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A School Is Asked to Remove "God Bless America" from its website and plaque in office of Alabama School

In Maplesville Alabama, Maplesville High School has been asked by the foundation, "Freedom from Religion" to remove the statement "God Bless America" from a plaque in the high school office and its website.

According to Theadoris Morris,of the Clanton Advertiser, "The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) mailed a letter this past summer to former Superintendent of Education Keith Moore and Maplesville Principal Maggie Hicks demanding the references to God be removed."

She goes on to share that "The letter, sent from FFRF staff attorney Rebecca Markert, claims the website and plaque violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. The letter, dated July 27, 2010, is written on behalf of a “concerned area resident, taxpayer and parent of a Chilton preschool student” and other members of the nonprofit organization.The letter says the First Amendment “prohibits government sponsorship of religious messages” and asked that the references be “removed immediately.”

The school is responding to the letter by seeking legal counsel. They have also switched the saying to "In God We Trust." This according to the school, is posted in Congress and on documents given to the school by Congress.

Christian Educators Association International stands behind Maplesville High School. We hope that level headed thinking will prevail and that the school will be legally permitted to post these slogans.

What do you think? Should the school be permitted to post "God Bless America" or "In God We Trust" on their website and plaques in school buildings? Or, is this a vioation of separation of church and state?

ACLU Questions Bible Distribution at Limestone County Schools in Alabama

 

A teacher in Alabama is being accused by the ACLU of handing out Bibles to students. The Superintendent of Schools says that the facts of the accusations are inaccurate and may even be false. These accusations come after a parent claimed staff members were handing out Bibles and promoting creationism. At Blue Springs Elementary School in Athens, Alabama, a table is placed in the hallway where parents can drop off books for students to take and read. A parent dropped off Bibles for the table along with some other books. The ACLU did not take legal action but questioned the legitimacy of the table hosting the Bibles.

The school continues to host the table for books for student reading. They will not remove the books and Bibles. The Bible is an excellent book of literature; the Constitution protects the rights of schools to have Bibles in the library and even a curriculum to learn more about the Bible.

Should Blue Springs Elementary School keep the table where parents can put books such as the Bible in the hallway?

School Reverses Course and Allows Students to Post Ten Commandments on Lockers

Administrators in Floyd County High School made students take down the Ten Commandments which they posted on their lockers. The students posted the commandments on their lockers as a sign of solidarity with the students at nearby Giles County High School, wehre the district agreed to remove the Ten Commandments after threat of lawsuit according to Liberty Counsel.

Liberty Counsel reports that on February 23, Jacob Agee and other students who are members of the Fellowship of Christian Atheletes posted copies of the Ten Commandments on their assigned lockers.  Principal Barry Hollandsworth and Assistant Principal Tony Deibler removed each copy.  Liberty Counsel intervened and the school reversed it's decision to remove the Commandments.  Liberty counsel argued that students are permitted to put birthday and other wishes on lockers; as a result, students must be permitted to post the Commandments.

Check out the response letter Liberty Counsel received from the Division Superintendent  http://www.liberty.edu/media/9980/attachments/ltr_floyd_cty_va_compliance_030811.pdf

Matt Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, stated, "We are very pleased that the students at Floyd County High School can post the Ten Commandments on their lockers.  I applaud school officials for doing the right thing, and I am especially proud of the students.  There is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion and student speech endorsing religion.  While a school prohibit all stickers on student lockers, school officials cannot selectively discriminate against religous viewpoints, while allowing other secular viewpoints."  


We at Christian Educators are grateful that the students contacted Liberty Counsel.  We have partnered with Liberty Counsel on many school/religious rights issues.  Comment and let us know what you think about this school case.  Find out more abotu Christian Educators at www.ceai.org

Principal Violates Student Principles at New Mexico School

Students at a public school handed out plastic models of babies at 12 weeks gestation to bring attention to the life of the unborn. When the plastic babies were handed out school officials said “It’s time to shut this down. Some people are getting offended.” That morning, one student had decided to take her own life because of her past decision to abort. When she received a model baby with the scripture “you are fearfully and wonderfully made” she cried and prayed with the students and her life was saved.  However, the students were then pulled out of class and instructed by Principal Ruben Bolaños to cease their “Christian” acts because they had made their point. Visit my website and click on news to learn more about this case or call us tollfree for a free copy of The Bible in Public schools.

This article was given courtesy of Liberty Counsel:  Find the full article at http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=14100&PRID=950

Should the Ten Commandments Hang in our Public Schools?

In Giles County Schools in Virginia, the Ten Commandments were taken down after the Freedom From Religion Foundation asked the Superintendent Terry Arbogast to take them down.  He agreed to remove the Ten Commandments from the school at least until a protest of at least 200 parents showed up for a school board meeting.  The parents demanded the Commandments be placed back on the wall next to the Preamble to the Constitution.  The School Board voted unanimously to rehang the Commandments in the school.  Groups like the ACLU vow to fight this one out in court.  

What do you think?  Was the school right in putting the Ten Commandments back on the school wall or was this a violation of the Separation of Church and State?  

Check out the complete article at http://www.roanoke.com/274594

Va. School Principal Rebuked Over ‘Candid’ Response to New Christian Club

According to Lawrence Jones of the Christian Post, A middle school principal who sought to avoid controversy over the formation of a Christian club on campus created some when he sent an e-mail to his staff warning them against supporting or participating in religious activities while they are involved with students.
In the e-mail, Curtis wrote that teachers can’t participate in the Christian club and that they would face termination if they did.  Thankfully, the Rutherford Institute got involved and the principal was rebuked.  Visit my website to read the email the principal sent.  This principal is clearly wrong on the law, call us today at Christian Educators toll free and we will send you a free copy of A Teachers Guide to Religion in the public schools.  Teachers don’t shed their religious rights at the schoolhouse door.
Check out the full article from the Christian Post at  http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100902/school-principal-warned-against-creating-hostile-environment-toward-religion/