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Judge Prohibits Christian Educator Group From Involvement In ACLU Prayer Suit
February 20, 2010
A federal judge barred a Christian educators association from seeking to overturn a consent decree requiring school officials in Santa Rosa County stop promoting their personal religious beliefs in public schools. In a 35-page decision issued Friday, U.S. District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers reiterated that school district officials are constitutionally obligated to not promote their religion and that the Christian Educators Association International had no valid basis for seeking to have the consent decree ruled unconstitutional.
The consent decree is the result of a lawsuit filed in 2008 by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Florida on behalf of two Pace High School students who alleged that school officials regularly promoted religion and led prayers at school events.
“The consent decree was clearly constitutional and designed to stop school officials’ admitted practice of promoting their personal religious beliefs. The judge’s decision affirms that no one is prevented from doing anything they should be allowed to do,” said Benjamin Stevenson, ACLU of Florida staff attorney. “Hopefully, school officials can now return their focus to educating students.”
Comments
25 Responses to “Judge Prohibits Christian Educator Group From Involvement In ACLU Prayer Suit”
Arguing over who is right or wrong between Christians just don’t make good sense. I do love to talk about God\Jesus.My favorite topic. So lets clear up a few things about praying out loud. No harm in asking the Lord to forgive you or to pray for some else. No harm in asking someone to say the blessing over a meal. The harm in praying out loud is being boastful, or your intention of praying trying to impress others with your prayer. The sincere prayer is always heard by God, if praying out loud was wrong, the disciples nor Jesus would have but they did.
I still say this is all just an attack on God. Not prayer..Prayer is how we communicate with the Father (God).
So maybe it would not hurt if you got down on your knees in private and ask God what he would have you say before you say it. Have a Blessed day in the Lord.
Rob, help me out here. Where exactly are Christians being stepped on? And while you are explaining that statement, tell me what would have happened if the teachers, staff and administrators who wish to preach/pray with your children were Wiccans? Would this be okay with you?
Thank God for smart judges!
ACLJ.ORG
Learn about the ACLU: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_Liberties_Union
Who else do we have to fight for individual rights in the courts, excluding special interests like Christians !!!! Anyone got an answer to THAT ?
Of course, under our laws, if you are negatively affected as an individual, by a law, you can then go to court to fight it…IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY.
Quote: ~Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful. – Seneca the Younger
Thinker……maybe you just don’t fully understand the 10 commandments…Jesus just gave two, those two cover the whole ten, if you truly obey them.
To “Just wondering”: The teaching of ethics in school is something that, contrary to modeling religion, SHOULD be fought for in the courts. I’m no scholar on the subject, but ethics surely arise from many cultures. The Ten Commandments just don’t cover the spectrum. No mention of rape in there…just coveting. How about arson? …I guess Do unto others..l.covers most of the other stuff.
I am sympathetic to the constraints on teachers but know little about those constraints. Is there no national teacher’s organization that works in that direction?
Ethics, Personal Finance, Advertising resistance and savy, these are just a few of the things missing from public school education. Another is Food Education. Check out: http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html
In response to “Just Wondering”:
The decree with the district is for employees of the school district. Students are allowed to continue as they have been in the past. If they wish to pray or have their bible it is allowed. The teacher or other employee may not take part in a discussion related to any particular religions. Students may pray or participate in religious activities that do not conflict with regular schedules. They may not be excused from class to pray, but they will not be punished if they choose to pray at times when it is appropriate. Everyone should calm down and do what you feel is right. If you think that you have to be in someone’s face to pray or force it on someone else, then you definitely need to rethink your convictions. I agree with “Bill”. Basically we can offer silent prayer and still be believers. I don’t think I should have to run through the streets shouting and praying that I am a Christian. My life and actions speak for themselves. Just something to think about.
Farmer Tom, I can only guess that you DON’T know what you’re talking about concerning private schools. Our children went to a private school and have an education beyond what they would have gotten in a public school. They had discipline, PRAYER IF THEY WANTED, morals and ethics, and a GOOD EDUCATION!! The public schools should take a look. I’m very pleased with my children, they grew up to be moral people who look to the LORD, love their neighbors, respect man’s law and other’s rights. They certainly wouldn’t have gotten that in a public school. Of course the schools shouldn’t have to teach your children right from wrong, morals, ethics, or religion. That is the parent’s place. It’s a shame that parents are what they use to be. Even so come quickly Lord Jesus.
