By Jim Brown
April 4, 2005

(AgapePress) - A longtime volunteer with the Southwest Florida Department of Juvenile Justice claims he was fired for mentioning Jesus Christ in a return message that he sent out on his government e-mail account.

David Correa says he has not only been fired from his post with the Juvenile Justice Department, but has also been removed from his paid position as coordinator of the Naples Neighborhood Accountability Board. His former employer, Circuit Manager Frank Busbee, allegedly dismissed Correa after he sent out a return e-mail message in December to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, encouraging the group to "remember to keep Christ in Christmas."

According to Correa, Busbee was "screaming and yelling over the phone" and was not willing to rethink the decision to terminate the volunteer worker, who felt that the use of the word "Christ" at Christmastime "should not evoke such a strong emotion from a person -- especially a person who is in charge of a juvenile justice department."

The Florida man adds, "If anything, you would think someone involved in that area would believe in Christ and would have no problem with someone quoting Christ." He is calling on his former boss to apologize publicly for the alleged firing.

"Why he took offense at my use of the word 'Christ' I still can't ever understand," Correa says. "Up to that time he and I had gotten along well. I occasionally recruited volunteers and interns and mentors for the Department of Juvenile Justice, and -- up to that time -- everyone was satisfied with what I was doing."

Busbee declined to comment on the controversy. However, a spokesman for Juvenile Justice Secretary Anthony Schembri says the Southwest Florida Juvenile Detention Center School had "performance issues" with Correa.

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