# FAU Student Claims He Was Suspended For Refusing To Step On*Jesus



## sweetvi (Mar 25, 2013)

(Source:FAU) FAU Boca Raton campus
Filed Under

Local, News, Syndicated Local
Related Tags

Coral Springs, Dr. Deandre Poole, Florida Atlantic University, Intercultural Communications, Jesus, Mormon, Religion, Ryan Rotella, Trending
BOCA RATON (CBS4) – A student at Florida Atlantic University said he was unfairly suspended from his Intercultural Communications class because he refused to step on Jesus.

Ryan Rotella, a junior from Coral Springs, said the incident began when his professor, Dr. Deandre Poole, asked students in the class to write the word “Jesus” on a piece of paper, fold it up, and step on it.

Rotella, a deeply religious Mormon, told CBS12 that he was offended and refused to participate in the exercise.


“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,” said Rotella.

Rotella said he voiced his concerns to his teacher’s supervisor and later learned he was suspended from the class.

FAU said Dr. Poole was conducting a classroom exercise from a*textbook entitled “Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach, 5th Edition” and released this statement to CBS12:*”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.”

The school has not commented whether the*professor would face any disciplinary action


FAU Student Claims He Was Suspended For Refusing To Step On*Jesus.


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## sweetvi (Mar 25, 2013)

Although he is Mormon ..... I posted this because it shows how bold and blatant he (Satan) is now.  His time is short and running out soon....people wake up!


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## MrsHaseeb (Mar 25, 2013)

I have no words for this. All I can do is pray!


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## Galadriel (Mar 25, 2013)

And of all places, a class that's *supposed* to be geared toward learning about other cultures, beliefs and customs. What a shame.


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## blah54 (Mar 25, 2013)

this school is fotever on the news for tue wrong reasons crazy


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## blah54 (Mar 25, 2013)

Unfortunately i go to this school


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## Shimmie (Mar 25, 2013)

blah54 said:


> Unfortunately i go to this school



How do you feel about this  incident with the Student who was suspended?

Thanks for sharing blah54...


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## Shimmie (Mar 25, 2013)

sweetvi said:


> (Source:FAU) FAU Boca Raton campus
> Filed Under
> 
> Local, News, Syndicated Local
> ...



What couldn't the teacher have them step on satan, which would have been appropriate.   Why would anyone be suspended for protecting their love for the Lord?


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## blah54 (Mar 25, 2013)

Shimmie said:


> How do you feel about this  incident with the Student who was suspended?
> 
> Thanks for sharing blah54...



I think its stupid but check out the other reasons they been in the news at fau: 

2013 
shot some homeless dude on top of building claims it was an intruder because he put his hand in his pocket but it turn out to be a pocket knife

some teacher felt that the shooting in Colorado was planned and it was fake 

our football stadium is being renamed and funded by a local PRISON yea...... 

This year just started and dats whats been going on now this stuff about the lord wow....


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## Shimmie (Mar 25, 2013)

blah54 said:


> I think its stupid but check out the other reasons they been in the news at fau:
> 
> 2013
> shot some homeless dude on top of building claims it was an intruder because he put his hand in his pocket but it turn out to be a pocket knife
> ...



Thanks blah54

Oh my... the poor man who was shot.  

Aren't prisons funded by the 'State'?  How can they fund a stadium?   (Just a random thought).  

Thank God for the Light in your heart that outshines their craziness.  

God bless and protect you.


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## JaneBond007 (Mar 26, 2013)

The professor should definitely censored.  I'm glad the student spoke up and secured his right to religious expression.  I'd transfer to another course and let the dean handle it...with lots of pressure from the press and my religious community...which is what is happening.


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## blah54 (Mar 26, 2013)

Shimmie said:


> Thanks blah54
> 
> Oh my... the poor man who was shot.
> 
> ...