Thinker,
You said “Teach ethics and nobody will complain.” You’re wrong, sir or madame. We are no longer allowed to teach ethics, right or wrong. The new and “only” acceptable teaching is that “it’s what is right FOR YOU”. That’s a wonderful way to trample on the rights of every single person in this country. It may be “right” for me to steal from you because I can’t feed my kids. It may be “right” for you to push me out of your way because you can’t get to something. It may be “right” for you to seek “fulfillment” outside your marriage with another person’s spouse. I could go on and on but you should get the picture from that.
Like it or not, our legal system is based on the Ten Commandments. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not commit adultery (yes, it is still illegal in many states and well it should be. If you wish to mess around with someone other than your spouse, GET A DIVORCE!).
These are ethics and we are not allowed to teach them.
Teach your kids to respect others. That should pretty well cover the entire spectrum of rights and responsibilities for everyone. That would include respecting their rights to believe what they wish and practice their religion as they please without us interfering with it.
Can someone please explain to me how it is illegal for my daughter to take her Bible to school because it is disruptive? Or how is it illegal for my child to say a simple blessing to herself with her head bowed before eating? WHY???
How can anyone say that they are preserving someone’s rights when they are taking away the rights of others? It makes no sense. You cannot deprive one person or group of a right in order to give another group a different right.
The only COMMON SENSE thing would be for those who wish to pray be allowed to do so and those who wish to refrain also be allowed to do so. Funny……that’s what was happening in the first place.
My child shouldn’t have to go to a private school to pray if he/she so desires. Your child shouldn’t have to go to any type of school to NOT pray if he/she so desires. We are ALL granted the right to practice our religion WITHOUT INTERFERENCE by government, so why does everyone keep telling us that we CANNOT practice our religion if someone else disagrees? It’s stupid!
If you want to pray, PRAY! If you don’t wish to pray, DON’T!!! How hard is that to understand? Stop trampling on my rights to protect the so-called rights of a few others. I don’t care if a Muslim wishes to get out his prayer rug and pray in the middle of school. I don’t care if a Buddhist wishes to pray and meditate in the middle of school. I don’t care if anyone wishes to pray, meditate, not pray or meditate, whatever as long as we are all given the same rights. Why can’t they simply leave us all alone to practice our religion or lack thereof WITHOUT government interference? That is NOT Constitutional by any means!
OK, people…no I don’t want some teacher…that I no nothing about, teaching my child about what they call god. It’s is the responsibility of the father in each family to teach them about God. If the father won’t then the mother should. The ACLU, along with different groups or individuals want to eliminate prayer altogether. It hurts no one when someone ask the Lord to bless their food, ask him to watch over and protect, heal someone, just plain being thankful for what you have. If you don’t believe in God, no one is forcing you to…no not even God…He lets you chose where you go to in the hereafter. To prove my point that it hurts no one, just before I posted the comment I ask in Jesus name to bless each and everyone who reads this, to bless them with joy, peace, good health, and most of all to open your eyes and ears to be receptive of his presents…Now how many of you experienced pain or mental anguish over my prayer before or after you read this? To those who don’t think God granted my prayer request, I only ask him to, I don’t tell God what to do, I just ask.
There is a Heaven and a Hell. Everyone has eternal life. You will be spending it in one of two places. When you open your eyes in Hell I believe, you will hear every prayer that was prayed over you. You will remember the way you got on here and bashed the Bible and the Lord. Stepping into eternity is like stepping through a door, except there is no going back. Once you step into eternity you will never have a chance to come back to get things right. Where the worm does not die and the fire is never quenched. I pray that for you who think you have it figued out will accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior before it is too late!
There is something about faith in a higher being that disturbs about 10% 0f our
American citizens. I say 10% as app. 90% of the people in our great nation claim
some kind of religious faith. To these 10% I would ask;
! Are there any other of our guaranteed freedoms under the Bill of Rights you would have limited to geography?
2. Are you aware of the gross amount of YOUR tax dollars are spent making sure your children are not offended by hearing or seeing someone else pray?
3 Question 2 brings up the fact that it is impossible to offend anyone without
their permission first given to you to do so.
Why, then, do you find something so trivial to you worth so much trouble to stop?
Could it be-demons also have faith-and TREMBLE?
The ACLU defines itself as the “nation’s guardian of liberty”…Then why are they trying to eliminate ones right to a simple prayer. Back in December they praised the a Washington Supreme court ruling to prevent parents from listening in on their minor childrens phone conversations. Before you all praise the ACLU to much, maybe you should check and see how they want to take away parents rights to raise there children to have moral values. Even if you don’t believe in God, Jesus, heaven or hell. I do think that you feel that it’s your right to teach and raise you children with out the so called nations guardians of liberty. On top of the non-belief of God, you will continue to teach your child that santa clause exist, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy as well. Even so come quickly Lord Jesus.
