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Student Dressed as Jesus on Fictional Character Day
SPRING HILL ? Summit High School sophomore Jeff Shott has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship by an atheist group for dressing like Jesus Christ on the school?s ?fictional character day.?
The Spring Hill student was not disciplined for his action back in January, but Summit High Principal Charles Farmer did advise him that if the costume caused distraction during the day he would have to remove it. Shott voluntarily removed his robes and sash, a costume that included a hammer and nail.
But Shott?s pluck was not overlooked by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the organization, located in Madison, Wis., said Shott exhibited ?spunk and a light touch with his actions.?
?We wanted to encourage him, and we know the cost of higher education. This is just a small stipend towards that,? Gaylor said. Shott is the first to receive the Paul Gaylor Memorial Student Activist scholarship named for Annie Laurie Gaylor?s father, who recently passed away, she said.
The foundation, established in 1978, promotes the separation of state and church, and maintains a legal staff.
In the Foundation's account of what happened, Shott was approached by Farmer, Assistant Principal Sarah Lamb and a school resource officer about his costume, and said they had wished that he were dressed like Zeus, a Greek mythological deity.
?We understand the student felt he should remove the costume to avoid problems with school administrators,? said Rebecca Markert, an Freedom From Religion Foundation staff attorney.
Gaylor said the student had contacted the organization, and in turn, they sent a letter to Director of Schools Mike Looney calling the costuming incident a violation of the student?s constitutional rights protected under the First Amendment. In addition, they questioned a classroom discussion where a physical science teacher at the school had said she believed men and women came from Adam and Eve.
Looney said the district delegates responsibility to the principal and in this case he supports Farmer?s actions in having the discussion with Shott.
He referred to recently signed legislation known as the saggy pants bill, which prohibits students from exposing "underwear or body parts in an indecent manner that disrupts the learning environment."
?We?re not trying to tell him what to believe or not believe. What we are saying is he?s not allowed to create a distraction,? Looney said.
Ken Paulson, president and chief executive officer of the First Amendment Center in Nashville, echoed Looney?s comments, explaining students have first amendment right like anyone else.
But where it is a part of freedom of expression, the U.S. Supreme Court has carved out guidelines for public school officials to have the right to limit free expression when it poses a threat of substantial disruption to education.
Paulson said it was appropriate for the administrators to approach the incident the way they did rather than turning it into a controversy.
?You apply that ruling to this case, there is no question that a student wearing a Jesus costume and describing him as fictional character has a significant potential for disrupting school activities ? under the circumstances, the school had a right to remove the costume,? he said.
Shott is not the first student to receive an award from the organization.
Last year, another student from Ohio who dressed as Jesus Christ for a similar costume day also received an award, Gaylor said. That student was disciplined, she said.
Re: Student Dressed as Jesus on Fictional Character Day
This is so much better than my Eve on Bible Characters Day at my school.
hm. Is it common for people, atheist or otherwise, to think Christ did not exist historically?
That was my first thought. I'm an athiest, but I'm fairly confident that Jesus existed. I just think he was a regular guy.
really? I think he must have been other than just a "regular guy" some say messiah. some say wingnut. Who's to say?
Last wondercon I went to I saw at least three Jesuses. One was even carrying a huge cross.
Also, shut up.
This cracks me up. Glad he got the money.
Ditto.
although props to this guy for a funny costume
you should do some research if you find it doubtful. A little research will likely have you not doubting his existence as a human.... sure- you don't have to believe he is the son of God -but Google alone will have you find that not only the vast majority, but pretty much the entire historical community (historical experts) agree that the person, Jesus Christ, described in the new testament did in fact exist. To add to that- well known Jewish historian, Josephus, who was alive and writing at the time of Christ, was not a Christian, nor did he believe that Jesus was Christ, but none the less, wrote about Jesus in particular. Josephus is one of the most credible historians.
there is more evidence for the personhood of Jesus Christ than there is for the histories written of Plato and Socrates. Historicity is the study of how substantiated historical claims are. Usually these are backed up by the amount and quality of transcripts avail and the dates of those transcripts.
Take a moment to learn the historicity of the new test ... the history/existence of Jesus Christ, based on the Gospels, beats the history of the ancient Roman and Greek wars and Julius Cesar 500 fold.
Look up historicity. you'll learn a lot.
I'm not saying you should believe he was God or not - but there is nothing wrong/bad about an atheist reading up to learn about the existence of Jesus, as a person.
Agreed. My eyes rolled like a mofo at this one.
Now if he wanted to dress as God ::shrug::
Click me, click me!
I am just glad there was no major fanfare.
He should have come in as Noah or Moses (old versions)..I think that would have been more clever.
He should have come in as a Republican that cares about social issues.
and i'm ded. LOL
Or a Democrat who cares about fiscal responsibility... Actually, in light of the recent crazy where people were actually surprised to discover Titanic was a real ship that sink OR that Rose and Jack were not in fact real people, maybe I'd go as one of them.
You've said only one thing that's a justification for Jesus' personhood, and that's the Josephus reference. They weren't even contemporaries.
You don't tell someone to do some research. You need to cite your sources. The burden of proof is on you, not Sibil.
SNAP!
Though seriously, who didn't know Titanic was real?!
I did some research on it, and found that there was hardly any evidence for his existence - and the one historians account that most religious people point to has been proven a fake. The other three that were living at the time and in the area all mention Christ, but that is a title, not a name, and it is used as such. There were many other historians around at that time, and the fact that only 3 even mention "the christ" is pretty weak, especially as he was super duper important, a massive problem for the romans (who dont mention him at all), skies went black, he was crucified on a sabbath (very unusual), and all the other significant claims the bible makes. You would think it would have been more noticed.
But, like arguing about religion itself, this is a pointless debate. I will never believe he existed in the same way i will never believe there is a God. I trust the evidence I have read, but it could be wrong. It doesnt really matter that much to me anyway, seeing as I don't believe he existed lol. And those that do believe in God will always believe Jesus existed, no matter what evidence is put forward to contradict it. So its kinda pointless lol.
I know I'm thricing this quote, but LOVE!!!!
Thanks for the condescending lecture, goldie. You should google "obnoxious".
However, much like Reeve, I don't think there's much point in debating it, so I'm not going to bother responding to your points. It would be like arguing with my front door.
Of course you're right. But this was a high school kid.
This guy is a teen. They're obnoxious naturally. Perhaps he's been told he was going to hell every day and got sick of it.
Zeus and Bubba
The Bible is literature.
That was his point.