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BY BLAKE HANSON
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Gesundheit’s getting a bit more appealing for at least one San Francisco-area high school. A teacher at William C. Wood High has banned saying “God Bless You” after people sneeze. KNTV writes...
“The common practice of saying ‘God bless you’ after someone sneezes is a part of American culture.But it sparked a controversy at a Bay Area high school this week. Teacher Steve Cuckovich docked his students' scores after they said ‘bless you’ in the middle of class. He says talking of any kind is disruptive and takes time away from class.”
The story is going viral -- and a panelist on The O’Reilly Factor takes issue with teacher’s explanation.
PANELIST: “It’s okay to say ‘God Bless You’”
O’REILLY: “No, but it interrupts class time”
PANELIST: “No, it’s dumb not to say ‘God Bless You’ because it appears the teacher has an issue with the religious overtones.”
Some argue the saying shouldn’t be that big of a deal. Conservative Daily News writes...
“This is another small, yet stupid example of how politically correct we have become. A Jewish carpenter turned Savior once said, ‘you strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.’ Can someone rescue common sense from its exile? Please?”
A writer for The Week, comes to Cuckovich’s defense, writing...
“Cuckovich is a health teacher, so he's teaching his students that this phrase is rooted in superstition, not science. Making a rule and enforcing it isn't bigotry, it's just classroom discipline.”
The school district says it got an outpouring of complaints. KFSN has more...
“After parents complained about students losing points for saying bless you, Cuckovich decided to stop the practice. But the teacher says he’ll just find another way to discipline students for saying ‘Bless You’ in class.”
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