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ACLU Lawsuit, Judge’s Order Prompts Prayer Rally At High School
March 5, 2009
An ACLU lawsuit and a federal court judge’s order against any prayer or promotion of religion has prompted over a dozen Santa Rosa County churches to organize a prayer service at Jay High School.
“We are going to come as Christians, not any denomination, and offer prayer that our students will serve the Lord,” said Pastor Mitch Herring of Poplar Dell Baptist Church. His church is located in North Escambia, but he is taking part in the service because he lives in Jay.
“We want the children to know we are for them, even though they took Baccalaureate away from them,” the pastor said.
U.S. District Court Judge Casey Rodgers issued an injunction banning prayer and religion in Santa Rosa County Schools following an ACLU lawsuit against Santa Rosa County. That injunction prevents the school district from promoting or sponsoring prayers during school-sponsored events, including graduation; planning or financing religious Baccalaureate services; holding school-sponsored events at religious venues when alternative locations are reasonably available; and prohibits school officials from promoting their personal religious beliefs in class or during school-sponsored events and activities.
That order has also prompted many Escambia County high schools, including Northview, to eliminate a school sponsored Baccalaureate this year.
Several Jay churches are currently working together with the Jay Royals senior class to organize a Baccalaureate service.
At 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, at least 14 churches will come together on the baseball field at Jay High School to pray for the students in the Jay area. Herring said the gathering will not be impacted by the judge’s order because the event is not school sponsored, and the churches are paying to rent the facility under district guidelines.
“We want to encourage these kids to stand in their faith,” the pastor said, “and let them know that they have people praying for them. We want the Lord to raise up leaders at our schools.”
Under the judge’s order, Herring said, teachers are not even allowed to pray for students if the student asks for prayer.
Want to go? The prayer service will be held at Jay High School, Saturday, March 14 at 4 p.m. It is open to the public, not just to people connected to Jay High School or Santa Rosa County.
Comments
14 Responses to “ACLU Lawsuit, Judge’s Order Prompts Prayer Rally At High School”
I am one of the pastors who organized this prayer meeting. We had a good turn out considering the rain and I thank God people still came out. Some people have no clue what is actually happening in our school system and why our community is so concerned. The news makes it appear that we want our teachers to have the right to preach to their students and pray in their classrooms and that simply is absolutely false. The truth is that the ACLU has our school board bowing to every demand they throw at them and it has went way beyond these obviously illegal things. The agreement between our school board and the ACLU includes things like forbidding school employees from participating in any way in prayer even if it is student led. This means if a teacher bows their head in respect as their students say a prayer or if a coach joins hands with his team as they pray then they are in violation of this agreement. That is absurd to say the least. Also in the agreement is that teachers cannot put the church they attend or their religious affiliation on their teachers web page in their bio and it also forbids student groups such as choirs, bands, drama teams etc from being able to go and perform in a church building. In the agreement are even more outrageous things like giving the ACLU oversight to make sure we do things correctly and demanding that this agreement be given to all hired employees until 2015. Beyond that it has been stated by school officials on several occasions that teachers are not allowed to speak at any services organized by the students or for the students even if the school has nothing to do with it. On that point the school board is not only going over board but is doing something illegal by forbidding teachers to express their faith at non school sponsored events. This thing is far from over so we need to pray, pray and pray for many different things. I think a major one is courage not to lay down and take all this. May God help us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
Flomaton Alum: have you ever as an individual been stopped by the government from praying? If so, contact the ACLU. Contrary to popular belief, they will help you _and_ have won multiple court cases helping Christians. See this link: http://www.aclufightsforchristians.com/
Google “aclu helps christians” in case the link doesn’t show up.
Why can’t christianists undestand that public schools are not a forum for religion? If you want preaching and prayers, go to church. Education belongs in school; relgious indoctrination does not.
What if it was not your religion that was being promoted? Would you allow your child to be forced to hear prayers to other gods than yours? Open your eyes and realize that other people have rights, too.
As a Jay alum, I think this is awesome. Soliders Under Command! ISAIAH 53:5
Flomaton Alum, I could not have said it better myself. when you say
“The Courts are not interpreting the Constitution; they are rewriting the law from the bench.”
I have been saying that for years. They twist and manipulate it to suit themselves. I appreciate your knowledge on how it is suppose to be.
Farmer Tom, Stick to farming and leave political matters and comments to others. You clearly have little understanding for the way it was meant to be.
FarmerTom:
“…the people who won’t be there matter more– the children and their families who don’t want to have such prayer thrust upon them and who have the right, by law, to be free from such prayer in public school.”
Interesting how that argument does not work in reverse. People who choose to pray have a right, by law, to exercise their belief without prohibition.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
School prayer is not a Government-established religion. The Courts are not interpreting the Constitution; they are rewriting the law from the bench.
If the parents and graduates that do not wish to take part of the baccalaureate service, then they have the right to stay home and let the ones that do want to participate continue to do so. For those that are apposed to the church related issue that do take place at school, then those students need to go to schools that don’t have such related issues’. That’s like keeping every one in detention because one student did something wrong. They do not have to attend the services, just like they don’t have to go to church if they don’t want to. But it’s not fair to take away something that is important to those who wish to attend.
It is continually disheartening to see our elected Judges give more rights to convicted pedophiles than they do to law abiding citizens.
Onward Christian Soldiers, I wish I could be there.
We as Christians must put legs on prayer and get Judes out that make these type of dicisions and get people like the ACLU busted from their control of allowing a few to control the wants and wishes of many. How can we sit on our seats of do nothings and allow this to happen? I for one am tired of this. Our country is doomed as long as God is stifled from our Young minds. People need to get back into Church everytime the doors are open and make sure their children are there. We have too many empty pews in our churches all because of our laziness on church day. Come on people, you are believers—Now prove it.
That’ll show those silly ACLU people and that stupid judge! Ha!
Well, I suppose some people will go to this service, maybe a lot, but the people who won’t be there matter more– the children and their families who don’t want to have such prayer thrust upon them and who have the right, by law, to be free from such prayer in public school. Everyone has the right to follow his or her own religion, but schools are not churches, and while belief does not stop at the schoolhouse door, the topic of the day in class is not religion, unless it’s a history or literature class.
This is a great ideal!! How long can Christans stand by and allow our Goverment to tell us what we can or can not do? The US Goverment was set up for the people. We the people are the Goverment!!! The more you take God out of a country the worse it becomes. I will be at this prayer session and I enchurage anyone who calls them self a Christian to be there. God can work in some young mind (a leader of tomorrow) to lead us out of Egypt. ( the ression) Or what ever your Egypt may be. God can bring our country back to him I just wander what it will take to get the job done? James chapter 5, verse 16 States (The effstual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much). God am I not Faithful in prayer or not righteous?
What’s the status of Northview’s Baccalaureate? At last check, students were going to pick up the “torch” and coordinate the service. One of our local churches can and should rent the school’s theater for the event, or is the school district going to stone wall that idea.
Thanks to all who are organizing this event!!
It is very important to show the students that we will stand behind them in their decisions to serve God. May the Lord bless this effort & the efforts of the students to exercise the rights they DO have left.
Thanks, William, for covering this story.
If I could I would be there, it is terrible that the minority has ruled over this .Why can’t the christians get this much done?