Court bans religious gifts to classmates

The Washington Times ^ | September 21, 2003 | Julia Duin

[yonif]

Kindergartners and first-graders may not distribute to their classmates gifts that bear a religious message, according to a ruling by a federal appeals court.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled in favor of a New Jersey elementary school in forbidding a boy from giving out pencils with the message "Jesus loves the little children" with a heart symbol substituted for the word love.

[AppyPappy]

Can they hand out pencils that say "Islam means peace"?

[EggsAckley]

It DOES sound like Mom is a bit over-zealous in this case.

[Fee]

How about Christmas cards? My son usually gets Christmas Song CD for his teacher. Is that advocating religion???

[Madame Dufarge]

Pencils?

Heck, they can probably hand out Korans.

Otherwise, it would be interpreted as a hate crime against Muslims.

[GaltMeister]

This sounds like a ruling from the 9th Circus Court of Bananna Peels - There are probably more whacked out judges out there than people realize.

[Sir_Ed]

It's but a short step from prohibiting Christian gifts to your fellow schoolmates to completely outlawing any mention of Chritianity on the school grounds...

Ed

[GreenHornet]

...but there's no problem handing out copies of "Daddy's Roommate", or "Heather Has Two Mommies", is there?

[tbpiper]

Can they hand out pencils that say "Islam means peace"?

You can do anything that's not christian, conservative, 'white', honest, patriotic, or decent.

[Bobby777]

I would be surprised if that was challenged ... I hope Madalyn Murry O'Hare is happy with her legacy ... (not that she's around anymore) ...

[max_rpf]

Amendment I

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.

Most if not all of the ACLU & Co's anti-religion action is based off of the fact that individuals in the govnerment are acting in support of any one religion (e.g. 10 Commandments Monument or a school board not cancelling a religious holiday).

Ignoring that this new interpretation of the Establishment clause is wrong, just how is this judge linking the private action of parents and school children to the government. This is the very definition of tyranny.

[apackof2]

JN 15:18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. [19] If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. [20] Remember the words I spoke to you: `No servant is greater than his master.'* If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.

[Bobby777]

and the two books you mentioned, are unfortunately "using the classroom to proselytize" ... but for a "politically-correct" "cause" ...

[Conservative til I die]

Un-bee-leevable.

[CobaltBlue]

I don't see how this can fly. It's not "state action", it's private action, so it's not using state resources to endorse or advance religion. Period.

[tbpiper]

It's but a short step from prohibiting Christian gifts to your fellow schoolmates to completely outlawing any mention of Chritianity on the school grounds...

All religions will be tolerated as long as they are not polarizing nor exclusive. The rule will only disallow religions that promote hate and violence. (Note: Jehadis are just defending themselves with the only weapons they have available.....)

Chrisitanity is both polarizing and exclusive. It promotes violence by it's intolerant views of and other equally valid religions and its unwillingness to accept the fact that loving same sex relationships are normal as well. Christianity, particularly among whites, has caused most of the world's wars,slavery, and poverty. If it will not conform it must be destroyed.

________________________

Now for my real opinion:

I, for one will stay on the side of Christ. There is no other way to God and no other hope for humanity.

[Fzob]

I think the founding fathers are somewhere around 20,000 RPM by this time. The country is going insane.

[Eva]

My daughter attended kindergarten in this district, about 1976. It was a very independent, forward thinking district at that time. They refused to accept any state money for the schools because they didn't want to adhere to the state mandates.

My daughter's kindegarten class had 15 students and she was one of three kids who were pulled out for reading with the reading specialist, while the other kids were learning their alphabet.

[mtbopfuyn]

As much as schools beg for school supplies for poor kids... now it's better kids have no pencils than a Christian one which most can't read anyway.

[hardhead]

Jesus (God) is being kicked out of every human nook and cranny. He will have the last laugh though, as He is landlord of heaven and can take in who He wants.