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ACLU Puts Local District on Notice (Knox,PA)
KDKA ^
| May 20, 2005
Posted on 05/20/2005 4:09:24 PM PDT by bulldozer
May 20, 2005 1:04 pm US/Eastern
Knox (KDKA) The American Civil Liberties Union has put a local school district on notice for saying prayers at some school events.
After receiving a complaint from someone in the Keystone School District in Knox, the ACLU sent a letter warning the district to stop prayers at board meetings and graduation -- saying it's a violation of the constitution.
"When public schools reserve time at a graduation ceremony for prayers, they violate the Constitution by putting the power, prestige and endorsement of the state behind whatever prayer is offered... students and invited guests who subscribe to different beliefs... feel like outcasts or second-class citizens." -- Witold Walczak, Pittsburgh ACLU (Excerpt from the letter obtained by KDKA)
School Board President John Slagle disagrees. "I'm totally against the removal of prayers from public schools."
Slagle says people in the rural Clarion County area want prayer.
"I understand where they're coming from with it, but on the other hand, what's being done here should reflect what a majority of the people want to have." -- John Slagle, School Board President
Knox resident Randy Irwin agrees. "Religion's important around here." Irwin adds, "They out to just let 'em go. Let 'em make up their own mind and stay out of it."
With graduation just about a week away, Slagle says he's looking for a way around the ACLU action.
In the meantime, the ACLU says it's also monitoring two other school districts over this issue -- but it won't say which ones.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: aclu; prayer; purge; school
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1
posted on
05/20/2005 4:09:24 PM PDT
by
bulldozer
To: bulldozer
i wish a conservative knowlegeable about the law would write a concise history of the aclu's activities.
2
posted on
05/20/2005 4:10:31 PM PDT
by
ken21
(if you didn't see it on tv, then it didn't happen. /s)
To: ken21
At least these folks seem to have a backbone about it. They aren't going, "oh no, let's stop". Time for people to stand up for themselves.
3
posted on
05/20/2005 4:13:32 PM PDT
by
TXBubba
( Democrats: If they don't abort you then they will tax you to death.)
To: bulldozer
In the meantime, the ACLU says it's also monitoring two other school districts over this issue -- but it won't say which ones.This is scary stuff. You can't pray in school, but child pornography is okay. Grrr. When will the earth open up and swallow this communist organization?
4
posted on
05/20/2005 4:15:57 PM PDT
by
Luna
(Lobbing the Holy Hand Grenade at Liberalism)
To: ken21
The ACLU: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
The American Civil Liberties Union
Supports
|
|
Opposes
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Legalized Child Pornography
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Legalized Optional School Prayer
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Legalized Drugs
|
Sobriety Checkpoints
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Tax Exemptions for Satanists
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Tax Exemptions for Churches
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Legalized Prostitution
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Religious Displays in Public
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Abortion on Demand
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Medical Safety Reporting
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Mandatory Sex Education
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Parental Consent Laws
|
Ideological Tests for Court Appointees
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School Vouchers and Home Schooling
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Automatic Entitled Probation
|
Government Ethics Committees
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Public Demonstrations by Nazis and Communists
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Prison Terms for Criminal Offenses
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Legalized Polygamy
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Public Demonstrations for Direct Action by Pro-lifers
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Busing
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Teaching "Monogamous Heterosexual Intercourse within Marriage" in Public Schools
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To: Tailgunner Joe
gracias, senor.
i'm reading the post now.
6
posted on
05/20/2005 4:18:54 PM PDT
by
ken21
(if you didn't see it on tv, then it didn't happen. /s)
To: Tailgunner Joe
students and invited guests who subscribe to different beliefs...There aren't a whole lot of those in that part of the state. I sure hope the ACLU doesn't hear about our city council opening their sessions with prayer...uh...er...oops, I just let the cat out of the bag.
To: bulldozer
With graduation just about a week away, Slagle says he's looking for a way around the ACLU action. Privatize the school system and pray to your heart's content.
