Same judge OK'd Muslim prayer that OK'd partial birth abortion.

The same San Francisco federal judge who just overturned a federal law banning partial-birth abortions also approved of Muslim prayer in schools when federal rulings ban all other denominational prayers and activities.

In a December 2003 decision, U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton decided that it was lawful for a California middle school teacher to require students to recite Muslim prayers, get down on their knees and role-play as Muslim adherents.

As part of the class students were told to recite: "In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of Creation, The Compassionate, the Merciful, King of Judgment-day! You alone we worship, and to You alone we pray for help, Guide us to the straight path."

The Byron County 7th-grade world history teacher was sued by the parents of one of the students, who claimed that their child had been coerced to engage in a religious practice.

The teacher prepared a student guide which said that as part of the study of Islam "you and your classmates will become Muslims."

According to court documents, the teacher also read the Koran and Muslim prayers out loud in class and required students to recite lines of Muslim prayers in class as well.

Students also were told to recite Islamic prayers as they exited the class, including the Muslim refrain "In the name of God, most merciful, most gracious."

The teacher also assigned students to fast or give up something like TV for a day to experience Islam's month of Ramadan and one of its pillars of faith.

At the end of their Islamic studies, students also were required to write an essay on Islam. But, but the teacher instructed her students, "BE CAREFUL HERE – If you don't have something positive to say, don't say anything!!!"

In her ruling, Judge Hamilton threw out the parents' case, saying the religious role-playing was not tantamount to the exercise of religion and the school activities were not of a devotional or religious nature.

Alcee Hastings

United States District Court for the
Southern District of Florida
Miami, Florida
(Impeached)

Born: Altamonte Springs, Florida-September 5, 1936
Education: Fisk University (B.A. 1958); Florida A&M University (J.D. 1963).

Alcee Hastings was appointed by President Carter to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in 1979.

Alcee Hastings began his career as a jurist in the Florida state trial courts. From 1977 through 1979, Hastings served as a Circuit Court Judge in Broward County, Florida. After less than two years as a state court trial judge, President Carter appointed Hastings to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He served in this capacity as a United States District Court Judge for approximately ten years. Then, amidst a controversial legal and political environment, Judge Hastings was impeached and removed from his position as a United States District Court Judge in 1989.

After fighting to clear his name, in 1992, Judge Hastings sought and obtained election to the House of Representatives of the United States Congress. Representative Hastings represents his native State of Florida by serving as Congressman for the 23rd District which includes Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hendry, Martin, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties. Congressman Hastings has been reelected to this position in 1994 and 1996. In his role as a legislator, Congressman Hastings has supported legislation to cut federal spending, create tax incentives for small businesses, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, provide job training and reeducation to displaced workers, ban assault weapons, fund Head Start and education programs, make Social Security an independent agency, and provide family and medical leave to all workers. blah blah...

http://www.jtbf.org/article_iii_judges/hastings_a.htm

Despite the frequency with which members of the political branches suggest that federal judges have engaged in impeachable conduct, however, use of impeachment itself is relatively rare. Since 1789, impeachment proceedings have been initiated against 12 judges. Nine other judges resigned before such proceedings were formally instituted. Eleven of the 12 impeachment cases went to trial; four resulted in acquittals and seven in actual removals. One resigned during the proceedings. The most recent cases of impeachment and removal occurred in 1989, when Judges Alcee Hastings and Walter Nixon were impeached for financial misdealings and corruption. (Hastings later went on to win election to Congress from Florida.) ...

http://www.constitutionproject.org/ci/newsroom_guide/29.htm

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