Citing the Bible, TN School Board Member Rejects Gay-Straight Alliance Club

[NeoGreen]

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2018/12/17/citing-the-bible-tn-school-board-member-rejects-gay-straight-alliance-club/

Citing the Bible, TN School Board Member Rejects Gay-Straight Alliance Club
By Hemant Mehta, December 17, 2018

This shouldn’t be controversial: A group of students at Volunteer High School in Tennessee wanted to start a chapter of the Gay-Straight Alliance and completed all the necessary steps to do it. Their principal approved the paperwork, and the group was official… except for one problem: The Hawkins County Board of Education has two conflicting policies about who gets final say over new student groups. One policy grants that authority to the principal; the other grants it to the school board.

That led to a “fiery” discussion between six of the board members last Thursday.

Many of them didn’t like the club, but they knew they couldn’t legally say no to it. Even the board’s attorney said the district would lose a lawsuit if they said no to the GSA’s formation. It’s not exactly enthusiastic approval, but a reluctant acceptance of how the law works. The board ultimately approved the group 5-1.

But that one vote came from a guy who has no business serving in elected office because he insisted that his interpretation of the Bible mattered far more than the Constitution, state laws, or what students wanted.

Emphasis added.

Tecky Hicks, who works as a Baptist pastor, said that if the GSA group was formed, he would urge parents to pull their kids out of school.

Hicks told board members he took the same oath as [Vice Chairman Debbie] Shedden, but he believes the Bible supersedes the Constitution of the U.S., the Bill of Rights, the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, school board policy, the state constitution “and everything else.”

“Therefore, based on that, there’s no way under God’s heaven I can approve any such club in our schools,” Hicks told the board. “I’ve got a daughter who has a child in second grade this year, and she has already made the decision that if something like this is approved by our board, she’s pulling her kid out of school. I would suggest, and I’ll make it a public statement, that every person in the county who has that privilege — do it.

“I’ll take my stand on what I believe above and beyond anything man has ever made because the Bible plainly teaches that we are to subject ourselves to the authority that’s over us as long as the authority doesn’t overstep the bounds of what God has said it ought to be. God settled that over 2,000 years ago, folks, and I’m going to stand on it until hell freezes over."

[Cartoonist]

1. How is that different from Sharia law?

I bet he frowns on that.

[NeoGreen]

2. Good question!...

...

[Mariana]

8. That's completely different, you see.

Rev. Hicks has faith that his god is the one true god. He furthermore believes that his interpretation of the Bible is the correct one, and that this is what his god wants. Therefore, this isn't like Sharia law in any way. Make sense now?

[muntrv]

3. Christo-Sharia law.

[Docreed2003]

4. Our backwards ass state, completely controlled by evangelical nutters

In TN, all public schools must have a sign at the entrance that states "In God We Trust"...that's the prevailing mindset here right now.

[Moostache]

5. Start saying "In Sky Daddy we fear"...

Then just watch their faces...comedic gold!

[Major Nikon]

7. School board elections are typically off cycle from major elections

Local churches have a very aggressive GOTV effort for all such elections and as such are disparately represented. In Texas we typically get several no-shit young earth creationist loons on the state school board.

As a rule I think society would be lots better off if zoning laws required at least one bar for each church and all polling places moved into them.

[Docreed2003]

11. This was passed by the state legislature

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/religion/2018/03/21/tennessee-lawmakers-pass-bill-requiring-public-schools-post-god-we-trust-motto/442884002/

Wish there were a way to undo that

[Mariana]

13. Christians have been pretty damned aggressive

in their attempts to recruit children in the public schools. I don't think it's going to stop any time soon.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. I do believe there will be lawsuits.

[Mariana]

9. On what basis? The school board approved the club. nt.

Rev. Hicks was the only member to vote against it.

[sinkingfeeling]

14. Sorry, read it as school board rejected the club.

[Mariana]

15. Oh, no, it was just that one guy, the preacher on the board. nt.

[MineralMan]

10. Fortunately, he was the only such vote.

He lost. He should resign in protest. That'll show 'em!

[Mariana]

12. Oh, he wont.

Despite the persecution he experiences, by having to tolerate the existence of such things as the GSA in the schools, I'm sure he'll bravely stay on so he can continue to make God's opinions known to the board and to the public.