School prayer charges stir protests

Washington Times ^ | August 14, 2009 | Julia Duin

[rhema]

Students, teachers and local pastors are protesting over a court case involving a northern Florida school principal and an athletic director who are facing criminal charges and up to six months in jail over their offer of a mealtime prayer.

There have been yard signs, T-shirts and a mass student protest during graduation ceremonies this spring on behalf of Pace High School Principal Frank Lay and school athletic director Robert Freeman, who will go on trial Sept. 17 at a federal district court in Pensacola for breaching the conditions of a lawsuit settlement reached last year with the American Civil Liberties Union.

"I have been defending religious freedom issues for 22 years, and I've never had to defend somebody who has been charged criminally for praying," said Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, the Orlando-based legal group that is defending the two school officials.

[silverleaf]

"...the district also agreed to forbid senior class President Mary Allen from speaking at the school's May 30 graduation ceremony on the chance that the young woman, a known Christian, might say something religious. "She was the first student body president in 33 years not allowed to speak," he said.

In response, many members of the 300-plus-member student body taped crosses to their mortarboards and stood for an impromptu recitation of the Lord's Prayer during the ceremony. ....

"Judge Rodgers' order also included Michelle Winkler, a clerical assistant who was attending a school district event in February with other school employees at a local naval base. There, she asked her husband to offer a blessing for a meal, says the ACLU, adding that students were present and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

"She didn't do the blessing; she asked somebody to do it," Mr. Staver said. "The ACLU is sending people to school to monitor things happening on campus and see if there is anything encouraging religious activity, then running to the court if they see anything."

Her trial, which could result in a fine, is scheduled for Aug. 21.

[Ol' Sparky]

Is this the old Soviet Union or the United States of America? Civil disobedience needs to continue until religious freedom is restored at this and all public schools.

[Guenevere]

bttt

[DoughtyOne]

Who invites these ACLU people? Many high schools provide ticket only access to family members only these days. So how do the ACLU people get in?

It sure would be a shame to see some of them stripped and bounced off the pavement behind the back of the stands.

All together now..., “Uh sorry officer, I didn’t see thing.”

If the ACLU wants all out war, then it should be accommodated.

[rwfromkansas]

They did violate a court settlement, BUT the court settlement was unconstitutional and therefore doesn’t exist anyway, so the school is in the right.

[DoughtyOne]

I agree.

[Robwin]

Who invites these ACLU people? Many high schools provide ticket only access to family members only these days. So how do the ACLU people get in?

The ACLU didn't have to have to be there. They had their slimy little snitches watching everything for them.

The fight involving the ACLU, the school district and several devout Christian employees began last August when the ACLU sued Santa Rosa County Schools on behalf of two students who had complained privately to the group's Florida affiliate, claiming some teachers and administrators were allowing prayers at school events ...

America, 2009

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

a court case involving a northern Florida school principal and an athletic director who are facing criminal charges and up to six months in jail over their offer of a mealtime prayer.

Obama (who would not allow the blue angels to do a 42 year old tradition of a flyover at a county fair;) because of the WORDS-GOD AND COUNTRY.... and his radical,evil liberal minions will be so proud of this.

[1035rep]

bttt

[Gondring]

So you’re saying they did something unconstitutional...accepted an unconstitutional settlement?

[Grunthor]

“charged criminally for praying”

The United States of America, 2009.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks Robwin. I should have read it, but I grow tired of reading the details about the ACLU trying to destroy religion in the United States. My response is rather narrow and covers the problem completely.

There must be legal ways to make the ACLU rethink their ways, let them pay for their treachery.

[444Flyer]

I would say this trumps an unlawful ruling:

“Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”-1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

[w1andsodidwe]

I would hope that nobody attempts to convert these guys to Islam if they go to jail. Oh, right, I probably just said something highly offensive to some non-christian. So be it.

[rockinqsranch]

This has to be the limit. The Federal Government has exceeded the limits of the britches it was designed to fit, and now is exposing parts that don’t need to be.

There are fifty Governors working for the people of those fifty States. The Fed works for those fifty States, NOT the other way around.

Whether those Governors want to or not, they have to address the problems they are elected to address, and this one is a biggy.

The Fed has gotten too big for its britches, and we the people are the ones that have to stick a pin in it and deflate it.

Lets git ‘er done.

[rwfromkansas]

They settlement is unconstitutional, so the school should be able to continue prayer.

[HKMk23]

If the ACLU wants all out war, then it should be accommodated.

Agreed, but whaddya DO about it? What, exactly, does "all out war" MEAN, and who's going to get personally involved?

Look, I'm as frustrated and hacked off about it as you are, but I don't have a ready list of 250,000 Americans that I can contact in the next 24 hours to muster on a field of battle to wipe out the frackin' ACLU.

I know that there are very likely at least 2.5 million Americans who'd do it RIGHT NOW if they had a leader, and the knowledge that it was possible, but they're not connected as a cohesive group; they're individuals walking around pissed off about egregious transgressions of personal freedom, but lacking any tools to get past liberal judges to actually effect real change. So, they carry on, disgruntled, but feeling powerless to do much about it.

Every year, their ranks grow larger, and larger, and this healthcare fiasco has jacked that growth curve considerably. There WILL come a point where "We, the People" collectively realize that this group of displeased citizens is, in fact, the vast majority of Americans; that it is US, but -- again -- who will lead the charge to effect a direct, permanent, return to the bare roots of our Constitution??

Truth is, Americans are easily fooled; witness the last Presidential election. And there are no greater purveyors of foolishness than the big news organizations. Whatever they want Americans to think, that's what they'll say, and -- all up and down your block -- your average, "American Idol"-addicted, Sunday-show Kool-Aide chuggers will swallow it -- hook, line, and sinker.

So, how DO you overcome MASS STUPIDITY??

Control education.

Well, we lost THAT battle in the late 1800's. When the Prussian Model became the template for "public" education; we sealed our fate. See my profile under the section on Education. But seeing that a counteroffensive MUST be waged, else we lose The Republic, then I say "Let the war begin now!"

Let the war begin, and let it be manifest in a massive "We, the People" rush to vacate the "public school" and leave government bereft of its favorite control mechanism.

If we are even 25% successful, perhaps 40 years from now, things will be recognizably Constitutional in America, and perhaps our grandchildren will know the real, individual freedom that our grandparents enjoyed.

[tutstar]

gnip...

[Old Sarge]

Rob beat me to it: the ACLU has informants in every school district.

They have a name:

Teachers.