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Judge Orders La. School District to Stop Bible Giveaways
Chris_:
--- Quote ---Judge Orders La. School District to Stop Bible Giveaways
NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge ordered a public school system to stop allowing in-school Bible giveaways, saying the practice violates the First Amendment separation of church and state.
"Distribution of Bibles is a religious activity without a secular purpose" and amounts to school board promotion of Christianity, U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier ruled in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana against the Tangipahoa Parish School Board.
As requested by both sides, Barbier made a summary judgment based only on the written briefs — something judges may do only if the law is absolutely clear.
Defense attorney Christopher M. Moody said late Tuesday that the school board decided to appeal the ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal.
"We think our chances on appeal are very good," he said.
The ACLU filed the lawsuit for an anonymous family whose daughter said she felt pressured into taking a Bible even though she doesn't believe in God. The girl was called Jane Roe and her father John Roe out of fear of retaliation by schoolmates and neighbors, the ACLU has said.
Jane Roe was a fifth-grader at Loranger Middle School when The Gideons International visited on May 9, 2007. Principal Andre Pellerin notified fifth-grade teachers that the group would be on campus all day, giving away Bibles outside his office. His e-mail said, "Please stress to students that they DO NOT have to get a bible," according to Barbier.
--- End quote ---
Oh the horror. :ohnoes: A child actually touched a Bible. :whatever:
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Lord Undies:
--- Quote ---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.
--- End quote ---
I don't think this judge has read any of the Bill of Rights. I don't see the word "separation". I don't find the word "church". I don't see the word "state" used.
I do see the words "of" and "and". If we were keeping score, the judge would still lose. He would be two for five.
formerlurker:
The Bible is looked at by non-Christians as a great work of literature, and it is studied as such in many colleges and universities. Will the school prevail on freedom of speech? maybe.
That said, something tells me this school board would not allow the Koran to be distributed, yet they don't understand that the Bible could be just as offensive to others.
Lord Undies:
--- Quote from: formerlurker on April 23, 2008, 07:32:04 AM ---The Bible is looked at by non-Christians as a great work of literature, and it is studied as such in many colleges and universities. Will the school prevail on freedom of speech? maybe.
That said, something tells me this school board would not allow the Koran to be distributed, yet they don't understand that the Bible could be just as offensive to others.
--- End quote ---
Being offended by a Bible makes no sense. Being offended by the koran makes no sense. They are books, not tattoos. After being gifted with one, if you don't want it, throw it away or give it to someone who wants it.
I don't believe in Superman, but if someone wanted to pass out free copies of the comic books, I would think taking them to court to try to stop them would seem to be overkill, seeing how I personally place no importance on Superman.
If I thought about taking them to court, I would have to stop and ask myself what my goal really is. Would it be to stop myself and others like me from being "offended", or am I trying to deny others their right to accept a gift? Does Superman scare me that much?
formerlurker:
--- Quote from: Lord Undies on April 23, 2008, 08:57:42 AM ---
--- Quote from: formerlurker on April 23, 2008, 07:32:04 AM ---The Bible is looked at by non-Christians as a great work of literature, and it is studied as such in many colleges and universities. Will the school prevail on freedom of speech? maybe.
That said, something tells me this school board would not allow the Koran to be distributed, yet they don't understand that the Bible could be just as offensive to others.
--- End quote ---
Being offended by a Bible makes no sense. Being offended by the koran makes no sense. They are books, not tattoos. After being gifted with one, if you don't want it, throw it away or give it to someone who wants it.
I don't believe in Superman, but if someone wanted to pass out free copies of the comic books, I would think taking them to court to try to stop them would seem to be overkill, seeing how I personally place no importance on Superman.
If I thought about taking them to court, I would have to stop and ask myself what my goal really is. Would it be to stop myself and others like me from being "offended", or am I trying to deny others their right to accept a gift? Does Superman scare me that much?
--- End quote ---
Which is what my first paragraph states.
My second paragraph simply states that the school board may not be so generous to an Islamic group who wished to come to the school to pass out the Koran, which ould call into question their motivation for allowing the Bibles to be distributed. If the ACLU was smart (I know, not a chance), they would have attempted to do so which would have locked in their case as a slam dunk if the school board balked at the request. Now their case is nothing more than sensationalism.
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