Santa Rosa Press Release from Liberty Counsel

The following post is from Liberty Counsel's Press Release on the Santa Rosa Case

Pensacola, FL – Trial testimony concluded this week in which Christian Educators Association International (CEAI) is seeking to intervene to overturn an ACLU court order that has already resulted in three school officials being charged with contempt. Liberty Counsel represents CEAI. Testimony revealed how this order has literally driven Christians to hide in closets to pray in order to avoid contempt charges.

In August, Liberty Counsel successfully defended Michelle Winkler, a clerical assistant, from contempt charges brought by the ACLU after her husband, who is not employed by the Santa Rosa County School District, offered a meal prayer at a privately sponsored event in a neighboring county. On Constitution Day, Liberty Counsel successfully defended Pace High School Principal Frank Lay and Athletic Director Robert Freeman against criminal contempt charges, after the ACLU complained when Freeman offered a 15-second blessing for a lunch meal for about 20 adults with no students present.

CEAI is seeking to intervene to protect the rights of District employees. Under the order crafted by the ACLU, school officials are considered to be acting in their “official capacity” whenever they attend a “school event,” which the order describes as any event “approved” by the a school official. These include events during the day, including breaks, after-school events on or off campus, and privately sponsored events held on campus. A “school event” also includes a private group renting the school facilities if the “primary attendees” are students, such as the Scouts and Good News Clubs. At “school events,” “communication with a deity” is prohibited. “School officials” cannot even show agreement with anyone “communicating with a deity,” such as “bowing the head” or “folding hands.” “School officials” must also prohibit “third-parties” from praying, and must ban prayer from privately sponsored meetings of Good News Clubs or similar groups, including privately sponsored baccalaureate services.

During testimony, Michelle Winkler broke down on the witness stand when she described how a coworker sought comfort from her after losing her two-year-old child. The two hid behind a closet door to pray, for fear they would be seen and held in contempt of the court order. Denise Gibson, an elementary teacher for 20 years, testified the order forces her to tell parents she cannot respond if they talk about church or their faith. She may not even respond to an email from a parent if it contains a Scripture verse or “God bless you.” Instead, the District requires her to open a separate email to respond rather than hit “reply,” in order to eliminate any trace of religious language.

Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented: “The court order crafted by the ACLU takes my breath away. I am embarrassed for our country, knowing that school employees in Santa Rosa County are hiding in closets to pray out of fear they may be hauled into court by the ACLU. We intend to restore religious freedom to Santa Rosa County. We will not allow the ACLU to criminalize Christianity.”

ACLU Court Order Forces Christians Into the Closet at Santa Rosa County Schools

Testimony concluded this week in the trial in which Christian Educators Association International (“CEAI”) is seeking to protect the rights of Santa Rosa School District employees by intervening in a case with the goal of overturning an ACLU court order that has already resulted in three school officials being charged with contempt.

Liberty Counsel represents CEAI. Under the order crafted by the ACLU, school officials are considered to be acting in their “official capacity” during a “school event.” At “school events,” “communication with a deity” is prohibited. “School officials” cannot even show agreement with anyone “communicating with a deity,” such as “bowing the head” or “folding hands.” “School officials” must also prohibit “third-parties” from praying.

Testimony revealed how this order has literally driven Christians to hide in closets to pray in order to avoid contempt charges. During her testimony, Michelle Winkler, a clerical assistant, broke down on the witness stand when she described how a coworker sought comfort from her after losing her two-year-old child. The two hid behind a closet door to pray, for fear they would be seen and held in contempt of the court order.

Denise Gibson, an elementary teacher for 20 years, testified that the order forces her to tell parents she cannot respond if they talk about church or their faith. She may not even respond to an email from a parent if it contains a Scripture verse or “God bless you.” Instead, the District requires her to open a separate email to respond rather than hit “reply,” in order to eliminate any trace of religious language.

Christian Educators Wants Prayer Order Scrapped

Check out this news broadcast on how Christian Educators is taking the ACLU to court to remove the order on the Santa Rosa School District banning their teachers from prayer. Thanks to Finn Laursen, Executive Director of CEAI, for making a stand for the religious rights of teachers in the Santa Rosa School District.