I will be graduating this year i wish i transfer back to my private school but decided against it to save money so i went to a public college but now with this message its a bad rep?

as for the prison thing here is the article http://upressonline.com/2013/03/mee...-20-fau-students-trying-to-make-a-big-change/


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## blah54 (Mar 26, 2013)

feel free to sign petition lol http://www.change.org/petitions/fau-drop-the-geo-group


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## Shimmie (Mar 26, 2013)

blah54 said:


> I will be graduating this year i wish i transfer back to my private school but decided against it to save money so i went to a public college but now with this message its a bad rep?
> 
> as for the prison thing here is the article http://upressonline.com/2013/03/mee...-20-fau-students-trying-to-make-a-big-change/





blah54 said:


> feel free to sign petition lol http://www.change.org/petitions/fau-drop-the-geo-group



blah54... thanks for sharing the petition.  I just signed.  I had no idea.      You are an 'Educator' and I appreciate what I've learned from you.   

Again, I wish and pray all of God's very best for you.   The very, Best there is.   Every good thing you set your hand (and heart) to shall prosper in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.


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## momi (Mar 26, 2013)

What kind of foolishness??????? 

Is there a petition for the student's case?


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## Galadriel (Mar 27, 2013)

The school has apparently "apologized" and let the student into the same course (but with different professor).

The NCR picked up the story:

 BOCA RATON, Fla. — Ryan Rotella refused to step on Jesus.

The Florida Atlantic University junior’s act of reverence resulted in suspension from his college class and a barrage of attention he neither sought nor anticipated.

“The story illustrates the degree to which traditional Christian beliefs are held in contempt in the secular academy [of higher education],” said Patrick McNamara, director of communications for the New York-based Catholic League.

Rotella was in a March 4 lecture in his intercultural communication class when instructor Deandre Poole told students to each write “Jesus” on paper and then step on it. Rotella set his paper on a surface and told Poole he was offended by the request.

“Anytime you stomp on something, it shows that you believe that something has no value,” Rotella explained to Boca Raton’s CBS affiliate. “So, if you were to stomp on the word 'Jesus,' it says that the word has no value.”

Rotella complained to university administrators. They responded four days later, on March 8, by suspending him from the class. Rotella’s predicament spread through social networks and eventually found its way to the mainstream media just before Holy Week.

University officials initially defended Poole, saying that the instructor merely conducted an exercise recommended in the textbook Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach. They later apologized, but, at that time, denied having suspended Rotella.

“But we had the suspension in writing on the university’s letterhead,” said Rotella’s lawyer, Hiram Sasser, of the Texas-based Liberty Institute, which defends religious liberty.

Sasser flew to Florida March 25 to meet with his client and university officials, who finally conceded the suspension had taken place. They allowed Rotella to continue the course, under the guidance of a different instructor. They assured him that, going forward, nobody would have to step on Jesus.

“We finally got everything worked out, and they were very apologetic,” Sasser said. “But their initial reaction was to stand their ground and defend the request and the instructor who made it. Public outrage changed the trajectory this time.”



Support From Muslims

The New York-based Center on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was among an array of religion-affiliated organizations that defended Rotella, a devout Mormon.

“We love and revere Jesus,” said Ibrahim Hooper, national communications director for CAIR. “No Muslim would step on Jesus. If the professor demands it, the proper response for a Muslim is: ‘No, and I’m about to call my lawyer.’”

CAIR’s communication manager, Amina Rubin, said Rotella’s ordeal was a “shocking example of harassment and discrimination.”

“A lot of people tell Muslims that we should be more like Christians and just take it when someone does something irreverent to that which we hold sacred,” Rubin said. “Yet part of being reverent involves standing up, as this student did, when someone tries to denigrate that which is sacred.”

Florida Atlantic stresses tolerance and diversity, perhaps more than its academic peers, and claims no use of harassment and discrimination. When callers are on hold, the phone system’s narration claims the school is more diverse than any other one in Florida.

