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Liberty Counsel Files For Injunction Against Santa Rosa Schools Over Religious Expression
June 2, 2010
The conservative Christian advocacy organization The Liberty Council has filed a request in federal court for a preliminary injunction against the Santa Rosa County School District and its superintendent Timothy S. Wyrosdick.
Liberty Counsel filed a federal complaint against the district last month on behalf of 22 individuals representing students, faculty and staff, and members of the community, whose constitutional rights to free speech are being violated, according to the group, by a consent decree drafted by the ACLU, agreed to by the district, and entered by a federal court.
The latest motion for preliminary injunction requests the federal court to block the enforcement of the consent decree and set it aside. Under the consent decree, a student was told he could not say “God Bless” and had to change it to “Good Luck.”
The Liberty Counsel said teachers are not allowed to reply to emails sent by parents seeking advice if the parents’ email contains words like “God Bless”, and district employees are prohibited from participating in privately sponsored off-campus religious events or baccalaureate. Faculty and staff are required to stop prayers at privately sponsored after-school clubs, the advocacy group said.
“Not only does the Consent Decree violate the free speech rights of faculty, staff, students, and members of the community seeking equal access to school facilities, it should also be set aside as moot, because the ACLU student plaintiffs graduated prior to the Consent Decree becoming a final order. Once they graduated, the court lost jurisdiction and should have dismissed the case,” according to statement released by The Liberty Counsel.
“Freedom fled from Santa Rosa County when the ACLU filed suit. Liberty Counsel intends to restore freedom and end the intimidation. The constitutional violations wrought by the ACLU’s court order are the most outrageous I have seen. The court order directly conflicts with opinions from the United States Supreme Court. It is only a matter of time before the ACLU court order is set aside. Schools are not religious-free zones,” said Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and dean of Liberty University School of Law.
Comments
10 Responses to “Liberty Counsel Files For Injunction Against Santa Rosa Schools Over Religious Expression”
REGARDING:
“The teachings and preachings of church belong at home and church, not in our public schools.”
Let’s assume you are right, of course.
The problem is that you are deciding how others should be allowed to practice their religion and using the force of law to make them comply.
Assuming they aren’t telling bald faced lies (not a sure thing, but let’s assume), the consent order as it is understood and is being carried out and enforced is doing that very thing.
A number of religions require their adherents to act in accordance with certain principles at all times, not just behind closed doors. Maybe yours demands closed doors and secrecy but not everybody has to follow your religion or mine.
For example, to me “God bless you” in response to a sneeze is silly, going back to the belief that a soul leaves with a sneeze and the blessing protects the body from evil spirits until the soul reunites. I don’t believe it but I’m not going to stop others from practicing it and I’m surely not going to use force of law to FORCE others to do it my way.
I know you don’t see it that way, but just keep thinking about it.
David for freedom
even to be wrong
What a crock of lies! Cannot respond to emails if the parents say “God Bless” baloney! Students cannot say “God Bless”, again baloney! Did these idiots even READ the consent degree. If they did they obviously have issues with reading comprehension and should not be permitted to teach or graduate! My suggestion? Read the Consent Decree and if you don’t understand it, find someone who actually knows how to read! Goodness you people make Santa Rosa look like a bunch of fools!
Just Sayin,
Were the ballplayers convicted? I notice you said alleged. I thought it was innocent until proven guilty!!
This is and absolutely astounding and appauling problem to have. We have the ACLU coming into our town and telling US HOW TO RAISE AND TEACH OUR CHILDREN. We are subjected to a US Education Dept, that has done ZERO educating of our children, we are listening to a bunch of IVY league Brain-dead zombies about our constitution, and now everyone is crying and screaming that their child may hear the word GOD in school. Hey guess what if you don’t want them to hear it then exercise your right to MOVE and let people who care about their kids control how they are raised and taught.
Also anyone that believes that our constitution calls for a seperation of CHURCH and STATE please read below
Amendmant1 – 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.
READ CAREFULLLY, because it clearly states that prohibiting the free exercise of religion is UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
http://topics.law.cornell.edu/constitution/billofrights#amendmenti
You can’t teach religion in school, do you want science teachers to come teach evolution at your church?
They will never win, no free speech has been violated, they can pray all they want to themselves, why do you need to include everyone that is not your religion?
Just wait until religion is taught in school and its not your religion, then what? You will all be crying to the ACLU to stop it
In the early 1960’s the problems in the public school systems were running in the
halls and chewing gum. Teachers were allowed to control students with reasonable
punishment(including paddling) and a large portion of students graduated and went on to be upstanding citizens.
Now, that prayer and and corporal punishment are gone, you have deputies in schools, heavy drug and alcohol abuse, violence, teacher-student relationships, etc.
The ACLU says we are better off now than then as a minority of students felt they were left out, or had their feelings hurt because of their lack of faith. Someone should inform these people that a person CANNOT hurt another persons feelings
or make them feel left out WITHOUT that person allowing them too.
The ‘teachings and preachings” belong everywhere! This is why America is the way it is. No values! Morality has gone to the gutter. It is about time christians stood up for their rights. Onward Christian Soldiers! Soldiers Under Command….God’s Command!
The USA was founded on religion and our government formed by men who respected God. One can not say God does not belong in school or anywhere else one feels the need to seek Him. If you don’t want to hear then don’t listen or better yet go to a country that is not built around Gods laws and report back to how well you like it.
Praise God! Stand up Christians! We have allowed ourselves to get into the mess we’re in. Let’s do somethihg about it before it’s too late!
All of this could have been avoided if Principal Frank Lay and Superintendent Timothy S. Wyrosdick had ruled their school within the letter of the law vs. within the letter of THEIR religious belief.
The teachings and preachings of church belong at home and church, not in our public schools.
Personally I have lost all respect for both of these men considering their handling of this matter, as well as the matter of allowing ball players to participate in play-offs after being arrested for the alleged commission of felonies.
As a parent, I do not approve of the messages they are sending and I am afraid that it is the students who will suffer the consequences in the end.