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Local Teacher Claims Religion Cost Him Job
School Records List No Reason For Firing
POSTED: 10:53 a.m. EST January 30, 2003
UPDATED: 11:04 a.m. EST January 30, 2003
ST. CLOUD, Fla. -- A local middle school teacher said he's out of a job because of his religion.
"It's Christian imagination gone awry," former teacher Aaron Perry (pictured, left) said.
Perry is a follower of Wicca, a religion that celebrates nature. He taught social studies at Neptune Middle School in St. Cloud.
Perry has a tattoo symbolizing his Wicca religion and wears black clothes all the time, but he said that wasn't a problem until a student went to a guidance counselor and asked to be removed from his class.
"I think they have this idea of us as horrible monsters that are having human sacrifices and orgies in basements. It's simply... nonsense," Perry said.
No reason was listed for Perry's firing, and representatives of the Osceola County School District said they don't have to give one since Perry was still in a probationary period as a new teacher.
School officials had no further comment.
To comment on this story, send an e-mail to Kathy Marsh.
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"It's Christian imagination gone awry," former teacher Aaron Perry (pictured, left) said.
Perry is a follower of Wicca, a religion that celebrates nature. He taught social studies at Neptune Middle School in St. Cloud.
Perry has a tattoo symbolizing his Wicca religion and wears black clothes all the time, but he said that wasn't a problem until a student went to a guidance counselor and asked to be removed from his class.
"I think they have this idea of us as horrible monsters that are having human sacrifices and orgies in basements. It's simply... nonsense," Perry said.
No reason was listed for Perry's firing, and representatives of the Osceola County School District said they don't have to give one since Perry was still in a probationary period as a new teacher.
School officials had no further comment.
To comment on this story, send an e-mail to Kathy Marsh.Copyright 2003 by WESH.COM. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
