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