Teacher coerced to hide his religious beliefs

René Aurelio Patterson Rodríguez works as a chemistry teacher at the work and labor faculty in Banes, Holguin. He was awarded for his great job in the course 2017 - 2018. At the same time, education in his municipality was very successful, for this reason an event would be held with some authorities and TV and radio journalists. Patterson would receive a diploma and a medal for his work during the event. 24 hours before the event, the Local Director of Education, Maribel Guerrero Peña, asked him to take off his Iddé (a religious item carried by people devoted to Regla de Ocha-Ifá or Santeria). He declined since it is a feature of his identity and his Afro-Cuban religion, reason why he was never awarded.