Welcom Back Religious Freaks
Principal is whipped to punish two teens
Christian school fires educator who says Jesus inspired him.
By ZAZ HOLLANDER
Anchorage Daily News
11/13/04
WASILLA -- Matanuska Christian School's principal has been fired and a teacher has quit over a disciplinary incident in which the principal had himself whipped in front of two students.
Principal Steve Unfreid, who said he was inspired in his choice of disciplinary tactics by the actions of Jesus, asked teacher Joe Brost to whip him in front of two male students in the school's basement last month after the boys were caught kissing girls in the locker room for the second time in a week.
Unfreid, in an interview Friday at his home, acknowledged he should have called the boys' parents first but expressed no regret for his behavior.
The school's board of directors unanimously decided in a closed-door session Sunday to fire Unfreid.
Brost resigned Monday night at a crowded meeting in the school's chapel. He did not want to comment for this story.
Roughly 120 students now attend the Palmer school. About 20 students have left in the incident's aftermath, school officials said. It could not be learned whether the departing youths were motivated to leave by their support of Unfreid.
In a letter sent to the school's board Wednesday, Unfreid said he would not fight his dismissal. He also apologized for "outbursts at the school board meeting" on Monday.
Unfreid violated school policy by not notifying parents before going ahead with discipline, particularly with "anything that unusual," school board president and acting administrator Scott Richardson said Friday.
The decision to take the boys' punishment on himself showed a form of Christianity that was too radical for some members of the school community, Unfreid said, sitting cross-legged on a leather couch in his Wasilla living room Friday afternoon.
Since coming to the school as a teacher several years ago, he said, he pushed for the school to admit a married student, laid on hands in an effort to heal a girl basketball player's injured ankle, and has taken troubled students into his family's home.
"The vision I had is the love of God can change everything," Unfreid said.
When the two seniors, 17 and 18, got caught kissing girls in front of younger students in late October, Unfreid said that while contemplating what discipline to hand out, he woke at 3 a.m. and prayed how to avoid expelling them. He said that was when he remembered years ago he had cured his son of chronic lying by telling his son to hit him with a wooden ladle instead of spanking the youngster.
Later at school, Unfreid walked the boys down to a basement room with Brost. He told them, " 'Guys, this has gotta stop,' " he said. " 'I've let the atmosphere get too lax. I share in this discipline. This is a one-time deal.' "
Then the principal took off his belt, gave it to Brost, and instructed the teacher to "discipline me like you would discipline your own son," he recalled.
He told the teacher to stop only when the students acknowledged their mistake. The whole thing, starting with the trip downstairs, lasted 5 to 10 minutes, he said.
The next day, Unfreid mentioned the lesson in Bible class. A student in class complained, talked to school officials, and word of the incident spread.
By Thursday, Palmer police came to the school to interview the principal and some students, Richardson said. That same day, Unfreid and Brost were put on administrative leave.
The scandal showed up in newspaper, radio and television news reports this week.
School officials are looking for a new principal.
Richardson said the school has a ban on corporal punishment of any kind.
Asked about any religious split in the school, Richardson said the school board voted unanimously to fire the principal. "There's no split at all on the school board," he said. "But there are some parents who expressed support of Mr. Unfreid's actions."
Parent Mitch Rausa, reached by phone Friday night, said the whole thing really surprised him and other parents, though he is trying to remain neutral on the principal's actions.
The situation -- and the public and police attention -- made him uncomfortable, though the police found no wrongdoing, Rausa said.
The school developed its own bylaws to keep government out of its business, he said. That's why it's so important to stick to those bylaws.
"Being a believer, I know that the only one that can take on the sins of anyone is Jesus," he said.
This article came from The Anchorage Daily News Via Liz.
Christian school fires educator who says Jesus inspired him.
By ZAZ HOLLANDER
Anchorage Daily News
11/13/04
WASILLA -- Matanuska Christian School's principal has been fired and a teacher has quit over a disciplinary incident in which the principal had himself whipped in front of two students.
Principal Steve Unfreid, who said he was inspired in his choice of disciplinary tactics by the actions of Jesus, asked teacher Joe Brost to whip him in front of two male students in the school's basement last month after the boys were caught kissing girls in the locker room for the second time in a week.
Unfreid, in an interview Friday at his home, acknowledged he should have called the boys' parents first but expressed no regret for his behavior.
The school's board of directors unanimously decided in a closed-door session Sunday to fire Unfreid.
Brost resigned Monday night at a crowded meeting in the school's chapel. He did not want to comment for this story.
Roughly 120 students now attend the Palmer school. About 20 students have left in the incident's aftermath, school officials said. It could not be learned whether the departing youths were motivated to leave by their support of Unfreid.
In a letter sent to the school's board Wednesday, Unfreid said he would not fight his dismissal. He also apologized for "outbursts at the school board meeting" on Monday.
Unfreid violated school policy by not notifying parents before going ahead with discipline, particularly with "anything that unusual," school board president and acting administrator Scott Richardson said Friday.
The decision to take the boys' punishment on himself showed a form of Christianity that was too radical for some members of the school community, Unfreid said, sitting cross-legged on a leather couch in his Wasilla living room Friday afternoon.
Since coming to the school as a teacher several years ago, he said, he pushed for the school to admit a married student, laid on hands in an effort to heal a girl basketball player's injured ankle, and has taken troubled students into his family's home.
"The vision I had is the love of God can change everything," Unfreid said.
When the two seniors, 17 and 18, got caught kissing girls in front of younger students in late October, Unfreid said that while contemplating what discipline to hand out, he woke at 3 a.m. and prayed how to avoid expelling them. He said that was when he remembered years ago he had cured his son of chronic lying by telling his son to hit him with a wooden ladle instead of spanking the youngster.
Later at school, Unfreid walked the boys down to a basement room with Brost. He told them, " 'Guys, this has gotta stop,' " he said. " 'I've let the atmosphere get too lax. I share in this discipline. This is a one-time deal.' "
Then the principal took off his belt, gave it to Brost, and instructed the teacher to "discipline me like you would discipline your own son," he recalled.
He told the teacher to stop only when the students acknowledged their mistake. The whole thing, starting with the trip downstairs, lasted 5 to 10 minutes, he said.
The next day, Unfreid mentioned the lesson in Bible class. A student in class complained, talked to school officials, and word of the incident spread.
By Thursday, Palmer police came to the school to interview the principal and some students, Richardson said. That same day, Unfreid and Brost were put on administrative leave.
The scandal showed up in newspaper, radio and television news reports this week.
School officials are looking for a new principal.
Richardson said the school has a ban on corporal punishment of any kind.
Asked about any religious split in the school, Richardson said the school board voted unanimously to fire the principal. "There's no split at all on the school board," he said. "But there are some parents who expressed support of Mr. Unfreid's actions."
Parent Mitch Rausa, reached by phone Friday night, said the whole thing really surprised him and other parents, though he is trying to remain neutral on the principal's actions.
The situation -- and the public and police attention -- made him uncomfortable, though the police found no wrongdoing, Rausa said.
The school developed its own bylaws to keep government out of its business, he said. That's why it's so important to stick to those bylaws.
"Being a believer, I know that the only one that can take on the sins of anyone is Jesus," he said.
This article came from The Anchorage Daily News Via Liz.
posted by Mike | 9:22 AM
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