No Jesus on Public School Posters!

[5stringJeff]

2nd Circuit Steps Into Fight Over Jesus Image on Student Poster
Friday October 21, 3:02 am ET
Mark Hamblett, New York Law Journal


The decision of public school officials in Baldwinsville, N.Y., near Syracuse, to obscure an image of Jesus before displaying a child's poster has triggered a legal battle that landed in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The dispute over displaying kindergartner Antonio Peck's poster was not an easy one to unravel for the circuit, as the case forced the court, in the words of Judge Guido Calabresi, to "cut a path through the thorniest of constitutional thickets -- among the tangled vines of public school curricula and student freedom of expression."

While the court was able to produce one holding -- "that a manifestly viewpoint discriminatory restriction on school-sponsored speech is, prima facie, unconstitutional, even if reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical interests," it still had to remand the case of Peck v. Baldwinsville Central School District, 04-4950-cv, for further proceedings before Northern District of New York Judge Norman A. Mordue.

http://biz.yahoo.com/law/051021/672b88fcb36bd960be9ff1170dbafe2f.html?.v=1

 

[Eightball]

I wonder if the kid had made a picture of Ghandi or Reverend Moon. Would that be acceptable?

 

[Bonnie]

2nd Circuit Steps Into Fight Over Jesus Image on Student Poster
Friday October 21, 3:02 am ET
Mark Hamblett, New York Law Journal


The decision of public school officials in Baldwinsville, N.Y., near Syracuse, to obscure an image of Jesus before displaying a child's poster has triggered a legal battle that landed in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The dispute over displaying kindergartner Antonio Peck's poster was not an easy one to unravel for the circuit, as the case forced the court, in the words of Judge Guido Calabresi, to "cut a path through the thorniest of constitutional thickets -- among the tangled vines of public school curricula and student freedom of expression."

While the court was able to produce one holding -- "that a manifestly viewpoint discriminatory restriction on school-sponsored speech is, prima facie, unconstitutional, even if reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical interests," it still had to remand the case of Peck v. Baldwinsville Central School District, 04-4950-cv, for further proceedings before Northern District of New York Judge Norman A. Mordue.

http://biz.yahoo.com/law/051021/672b88fcb36bd960be9ff1170dbafe2f.html?.v=1

What's the next step to this insanity, students can't wear crosses around their necks or cross tattoos on their arms??

 

[5stringJeff]

What's the next step to this insanity, students can't wear crosses around their necks or cross tattoos on their arms??

Getting a cross tattoo would be excellent. Then what the hell could the ACLU do to you - sue to make you get it removed?

 

[Bonnie]

Getting a cross tattoo would be excellent. Then what the hell could the ACLU do to you - sue to make you get it removed?

Now that's a good question!!

 

[Nienna]

I hate to say it, but it really does sound like this family went looking for a fight, at least with the first poster. They didn't really relate the environment to the religious message. I think it would be a great point of discussion for the student to explain exactly how God expects us to respect and care for His creation. The second poster may have been more appropriate, and Jesus should not have been folded under when it was displayed. But, to me, it sounds like the mom really was looking for a way to shove her religious beliefs into the class.

God will create opportunities for His people to talk about Him, even in the classroom. I think she just jumped the gun a little.

 

[5stringJeff]

I hate to say it, but it really does sound like this family went looking for a fight, at least with the first poster. They didn't really relate the environment to the religious message. I think it would be a great point of discussion for the student to explain exactly how God expects us to respect and care for His creation. The second poster may have been more appropriate, and Jesus should not have been folded under when it was displayed. But, to me, it sounds like the mom really was looking for a way to shove her religious beliefs into the class.

God will create opportunities for His people to talk about Him, even in the classroom. I think she just jumped the gun a little.

I will totally agree with you about poster #1. But there's no reason that Jesus must necessarily be excluded from school, especially if the child's family is Christian. Many kindergarten kids can tell you all about Jesus - should they be silenced?

 

[dmp]

Many kindergarten kids can tell you all about Jesus -

Indeed:

http://www.komotv.com/news/story.asp?ID=34490

 

[Nienna]

I will totally agree with you about poster #1. But there's no reason that Jesus must necessarily be excluded from school, especially if the child's family is Christian. Many kindergarten kids can tell you all about Jesus - should they be silenced?

I'd like to see someone try to silence MY kindergartener if he talked about his belief in Jesus!

I'm just thinking about how I felt when my first daughter started school. I had read so much about how hostile schools were to the Christian faith that I was armed and ready! It wasn't until a year and a half later that I had to actually speak to a teacher about this. I was sending Bible verses in for my daughter to read during the "moment of silence" at the beginning of the school day, and she came home and told me she wasn't allowed to do that. So I went in to talk to the teacher, ready for a lawsuit if necessary. It all turned out to be a misunderstanding.

I think this parent just was being a little too "proactive" about confronting the first amendment issue.