A teacher is retiring after coming under fire for religious comments she made in her classroom—specifically, comments regarding President Barack Obama’s faith.
Nancy Perry of Georgia allegedly told students, “If your parents voted for Obama, they’re evil and I don’t see how your parents could vote for someone that’s Muslim,” according to a parent complaint.
Another parent says Perry showed the children “Internet propaganda,” and told them “any parent who supports him is not a Christian,” as well as telling them Obama aborts babies as they come out of the womb.
Perry denies that she ever made the comments.
The Georgia NAACP filed a complaint about Perry, who has since been removed from the classroom and will retire at the end of the year.
“This is not about Mrs. Perry’s First Amendment rights to express her extreme political opinions,” State President for the Georgia NAACP Francys Johnson says in the complaint. “The NAACP would defend Mrs. Perry’s right as a private citizen to free speech. However, that is not appropriate for the classroom. That plus the menacing presence of her husband in the meeting with parent-teacher conference was designed for one purpose alone—to intimidate those parents.”
The Dublin, Georgia, school system has issued an apology to parents and students regarding Perry’s comments.
“On behalf of the School District, we want to apologize to the student and to his parents,” Dublin City Schools Superintendent Chuck Ledbetter says. “It is not the place of teachers to attempt to persuade students about religious or political beliefs.”
Was the teacher in the right commenting on politics in the classroom? Sound off!