Please pray that CEAI is successful in their court battle against the ACLU.

See You at the Pole

This Wednesday is See You at the Pole. Be sure to check out your local school and join them for prayer at their flag pole before school. Students around the country will be praying for their schools. Educators are permitted to participate as long it is not during the contracted hours. This is a perfect time for churches and communities to join together to lift up our schools in prayer.

See you at the Pole!

David Beats Goliath in Santa Rosa, Florida

It is encouraging to see how Principal Lay and his AD were cleared of all charges. The legal battles are not over. On behalf of CEAI, Liberty Counsel had filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed last school year by the ACLU against the Santa Rosa County School District. The ACLU charged that some teachers and administrators were actively endorsing religion. The school district attempted to settle the suit by joining with the ACLU in a consent decree that essentially bans all employees from engaging in prayer or religious activities, whether before, during, or after school hours.

In an effort to seek relief from the consent decree CEAI was in front of Judge Rogers just two weeks ago. The ACLU and district attorneys tried to block our intervention, but the judge has kept the case alive and we are currently waiting for another court date to argue the unconstitutionality of the consent decree. Liberty Counsel will argue the case to give us a voice in this matter; a voice calling for the freedoms of the First Amendment to be restored!

Principal and AD Cleared of Contempt Charges

NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Finn Laursen (CEAI)

P.O. Box 45610 • Westlake, OH 44145 • http://www.ceai.org

September 18, 2009

Battle for Religious Freedom Continues in Florida Schools

“Another effort of the ACLU to sanitize public schools of religious expression has failed”, says Finn Laursen, Executive Director of Christian Educators Association International.
U. S. Judge Casey Rodgers found Pace High School Principal Frank Lay and Athletic Director Robert Freeman not guilty of criminal contempt Thursday , 9/17/09, after evidence failed to prove they willfully violated a temporary injunction that prohibited the promotion of religion in Santa Rosa County schools.
This criminal contempt issue began when the ACLU asked that Lay and Freeman be held in contempt for offering a prayer over a meal at a luncheon where they honored donors to the Athletic Field House Project.
Last month in the same court room Judge Rogers told Santa Rosa County School District employee and CEAI member Michele Winkler she would not be held in civil contempt for asking her husband to pray over a meal at a banquet off school grounds.
But the battle in Santa Rosa is not yet over.
On behalf of CEAI, Liberty Counsel had filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed last school year by the ACLU against the Santa Rosa County School District. The ACLU charged that some teachers and administrators were actively endorsing religion. The school district attempted to settle the suit by joining with the ACLU in a consent decree that essentially bans all employees from engaging in prayer or religious activities, whether before, during, or after school hours.
In an effort to seek relief from the consent decree CEAI was in front of Judge Rogers just two weeks ago. The ACLU and district attorneys tried to block our intervention, but the judge has kept the case alive and we are currently waiting for another court date to argue the unconstitutionality of the consent decree. Liberty Counsel will argue the case to give us a voice in this matter; a voice calling for the freedoms of the First Amendment to be restored!
 

(Finn Laursen is the Executive Director of CEAI, est. 1953.
To interview Finn Laursen contact Doreen at 888-798-1124 or info@ceai.org)

Presidental Address to Students Sends Strong & Positive Message

I know first hand how the President's message stirred controversy in schools and communities; however, I was pleased with the President's positive message to students about the importance of hard work, overcoming failure, perseverance, believing in themselves, family, and the critical importance to success in school.

As the President came to the podium, the class that I was in erupted into applause. It appeared to me that the students felt special having the President of the United States address them during "Prime Time" for school students.

Whether you are a fan of the President or not, the message that he presented was one that parents all over this great land try to instill in their children that hard work, responsibility, good decision making, and staying in school are critical to success in life. Yeah, I wasn't a fan of the lesson plans that the White House put out, but I still believe that our students should listen to the President.

I applaud the President for his message to students; we can never have enough positive and hopeful messages to students. Whether it is the President of the United States of America, a soccer coach, a teacher, a police officer, a pastor, or most importantly a mom and dad, we need to join together to send a positive, hopeful, and loving message to our students on the importance of education.