Teacher penalizes students for saying "bless you"

[Little-Acorn]

Some Californians are working hard to maintain the state's sole claim on the title "Granola Country".

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http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/state&id=8372183

Teacher penalizes students for saying "bless you"

Thursday, September 29, 2011

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Northern California teacher says he doesn't want to hear a common courtesy in his classroom.

He's even lowering students' grades if they say "bless you" after someone sneezes.

Steve Cuckovich says the practice is disrespectful and disruptive. He's banned saying "bless you" in his high school health class in Vacaville.

He even knocked 25 points from one student's grade for saying the phrase in class.

Cuckovich says the policy has nothing to do with religion, but says the phrase is just a outdated practice and disrupts class time.

"When you sneezed in the old days, they thought you were dispelling evil spirits out of your body," Cuckovich said. "So they were saying, 'god bless you' for getting rid of evil spirits. But today, I said what you're doing doesn't really make any sense anymore."

After parents complained about students losing points for saying "bless you", Cuckovich says he decided to stop the practice.

However, the teacher says he will just find another way to discipline students for saying "bless you" in class.

 

[dogtowner]

I gather California has a problem with politeness.

 

[Dr.Who]

This teacher almost certainly has a problem with religion despite his claims to the contrary. He is attempting to create a separation of church and state that was never intended to exist as such.

He is violating the free speech of his students and he does not understand the court rulings on student's religious rights in the classroom.

I think the students should start documenting what happens. Then they should start using another phrase when people sneeze to see how he reacts. I suggest "Gesundheit" which is German for "Good health" This phrase would be equally disruptive, outdated and disrespectful, not that bless you is any of those.

In fact, contrary to his slightly correct history "bless you" dates to AD 77 before the plague. And people can be blessed for a variety of reasons unrelated to "evil spirits".

Any bets as to whether he is a gay democrat or not?