‘Passion’ Offer Costs Teacher Job

A teacher at a Catholic school in this Sacramento suburb said he was fired for offering extra credit to his seventh-grade students for watching the film “The Passion of the Christ.”

Stephen Hathorn, 50, said he had taught at the St. Lawrence School for five years before being dismissed last week, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Considered an unvarnished description of the story of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the R-rated film was produced by actor-director Mel Gibson, a devout Catholic. Although the film is attracting large audiences, it has been criticized for its graphic scenes of torture and violence.

The Diocese of Sacramento doesn’t have a specific policy on viewing the film but has an understanding that it “would not encourage” pre-high school students to attend an R-rated movie, spokeswoman Lynette Magnino said.

School officials would not comment directly on Hathorn’s dismissal. Principal Marilyn Fleming said assigning students to watch R-rated movies was against the policy of the school, which includes kindergarten through eighth grade.

Hathorn called the movie “100% true to the Gospel” and noted that he watched it with his seventh-grade son.

While parts might be too much for some kids, he said, “in this age with all the violence we see, the violence is not too much.”