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Principal says he was fired for leading volunteer prayer meeting (GA)
myfoxphilly.com ^ | May 2, 2015

Posted on 05/03/2015 7:17:12 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012

MERIWETHER COUNTY, Ga. -A Meriwether County high school principal claims he was fired after he prayed with a group of students during a volunteer Christian meeting.

Dr. Michael Lehr said he just wants the facts to come out and that he's relying on his faith to get him through this.

News Radio 106.7's Nathalie Pozo spoke with several students and parents who are outraged this happened to what they call a kind, dedicated, well respected man. Now, the community is rallying behind him.

“It is breaking our hearts its breaking our hearts… because it is not supposed to be like this,” one parent said.

Last Wednesday, during a volunteer Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting, the Manchester High School principal said he filled in for the organization's leader and read scripture as well as prayed with students in attendance.

“Because this is a Christian community and I want my daughter to pray,” said another parent.

Dr. Lehr who did not want to speak on camera said he had his annual evaluation two days later with the county's school superintendent. He says at that meeting, Superintendent Carol Lane put him on indefinite administrative leave for the remainder of his contract which expires in June for leading prayers at the FCA meeting.

“What do you expect at a Christian meeting except prayer and Bible reading,” one parent noted.

“I want prayer in this school. I am proud to see our football team take a knee and pray before and after games. And also in clubs and we're just shocked,” said parent Angila Waddell.

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Georgia; US: Indiana; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 2016election; arth; education; election2016; georgia; homosexualagenda; indiana; mikepence; prayer; rfra; tedcruz; texas; waronchristians
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To: Poison Pill

Also: does freedom of religion mean freedom FROM religion, or does it extend to individuals being allowed to express their religious views and act on their religious beliefs in public?


21 posted on 05/03/2015 7:51:48 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (Can you remember what America was like in 2004?)
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To: Poison Pill

I defend the Constitution...which no longer exists. I’m surprised you didn’t get this “opinion”.


22 posted on 05/03/2015 7:53:50 AM PDT by WKUHilltopper (And yet...we continue to tolerate this crap...)
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To: BwanaNdege

the page is up for me..

carol.lane@mcssga.org


23 posted on 05/03/2015 7:57:50 AM PDT by Principled (Government Slowdown using the budget process!)
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To: Mr Rogers
does freedom of religion mean freedom FROM religion, or does it extend to individuals being allowed to express their religious views and act on their religious beliefs in public?

A fair question. My test to respond is this question: "Are my taxes paying for the facility? If the answer is yes, then I don't want the organized practice of religion there.

24 posted on 05/03/2015 8:04:12 AM PDT by Poison Pill
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To: Poison Pill

2 points
1. It as a club meeting after school. It was incidental to the operation of the club and therefore NOT organized.
2. If MY taxes are paying for it , I WANT religious belief to be there.

MY taxes buy just as much as yours.


25 posted on 05/03/2015 8:15:31 AM PDT by Adder (No, Mr. Franklin, we could NOT keep it.)
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To: Poison Pill

How about a group of atheists holding a meeting on evolution of the species on school property, that ok?

In one Canadian province (not sure about other provinces) any group can rent public school property for $20 a year if the building is not otherwise being used for school activity. In some cases janitorial services have to be paid also.


26 posted on 05/03/2015 8:15:37 AM PDT by free_life (If you ask Jesus to forgive you and to save you, He will.)
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To: Poison Pill
A fair question. My test to respond is this question: "Are my taxes paying for the facility? If the answer is yes, then I don't want the organized practice of religion there


Your illogic is stunning.

Your taxes (if you even *pay* taxes) pay for Catholic hospitals (Oooh, they even have chapels and organized services at those hospital chapels!). Will you then refuse to be treated at a Catholic hospital?

27 posted on 05/03/2015 8:16:38 AM PDT by farming pharmer
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To: ilovesarah2012; metmom

Get YOUR children out of the government indoctrination centers - NOW!


28 posted on 05/03/2015 8:20:39 AM PDT by ForYourChildren (Christian Education [ RomanRoadsMedia.com - a Classical Christian Approach to Homeschool ])
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To: P-Marlowe
So you think there should be no prayers on public property, huh?

There should not be organized prayer meetings of this sort, no.

You must also think that teachers who pray with their students in a voluntary meeting of Christian Athletes at school should be fired.

If I were on the school board, I would not vote to fire him. I don't see the point in wrecking a person's life for a lapse in judgement. I would stress to him that this sort of thing should not happen again. Hopefully that would suffice.

Why are you here on Free Republic?

I enjoy the debate. Most of the time it's productive. Should we turn this place into an echo chamber? That sounds boring.