The school’s website states: “At FAU, all people are respected. The university has a zero-tolerance policy for any kind of harassment and discrimination, whether or not it is expressly covered by law.”

Poole and Florida Atlantic's president, Mary Jane Saunders, did not return multiple messages from the Register, which sought to ask whether forcing a student to step on Jesus might violate a zero-tolerance policy against harassment and discrimination.

Amy Parker, who runs the university’s diversity office, said she could not comment on the case and referred the Register to the university’s Equal Opportunity Office. An employee at that office declined to comment and deferred to the Public Relations Office, which did not return multiple calls.



Fair Treatment for Christian Students

Sasser said an order to step on Jesus clearly violates the school’s no-tolerance policy on harassment and discrimination if the school is to apply it fairly. He suggests students facing similar ordeals insist upon fair enforcement of local, state, federal and institutional anti-discrimination policies.

The good news for Christians, Sasser explained, is that courts generally enforce policies against harassment and discrimination without preference or prejudice.

“If we replace ‘Jesus’ with ‘Gandhi’ or ‘Muhammad,’ the liberals in academe should see this sort of thing as harassment and discrimination,” Sasser said. “But a lot of those who talk about diversity also criticize those who hold traditional religious beliefs sacred. It’s not really about diversity. It’s about deciding which values we are going to revere and which we are going to silence.”

Added Sasser, “Sometimes it’s about telling those with traditional beliefs to be quiet or convert to something else in order to gain acceptance.”

Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/punished-for-refusing-to-disrespect-jesus/#ixzz2OmUhkqde


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## blah54 (Mar 27, 2013)

momi said:


> What kind of foolishness???????
> 
> Is there a petition for the student's case?



There is no petition atm but they are going hard on fau facebook page its crazy thats every comment everyone is so upset but so understandable


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## Laela (Mar 27, 2013)

woah! momi... is it just me or do you see this also under your post in this thread?!

_*rubbing eyes*_


*"The Following 4,294,967,295 Users Say Thank You to momi For This Useful Post:"*


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## Galadriel (Mar 27, 2013)

Laela said:


> woah! @momi... is it just me or do you see this also under your post in this thread?!
> 
> _*rubbing eyes*_
> 
> ...




I see it too!


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## Laela (Mar 27, 2013)

OK thanks to confirm Galadriel ! LOL


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## momi (Mar 27, 2013)

LOL!  What in the world???  A definite malfunction! LOL


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## Iwanthealthyhair67 (Mar 28, 2013)

I saw it too 



Laela said:


> woah! @momi... is it just me or do you see this also under your post in this thread?!
> 
> _*rubbing eyes*_
> 
> ...


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## Shimmie (Mar 28, 2013)

Laela said:


> woah! momi... is it just me or do you see this also under your post in this thread?!
> 
> _*rubbing eyes*_
> 
> ...





Galadriel said:


> I see it too!





momi said:


> LOL!  What in the world???  A definite malfunction! LOL





Iwanthealthyhair67 said:


> I saw it too





momi broke the 'Thanks' Bank.   

Well deserved I might add.   

Go momi 

Over 4 billion strong


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## Kalani (Mar 29, 2013)

Galadriel said:


> “If we replace ‘Jesus’ with ‘Gandhi’ or ‘Muhammad,’ the liberals in academe should see this sort of thing as harassment and discrimination,” Sasser said. *“But a lot of those who talk about diversity also criticize those who hold traditional religious beliefs sacred. It’s not really about diversity. It’s about deciding which values we are going to revere and which we are going to silence.”*
> 
> Added Sasser, “Sometimes it’s about telling those with traditional beliefs to be quiet or convert to something else in order to gain acceptance.”
> 
> Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/punished-for-refusing-to-disrespect-jesus/#ixzz2OmUhkqde



This is the truth! I'm so glad this school was called out.


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## Laela (Mar 29, 2013)

Shimmie said:


> momi broke the 'Thanks' Bank.
> 
> Well deserved I might add.
> 
> ...


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