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Backed by ADF, first-grade student now permitted to share Christmas song with classmates
adf ^
| December 15, 2006,
Posted on 12/04/2007 5:54:25 PM PST by Coleus
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif - Initially denied the right by school officials to share a Christmas song with his classmates during show and tell, a first-grade student has been permitted to participate after an Alliance Defense Fund attorney sent a letter on his behalf to Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Jean Brown. The First Amendment guarantees that the free speech rights of all students, including those who are Christian, are entitled to protection. Those rights do not end at the schoolhouse gate, said ADF Litigation Counsel Heather Gebelin Hacker. Any person familiar with the Constitution would recognize that this students presentation could not be viewed as an endorsement of religion by the school. The school districts decision to allow our client to participate in show and tell ensures that his First Amendment rights will no longer be violated.
Deven DeBow, a first-grader at Woodlake Avenue Elementary, planned to share a song with his class that he was practicing to perform as part of his church Christmas program. The song, The First Leon, is a childrens song about the shepherds in the Christmas story. DeBow also wanted to provide flyers about the upcoming performance to interested classmates. The event occurred last weekend. Upon learning of DeBows plans, his teacher confiscated the flyers, saying he would not be able to sing the song because not everyone believes in the God you do. DeBows parents questioned the teacher, who said that allowing DeBow to proceed would constitute government endorsement of religion. Woodlakes principal backed the teacher and told DeBows parents to take their complaint to district officials.
The letter sent to LAUSD officials is available at
www.telladf.org/UserDocs/DeBowLetter.pdf. The school districts letter regarding its decision to allow DeBows presentation may be viewed at
www.telladf.org/UserDocs/LAUSDResponse.pdf. On Monday, in a different lawsuit filed by ADF attorneys,
Turton v. Frenchtown Elementary School District Board of Education, a federal court ruled that a Christian song selected and performed by an individual student
was the private speech of a student and not a message conveyed by the school itself (
www.telladf.org/news/story.aspx?cid=3944). ADF is a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation.
www.telladf.org www.saychristmas.org
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: waronchristmas; waronchristmas2006
1
posted on
12/04/2007 5:54:27 PM PST
by
Coleus
To: Coleus
I’m still amazed at how many people get the First Amendment wrong.
It’s freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion, stupid.
2
posted on
12/04/2007 6:10:43 PM PST
by
wastedyears
(One Marine vs. 550 consultants. Sounds like good odds to me.)
To: Coleus
He’s just a child - a child who wanted to sing to his classmates.
Tell me that is not a JoyCamp, as Orwell called them.
3
posted on
12/04/2007 6:18:09 PM PST
by
Old Sarge
(This tagline in memory of FReeper 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub)
To: wastedyears
free expression of religion is guaranteed before freedom of speech in the First Amendment.
That whole “freedom from religion” that you correctly call out as wrong, is also a direct attack on The Constitution and as such makes all who hold to it blood enemy of those sworn to protect The Constitution.
Someday, we might actually get up off whatever excuse we hide behind and actually honor that oath.
4
posted on
12/04/2007 6:21:19 PM PST
by
Grimmy
(equivocation is but the first step along the road to capitulation)
To: Grimmy
Someday, we might actually get up off whatever excuse we hide behind and actually honor that oath.I hear ya.
But somehow I think that The Guarantor of said unalienable rights just might beat us to the draw.
5
posted on
12/04/2007 7:05:16 PM PST
by
HKMk23
(HOW TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING: 1001 WAYS TO FEEL SELF-RIGHTEOUS DESPITE YOUR UTTER IMPOTENCE)
To: HKMk23
“But somehow I think that The Guarantor of said unalienable rights just might beat us to the draw.”
Oh yeah. That’s a big fer shure.
I’m also fair certain that I’ll be on the receiving end of plenty myself if I don’t mend my ways.
1 John, 2:8-12
1 John, 3:14-16
1 John, 4:19-21
Depending on how the term brother is defined but indulging in such things as “...the definition of is is..” not real good idea.
Stumbling block. Gotta work on it.
6
posted on
12/04/2007 7:20:28 PM PST
by
Grimmy
(equivocation is but the first step along the road to capitulation)
To: Coleus
Nice, sincere, heartfelt apology from the district, too.
7
posted on
12/04/2007 8:02:44 PM PST
by
Hebrews 11:6
(Do you REALLY believe that (1) God is, and (2) God is good?)
To: Grimmy
“Gotta work on it.”
Don’t we all?
But, hey, Romans 8: “There is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...”
We couldn’t earn it in the first place, why should we think we can maintain it under our own power??
Nah, it’s all Him, and we have to just do the best we can and rely on His grace for the rest.
8
posted on
12/04/2007 8:38:05 PM PST
by
HKMk23
(HOW TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING: 1001 WAYS TO FEEL SELF-RIGHTEOUS DESPITE YOUR UTTER IMPOTENCE)
To: HKMk23
9
posted on
12/05/2007 12:06:51 AM PST
by
Grimmy
(equivocation is but the first step along the road to capitulation)
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