Posted on 10/22/2020 9:25:11 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
As Ronald Reagan might have said to embattled Oregon Democrat Gov. Kate Brown, “There you go again.” Now a small Christian school in Oregon is suing Brown and other state officials after claiming the state is discriminating against private and religious schools by keeping them locked down while allowing public schools to reopen.
The lawsuit claims that Brown has allowed public schools with less than 75 students to reopen, but has continued her ban on the reopening of private/religious schools that meet the same qualifying number of student enrollment, as reported by the Daily Wire.
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed the suit late last week on behalf of Hermiston Christian School, a K-12 school in Hermiston, Oregon, which has a student enrollment of 51; well under the maximum 75-student threshold for reopening.
The lawsuit reads in part:
After 41 years of faithful service, Hermiston Christian School (HCS) could be forced to shut its doors for good unless the Court stops an obvious case of discrimination: Defendants COVID-19 orders and guidance generally prohibit in-person instruction but grant a small school exception to public schools while denying the same exception to private religious schools (Religious School Closure) in Umatilla County.
According to the Daily Wire, the lawsuit claims that Brown initially led the school’s administrators to believe they would be allowed to resume in-person education if they met certain health guidelines, but that she reversed course and ordered the closing of private schools in both Umatilla County and other parts of the state on July 29.
Public schools, however, were granted an exemption if they maintained 75 students or fewer. Violators of the governors continuing ban face a potential 30-day jail term and a fine of $1,250. The lawsuit alleges that Brown allowed small public schools to reopen because she feared declining public school enrollment.
The reason for Defendants discriminatory treatment is clear: on the very same day that Defendants continued their prohibition of in-person instruction for religious schools, a policy advisor and liaison for Governor Brown discussed the potential for a mass exodus of children from public schools and emphasized that public schools could suffer a reduction in funding if students disenrolled to obtain education elsewhere.
Kate Broadman, M.D., a pediatrician in Bend, Oregon, who is the parent of three school-aged children, believes the state’s draconian school reopening guidelines continue to put the COVID-19 burden on kids. In an op-ed published by The Oregonian, Broadman said Brown’s “misguided measures” can cause “irreparable harm” to children.
“While schools around the country, including in Washington and California, have begun to reopen in large numbers, the vast majority of Oregon students remain at home doing some form of distance learning.
“As a physician, I believe strongly in public health measures to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 to our communities; but as a pediatrician and advocate for children, it pains me to see misguided measures such as this that cause irreparable harm to so many children with little benefit.”
Broadman pointed to the inconsistency of Brown’s lockdown edict a criticism that has marred her handling of the virus for months.
“Currently in Oregon, adults can visit bars, gyms and nail salons, and kids can attend indoor play areas and trampoline zones, not to mention childcare in their very schools. Yet the one service that remains closed that we seem to have decided is dispensable is in-person education. This is a catastrophic disservice to our students and teachers.”
As is the case with the examples in the above quote, Broadman believes that the continuing school shutdowns are no longer necessary, as well.
“Children are being forced to shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden of COVID-19 mitigation measures, particularly given the relatively low risk to themselves from the disease. We know that access to schools is critical for childrens short-term safety and long-term well-being.
“Additionally, there is growing evidence that schools can be opened safely, without significant risk to teachers or increasing community spread. Numerous European countries reopened months ago with hygiene measures in place that are similar to those proposed by our state (masking, distancing, etc.) and have found no corresponding increase in infections; similarly, schools in many US states have now been open for several weeks without a corresponding surge in infections.
“So far, data shows that school infection patterns for K-12 tend to mirror what is happening in the community at large, rather than contributing to spread.
For whatever reason as previously noted, perhaps fear of declining enrollment Brown relented and allowed the small public schools to reopen. But why not small religious schools? The Religious School Closure is unconstitutional and makes no sense, the suit contends. The virus does not discriminate between public and religious schools; neither should the government. There is no basis for Defendants to grant a special exception for public schools while denying the same treatment to religious schools.
