Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Federal Judge Prohibits Prayer at Texas Graduation Ceremony
FOXNews.com ^ | June 2, 2011 | By Todd Starnes

Posted on 06/02/2011 5:48:40 PM PDT by metmom

A federal judge has ordered a Texas school district to prohibit public prayer at a high school graduation ceremony.

Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s order against the Medina Valley Independent School District also forbids students from using specific religious words including “prayer” and “amen.”

The ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by Christa and Danny Schultz. Their son is among those scheduled to participate in Saturday’s graduation ceremony. The judge declared that the Schultz family and their son would “suffer irreparable harm” if anyone prayed at the ceremony.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said the school district is in the process of appealing the ruling, and his office has agreed to file a brief in their support.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: antitheism; arth; atheism; atheists; christophobia; graduation; medina; misotheism; prayer; tolerantleft; tx
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 161-180181-200201-220 ... 281-295 next last
To: gusopol3
the students have a choice...they can say whatever they want........and the audience has a choice too....

we better start belly up to the bar folks....it'll take little acts of rebellion to right the ship...

181 posted on 06/03/2011 2:17:13 AM PDT by cherry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Doe Eyes
Really? So Jesus praying over the cities and calling out the pharisees, or Paul, Peter and the rest praying over cities...what is it that you do not understand.
We are not to be wimpy Christians fearful of the government.
Those versus you quote, actually read the entire context before you pull selected words.
182 posted on 06/03/2011 3:56:05 AM PDT by svcw (Non forgiveness is like holding a hot coal thinking the other person will be blistered)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: napscoordinator

No, you are wrong about the time. Think about it, kids are in school 6-7 hours. First remove recesses and lunch, now the time is 4-5 hours. Nest take that time and divide by the number of students, what you are left with is about 1-2 hours of actual instruction much of which is busy work. There is a reason homeschooler s do well, they are getting 1-2 hours of personal instruction one on one. The other stuff busy work and reading they can do independently. Many communities have 2-3 days a week where homeschooler’s get together for field trips, art classes, science labs.
A working parent can homeschool as well as a parent who does not have a job out side the home.


183 posted on 06/03/2011 4:01:09 AM PDT by svcw (Non forgiveness is like holding a hot coal thinking the other person will be blistered)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: pepsionice
There was a school a few years ago with a similar ruling. The Valedictorian gave her speech and then sneezed. The entire class stood up and yelled out “God Bless you”, then cheered their hearts out.
No you cannot stop the worship of God.
184 posted on 06/03/2011 4:03:25 AM PDT by svcw (Non forgiveness is like holding a hot coal thinking the other person will be blistered)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: metmom
Hardly. Just pointing out the irony of it all. The judge is precipitating a chain of events that FORCE normal human beings to elect to enter a church not of their own chosing.

The point is that once the judge allows his court to get into the game of chosing among religions ~ he must invariably FORCE others to do exactly that which was claimed to be a harm by the initial litigant.

Strict neutrality requires several things ~ first, you must be neutral. You can't prefer one prayer over another, nor no prayer over prayer, nor prayer over no prayer. You can't pick and chose among the religious terms that may or may not be used, or expect that no religious terms at all be removed from the situation.

185 posted on 06/03/2011 4:04:33 AM PDT by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 125 | View Replies]

To: Doe Eyes
Why are you on a site that promotes: Welcome to Free Republic! America's exclusive site for God, Family, Country, Life & Liberty constitutional conservative activists!

It seems you might be better served being somewhere else.

186 posted on 06/03/2011 4:09:56 AM PDT by svcw (Non forgiveness is like holding a hot coal thinking the other person will be blistered)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: metmom

IMHO, your first post, #3, captured the essence of the story.


187 posted on 06/03/2011 4:17:45 AM PDT by PieterCasparzen (Huguenot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: gore_sux
In our community we have probably all the major religions in the world ~ and not just an individual here and there. We also have most of the minor ones. And, Fur Shur, just about every Christian, Jewish and Moslem, and Buddhist denomination, and hundreds of Hindu groups.

So, the government creates a condition where to avoid state imposed rules on religious speech we need to get togehter to DO WHAT?

Did you realize that we'd need to examine and question each and every parent of each and every student in the school to determine what their religion might be so we could get together with them and rent a hall.

Here's the point ~ a graduation isn't religious in nature, but there's going to be religion present and the federal government is Constitutionally PROHIBITED from participating in the determination of what is or is not religious, or what is truly religious, or what is truly non-religious, or what is acceptable, or what is not acceptable to individuals or the community at large, or to the community of the school.

The People themselves have long determined what is acceptable in terms of the elements of the program, who speaks, who doesn't speak (the audience usually), and where it will be held.

I think it's pretty clearly the case that the litigants are out of their water, and the judge is an idiot.

The People can ignore all of this.

I can even think of some serious sanctions on the judge, and the litigants.

