Posted on 11/30/2004 10:46:57 AM PST by eleni121
- A school district that limits the religious expression of Christian students is allowing Muslim students to skip class to observe the month of Ramadan. The New York City Department of Education has given Muslim students at Brooklyn International High School permission to miss class four consecutive Fridays to observe the religious holiday.
To Rob Muise of the Thomas More Law Center, the district's actions suggest that it is employing a double standard. He is currently prosecuting a lawsuit that challenges a New York City School System policy barring nativity scenes during Christmas, but permitting the display of the Jewish Menorah during Hanukah and the Islamic star and crescent during Ramadan.
"While it's interesting that they're allowing the students to worship during the Ramadan period," Muise says, "I would be curious to know if they would afford the same opportunities to Christian students during Good Friday, for example."
The attorney doubts Christian students would be given the same consideration. "I would venture to guess that there's probably some diversity in terms of the way they treat Christianity compared to these other religions, which is the unsettling part of all this," he says.
The Law Center lawyer notes that he believes providing students with a reasonable accommodation to exercise their religious freedom is a good thing -- as long as this is done fairly. "The Establishment Clause requires the government to be neutral towards all religions," he says, "and here, what the school is claiming [is] that, while there's a lot of Christianity and a lot of Christian symbols, [the schools are] trying to create parity."
The problem with this policy, Muise says, is that the school district seems to be "trying to create this affirmative action prong to the Establishment Clause, but there isn't one." In fact, the attorney points out, the government is obligated to remain impartial and to "treat all religions equally. But in the New York City Public Schools, they're certainly not treating Christianity the same way they treat Judaism and, certainly, Islam."
The New York nativity scene case is awaiting oral argument before a three-judge panel of the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Late last year the Thomas More Law Center also brought a federal lawsuit against the Town of Palm Beach, Florida, over its refusal to allow Christian nativity scenes on public property, even though displays of the Jewish Menorah are allowed.
JKlein@nycboe.net
This outrage should not go without protest
BUMP for action and emails.
It appears that many public schools around the country have lost all sense of decency doesn't it?
That they would allow some religions (and I do not consider Islam to be a religion anyway) the right to get days off but christians cannot even display the creche...outrageous.
If they insist on no religion it should be no religion period.
That's what being equal under the law is all about.
American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) - http://www.aclj.org
Alliance Defense Fund - http://www.alliancedefensefund.org
The Rutherford Institute - http://www.rutherford.org/
Ping
Fine with me...but apparently not with the ideological Left. It appears they are alligning themselves with left wing Islam and Christian expression can go elsewhere.
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No NYC public schools are open on Good Friday.
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That is discrimination and not limited to NYC schools.
Remember when "The Grinch who Stole Christmas" was considered fiction?
Why doesn't the left wing AG of NY Elliot Spitball slam the NYC school system for allowing Menorahs and Islamic Star and Cresents to be displayed at NYC schools.
"To Rob Muise of the Thomas More Law Center, the district's actions suggest that it is employing a double standard. He is currently prosecuting a lawsuit that challenges a New York City School System policy barring nativity scenes during Christmas, but permitting the display of the Jewish Menorah during Hanukah and the Islamic star and crescent during Ramadan."
"While it's interesting that they're allowing the students to worship during the Ramadan period," Muise says, "I would be curious to know if they would afford the same opportunities to Christian students during Good Friday, for example."
So schools are closed for Good Friday..I'll take your word on that because many schools are especialy when it coincides with the Jewish holidays.
But I wonder if Christians and Jews have "prayer rooms" set aside for the students? From Newsmax below:
"The New York City public school system announced plans to set up special prayer rooms in which Muslim students could commemorate Ramadan. While school authorities ensured that these rituals would not be allowed to disrupt classes, the New York Post pointed out that students "could have their schedules altered to avoid missing class." Newsmax.com noted that students would more likely be allowed to cut class all together.
Gary Bauer, former presidential candidate and head of OurAmericanValues.org, noted in his "End of the Day" email newsletter dated 11/15/01 that the New York City public school system ranks among the most hostile towards Christian students daring to express their own beliefs. And it must be remembered that this is the same public education racket that disciplined a teacher for daring to console her despondent students that a deceased classmate had likely gone to heaven.
Bears repeating and thanks.
American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) - http://www.aclj.org
Alliance Defense Fund - http://www.alliancedefensefund.org
The Rutherford Institute - http://www.rutherford.org/
Thomas More Law Center - http://www.thomasmore.org
:o)
Of course not, don't be silly.
I mean they've provided rooms for the Mulsims & gays and they only have so many rooms.
...don't be unreasonable. :o)
another day, another outrageous public school story, another reason to home school...
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