Teacher suspended for 'segregating students based on religion and mocking them for their beliefs'
North Carolina Spanish teacher also asked students to disclose abortion and LGBT rights opinions
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Your support makes all the difference.A teacher in North Carolina has been suspended for allegedly segregating her students based upon their religious beliefs, as well as their views on gay marriage and abortion.
According to local media reports, Julia Lopp, a Spanish language teacher at South Johnston High School, first divvied up the students based on their religion. Then, she asked them about abortion. Finally, she asked them for their views on LGBT rights, according to the Johnston County Report.
She’s been accused of ridiculing the religious students, and threatened them should they report her for her actions.
She told the students she would “not recommend them for a job or even entrance to college,” according to WTVD.
“I don't mind prayer in school and things like that because you pray to your own religion,” said Natasha Chancey, mother of a middle schooler in Johnston County, according to that news channel.
The parent continued: “But for instance to be asking about God because there are so many different religions and everyone has their own beliefs, that might be saying one is better than the other.
She has been suspended without pay, just months after being hired to the post in August.
“This is an unfortunate incident and one I wish had not happened,” said superintendent Jim Causby in a statement.
The statement continued: “It is never appropriate for a teacher to segregate students based on religious, political or personal beliefs. In fact, it is not appropriate for a teacher to even ask a student what their beliefs are.”
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