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Understanding Wicca: Ask Fyre
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Paganism in the work place
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by Fyre |
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"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." The establishment clause in the 1st Amendment of the U.S. constitution.
Wiccans, also called witches, previously have been the target of
conservative critics.
"I don't think witchcraft is a religion. I would hope the military officials would take a second look at the decision they made." G.W. Bush (R), as Governor of Texas. Interviewed on ABC's Good Morning America, 1999-JUN-24. He disapproved of Wiccan soldiers having been given the same religious rights as others in the military.
Last month's Article was inspired by an email I received. The article, "When to come out of the Broom Closet" was based on personal feelings about hiding one's religion. This month's Article is focusing Paganism in your work place and how it affects you.
From the beginning of time, people have been afraid of what they do not understand, what is different, or what is hard to believe. Is believing seeing or is seeing believing? Like others, I am sure you have seen an increasing number of articles appearing in the newspapers and on the news about people losing their jobs due to witchcraft or being Wiccan. Problems in schools, organizations, recreational events are all being noted for it's rise in the growing interest in Wicca.
Some of the information below was obtain via the Internet during my research for this article................
Story filed: 11:44 Thursday 21st June 2001
Schoolteacher 'sacked for being a witch'
A US primary school teacher says she was fired because her colleagues and bosses thought she was a witch. Lauren Berrios, 32, is suing the Hampton Bays School District in New York State for $1 million.
She says the rumors first started because she wears black clothing, dramatic makeup and has long fingernails. District Superintendent J. Bruce McKenna says the allegations are "ridiculous."He says Ms. Berrios was released because of her teaching, not her alleged religious beliefs. Ms. Berrios claims the accusations began following a reading lesson in which she mentioned visiting Salem, Massachusetts, where the witch trials took place. Outcome of this case wasn't noted and I was unable to find any further documents as to this case.
Substitute Teacher Fired Over Witches Note
(Greenwood, Indiana) - A substitute teacher has been fired for giving fourth-graders a "how to become a witch" note after they peppered her with questions about witches, including the film "The Blair Witch Project." Greenwood Community Schools Superintendent Pat Garvey refused to identify the teacher and wouldn't say what tips she suggested in the class at Southwest Elementary School. Garvey said the teacher was asked Monday, her first day working for the district, about a story they were reading that mentioned witches. They also asked about the movie "The Blair Witch Project". During recess, she said the teacher typed up a quarter-page summary on how to become a witch and gave it to six of the children when they returned to class. The fired teacher was employed by Kelly Services, which also fired the woman after she wrote a letter of apology to the employment-service firm.
The Orlando Sentinel
KISSIMMEE -- The Osceola County school district claims to pride itself on diversity. However, when board was made aware that the teacher "Aaron Perry" was a Wiccan. He was fired.
Mr. Perry didn't really hide his religion. He wore black clothing, he also has a small Wiccan tattoo. Resembles a snowflake. Mr. Perry believes his trouble began pretty much immediately after he was hired. The students of Neptune Middle School showered him with questions about his appearance.
Student complained to a guidance counselor that Mr.Perry had told his eighth-grade ecology class that he was "Goth" and "anti-Christ." It was also stated that he used profane lyrics by rapper Eminem in class. Perry believe that his trouble was due to a misunderstanding and that the students thought he was a Satanist. School superintendent Blaine Muse said the district does not have to give a reason for firing a teacher if it is done during a 97-day probationary period prescribed by law, and he said he didn't know why Perry was let go.
Perry talked openly to the students telling them that he used to like certain types of clothing and music associated with Goth culture. He believes this is due to "youngsters from an evangelical Christian backgrounds who 'interpreted everything I said as the word of the devil."
The district's Web site proudly refers to the schools as "dynamic . . . dedicated . . . diverse." But Perry said he has no doubt that he would not have been fired if he had been working in a less conservative community. "I have no doubt they dumped me because of my religious beliefs," he said. "I don't think they were distinguishing between Satanism and Wiccanism." This case is still under review, therefore there has been no official ruling.
This next case, comes from my home town Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Wicca is considered a high profile topic in Fayetteville every since Wiccan soldiers at Ft. Bragg have asked for a location to worship on the base.
Shari Eicher is a 11th-grade English teacher. She was suspended from her job and immediately escorted off campus because she is a Wiccan. Shari stated that she told school administrators of her religion 14 months before. She didn't want them learned of it from others. Shari is a Wiccan priestess; her husband Richard is a Wiccan priest. Both are members of a small coven called WillowFyre. Richard had lost his job in December, allegedly because of his religion.
In both cases it's believed that their coven having a website which features some of the members celebrating rituals skyclad (nude)is the reason for all this attention. Shari's Attorney started she does not engage in ritual nudity.
It was stated in the "Fayetteville Times & Observer"(quote)
Superintendent Shirley B. Prince said "According to our attorney, we have to have reasonable cause to have inappropriate behavior by an employee. In my mind, we had more than reasonable cause...We have a responsibility to students and to the community, and we needed to act...We would always take constitutional rights very seriously, and that would come into consideration.
"The core problem may be that many conservative Christians have been misinformed; they have been taught that Wicca is a form of Satanism, that Wiccans worship Satan and perform black magic in order to hurt others. None of this is true."
Unlike the case above with Mr. Perry. Shari's students were unaware of her pagan/wiccan beliefs. Shari Eicher said "I don't discuss my beliefs [at school], especially with children.
A letter to the school board was also included in the article that appeared in the Fayetteville Times & Observer. The author of this letter is a local lawyer named Michael Schmidt. Mr. Schmidt charges that the web site maintained by Mrs. Eicher and her husband violate child-protection laws. It was signed by six Christian clergy. The letter maintains that "the stated purpose of the 'Willowfyre' [web] site is to encourage people to go to the Eicher apartment to learn about 'Wicca Druidism or Paganism.' " The implication is that the web site attempts to lure children into dangerous situations.
The facts are otherwise. Mrs. Eicher has had little or nothing to do with the web site. Persons under the age of 18 are not allowed at Wiccan meetings unless accompanied by parent(s). There is no sexual activity at Willowfyre meetings.On JAN-27, an agreement was reached among all parties. They agreed that "Ms. Eicher has been associated, either knowingly or unknowingly, in name only, with a website that contains pictures that, by some community member’s standards, might appeal to prurient interest."One picture consisted of one poorly focused image of a skyclad (nude) Wiccan performing a ritual by himself. One could recognize that he was male only from the shape of his waist and apparent lack of female-shaped breasts. Other pictures were of the unclothed backs of two Wiccans above their belt line."
The outcome of this case will mark history for Paganism in the work place. It was agreed that Mrs. Eicher will retain her past performance ratings which were "at least at standard" or "above standard" or "exemplary." Other settlement terms were not made public.
We have come a long way from the burning time. Just how far.... Well, even more will most likely lose their jobs, community standing or respect for coming out of the broom closet. It's my personal hope that with each case the public will become even more aware that Wicca is religion. We are not reborn, we were born right the first time (smile)
~Fyre
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Fyre,
Wiccan Practitioner
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Practitioner of Wicca
Psychic,
Tarot Reader
Readings by Fyre
A Wiccan, a loving mother and perpetual student of life, Fyre's background is a rich mixture of the Metaphysics, Sociology and Psychology.
You can find Fyre in
The Directory, or by visiting her website:
www.astrofyre.com
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