8
posted on
05/20/2005 4:23:21 PM PDT
by
ALPAPilot
To: Tailgunner Joe
The days of Satan lurking in sheep's clothing are gone. Satan doesn't have to hide any longer. The liberal masses have embraced him and they glorify him.
God is watching.
To: bulldozer
students and invited guests who subscribe to different beliefs... feel like outcasts or second-class citizens."TFB!! If you feel "outcast" or "second class" don't show up at the graduation or where there might be prayer! Let the ACLU and anyone else who opposes FREESPEECH-and that most certainly includes PRAYER, go pound sand!
Enough of this BS! ENOUGH!!!
10
posted on
05/20/2005 4:27:21 PM PDT
by
sirchtruth
(Words Mean Things...)
To: bulldozer
How long are we suppose to bend over for this evil institution?! When will people have ENOUGH of this communist organization...WHEN??!!!! When will we take a stand? WHEN?? WHY AREN'T PEOPLE OUTRAGED! This rat run commie base is single handily taking all our loved privileges way from us. They keep winning case after case, removing every freedom we hold dear. The ACLU and the liberal rat demonic judges are slowly destroying the fabric that made America special! If folk don't take a stand against them God will remove his hand from the USA!
To: ken21
Just remember that the ACLU was founded by American communists in 1920 ... no, I'm not "there a commie under my bed" person either ....
12
posted on
05/20/2005 4:35:33 PM PDT
by
SkyDancer
("If Love Can't Buy You Happiness, You Don't Know Where To Shop")
Comment #13 Removed by Moderator
Comment #14 Removed by Moderator
To: bulldozer
The courts will do what the ACLU wants. They always do. The only way to beat them is to just keep doing what they say we can't do. Let them keep suing and see if they want to start arresting people for praying at, for example, a football game. I believe anyone has the right to pray if they want to. We used to have prayer before games at my children's school until the SC ruling. It was a tradition and none of us complained. Yet the SC was able to take that away from us. That to me is a major freedom - the freedom to pray. If a student or teacher volunteers to lead a prayer before a game and no one at the game is offended and in fact wants it, how can they say that's illegal? Until Christians stand up and just refuse to live in fear, it will only get worse. The ACLU and courts are crushing what America has always been. They are slowly destroying America.
15
posted on
05/20/2005 4:47:54 PM PDT
by
mlc9852
To: bulldozer
This is another reason for the (R) senators not to cave to the (D) senators over judicial nominations. More originalists on the benches will start to curb their effectiveness.
16
posted on
05/20/2005 5:03:01 PM PDT
by
infidel29
("It is only the warlike power of a civilized people that can give peace to the world."- T. Roosevelt)
To: bulldozer
"When public schools reserve time at a graduation ceremony for prayers, they violate the Constitution by putting the power, prestige and endorsement of the state behind whatever prayer is offered... students and invited guests who subscribe to different beliefs... feel like outcasts or second-class citizens." -- Witold Walczak, Pittsburgh ACLU (Excerpt from the letter obtained by KDKA)There's nothing in my copy of the U.S. Constitution regarding "putting the power, prestige and endorsement of the state behind whatever prayer is offered".
To: Owl_Eagle; brityank; Physicist; WhyisaTexasgirlinPA; GOPJ; abner; baseballmom; Willie Green; Mo1; ..
18
posted on
05/20/2005 5:10:22 PM PDT
by
Tribune7
To: bulldozer
students and invited guests who subscribe to different beliefs... feel like outcasts or second-class citizens. People who "feel" like second class citizens or outcasts because of pray, really need mental help. I'm not joking here. To be so seduced by your random feelings that you can't stand a 30 second public prayer, really says a lot. These people should be consulting physciatrists, not the ACLU.
To: bulldozer
I hope the school officials resist; perhaps Sekulow could step in.
20
posted on
05/20/2005 5:43:27 PM PDT
by
newsworthy
(Culture is the engine of history.)
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