curriculum.

Ray admits that Berrios' appearance didn't help her cause either, especially when she was teaching her students about the Salem witch trials. "Mrs. Berrios has long fingernails, wears dark make-up, wears black," he said.

Berrios' very own modern-day witch trial will likely draw to a close this week. The case will be decided by a federal jury beginning Wednesday.

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_065160805.html

A federal jury rejected the claim that Berrios had been fired because of false accusations that she was a witch, and she did not win the 2 million.

So what do you think about this? Honestly, I think the teacher was in the wrong BUT only because of the age of the students she was working with. I have two children in elementary school and I would not have wanted them to be exposed to "witchcraft" in this way. If they were in high school, it would have been a little different. Young children are so easily influenced and especially with the teacher using Harry Potter that makes the whole topic seem fun. I could definitely see my youngest being interested in this life style if her teacher made it seem exciting and fun.

As a high school student, I would have been interested in learning about her point of view but would have been mature enough to understand the consequences of choosing that life style. As a parent, I would not have been offended at all to know that a teacher was exposing my teenager to this.

I think the teacher was given the appropriate punishment, and that she should not be allowed to work with young children if she is going to try to be so pushy with her viewpoint!