Fix Features

Professor/Dem Party Official Makes Students Stomp on Jesus

by Jennifer Kabbany - Associate Editor on March 22, 2013

A Florida professor and high-ranking member of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party recently instructed his students to take out a piece of paper, write “JESUS” on it, then put it on the floor and stomp on it – and the Mormon student who refused to do so, calling the assignment morally offensive – was suspended.

“Anytime you stomp on something it shows that you believe that something has no value. So if you were to stomp on the word Jesus, it says that the word has no value,” the Florida Atlantic University student in question, Ryan Roleta, told a CBS news affiliate. “I am not going to be sitting in a class, having my religious rights desecrated.”

So Roleta – a junior at the school who is also a devout Mormon – told his professor, Dr. Deandre Poole, that he refused to do the assignment, calling it inappropriate, offensive and unprofessional – and his religious objections got him suspended from the class, CBS News’ WPEC reported.

After he complained to Poole’s supervisor, Roleta said he was suspended from the intercultural communications class and advised not to return.

“I’m being punished, and I am still waiting for an apology from somebody,” Roleta told WPEC.

In an emailed statement the university sent to CBS, campus officials stated “faculty and students at academic institutions pursue knowledge and engage in open discourse. While at times the topics discussed may be sensitive, a university environment is a venue for such dialogue and debate.”

Apparently the exercise is a suggestion in the textbook, “Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach, 5th Edition,” and the school would not say if Poole would face disciplinary action, WPEC reports.

After news of the incident spread Thursday, it came to light that Poole is not only a professor but also a high-ranking official in the region’s Democrat Party. In particular, reports BizPacReview, Poole is vice-chairman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party.

Poole’s bio blurb on the Palm Beach County Democratic Party website states that he is a member of Lighthouse Worship Center Church of God in Christ who “prides himself in being actively engaged in civic affairs.” It also notes Poole is a “new junior faculty member in the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies at FAU.”

According to his profile page on Florida Atlantic University’s website, Poole earned his PhD from Howard University and is writing a book called “Obamamania: The Rise of a Mythical Hero.”

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Tagged as: Deandre Poole, democrat party member, democrat party official, Florida Atlantic University, Jesus, Palm Beach County Democratic Party, professor Poole, religious rights, ryan roleta, step on jesus, stomp on jesus

  • Lisa Hill

    Bravo and Kudos to Roleta for taking a stand for Jesus.

  • Ann_Banisher

    When the enlightened professor asks his students to write ‘The Prophet Mohammed’ on a piece of paper and step on it, I will think that is a courageous act.

    I find it humorous that the university says “faculty and students at academic institutions pursue knowledge and engage in open discourse. While at times the topics discussed may be sensitive, a university environment is a venue for such dialogue and
    debate.”…yet they kick him out when he challenges their dogma.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Sukie-Tawdry/100000706973113 Sukie Tawdry

      Exactly. So much for “dialogue and debate.” Seems to me that the student WAS engaging in open discourse with the teacher. But, the teacher didn’t like his discourse and so squelched it by giving him the boot. And it was a discussion, if pursued, that probably would have been more instructive to the class than the point–whatever that was–of this stupid exercise.

    • DrJ

      “When the enlightened professor asks his students to write ‘The Prophet
      Mohammed’ on a piece of paper and step on it, I will think that is a
      courageous act.”

      When he does that, the problem will go away, because someone will relieve him of his head.

  • Sigivald

    I love “open discourse”.

    I don’t see how this is “open discourse”, since it’s a one-sided assignment that did not tolerate any dissent.

    You know, dissent. The other half of “discourse”, which involves multiple parties, not already in agreement.

    (Full disclosure: I’m an atheist – and I think this “assignment” is completely bogus.)

  • me

    Kudos to Mr. Roleta.

  • ElmerEvans

    An Obama pod-person.

    Who’d a thunk it?

  • JetsFan1984

    Hate Crimes at FAU. Disgusting intolerance from a whacked out hater professor who happens to be a politico. Shame on FAU for espousing hate speech and religious intolerance.

  • bobbyd

    High ranking member of the Democrat party..that says it all!

  • http://twitter.com/Bloomenshine Blarney Rose

    Another example of the intolerance of the “Liberal Left!” “My way or the highway!” And, this is the mantra of Obama and his ilk! Disgusting!

  • Doozielu

    Democrat tolerance on parade!

  • Doozielu

    After 15 vacations in a row isn’t it time to show up at a church Easter before the next family vacation??? Showbiz family- like an 8 year soap opera sit com

  • chtx

    Way to go, Florida Atlantic University and Mr. Poole. You have now shown the rest of the US that you are inept at your job and incapable of using assignments like this one to engage students in dialogue and to TEACH. You have now shown us that you have less maturity than your students and are not capable of seeing past differences because of your own personal motivations, political affiliations, or worse, too lazy to do your damn job or too inept to do it right.

    The president of the university should suspend Professor Poole and his boss for a week to think about their futures. How effective is this professor teaching intercultural communications when he feels justified in suspending a student for expressing his feelings about an assignment that was designed to show cultural differences and encourage open dialogue? According to the university statement, “faculty and students at academic institutions pursue knowledge and engage in open discourse. While at times the topics discussed may be sensitive, a university environment is a venue for such dialogue and debate.” If this is the case, the student should receive an apology immediately and the professor and his boss should be the ones suspended. Or, was the real reason that he was suspended was because the student told them he is a Mormon?

    The only people that failed were the adults employed by this university who decided it was appropriate to suspend a student uncomfortable with the assignment instead of using it as a teachable moment as it was designed, and encourage open dialogue and debate. The adults blew it and the perfect justification on exactly why the course is needed.

  • barthomew

    Reporters and commentators should have mentioned the similar events in real life that are portrayed in Endo’s novel Silence. Japanese security guards gave Japanese Christians the choice between stomping on a figure of Jesus (which resulted in social ostracization by Christians and non-Christians) and refusal, followed by being hung to death upside down. The novel is considered on of the greatest of the 20th century. It also became an opera and a symphony and a movie; and Daniel Day-Lews was signed a few years ago to do another such movie. The Florida prof shows that history is repeated but as farce.
    Those who did stomp the figure of Jesus ended up on an island where their Christianity developed in its own way. That way was towards a more feminine image of God. And Endo himself offers a more feminine image of God in his book.

  • Dru

    Replace “Jesus” with homosexual or African-American and see how open and diverse the class remains…respect and tolerance are a two-way street. What an uneducated and close-minded university!