The fight involving the ACLU, the school district and several devout Christian employees began last August when the ACLU sued Santa Rosa County Schools on behalf of two students who had complained privately to the group's Florida affiliate, claiming some teachers and administrators were allowing prayers at school events such as graduations, orchestrating separate religiously themed graduation services, and "proselytizing" students during class and after school.While the ACLU is probably patting themselves on the back and proclaiming victory because they successfully stopped an 18-year old from professing her personal beliefs at her graduation, this in fact was a classic ACLU failure. Instead of a few words of religious belief spoken by one student you had 300 students with crosses on their caps standing and interrupting the ceremony to recite the Lord's Prayer. The sight of 300 kids professing their religious beliefs certainly had more impact on the crowd than the words of one student.
In January, the Santa Rosa County School District settled out of court with the ACLU, agreeing to several things, including a provision to bar all school employees from promoting or sponsoring prayers during school-sponsored events; holding school events at church venues when a secular alternative was available; or promoting their religious beliefs or attempting to convert students in class or during school-sponsored events.
Mr. Staver said the district also agreed to forbid senior class President Mary Allen from speaking at the school's May 30 graduation ceremony on the chance that the young woman, a known Christian, might say something religious.
"She was the first student body president in 33 years not allowed to speak," he said.
In response, many members of the 300-plus-member student body taped crosses to their mortarboards and stood for an impromptu recitation of the Lord's Prayer during the ceremony.
Mr. Mach responded, "We believe students have the constitutional right to pray voluntarily in public or private. Constitutional problems arise only when public school officials promote or endorse prayer or specific religious views."
Classic fail for the ACLU. Their efforts clearly backfired on them.
And at no point had the class president indicated plans to pray in public. In fact, no one know what she would have said because the decision to ban her speech was made before any such speech had been written or submitted for approval.
Do I believe the school district has a right to approve any such speeches? Of course. There is no first amendment right to speak at your high school graduation. But by literally making a federal case out of this the ACLU, and the cowardly school district, compounded the "damage" they thought would result from a few religious words of a devout student.
Posts
1 comment:
The ACLU defends students right to free speech just as steadfastly as it defends their right to be free of school/state sponsored religious influences.
The ACLU has no interest in banning or preventing the public expression of faith by individuals or groups, no matter what their religion. In fact we often defend just such expression. What concerns us (I am a long time "card carrying" member of the ACLU) is the endorsement or encouragement of such expressions by public/government institutions, including public schools.
Such endorsement or encouragement is at the heart of the non-establishment clause, and is a violation of the rights of all students, including those who may agree with the religious views being promoted.
Individuals have the right to believe what they choose, and to express that belief individually or in groups. The state is precluded from endorsing or promoting one set of beliefs over another. It's really not that complicated.
It seems the students in question have a better grasp of this concept than do many school administrators, teachers and journalists.
Post a Comment