I couldn’t find the number of churches that have been destroyed by fire or vandalized this year, but each week I read about another one. This past week a church in Mississippi was burned and a statute of Jesus was beheaded in Florida. Two weeks ago Bibles were burned in Portland. I never thought this would happen in America where we proudly claim to have freedom of religion. I admit I have seen signs of Christianity being dismissed over the years.

When I was teaching, it became popular for our Hispanic students to wear crucifixes. Someone had made them, and they were quite beautiful. One day I commented on one that my student was wearing. He told me he and others had been told they couldn’t wear them in Ms.__’s room. My response was, “That can’t be. It’s not in the dress code, and we do have freedom of religion.” At that point three others joined in and told me he was right. I knew this teacher was an atheist, because she had made it known, but I never thought she’d do this. I was wrong.

While teaching, I saw teachers tell students to leave their Bibles at home when they were found reading them at the lunch table. We had several Apostolic students and this was not uncommon. They stopped bringing them. When I told a group of teachers that I was amazed that an eighth grader asked why we celebrate Christmas, I was told by Ms.__ that I shouldn’t even be discussing Christmas. By the way, this was a student who celebrated Christmas but just didn’t know why.

I never heard of any of our Muslim students being denied or harassed for fasting or going to pray (we provided a quiet place) during Eid Al Adha. Most of my students celebrated the Christian holidays and believed in God, but didn’t go to church or know the Christian faith.

I believe we are one country under God and people of all faiths are welcome. Churches don’t have to be burned, statues destroyed or Bibles burned to have Christians be told not to express their faith.