I can understand someone not wanting it taken down based on the historic relevance and meaning to the community. However, I don't know that 40-45 years is enough.
I didn't read this article, but the New York Times article on her today mentioned that she was baptized as a child, so I doubt her parents are getting involved. Good for the girl, and for the nation. I honestly wish that American secularism would transition closer towards how the French do it.
I'm pretty sure her parents are involved. Considering that she has been involved with this since a Freshman at the min. she probably needed them to drive her to the school board meetings.
i think it's awesome. no matter how trivial you make think the cause is, at least she has one. she's gonna grow up to be a major league ball buster. and i mean that as a compliment.
Freedom of religion is to protect citizens from a particular church denomination controlling the state. It was never intended to protect us from religious prayer or Christian teaching. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787, arguably the single most important piece of legislation passed by members of the Continental Congresses other than the Declaration of Independence, states this, "Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."
That's fine and well but we are talking about Constitutional law that supersedes the actions of the Continental Congress.
A question for those who don't agree with this ruling. If you are a Christian do you feel like your freedom to practice your religion is hampered by rulings like this?
I think he was making an originalist's point. The jurisprudence of the establishment clause has evolved and developed from that point. Whether one likes it or not, that's the law of land at the moment.
This particular ruling - no. But it could open the door to what I am allowed to wear or say in a government facility. For example, if I wanted to wear a "John 3:16" shirt to school, could an atheist demand that I change? How about wearing a St. Christopher's medal? Carrying a rosary? Reading my Bible in the library?
Citing the Continental Congress though is problematic as many members of even that body felt that the system they were governing was so problematic that they needed to scrap it in favor of the Constitution. Further the Establishment clause was added in response to protests from many of those who were in the Continental Congress. No doubt .
Your ability to wear certain clothing to school in most school districts is already limited by things that have very little to do with religion. Dress codes meant to prevent things like gang colors, sexually suggestive clothing or phrases, and because of the belief that standardized clothing helps students learn already have a far greater impact on what you can wear than anti-religious sentiment by atheists. Anyway I think it's a stretch to interpret a ruling that bans an institutional display with private expression. Obviously if your school were to ban private religious symbols you would likely find the ACLU backing you.
Well if they thought things were going fine we wouldn't have the US Constitution with the Bill of Rights.
Their argument typicaly goes like is ... this is how the const should interpreted, and here is the evidence indicating the intention of the framers.
That's a pretty big jump to conclusion. The Northwest ordinance is in no way discredited because of the Constitution or Bill of Rights. One could argue they don't contradict each other. But it is only later judicial review that changed the way we view the Constitution as anti Christianity and that earlier government documents support a more Christian friendly agenda. Just think it is interesting how different people view things differently because they want things to be different.
So let's go a bit further with this. Assume I am quietly reading my Bible in this school's library while wearing my St. Christopher's medal. This same girl goes to the principal and tells him/her that my show of Christianity is offensive to her. Do you think the principal will say: 1. He's not hurting anyone, go mind your own business or, perhaps remembering she already got the prayer removed and he doesn't want to deal with that sort of thing again 2. I'll have a talk with him and ask him to put his Bible away and stuff his medal under his shirt.
Pulled this from your cited site. It sounds to me that they would promote Christianity without paying for it.
Why then do we have the Constitution we have now and are not still governed under the Continental Congress? We jumped to this conclusion back in 1789. They don't contradict each other but the Northwest ordinance and any other acts of the Continental Congress have no force of law and no bearing on US jurisprudence except as a historical reference. The Constitution is anti-Christian? Its neutral on Christianity. Under the principle of separation of church in state this school could no more post Qu'ranic verses or the Heart Sutra. Perhaps since I am not a Christian why I find it interesting that Christians feel under attack when rulings like this are made. I've never been to a school or court that has posted symbols of my religion so I've never felt like bans on explicit religious symbols was an attack on my faith. Want has nothing to do with it. It's a fact that the Continental Congress was scraped when the Constitution was written. If the framers, who were members of the Continental Congress liked the way things were they wouldn't have written and ratified the Constitution.
Sure the principal might do that especially if he is venal. You on the other hand will have a nice complaint to file to the ACLU if the principal makes it school policy to ban private Bible reading and wearing St. Christopher's medal. Separation of Church and state goes both ways. Has much as it prevents the state from endorsing religion it also prevents the state from banning religion. I can't remember who said it but I heard someone say that prayer has never been banned from school, just check out an 8th grade algebra class during a test and you will see a lot of praying.