ADF senior counsel Ryan Tucker said in a statement.
There is no legitimate reason for allowing public schools with 75 or fewer students to provide in-person instruction while denying the same opportunity to small private schools, including religious ones.
“Hermiston Christian School operates in the same county as a public school that is open, and it operates with the same number of students, who are performing the same type of activity, working in an even larger physical environment, and complying with the same health and safety protocols.
“Gov. Browns refusal to extend the same treatment to Hermiston Christian School as she does to small public schools violates the U.S. Constitution and discriminates against parents who choose to provide a religious education for their children.”
Unconstitutional religious persecution on the part of a left-wing governor who continues to rule her state with a power-drunk vengeance? You make the call.
She’s a democrat! What else do you expect?
Remove DemonRat traitors to the Constitution.
Oregon ping
If Joe Bridbrain aka Kamala Harris wins the presidency and the Dems take the House and Senate, I’m predicting there will be a national uprising that will put the antifa and BLM protests to shame.
Lol. Pwned by the NEA. Another vile demonRAT.
No there won’t. Conservatives are all talk. They’ll line right up and hand in their guns.
I just got my OR ballot. R down the line. Maybe the state legislature will get R majority now.
FUnny, Maggot-Mayor Wheeler’s opponent is an antifa freak (i think “non-binary” but I could be mistaken) - I hope freak wins. Not in P’land (thankfully) so can’t vote for freak.
I just wonder if the OR election will be clean. Illegals can get DL and people are given voter registration forms with DL. I guess, not years ago when I got mine.
BUMP
Oregon, of any state, should be incentivized to remove those currently in power. If they don’t, they truly deserve what they get.
I am tired of the “deserving what they get”.
1. The majority of rural counties are conservative.
2. Multomah county and the county where Salem is rule the rest of the state.
3. OR gives illegals drivers’ license and voter registration cards.
I rest my case. I and countless other conservatives in OR do not deserve to be ruled by demshevik tyrants. A clean election would look very different. Hopefully this election will remove a bunch of vermin and get some good people in the state government and sent to Congress.
I feel for you. I pray things will change.
Another lawsuit:
https://www.klamathfallsnews.org/news/local-lawmakers-file-suit-against-governor-brown
On October 16, 2020, attorney James L. Buchal filed a 13-page complaint against Governor Kate Brown alleging that Browns emergency orders exceeded her authority granted by the Oregon Constitution.
The complaint identifies the Plaintiffs as Senator Dennis Linthicum (R-Klamath Falls), Representative Mike Nearman (R-Independence), Representative E. Werner Reschke (R-Klamath Falls), and Washington County businessman Neil Ruggles.
In the complaint, the Plaintiffs allege that Gov. Brown has violated the Oregon Constitution in how she has handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lawmakers claim, injured by the conduct alleged herein insofar as defendant [Brown] has invaded his rights and privileges under the Oregon Constitution to exercise, in concert with other legislators, the legislative power of the State of Oregon.
Ruggles claims, he has suffered financial losses, and has lost a martial arts practice that for thirty years provided him with physical, social, and mental health benefits, by reason of the Governor’s unlawful and unconstitutional orders challenged herein.
The Governors perpetual state of emergency needs to come to an end. She has unilaterally, without the consent of the people or their legislature, extended her state of emergency 3 times with no end in sight. If this lawsuit helps bring about that result, bravo, said Rep. Reschke. Lockdowns may possibly delay the spread of COVID-19, but dont prevent it. However, what is certain is they cause dramatic economic and sociological suffering. Time to open back up.
Just look at "catholic" Nancy Pelosi's district - under San Francisco's current Covid-19 order, only ONE person at a time is allowed to worship in a church building.
And the Moloch-worshipping Pelosi hasn't chirped a WORD about it...
Sorry, but I’m referring to the people in the cities where they are most definitely deserving of what they vote for. I finally voted with my feet, after years of trying to fight the stupidity.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.