TEMECULA - A Temecula Valley High School student has decided to opt for an independent study program rather than finish out the semester on campus because of her teacher's derogatory comments about Christians, the girl's attorney said Friday.

Attorney Bob Tyler said 17-year-old junior Brittney Cowles became very upset Thursday after her creative writing teacher allegedly called local Christian parents "crazy" and "prejudiced" for keeping their children home from school to protest a new state law that some parents contend promotes a homosexual agenda in public schools.

The teacher's alleged rant went on for about a half-hour, prompting Brittney to tears and causing her to leave the classroom, Tyler said.

Tyler faxed a demand letter to the Temecula Valley Unified School District on Friday morning asking for immediate sanctions against the teacher, stating Brittney felt intimated by the educator and distressed by what she said.

He also said the teacher's comments were extremely hostile toward Christians and their faith, and that they violated the federal establishment clause, which calls on public agencies to be secular and not advance or disapprove of any religion.

The end result of a meeting between Tyler, Brittney, her mother and Temecula Valley High School Principal Rani Goyal on Friday afternoon was that Brittney would finish the semester, which ends in January, through an independent study program, Tyler said.

He said it remains to be seen whether she will return to the high school, which she has attended since her freshman year.

The demand letter was addressed to Superintendent Carol Leighty, school board President Stewart Morris and Goyal. Leighty and Morris were at a daylong, out-of-town conference Friday and could not be reached for comment.

Goyal, in an e-mail on behalf of herself and the teacher, declined to comment.

"We were informed Ö at 9:35 this morning of the allegation and are in the early stages of the investigation into the comments made in the classroom," Goyal stated. "As this is in reference to a personnel matter, we have no comment."

In an interview Friday, Brittney said the incident has been very upsetting.

"Yesterday was a breaking point for me," she said.

Brittney, who has fibromyalgia, said she has drawn on her Christian faith for strength as she has tried to cope with the disease, and hearing her beliefs bashed was more than she could bear.

According to Brittney, her teacher called evangelical parents "crazy," "narrow-minded," "prejudiced," "promoters of hate" and "out of control."

Brittney claims that her teacher went on to say that if any of her students were involved in the protest, she would "get revenge in some way or another."

Brittney also contends her teacher said young Christians are being "brain-washed by overbearing parents who shove their beliefs down everyone's throats."

Apparently, the teacher's comments sparked a discussion among the other students in class, a mix of about 35 from all grade levels, many of whom voiced their support by reiterating their educator's points, Brittney said.

Brittney said she felt persecuted for her morals and beliefs, and that something inside her told her she had to do something. She said she finally raised her hand and asked to go outside, and the request was granted.

As she walked out, Brittney said her teacher asked her if she was offended, and she replied that she was. Asked how, Brittney said she didn't appreciate her religion being ridiculed, and burst into tears on her way out the door.

Brittney went to the nurse's office and was picked up by her mother a short time later. Her mother, Cynthia Tarpy, said she called her church's youth pastor because she wanted to find someone to counsel Brittney and help calm her down.

Their youth pastor ended up referring the two to Tyler, who runs a conservative public interest law firm in Murrieta and agreed to represent them free of charge.

Coincidentally, Tyler also filed a lawsuit in federal court earlier this week challenging the validity of the new law that had prompted the parent protest and subsequent classroom comments.

"This teacher went so far beyond the bounds that there is no excuse," Tyler said. "We want to see some action by the school district. We want to give the school district an opportunity to make things right, to decry and condemn this teacher's actions."

Tarpy said she is proud of her daughter.

"She has always been the squeaky wheel, the one who debates her teachers on evolution," she said. "I want her voice to be heard. She is a brave girl."