The Rutherford Institute is an excellent organization, situated in my home state of Virginia, which has a long, long track record of taking religious freedom seriously.They are intelligent and consistent in backing the Hearnses and Nashala's parents are playing this smart as well. Rather than bringing the ACLU to Muskogee, they are bringing a conservative group with strong religious ties.
I just started reading a book written by a Baptist minister about the history of Virginia's Declaration of Religious Freedom. Many people do not realize that circa the Foundation, Baptist preachers were persecuted in Virginia for "preaching the gospel contrary to the law". Dozens, maybe hundreds, of Baptists were jailed and fined all over the state.Patrick Henry was in favor of Establishment (at least at the state level), but also some degree of religious liberty. Baptists were severely persecuted during that era, some were even killed. Baptists, Catholics, and Mormons were probably the most consistently persecuted religious groups in this nation's history.The author claims in the preface that George Mason, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson helped the Baptists, which I knew, but also mentions Patrick Henry, whom I thought was in favor of the establishment of a state religion in Virginia. So I am looking forward to reading more about the role of Patrick Henry in this matter.
Some Baptists seem to have forgotten this. The most recent major Separation case (the football game prayer case) involved Catholic and Mormon families suing a Baptist dominated school district.
The key to restoring religious liberty in the public schools will be cases like this. Those who would address the real problem of some districts establishing non-religion by establishing religion are playing with fire. Never set a precedent that you don't want your adversaries to be able to use.
-Eric