29 posted on 05/03/2015 8:20:49 AM PDT by Poison Pill
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To: ArtDodger

“...the free exercise thereof..” seems to be relegated
top the liberal closet along with, “...shall not be
infringed.”.

Damn these people have had it their way for far too
long.

Take back our country, restore the Constitution!
RESIST!


30 posted on 05/03/2015 8:24:07 AM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: akalinin
Your taxes (if you even *pay* taxes) pay for Catholic hospitals

What don't my taxes pay for these days? The list is endless, as are my list of spending objections.

31 posted on 05/03/2015 8:30:02 AM PDT by Poison Pill
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To: ilovesarah2012
Just a couple charts showing what happened when removed God from our schools.

We told God he wasn't wanted in the education process of our children. God said ok, then He turned away from our children.

Besides the charts below, think also of the pictures we see of all the colorful rainbow children that have outed themselves and have decided that they are gay. Aren't they beautiful? sarc-off




32 posted on 05/03/2015 8:40:04 AM PDT by ForYourChildren (Christian Education [ RomanRoadsMedia.com - a Classical Christian Approach to Homeschool ])
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To: ilovesarah2012

http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/comgoals.htm

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of “separation of church and state.”


33 posted on 05/03/2015 8:40:36 AM PDT by GenXteacher (You have chosen dishonor to avoid war; you shall have war also.)
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To: Sacajaweau
Religion is being outlawed.

Christianity is being outlawed. Satanism, islam, wicca and Jedi are doing fine in america.

34 posted on 05/03/2015 8:46:11 AM PDT by Ethan Clive Osgoode (<<== Click here to learn about Evolution!)
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To: Adder
If MY taxes are paying for it , I WANT religious belief to be there.

Why?

MY taxes buy just as much as yours.

For the sake of argument , let's say I'm a taypaying Muslim Imam. My hometown is in northern Syria. One of my congregants gets a job as a teacher at the local High School. I prompt him to set up a voluntary Islamic pray club. It is held after school. All the prayer rugs and Korans are donated by private individuals. We spead notice of the meeting by word of mouth. We sweep up after we leave and reset the desks just the way we found them. We even bring our own bullhorn to do the call to prayer. You as a taxpayer have financed our meeting house.

Are you OK with this?

35 posted on 05/03/2015 8:50:51 AM PDT by Poison Pill
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To: Poison Pill
Are you OK with this?

No, because muslims should be deported.

36 posted on 05/03/2015 8:53:42 AM PDT by Ethan Clive Osgoode (<<== Click here to learn about Evolution!)
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To: Poison Pill

“”Are my taxes paying for the facility? If the answer is yes, then I don’t want the organized practice of religion there.”

There are LOTS of things my tax dollars are spent on that I dislike. Why should you be able to shut down someone’s religious freedom? Why should they be prevented from praying on school property just because you don’t like it? There are a LOT of things that are taught in schools that I do not approve of - can I shut them down on my whim?

Why should you have freedom from religion if I cannot have freedom from anti-religion? If atheists can meet and discuss, why can’t Christians?


37 posted on 05/03/2015 9:27:20 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (Can you remember what America was like in 2004?)
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To: ilovesarah2012

The war on Christianity has come to the Bible Belt. I can tell you we are not happy about it.


38 posted on 05/03/2015 9:47:13 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: Poison Pill

“If the Principle had been a devout Muslim and he and the students were down on prayer rugs bowing to Mecca, praying to Allah “

Nope, if he did that they should fire him. FCA has been in schools for decades. What kind of communist question is that? If he did the moslem thing that’s clearly un-American.
Furthermore, I find it offensive when they stick their butt up in the air. And if there’s a group of them, there it is,,,numerous asses waving up in the air.

Get on the team.


39 posted on 05/03/2015 9:52:05 AM PDT by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office.)
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To: Mr Rogers
Why should you be able to shut down someone’s religious freedom?

I'm not. They are free to go do this in their church(es).

Why should they be prevented from praying on school property just because you don’t like it?

I may personally like what they are saying. But my likes and dislikes aren't the point.

There are a LOT of things that are taught in schools that I do not approve of - can I shut them down on my whim?

The action here was not done on the whim of one person. It was done by a locally elected school board. You have the chance to vote for your school board members.

Why should you have freedom from religion if I cannot have freedom from anti-religion? If atheists can meet and discuss, why can’t Christians?

I don't think anti-theist groups should be able to meet in the school either. Please take a lok at my post #35. Would you be OK with that?

40 posted on 05/03/2015 9:52:15 AM PDT by Poison Pill
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