Appeals Court Says Ten Commandments Not Allowed On School Grounds

wcpo.com ^

[chance33_98]

Appeals Court Says Ten Commandments Not Allowed On School Grounds

A federal court ruled Monday that putting the commandments on government property is unconstitutional. This means that displays of the Ten Commandments will stay out of Adams County Schools.

This decision upholds a lower court's ruling that ordered the removal of the monuments in front of four Adams County Schools.

Supporters of the commandments monuments argued that they are historical documents just like the Declaration of Independence.

The Sixth Circuit Court rejected that said that the the commandments are religious symbols.

But it would be tough to convince a lot people in Adams County that there is anything wrong with that.

Ralph and Mary Helterbridle might not wear their faith on their sleeves but they hang it on the walls of their Adams County home.

"We believe in God and to us, he is just another picture about like the family," said Ralph Helterbridle, West Union.

"Well, there are more people of us here. This is our country. Why should they take over?" said Mary Helterbridle, West Union.

"We really believe the First Amendment gives us the right to put the Ten Commandments in front of schools and other public places," said Ken Johnson, Adams County Ministerial Association.

Johnson which donated the monuments in 1997, fought to keep them after the American Civil Liberties Union sued to remove them. He lost and the monuments left in June of last year.

Despite another setback Monday, Johnson said his crusade will continue.

"We can still appeal to the whole panel of judges in the 6th Circuit and after that there's the Supreme Court so we're going to continue to fight," said Johnson.

The Helterbridles admit they come from a different time. They prayed in public schools when they went back in the 1940's. They do not expect their two-and-a-half year old great-grandson Brian to recite bible verses in front of his classes.

But they do not understand what harm the Ten Commandments would do in front of his school.

"I think God ought to be anywhere you need him," said Helterbridle.

That's how a lot of people think there.

Everyone they know believes the same thing they believe so who is it hurting if the monuments endorse one religion?

But the courts have essentially ruled that what is constitutional is different from what is popular.

[SouthernFreebird]

Well, there are more people of us here. This is our country. Why should they take over?"

mmmm good question.

[HarleyD]

"Appeals Court Says Ten Commandments Not Allowed On School Grounds"

Not even in the school library? I guess were not allowed to read them even there.

[kentuckyusa]

A neighbor boy found this,http://www.christianpatriot.com/ten_commandments.htm , on the net. Printed it out on the school printer and started handing them out.

Since he did it in class right in front of his teachers, they didn't know what was happening till every kid in class had a copy. When the teachers started collecting them, that made the kids want to hand them out to even more kids.

He got an hour in dentention till his dad, a lawyer, said to the principal, "What Court ruling?" with that the principal backed down.

I guess that principal now has the court ruling he was looking for.

[B4Ranch]

Soon the history books won't even mention the Founders were religious.

Scan the whole page for good reading!
Conservative Debate Handbook

[MamaTexan]

I guess that principal now has the court ruling he was looking for.

A federal court ruled Monday that putting the commandments on government property is unconstitutional

For the school itself, yes.

Children are NOT 'government property'. So the dad could (and should) be able to sue the living cr@p outta them if it happens again.

[NutCrackerBoy]

The 1947 Supreme Court ruling on Everson was incorrect. It is obvious that all of the precedent deriving from that case will have to be overturned in the name of justice.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Everyone they know believes the same thing they believe so who is it hurting if the monuments endorse one religion?

As long as anyone who doesn't "believe the same thing" is exempt from paying local school taxes, and from paying those portions of state and federal taxes that go to these schools, then no one is getting hurt.

[StonyBurk]

the courts have essentially decided that the Constitution
says whatever modern myth is popular at the time and not
what the clear language and intent of the law was when
ratified.In todays reprobate court controlled by unjust
judges and led by the communistic offspring of the ACLUs'
anti-American beginnings it is fashionable to maintain a
structure removed by court mandate from the foundation of
our law and Liberty.Someday they may break their freakin'
necks trying to get over the wall they erected on such
fraudulant grounds.

[StonyBurk]

PRoblem your analogy is this -- I do not believe all the religion of secular humanism / and Darwinian foofra taught
in public schools today. My son was betrayed and encouraged
to "Try it" (homosexual behavior)by reason of national public school policy. Yet I am required to pay taxes to defray the costs of public school education even today now
that my children are no longer a captive audiance for the
Statist globalist atheists-and fellow travellors of modern education.Wer eI to agree with your opine-which is contrary to the foundation of public education in America-I should not be required to pay taxes for public education.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Personally I don't think anyone should be required to pay taxes to support public education. Nor should the public schools be wasting students' time and taxpayers' money promoting "lifestyles" and "self-esteem" and "multi-culturalism" all the other nonsense they're promoting. All those things can be promoted outside of school, in the free marketplace of ideas that our First Amendment provides.

[itsahoot]

Not even in the school library? I guess were not allowed to read them even there.

Thankflly tho you can find plenty of good reading in the Porno section, or the homosexual agenda section. </sarcasm>

[B4Ranch]

"Personally I don't think anyone should be required to pay taxes to support public education."

Proposing only private schools? Who pays the teachers?

[GovernmentShrinker]

Vouchers for the full reasonable cost of basic schooling (not for sports stadiums, etc.), but no public schools. If vouchers were provided in the same amount being spent per student on public schooling, there would be massive numbers of private schools opening up, including small (i.e. 1-5 family) home schools (which would require annual standardized testing to ensure the children are really being educated to some minimal level, and that the parents/teachers aren't just spending the money on expensive toys or drugs for themselves).

[B4Ranch]

GOOD IDEA!

[an amused spectator]

"Well, there are more people of us here. This is our country. Why should they take over?" said Mary Helterbridle, West Union.

As I recall, the American Indians got taken by government lawyer types, too.

I guess it's our turn in the barrel...

[an amused spectator]

Soon the history books won't even mention the Founders were religious.

Hey, the way I heard it, the Founding Slave-Owners weren't ALLOWED into the Wiccan religion because they were so EVIL. ;-)

[GovernmentShrinker]

My local school district has recently topped the $20,000 per year spending mark at the high school level! Can you imagine how many highly qualified people would open little private schools if each student they took brought along $20,000?

[B4Ranch]

Wow! They had better be including an AA with that HS diploma.