Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Karen Eichenberger Lollis on June 20, 2011 at 12:29pm

By now, you've probably already had the exam, but I suggest letting the instructor know your views, if only to help her see that it's opening a can of worms to let one person opt out in this way. Approach it with the idea that she might not have been confronted with this situation before, and made the best decision she could at that time for the individual involved. But you could help her think about how to handle the situation in the future, whether it's limiting religious music to only the most generic (which I think would be a shame), or giving more time to discuss the poetic and musical structures that make the piece important to learn, even if students disagree with it. Atheists are a somewhat invisible minority - but it's a growing group, and you can be part of the vanguard that raises awareness.

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Permalink Reply by William C. Walker on June 20, 2011 at 12:35pm

Russell, I was a cradle Catholic waay back when. I have been an outspoken Atheist for decades. I would have screamed 'bloody murder'.  I still think Handel's Messiah is fantastic on a pipe organ, but I'd have bitched about the free ride the non-Catholic got.

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Permalink Reply by mark julius r. batugal on June 20, 2011 at 11:58pm

did your atheist friend requested for an exemption because of his atheism?

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Permalink Reply by Robert Medeiros on June 21, 2011 at 1:36am

Inform the professor that:

a) as a devout Satanist you feel the assigned music does not sufficiently glorify Lucifer Light-Bringer, Lord of the Dawn, and that your conscience requires you to instead attend Black Mass in a dark robe while belting out something by $BLACK_METAL_BAND.

b) as a devout Wiccan, you will be absolutely *delighted* to perform the piece, but of course you will need to be sky-clad as you sing to properly honour the Goddess.

c) as a devout Catholic, you feel that the objecting student should be made to say 15 Hail Marys or else face the eternal fires of damnation. Said student is also to be reminded that some of the most accomplished choristers in history have been Catholic castrati.

Etc.

Religion: ridiculous!

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Permalink Reply by Dead Skunk on June 21, 2011 at 11:34am

This presents an interesting legal question. Title VII prevents discrimination based on religion. One or more students were exempted from work based on religious beliefs. As a result, the remainder of the students were treated differently because they did not subscribe to a religion that prevented their participation. Sounds like a slam dunk discrimination case to me. You may want to contact your local EEO or state Human Rights office. They might make a call to the university to investigate the issue and keep you anonymous.

 

While there is no legal prohibition against excusing some students from the assignment based on religion, letting them off with less work is a problem. The right thing to do was to require them to do an alternative assignment of equal difficulty.

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