The 17-year-old student government president and scholarship candidate was videotaped dancing at an off-campus party following Walker High School’s Sept. 30 Homecoming festivities. A hired DJ took the video and posted it on social media. Three days later, Jason St. Pierre, principal of the public high school near the state capital of Baton Rouge, told the student she would be removed from her position with the student government association and that he would no longer recommend her for college scholarships.
At a meeting in his office with the assistant principal, St. Pierre told the student she wasn’t “living in the Lord’s way,” her mother said, according to The Advocate. He printed out Bible verses with highlighted sections and “questioned who her friends were and if they followed the Lord,” the news outlet reported.
In a statement published Sunday on the Livingston Parish Public Schools district Facebook page, St. Pierre reversed course. Citing the significant public attention the episode had received and more time to consider his decision, the principal apologized to the student’s family and undid his previous disciplinary plans. He also addressed his invocation of religion.
It is 2023, and half of our population are barely out of the caves.
It’s worse, they’re actually scrambling to pull us all into the caves with them.
Murdering us is more like it.
You must not be a fetus. Sorry about that bad luck. We only care about fetuses now. Everyone else is on thier own.
The rest of the article:
“Finally, during my conversation with (the student) regarding the dance party, the subject of religious beliefs was broached by (the student) and myself,” St. Pierre wrote. “While that conversation was meant with the best intentions, I do understand it is not my responsibility to determine what students’ or others’ religious beliefs may be – that should be the responsibility of the individual.”
The student and her mother said St. Pierre brought up religion, not her. The mother and daughter have also said the deadline for her scholarship application was on Oct. 3, and questioned whether St. Pierre could have reinstated his scholarship endorsement sooner, The Advocate reported.
In a statement Monday, district officials said St. Pierre had requested to take leave for the remainder of the school year.
“Walker High School Principal Jason St. Pierre has requested to take leave for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year,” said Livingston Parish Public Schools Superintendent Joe Murphy. “The district office is awaiting his paperwork to process his request.”
Fuck this guy for bringing his religion into school administration, and infringing this student’s 1A rights with it. Hopefully his leave will become a resignation.
I want to see him fired, not terminated. He’ll probably be allowed to resign, but that doesn’t look as bad on his resume.
My gut tells me that there’s some behind-the-scenes going on that we’re not aware of. I find it highly unlikely that someone who so brazenly punishes a public school student on religious grounds would reverse course so completely without some more sensible person in a position of authority doing a “U fukn wot m8?”
Somebody grabbed that guy by the collar and told him exactly what he was going to do next: take the blame, apologize, and gtfo.
Probably, still, it’s far more common that religious louts force their beliefs than not-religious people- and it’s starting to get to the point where their beliefs are in fact dangerous.
Speaking as a “not-religious-people,” when I force my beliefs on people, it’s things like “We call people what they want to be called,” and “We don’t criticize people for things they didn’t choose.”
As an atheist, that’s really. It forcing beliefs on others- that’s just common decency, politeness, and good manners.
To force matters, you’re going to have to take a stone or two from their book.
You know, for when they dare where a crucifix. Or dare to check out a Bible from the school library.
This is the second time in this post’s comments that I’ve seen the idea that the pushing of religious beliefs into politics, into non-religious people, etc, is “starting” to become a problem.
No.
It is a problem.
It is dangerous.
It’s the reason for the repeal of Roe v Wade, leaving to such atrocities as a 10 year old child being forced to go out of her home state to abort her rapist’s baby.
It’s the reason Republicans spent so many decades stacking the Supreme Court in the first place, to get outcomes like the above. Remember Mitch McConnell not letting President Obama appoint a replacement for Scalia? That had nothing to do with the people’s will and everything to do with conservative, religious beliefs.
It’s the reason so many states are passing anti-LGBTQ laws, particularly anti-trans laws, putting queer people of all kinds at risk of violence, depression, and suicide.
It’s the reason so many states are banning books and the teaching of accurate history. Suppression of knowledge carries with it a danger all its own.
There is no “starting”. The danger is here. Now.
It’s always been a problem, but it’s getting dangerous. As in, physical violence.
Probably this guy was already on someone’s radar and they were just waiting for him to fuck around. Then they let him find out.
He was on their radar…he was up for Principal of the Year award.
The person you are describing is typically the school district or parish’s lawyer.
He should be fired, and no retirement package.
It’s a retirement or a paid vacation?
He brought up religion; he had pre-printed some scriptures to back up his argument that she was displeasing to God and morally corrupt. Also told her she was going to suffer in her afterlife.
She may have responded to him, but he 100% brought religion into the conversation. By phrasing it the way he did, he was trying to slough off responsibility.
Apparently other students have come forward to say this is NOT the first time he’s used his religious beliefs to discipline.
“Citing the significant public attention the episode had received”
Yeah there it is.
Well, i just didn’t think anyone would care! You’re telling me none of you have ever destroyed a bright young woman’s future for having fun?!? But won’t you think of The Lord???
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
“Oh no. It’s the consequences of my actions!”
“I’m sorry I was caught.”
As a kid in the 80’s I thought the premise of dirty dancing was a joke. 40 years later…
Dirty Dancing or Footloose?
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Whenever I read such articles, all I can think is “Gilead moment.” But the more I read US news, the more I feel like the country is actually starting to transition there.
GOP has been the party of Gilead for me ever since Roe and this crazy rage boner they now have for LGBTQ+, particularly drag queens and trans folks.
“starting”? I think we started with the gutting of Roe v Wade. Possibly earlier. I already fear for my friends and family who identify as female. And if the Republicans take the White House in 2024, I think it will just get worse and worse.
What’s a Gilead moment?
I believe they’re referencing The Handmaid’s Tale
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Not only that, but a girl who clearly has her shit together and is doing all the right things to be elected class president and scholarship candidate.
Just one thing - if it’s anything like my experience in school, being class president just means you’re popular. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re put together. And pretty much every student in my class was a “scholarship candidate”.
Doesn’t excuse his actions though.
What’s wrong with you, America?
So, so much.
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Religious fundamentalist. I mean, the country was founded by people who were such extremists no one wanted them around.
Get a lawyer and sue for damages done to her character
Also separation of church and state
district officials said St. Pierre had requested to take leave for the remainder of the school year.
Bet you he gets an increased retirement package if he resigns at the end of the year, can’t endanger that.
The link doesn’t work.
