School scrubs photo of professors burning book- Texas judge rules for cheerleaders in bible banner suit

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  San Jose State University's Dr. Alison Bridger holds a lit match beneath a book that claims global warming is "natural" as assistant professor Craig Clements looks on last month. The photograph has since been removed from the university's website. (SJSU.edu)

What could prompt two college professors to burn a book? Disagreement with the contents, of course.

Two San Jose State University professors took a picture as they held a match to a book that takes on the idea of global warming, and the photo landed on an official school website until some realized the idea of academics burning books is not exactly scholarly. The image depicted Alison Bridger, a professor and chairwoman of the university’s department of meteorology and climate science, holding a lit match beneath “The Mad, Mad, Mad World of Climatism: Mankind and Climate Change Mania” as the 312-page paperback was held by assistant professor Craig Clements.

“This week we received a deluge of free books from the Heartland Institute,” the original caption read, according to an archived version of the webpage. “ … Shown above, Drs. Bridger and Clements test the flammability of the book.”

“The Department of Meteorology and Climate Science ... regrets what was clearly an ill-conceived attempt at satire."

- San Jose State University, Department of Meteorology and Climate Change

The picture and the accompanying caption, which was posted late last month, were later removed from the university’s servers after a popular climate change website, Watts Up With That?, noticed it and referenced Fahrenheit 451, the 1953 novel by Ray Bradbury in which books are outlawed and widely burned.

“When I first got the tip on this, I thought to myself ‘nobody can be this stupid to photograph themselves doing this’ but, here they are, right from the San Jose State University Meteorology Department web page,” blogger Anthony Watts wrote on Thursday.

Watts also included links to the university’s meteorology and climate change department, as well as phone numbers and an email address to contact school officials.

A day later, on Friday, department officials acknowledged the photograph and apologized to those who voiced their concerns.

“The Department of Meteorology and Climate Science has removed the material in question from its website, and regrets what was clearly an ill-conceived attempt at satire,” the website read. “Please be assured the university does not condone book burning for any reason.”

Messages left with Bridger and Clements early Wednesday were not immediately returned. A university spokeswoman later told FoxNews.com that the school would have no further comment on the matter.

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Arizona school in trouble for 'Duck Dynasty' inspired 'Redneck Day'

Published May 02, 2013

FoxNews.com

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  This publicity image released by A& E shows, from left, Phil Robertson, Si Robertson, and Jase Robertson in "Duck Dynasty," airing Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST.AP

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  This 2012 photo released by A&E shows, from left, Phil Robertson, Jase Robertson, Si Robertson and Willie Robertson from the A&E series, "Duck Dynasty," airing Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST.A&E

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The student council at an Arizona school may be big fans of “Duck Dynasty,” but it seems they took their love of the show too far when they instituted a “Redneck Day.”

The day was supposed to prompt kids at Queens Creek High School to dress like members of the reality show cast, but instead the day was seen as offensive when students arrived at the school in stereotypical clothing, with one student wearing a confederate flag.

Tom Lindsey, superintendent of the Queen Creek Unified School District told azcentral.com that the day was meant to satirize “Duck Dynasty” and boost school spirit.

Still, some students and local families were offended by the dress-up day, something Lindsey apologized for.

Lindsey said that the student wearing a confederate flag was pulled aside and asked to change clothes.

“It was no ill intent,” Lindsey told the Arizona publication. “We apologize to any people who, because of the word (redneck), were offended,” he said.

“Duck Dynasty” just wrapped its third season on A&E. The show follows the Robertson family who make custom duck calls for bird hunting.

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FIRST LAW OF ITS KIND:Indiana Bill Would Require Armed School Officials

Published April 04, 2013

FoxNews.com

Indiana lawmakers are pushing to make their state the first in the nation to require every school to have an armed employee on site, a proposal that aligns with recent recommendations from a National Rifle Association study. 

The proposal in Indiana advanced through a House committee Tuesday. It goes beyond a law signed last month in South Dakota that would allow -- but not require -- teachers to carry guns. 

The Indiana bill would mandate that one officer in every public and charter school have a loaded weapon during school hours. The officers could be police officers or other non-educators but also could be teachers or principals. 

The proposal is the latest precedent-setting bill being advanced in the wake of the mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school. Some states have tightened background checks and bans on assault-style rifles in a bid to reduce the supply of weapons, while others have pushed to make guns more available for purposes of self-defense. 

Supporters of the Indiana bill say it would prevent tragedies like the one in Newtown, Conn., where 20 students and six educators died. The NRA earlier this week recommended that schools try to train and arm at least one staff member.   