188 posted on 06/03/2011 4:23:28 AM PDT by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]

To: metmom
[Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery] has ordered a Texas school district to prohibit public prayer The 1st Amendment at a high school graduation ceremony.
189 posted on 06/03/2011 4:24:05 AM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: svcw

No, the real reason home schooled children do so well is that they’re treated as the client.

Because parents love their children home schooled children are instructed to mastery. In a home school testing is not a sorting/tracking tool, but a diagnostic tool.

Parents then use the feedback they get to improve the outcome. Government schooling is built around:

1. Statism and the indoctrination thereof.

2. Satisfying the tools of the state - teacher’s unions and government bureaucrats.

That’s why home schoolers do so well, the teaching is student centered.


190 posted on 06/03/2011 4:28:40 AM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 183 | View Replies]

To: gore_sux

Even simpler - ignore the judges unConstitutional order and exercise your God-given right to freedom of conscience.

Every student should do exactly this.


191 posted on 06/03/2011 4:30:46 AM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]

To: metmom

One word: defiance.


192 posted on 06/03/2011 4:37:12 AM PDT by exit82 (Democrats are the enemy of freedom. Sarah Palin is our Esther.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Doe Eyes; Cvengr; Jacquerie

Cvengr: Yes, the principles upon which the US was founded were Judeo-Christian and not any other pagan or cultic construct.

Doe Eyes: Wrong. Our country was founded on religious freedom period.

Ironically, you’re both right. The United States were absolutely founded on Christian values. That is simple historical fact.

Seeing the danger of religious partisanship particularly when the state was the religion they founded the country not as an extension of any particular church, but one in which every individual has FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE.

The 1st Amendment isn’t an attempt to limit individuals’ rights, but government’s ability to limit the rights of individuals to FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE.

Let’s look at the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an 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.

The laws of our land are made by Congress. By what authority does this judge rule? A 5th Grader (2nd Grader if home schooled) can read that ‘shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion’ and see that this judge is in violation of the Constitution.

That same child can see that this judge just ruled to abridge freedom of speech. He’s terrible and his ignorance is inexcusable. He’s the Chief US District Judge.

Boehner should move to impeach immediately. This is a nationwide winning issue for Republicans and an outstanding educational tool to teach Constitutional ignoramuses. It’s a win-win for our side.

BTW Doe Eyes, which side are you on?


193 posted on 06/03/2011 4:46:16 AM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]

To: metmom

I have given commencement addresses and would love to give this one. An appropriate speech can be given in compliance with the thuggish judge’s directives in a way that is both reverent and masterfully effective. I hope they have a speaker with the mischievous streak and the talent to pull it off.


194 posted on 06/03/2011 4:58:42 AM PDT by Pollster1 (Natural born citizen of the USA, with the birth certificate to prove it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metmom

Where the notion has come about that prayer is an infringement on the (imaginary) wall of separation between church and state is beyond me. The first Congress — with founders present, the guys who CAME UP WITH these ideas — opened with a PRAYER. How can prayer possibly violate the First Amendment when the fellows who came up with the notion prayed — at the very first official government meeting (and thereafter)??


195 posted on 06/03/2011 5:40:07 AM PDT by HGSW0904
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pollster1

I was thinking the same thing last night...making a list of words that could be used which were not chosen by the judge and do not violate his ridiculous decision. Hosanna. Hallelujah. etc.

I’m hoping for flash mob prayer, but a wonderfully crafted speech preceding the prayer would be a perfect beginning.

We were told we would be persecuted for our faith...there will be some great opportunities coming to show those atheists and scoffers what Christianity is really about. This child and his parents need prayer and the Holy Spirit.


196 posted on 06/03/2011 5:45:01 AM PDT by HGSW0904
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 194 | View Replies]

To: Pollster1

How about a speaker that simply ignores this unConstitutional act?


197 posted on 06/03/2011 5:46:00 AM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 194 | View Replies]

To: 1010RD

The valedictorian, or someone, should start his/her speech with a reading of the First Amendment, and then open in prayer.


198 posted on 06/03/2011 5:57:30 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 189 | View Replies]

To: HGSW0904
"This child and his parents need prayer and the Holy Spirit."

The family in question.

I wonder if they are angry at God and taking it out on the people who are their neighbors and used to be their friends. As little as they deserve it, I will pray for them. None of us deserve what God does for us, and they are in need of His help.

199 posted on 06/03/2011 6:11:44 AM PDT by Pollster1 (Natural born citizen of the USA, with the birth certificate to prove it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 196 | View Replies]

To: metmom

Pray any way.......the judge’s ruling is non enforceable, especially after the fact. It should just be ignored


200 posted on 06/03/2011 6:13:58 AM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. N.C. D.E. +12 ....( History is a process, not an event ))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 161-180181-200201-220 ... 281-295 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson