A Utah teacher was fired in 2003 over concerns about witchcraft, and the whole matter is now coming out in the civil trial:
Some community members in Monroe were concerned that Erin Jensen might believe in witchcraft, witnesses testified Thursday, and at least one janitor wondered why the English teacher resisted having her classroom cleaned.The talk grew, with the cleaning staff saying that the classroom windows were covered with black paper and someone even claiming that Jensen "kept blood in the fridge." Finally, after receiving several calls between them, two Sevier School District board members shared what they had been told with Superintendent Brent Thorne.
"We didn't ask him to act on it [the information]," said Carolyn Washburn, one of the board members. Washburn, who left the board in 2004, said she did not take the allegations seriously. But she acknowledged parental concerns that Jensen told her class some people believe in witchcraft were part of the reason she voted to uphold Thorne's decision to fire Jensen.
Minutes from a board meeting about Jensen included the following:
Besides the statements about Jensen's actions at the training seminar, the minutes said: "She also believes in witchcraft and paints her windows in her classroom black. Halloween is her favorite holiday and she doesn't hide the fact she prefers the dark side."
That segment was later taken out as an "inaccuracy", but it's very telling that it was inserted in the first place to describe Jensen, who claims to be of no religion - including not being a practicing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Well, if she's looking for work, there's always Wal-Mart.
Posted by kswygert at October 21, 2005 12:38 PM