"I've been approached by several teachers that would love the ability to have their natural right to self-defense recognized and would gladly do this without being paid," Indiana bill sponsor Rep. Jim Lucas, a Republican, said. 

The House Education Committee voted 9-3 to approve the bill, advancing it to the Republican-dominated House for consideration. The Senate would also have to approve the measure. 

But opponents say they're concerned the proposal was rushed and is unnecessary. 

Schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz said Wednesday she believes such decisions on school security should be made by local school districts without mandates from the Legislature. 

No states currently require armed employees in schools. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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REMOVING RELIGION: School Takes Down Jesus Portrait Under Legal Threat

Published April 03, 2013

FoxNews.com

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  Feb. 12, 2013: A painting of Jesus Christ, upper left, hanging above an entrance to Jackson Middle School in Jackson, Ohio, next to a 'Hall of Honor' showing famous Jackson residents and school alumni. (AP)

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  Feb. 7, 2013: A portrait of Jesus hangs in the hallway at Jackson Middle School in Jackson, Ohio. (AP)

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A portrait of Jesus that had adorned a southern Ohio public school district building since 1947 has been taken down after officials decided they could not risk losing a lawsuit to the American Civil Liberties Union.

The superintendent of Jackson City Schools told The Associated Press that the decision was made after the district's insurance company declined to cover litigation expenses. Phil Howard said a student club that the school says owns the portrait took it down Wednesday morning at his direction.

"At the end of the day, we just couldn't roll the dice with taxpayer money," Howard said. "When you get into these kinds of legal battles, you're not talking about money you can raise with bake sales and car washes. It's not fair to take those resources from our kids' education."

The ACLU and the Freedom from Religion Foundation had sued on behalf of a student and two parents, calling the portrait an unconstitutional promotion of religion in a public school. An ACLU spokesman says the lawsuit remains in effect, but will be dropped if the portrait stays down.

The "Head of Christ," a popular depiction of Jesus, had been in an entranceway's "Hall of Honor" in a middle school building that was formerly a high school. It was near portraits of dozens of prominent alumni and people with local roots such as the late four-term Ohio Gov. James Rhodes. The portrait was moved recently by a Christian-based service club to the current high school building.

A complaint that triggered the February lawsuit put the 2,500-student district in the midst of the ongoing national debate over what religious-themed displays are permissible.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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'POLITICAL RULING'? Sparks Fly as Judge Butts In on School Choice Bill

An Alabama judge has blocked the signing of a hotly contested education bill that has divided the state Legislature. Democrats are heralding the decision as a victory but state GOP leaders say the bill was passed fair and square and say the judicial branch needs to butt out of the legislative process.

Circuit Judge Charles Price scheduled a hearing for mid-March on the issue and barred state lawmakers from sending the bill to the governor for his signature before the hearing. Gov. Robert Bentley had said he would sign the bill. 

The bill would give parents zoned for “failing” schools an income tax credit to help pay for tuition at a private school or other public school. But the Alabama Education Association filed a lawsuit Monday night seeking to stop it. The teachers union group argues that the Republican majority bypassed state rules when the tax credit program was tacked on the bill in a conference committee -- with little discussion or debate -- and pushed through the legislature. 

Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh called the ruling “judicial activism at its worst” and vowed to take the matter to the state Supreme Court in order to lift the injunction.

“These stalling tactics are a sham by the same special interest elite that have held our state back for far too long,” he said in a statement, adding that there had been no violation of the Open Meetings Act. 

Democrat Sen. Quinton Ross had a different take.

“The judge stood for the integrity of the Legislature and the legislative process,” he said.

When Alabama’s General Assembly session began on Feb. 5, nearly every education group in the state lined up behind the governor and Republican legislative leaders to endorse the plan that would give city and county school boards more flexibility in complying with the state education laws. The AEA and Democratic lawmakers opposed the bill citing concerns over teacher tenure laws.

The House and Senate then went on to pass different versions of the bill, prompting the formation of a GOP-dominated conference committee to come up with a compromise. The committee used its time to triple the bill’s size by adding tax credits for parents who move their children from failing public school to another public, private or parochial school.

Democrats claimed they were hoodwinked by Republicans who used a last-minute bait-and-switch tactic to push their plan through.

The House approved the bill 51-26 and the Senate 22-11 along party lines.

Alabama’s governor told reporters he didn’t talk with state school superintendents about retooling the legislation at the last minute because they would have tried to kill it.

“Take away all of this trust stuff. Take away all of these folks that are upset. I don’t care. Let me tell you what I care about. I care about those children who are failing in those schools and they have no way out,” Bentley said Friday.

House Speaker Mike Hubbard called the ruling “a ridiculous unconstitutional overreach” and a “patently political ruling.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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