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.

[A. Pole]

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.

Bump.

[bd476]

Sigh.

From a local kindergarten teacher a few years ago:

"According to our local school board it is okay for children in public school to make Menorrahs in class to celebrate Chanukah, and we can 'do' Santa Claus decorations, maybe put up a paper Christmas tree, but it is not okay to celebrate St. Patrick's Day by wearing green, making shamrocks, etc., because that day honors a Christian Saint and only Catholic Christians celebrate it, don't they... never heard of schools getting involved in St. Patrick's Day celebrations!"

[jimkress]

It's time to start ignoring the rulings of these courts. Go ahead and distribute more pencils. Tell the 'judges' to go screw themselves.

When millions of Americans refuse to obey, the 'judges' will be unable to enforce their oligarchic decisions.

[Ahban]

The teachers were smiling, another job well done
'Cause flowers are for blooming in the last week of May.
The children smiled too, they knew that they had done it.
All of 'em knew it was graduation day.

Papa said 'Mama, let's attend the celebration.'
And the preacher was there, cause they wanted him to pray.
All except for that lawyer, way back in the corner
Who said 'Let's take it to the judge, and see if its OK.'

We did this to ourselves, and we let them do it to us.
O Lord we repent, and ask You to live through us.
Washington where are you? Jefferson please heed the call.
James Madison too, in fact we need you all.
For your words, they have been twisted. O what is the solution?
To tyrants wearing black robes, and Constitution Pollution.

News anchor with raised eyebrow, he gave us the story.
Said "I don't see why these Christians persist."
We even had a scientist look in his laboratory.
If God's not there, then He must not exist."

The Judge wore a scowl, along with his black robe
He said "I forbid you. In fact I insist.
The Constitution says be neutral, in matters of religion.
That means we slap you down, and support the athiests."

Graduation was over, but Papa was a thinking
And all of his friends, they were thinking too.
About Constitution Pollution, and reporter-distorters.
Yeah, Papa cleaned his gun, and wondered what to do.

[xzins]

If anyone is allowed to hand out anything, then the Christian kid should be allowed to hand things out, too.

Period.

Stop it all.

Or allow it all.

In-between is discrimination.

[EggsAckley]

I couldn't agree with you more. I merely stated that this particular Mom seems to be a little gung-ho in this case. The article doesn't mention anything else being handed out (religious-wise.)

[FreedomCalls]

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

But absolutely on firm 1st Amendment grounds. What part of "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" do they not understand?

[EggsAckley]

see #26

[xzins]

I mean nothing handed out, PERIOD.

They can't hand out halloween candy, nor bunny eggs, nor birthday cupcakes, nor anything.

The teacher can NEVER give an opinion on anything.

Everything banned or everything allowed.

If ANY opinion is expressed, then ALL opinions should be allowed to be expressed.

If we say, for example, that political opinions are OK, then we're saying that FREE EXPRESSION is OK. If we then turn around and ban religious opinions, then we're saying that RELIGIOUS OPINIONS are not acceptable by our system.

[FreedomCalls]

but it is not okay to celebrate St. Patrick's Day by wearing green, making shamrocks, etc., because that day honors a Christian Saint

What about Halloween, or "All Hallows Eve" or "All Saints Eve" to be even more precise? It is supposed to be the night one chases the evil spirits away on the evening before the highly spiritual and now purified "All Saints Day." Do they allow Halloween decorations?

[CodeMonkey]

I'm situated somewhere between a pagan and deist and have no problem with him handing those pencils out. So what if the mother gave them to him to give out? It's time we stopped passing around the KJV bible and started handing out beecher bibles instead.....

[FreedomCalls]

I merely stated that this particular Mom seems to be a little gung-ho in this case.

Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.

~Barry M. Goldwater

[bjcintennessee]

It was "highly unlikely," he wrote that then-4-year-old Daniel was "able to independently read and advocate the dissemination of the message on the pencils."

It was just as unlikely that the other 4-year-olds were able to read and...you get the idea.

Geeze!

[GretchenEE]

The injured people of faith better beat feat to appeal this stinking ruling.

[GretchenEE]

The mother was no more overzealous in the case than any parent whose family member has been stripped of his first amendment rights.

How many freedoms would you recommend the school, the community, the courts, take away before action is taken to reverse the trend?

The price of freedom (and free speech) is eternal vigilance. And I might add, muscularly so.

[GretchenEE]

We're to believe that after a child graduates from first grade, he can bring religious-message pencils to share at school?

[INVAR]

When you look at the Founders and what they insituted as the intent of this Republic - you will find by their own writings, diaries, speeches and letters that they established a spiritual nation based upon the stone foundation of the Law of God as revealed in Scripture, for the sole purpose of promoting the virtues and character of faith to an entire nation.

It is why John Adams said "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other".

Evil triumphs when good men do nothing. As a people of Faith, we have done little aside from voicing our disgust at the continual erosion of our liberties and inalienable rights. The warnings of our Founders have been ignored, and especially the warnings of Jefferson regarding the tyranny that the Judiciary could impose. We have failed to heed those warnings, and as a result - we have the subjugation of public faith by Federal Order and as a result, selfish and power-mad people like the Clintons and the Left get ensconced in power.

The time to stand is now, or all will be lost.

I firmly believe the Moore case was a national nail in the coffin for liberty, being applied by the High Priesthood of Socialistic/Secular Lawyers and Humanists. It effectively abolished the 1st Amendment inalienable right to the free execize of religion and speech, and because we have done little to stand in opposition - Judicial Activist tyranny is now considered law.

There are things we Americans of faith can do, and there are organizations out there that have been fighting this battle, Free Republic being one of those forces. Another I just discovered is Restoring Our Heritage (www.restoringourheritage.com) among others. I think of these as educational weapons in which to wage a war that thusfar has gone relatively unanswered by Americans of faith and principle.

We have a Culture War to fight and win - we need to fight it as viciously as the Left does. Our Forebears took up arms to repell the British Regulars who came to take the arms stores at Lexington and Concord greens. How much more should we take up the arms of Truth to repell the wolves who seek to deprive us of our birthrights? Should we not be living examples of Isaiah 58:1? Our Founders were.

Sorry for the vanity folks. I'm really ticked off and amazed at the level of apathy out there - even by people who claim to be of faith. Get involved, take a stand or we lose it all.

[BenR2]

When I was a kid, I remember hearing stories like this about life behind the Iron Curtain.

Now, we are privileged to watch the destruction of our religious liberty before our very eyes. . . .

[BenR2]

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


//////////
Why, of course, Muhammad. It's only those nasty CHRISTIANS that we are concerned about. Now, run along, and maybe you can grow up to be like Muhammad Attah!

[Alouette]

Kindergartners and first-graders may not distribute to their classmates gifts that bear a religious message

But it's OK for a public school to set aside a "prayer" room for "Muslims Only - No Infidels Allowed"