Posted on 08/15/2009 9:44:03 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
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.
An ACLU official said the school district has allowed "flagrant" violations of the First Amendment for years.
"The defendants all admitted wrongdoing," said Daniel Mach, director of litigation for its freedom of religion program. "For example, the Pace High School teachers handbook asks teachers to 'embrace every opportunity to inculcate, by precept and example, the practice of every Christian virtue.' "
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 such as graduations, orchestrating separate religiously themed graduation services, and "proselytizing" students during class and after school.
In January, the Santa Rosa County School District settled out of court with the ACLU, agreeing to several things, including a provision to bar all school employees
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Mr. Staver said no students were present at the event, which was held on school property but after school hours.
....Mr. Staver said 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....
“School prayer charges stir protests: Educators face 6 mos. jail in Florida”
Since the jail is run by the government, will they be allowed to pray there?
Everybody convert to Islam - problem solved. ACLU happy.
Excerpt:
Mr. Staver said 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.
Prophecy happening right before your eyes!
Next thing you know you’ll get a year in jail for passing out pamphlets... wait, isn’t that happening in California?? A pro-lifer of course.
Different laws for different people. No more free speech for conservative/christians
Religious speech is speech.
It is their speech that is causing possible jail time.
Now if they demonstrated how to have intercourse... that’d be applauded
Be careful folks ... when Christians are totally silenced there will be hell to pay. Proper Biblical Christinaity is the ONLY civilized religion. No, the Inquisition and the Crusades were anything but Christian.
Excerpt:
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.”
I say, keep bringing it!!
Throw all the decent Americans in jail!
Punish all the hard working taxpayers!
Mock us and marginalize us and call us Nazis and racists when we object and protest!
Take away our Right to Assemble, Free Speech and to Bear Arms!
Bring it!!
I don’t know of any law that says you can’t speak to your Father at anytime or anywhere. God is my Father and I’ll speak to him whenever and wherever I want. Might be a valid defense.
In the end times there will be an apostasy in the church and a falling away from God. We need to pray for revival and repentance in this country. We need God’s help. Pray, Pray, Pray and again I say Pray.
Ping
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