July 29. 2005 3:18PM ACLU, SLU continue clash over disciplined student teacher The Associated Press The American Civil Liberties Union and Southeastern Louisiana University continue to clash over a school prayer case, with the ACLU insisting a student teacher was punished for speaking out against classroom devotionals, and the university denying it. Cynthia Thompson, 39, filed suit May 25 against the Tangipahoa Parish School Board, a teacher and officials at SLU, saying she entered a "nightmare" of constant prayer and proselytizing in the fourth-grade class. Thompson questioned the teacher's encouraging students to bring Bibles to school, leading prayers in class and the holding of Bible classes in the school cafeteria. Instead of supporting her, Southeastern officials forced her out of the student teaching program, denied her a university degree, and a chance at a teaching certificate, she says. In response, the university insists Thompson was ill-prepared for classes and had trouble keeping order in the class. SLU officials maintain that she reported the alleged prayers only after she was told to withdraw from student teaching because of poor performance. Thompson, for her part, claims she was a top student. "SLU has expressed more interest in pursuing unfair accusations against honor student Thompson than in investigating sexual assaults on campus and religious discrimination against Jewish employees and students," said Joe Cook, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana. The Tangipahoa Parish School District has repeatedly come under fire from the ACLU for prayer-related infractions - most recently involving prayer before School Board meetings. According to Thompson, the university advisor to whom she reported the classroom prayers grabbed her hands and prayed with her. "The university denies any wrongdoing on the part of its personnel and considers this suit groundless and without merit," university President Randy Moffett said in a written statement. "The plaintiff and the ACLU have turned what should be an academic matter ... into a federal legal issue." Thompson and the university have also squabbled over the possession of a teaching log, where Thompson and her supervising teacher wrote notes to each other about her work in the classroom. Southeastern administrators had threatened to expel Thompson if she didn't hand over the log. A federal judge has taken custody of the book. Thompson and ACLU representatives have said they believe the university's disciplinary hearings and threat of expulsion were in retaliation for the lawsuit. A Southeastern spokesman has said the hearings were unrelated to the lawsuit. The school's statement released Thursday says the notebook contains criticism of Thompson's performance. http://www.dailycomet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050729/APN/507290954 Back To Guvment Skool Page 8 COPYRIGHT "DUHMAG.COM" 2005