Teacher Bans Students From Saying 'Bless You' to Sneezers

Photo by mcfarlandmo via Flickr

Apparently one teacher in Vacaville has never seen the movie "Singles," and therefore doesn't know that all women want is for a man to say "bless you" to them after they sneeze.

Steve Cuckovich is in fact discouraging the practice of blessing someone after they sneeze among his students -- and thereby ruining the dating lives of God-knows-how-many young men -- with the stated goal of preserving class time. The L.A. Times reports:

He said a student would sneeze, prompting several students to say "Bless You." The sneezer would then thank each of the students who said "Bless you."

Cuckovich maintains that the rule has nothing to do with religion, although he does point out that the practice is somewhat outdated, since the blessing was traditionally given because people thought a sneeze expelled demons from the sneezer's body.

To implement his rule, Cuckovich is docking students' grade points every time they say the offending phrase. The rule has been poignantly called "messed up" by at least one student, and is very predictably causing some parents to compare the rule to banning the pledge of allegiance in classrooms.

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By Jessica Pauline Ogilvie in News on September 30, 2011 11:40 AM

Comments [rss]

Raphael Mazor

Wow, kids play a prank on a teacher, and suddenly it's a religious freedom issue? LAist got punked by grade-schoolers.

RedMercury

I figure that explaining where "bless you" comes from is a good "educational moment," but I think banning the phrase is ridiculous.

Though, kids, if you don't want to draw the ire of the teacher, use "Gesundheit" or, better yet, take a look at this wikipedia page and pick one of your favorites.

Elialia

at least with Gesundheit. they are saying "God Bless You". but in this case - in the German language.

schadenfraulein

Gesundheit means "health" in German.

schadenfraulein

Did you read the article? Using "gesundheit" or any other alternative wouldn't change the situation, as the issue is the disruption to class, not the phrase itself.

Joel

Aside from the biblical schmiblical nonsense, I can fall back on a Seinfeld episode. Some guy was offended when George beat him to the 'God Bless You' to his lady. Well, the advice from one of the characters was to instead say, "You're SO good looking". The wife and I carry on this Seinfeldien tradition at our house. As far as the school issue is concerned... Just shut the F up and LEARN something!!!!!!!!

Enjoy.............

Lauren Clifford

This was the rule made in my high school classes by the best, most engaged teachers who I have the most respect for looking back.

mylifeat1404

this teacher last names does not look like it is in the bible,nor does it look native american, in which i am.this is not a teacher but more less a dictator.he should be removed asap and sentenced to read the bible in prison.he seems to be more concerned about religion then showing or advising CHILDREN education, that is what his job is.if you call someone gay then you can be charged criminally. so to say to someone dont say god or godbless is the same.whats next with this teacher.another student says i love god and he then takes violent action?its people like this that makes god blink his eye and then we have a earthquake. if god stands up then we have a earthquake 4ever.he should not be a teacher he should be investigated and criminally charged with something.people like this are apart of a bad thing,he knows that and m,ost important GOD knows that.it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of a living god mr.teacher. thank you . yours truly a child of god

Kali

The hell are you rambling on about? Are you drunk?

dirty 30's

If you call someone "Gay" you can be criminally charged? Care to back up the claim at all?

As far as the rest off your statement; there is something called separation of church and state, so no one gives a flying fuck what you think or what your god thinks, because that's not supposed to be involved at all.

Of course you would want someone criminally charged over this BS....

mylifeat1404

this is gods world/gods planet and gods schools/respect that.and god belongs everywhere.

Frank TheTank

urine-sane

schadenfraulein

I heard about this last night and wasn't surprised that it was being spun as an anti-religion thing (the piece I saw on the local "news" made no mention of the teacher's explanation). I have a friend who teaches middle school and has complained about this very thing. It's hard enough to keep 40+ kids focused on math (or whatever subject Cuckovich teaches) and in an already over-crowded classroom, it's not a stretch to say that it's something that can be really disruptive to learning. Maybe people would freak out less if he changed the rule to one "bless you" and one "thank you" per sneeze? Although that could be just as distracting, with kids racing to be the first "blesser". How about just trusting the teachers' judgment, since they're the ones in charge of running the class?

Ezra Horne

Why not ban just the students from thanking the "Blessers"? That would save the time and avoid people not learning to say Bless you, which is very polite, and should be encouraged, in my opinion.