Posted on 08/29/2006 6:29:42 PM PDT by dukeman
Ceremony violated separation of church and state, ACLU says
About 180 members of four local churches surrounded a public middle school yesterday to bless the building and those who use it, despite objections from the American Civil Liberties Union about the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state.
Led by a minister from Epworth United Methodist Church, members of Epworth, Karl Road Christian Church, Karl Road Baptist Church and Ascension Lutheran Church joined hands and circled halfway around Woodward Park Middle School at 5151 Karl Rd. In unison, they asked the "great divine one, creator of us all" to bless each "student … teacher, staff and administrator" entering the building.
"Rain or shine, ACLU or not, nobody can stop those who have spirit-filled hearts," said Patricia Miller, who led the ceremony.
The nearby churches have an ongoing relationship with Woodward Park, providing supplies and other support. Miller said the ceremony at first was planned for inside the building and had the approval of the school’s principal, Jill Spanheimer.
Last week, Spanheimer said she didn’t remember that conversation and that the ceremony would have to be outside. Yesterday, she watched the ceremony from her yard, which borders the school grounds. She would not comment afterward.
The ACLU of Ohio sent a letter to Spanheimer and Superintendent Gene Harris last week, saying that permitting the event would violate the constitutional requirement that public schools remain neutral on religious matters. District officials responded with a letter stating the event was constitutional according to a U.S. Supreme Court case from New York state. In Good News Club v. Milford Central School, the court ruled that any group is permitted to rent and use public-school facilities.
"Anyone can walk onto the school grounds during the weekend," said Columbus Public Schools spokesman Greg Viebranz.
Gary Daniels, litigation coordinator for the ACLU of Ohio, said this event differed from the renting of school buildings, even those rented for a religious use.
"There’s not that appearance of endorsement by the school," he said. "There are worse scenarios that can be presented as far as being problematic from a church-state perspective, but this by no means is something that in my mind would pass constitutional muster."
Several participants said yesterday they did not think the ceremony, which lasted less than a half-hour, violated the separation of church and state, and some said they didn’t think church and state should be separated anyway.
Residents near the school who were interviewed by The Dispatch said they were not upset. In fact, they thought the event was a positive way to kick off the school year and benefited the neighborhood.
Then STFU!!!
Has anyone read the book "Term Limits"?
The answer is to allow any religious group to bless the school in its own manner, not to gag all religion. Good grief, schools and their denizens could use all the blessings they can get. There's probably more praying going on at schools than most churches these days.
If we didn't have so many judges who abuse the bench for their political whims, this would be laughable. Just show me where the Consitution prohibits this...
Well, I guess they'll have to get a whole bunch of ACLU lawyers to hold hands around the school to curse it now.
They better be careful. Now that the school's been blessed, the ACLU'ers might burst into flames if they get too close. Geez.
Just another attack on religious freedom in America by Soros' Commie Crapweasels.
Words the ACLU chooses to ignore.
Ask these dense "journalists" where in the document where those words exist.
American Civil Liberties Union =SATAN'S TOOL!!
I always add feckless in front of crapweasel.
I wonder what the ACLU would have done if it had been a group protesting the war or handing out condoms?
Wait, I already know the answer to that one. :(
Why does the ACLU believe that religious speech isn't free speech? I thought they were pro free speech regardless of the content? (okay, that's a bit of sarcasm, but it does point to their hypocrisy).
Actually, I like this idea. Get clergy from all sorts of churches and temples to get together and go around blessing all the public buildings in their areas. It'll drive the ACLU nuts and tie up the courts, it's not like they do anything for normal citizens anyway, for decades. We could even make it a weekly event.
10-4! I'll try to do better. LOL!
"great divine one, creator of us all"...
Who knows, maybe they were referring to the Earth Mother or Allah. Or Bette Midler. That might make the ACLU feel a bit better about the whole thing.
The ACLU never ceases to amaze me!
Penumbras and emanations -- say it slowly, in a deep voice, repeat often...you too can sound as learned as the judges to which you refer.
The school is probably happy to have someone blessing it, what with the kids cursing it and all.
I wonder what the ACLU would have done if it had been a group protesting the war or handing out condoms?
Now if it had been a group of Wickins the ACLU would have smiled fondly...
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