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In a recent article, I noted that the Santa Rosa School District in Florida ended its discriminatory practices against students. Even still, the students are unhappy with the ACLU.
However, the other day, nearly 400 graduating seniors at Pace High School stood up in protest against the ACLU and recited the Lord’s Prayer during their graduation ceremony on Saturday. Many of the students also painted crosses on their graduation caps to make a statement of faith. This event follows a lawsuit the ACLU filed against the Santa Rosa County School District (Florida), claiming some of the teachers and administration endorsed religion. Liberty Counsel represents Pace High School Principal Frank Lay and school teacher Michelle Winkler.
The graduation prayer protest by the students was preceded by a lawsuit filed six months ago by the ACLU. The school district entered into a consent decree, which essentially bans all Santa Rosa County School District employees from engaging in prayer or religious activities. The ACLU alleges that during a dinner event held at Pace High School, Principal Lay asked the athletic director to bless the meal. In another incident, the ACLU alleges that Michelle Winkler’s husband, who is not a school board employee, offered prayer at an awards ceremony. Leading up to the graduation ceremony, the ACLU demanded the school to censor students from offering prayers or saying anything religious. The ACLU then charged Principal Lay and Ms. Winkler with contempt of court.
The students at Pace High School were furious with the ACLU hijacking their free speech rights and decided to take a stand at graduation. As soon as Principal Lay asked everyone to be seated at the ceremony, the graduating class remained standing and recited the Lord’s Prayer. The ACLU has not taken any legal action yet but has stated that something should have been done to stop the prayer.
Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented: “Neither students nor teachers shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate. The students at Pace High School refused to remain silent and were not about to be bullied by the ACLU. We have decided to represent faculty, staff and students of Pace High School, because the ACLU is clearly violating their First Amendment rights. Schools are not religion-free zones, and any attempt to make them so is unconstitutional.”
Amen, and Amen!
Comments
All Christians need to emulate these students, and start not only standing up for their rights, but DEMANDING THEIR RIGHTS, and opposing fascist organizations like the ACLU.
I wonder how the students who weren't Christian felt? Left out, ostracized, alone. Like they had their one chance for graduation memories taken from them and given over to Christianity, when it was supposed to be for everyone. I feel for them, since some Christians, especially in large groups, have no sense of decency.
Hey Dennis N,
Cry me a river!
This is America! The students are NOT limited when it comes to their personal beliefs under the Constitution, even at a school function, or even the the Rotunda of the U.S. Capital!
As far as I've read into this, it was not an issue of students' private beliefs. It was government employees (teachers) espousing their beliefs as representative of the government, which -is- contrary the first amendment.
Sure there as some instances where they have the right to be rude and boorish and engage in groupthink, excluding others. I would hope they would choose not to. I don't agree that this is the case. A graduation ceremony is not the public park, it's an event for all students graduating.
Why is it that so many on the religious-right feel that the Constitution and other laws don't apply to them?
To amplify on what Dennis is saying: The Christian majority moans and complains when others don't bend over backwards so they can make some public display of their religion. Yet they don't hesitate to ruin others lives, i.e. ruining their moment of graduation from college. Which I would hazard to guess is a pretty significant moment in one's life. Christians preach 'do unto others...' yet never feel the need to practice it.
You do not have the right to take away my rights! School is for issues to be discussed openly. I encourage my fellow students and teachers to talk about topics with each other "intelligently" and then to form an opinion.
Quit trying to stiffle our school system.
If ANY non-Christian felt insecure, left-out, or hurt by this expression of faith, this only indicates (to anyone thoughtful) that these other individuals are unwilling to make a stand for their own faiths.
There was nothing preventing them from making their own prayers (for example to Allah, or to one's own inner deity, or to the flying spaghetti monster) other than fear, uncertainty, or apathy.
To summarize, I will leave you with 2 Cor 2:14-17, which shows that this conflict is nothing new, not even close:
"But I thank God, who always leads us in victory because of Christ. Wherever we go, God uses us to make clear what it means to know Christ. It's like a fragrance that fills the air. To God we are the aroma of Christ among those who are saved and among those who are dying. To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a life-giving fragrance. Who is qualified to tell about Christ? At least we don't go around selling an impure word of God like many others.
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