Bless You After A Sneeze a No-No?

By Douglas V. Gibbs

An explanation given once to yours truly was that the reason someone says "God Bless You" after a sneeze is because the heart stops when you sneeze, and it is a blessing that you survived. Another explanation I once heard is that the term developed because people believed that a sneeze was an expulsion of evil spirits. Regardless of the origin of the response to sneezes, it has become common place in this culture to say "Bless You" after someone sneezes. In fact, to some people it is downright rude if you don't say it after they sneeze.

Political Correctness has now reared its ugly head around sneezes.

A teacher in Vacaville, California has decided that in his class, any student that says "bless you" to someone after they sneeze will be penalized 25 points from their grade for doing so. The "bless you," he claims, is disruptive, and that it doesn't make sense anymore.

Is this yet another example of the liberal education system working to shape the culture into their own image?

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

Teacher punished students for saying ‘Bless You’ in class - Los Angeles Times

One Sneeze... and Common Sense Flies Out the Window - GOP USA