I’m guessing that the ACLU, nor you guys going to be in church in the morning.
Ditto on what JohnMolino said. There is a place for religion. In the home and in the church, not the public school system.
Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion–several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn’t straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother’s path to happiness and heaven….The higher animals have no religion. And we are told that they are going to be left out in the Hereafter. I wonder why? It seems questionable taste.
-Mark Twain, “The Lowest Animal”
While the comments against God and christian are more designed to try and anger us, you will find no anger from me. God gave you the the right to choose and you have. See that’s what so funny about the whole thing. The ACLU along with other groups will not be happy with just silencing the christian. For a THINKER you’re not thinking. Even the way of life that you value could be under attack from the ACLU next. These groups to make money have to have an agenda. Supporters for the agenda pour money into them to further their cause.
Fascism can be applied to any cause that results in war. In this case fascism can be applied as a war or rights. In the Bible you will find that we are the church on Laodicean, simply translated civil rights. Now here we all are each wanting to protect what you call your civil rights by trying to destroy others. There’s always more to think about that just yourself.
I don’t have a problem with this. Had a large group of Muslims moved into our area, they could be let their religion (Gasp!) Islam be preached in our schools. Or how about Jews? Hindus? Mormons? Jehova Witnesses or…. how about a Tom Cruise inspired Church of Scientology Elementary of Escambia County?
Would you still feel comfy had the school brought in a Catholic Priest to teach your children CCD?
How would that go over with you pious Christians?
Come on, a dose of common sense is needed here.
Religion out of our Public schools. Period. Plenty of fine Churches in the area.Leave the religion there. Think your children need more preaching? There are also plenty of fine Christian schools they can attend around here. Send them away to those religious schools.
Personally, lets teach our children an education that will help them later in business, government,private industry and sciences.
Leave the Hokum out.
There you have it.
Don’t thank me, I’m a giver.It’s what I do and what I’m all about.
- Christians have the constitutional rights as well.
- Religious zealots? mystical beliefs? selfish?! WOW!
- I recommend the book “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel
- Obviously some on here have a lot of hate in thier heart.
- “Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”
- We are living in a grace period my friends, don’t wait.
- This is not a mystical belief, this WILL happen.
- ISAIAH 53:5
- See you at church.
Sorry boys and girls– no prayer in public school, no prayer in public school, no prayer in public school. It’s not that hard. Want your kids to have prayer in school? If so, send them to PRIVATE school, where pretty much anything goes. It’s a pretty easy concept.
Glad to see it. Glad to see that our young people are protected from more propagandizing from religious zealots. These teachers put their mystical beliefs first and disregard the rights of others. THAT is not even what their religion teaches, it is their selfish decision.
I hope more non-Christians will speak out and applaud this decision. It’s time to come out into the sunshine.
As a non-Christian, I applaud this decision. My Grandchildren are now safer from having their young minds confused and distorted by these teachers influences. Prayer is viewed by many people as just a lot of hocus-pocus that doesn’t work. Paraplegics never regrew a leg or an arm because somebody prayed for them, despite the “power” of prayer. Does God hate paraplegics? Positive thinking is good. Positive action is great. Wishful expressions are just that.
There is a Christian Right movement in this country that can very well lead to fascism. (Please look up the term “fascism” if you don’t know what it means). Adolph Hitler justified his racism and hatreds with the Bible. Teachers are powerful influences on children, but might does NOT make right. Teach ethics and nobody will complain.
christians stepped on once again,just like always.
How is it possible for a nation that is bassed on a constitution as a Republic with
freedom for all in speech and religion reserve for itself what it denies its’ citizens?
Congress has a Chaplin and prays before each session. The ACLU along with
the help of liberal courts are using the basic education (public schools) to teach
our children ideas and beliefs our forefathers would certainly not approve. How is this any different from the schools in Nazi Germany, Russia, Red China,
or any other socialist government. Americans had better open their eyes and
realize there is much more harmful things being taught our children in our schools than a simple prayer.
This Judge needs to barred, placed behind barrs. We live in a world where a group like the ACLU wants to take away American Civil Liberties. There name is a contradiction of what they SAY they stand for.But what the heck, judges toss out evidence that will but a criminal behind bars because they may have violated someones rights. Come on now, if your’re breaking the law what rights should you have? What is the problem here, Atheist are scared of what they say don’t exist. G&L groups what to do away with a life style that produces life. What a screwed up world. Evens so come quickly Lord Jesus.