Trinity
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- Jun 16, 2004
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"One Nation Under God"
LAST UPDATE: 5/26/2005 6:44:06 PM
Video
'One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'
What do you think those words really mean? A poster seeks to tell you and the idea of displaying it in the classroom has set off controversy in Colerain Township. The Northwest Local School Board voted not to put up the posters in its school buildings. Local 12 Reporter Dennison Keller looks at the wording and how both sides interpret it.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of America."
Ask any Colerain student to recite the pledge, and it rolls off their tongue with ease. But, do they really think about the meaning of the words?
"I think they have an idea of what they're saying, but I don't think they really think about it, so I think this is a visual reminder of why I'm saying this."
Colerain High PTA President Vicki Rohlfer and her organization offered to buy classroom posters offering an interpretation line by line.
"The posters that she wants to put in the classrooms are about twice this size. But that's not the issue. The issue is this paragraph here right under one Nation under God. It says,quote, our founders understood that the government does not give us our freedom. Our freedom ultimately comes from God and our government was established to secure that God given freedom."
"Under God was inserted in 1954 by Congress, and so that explaining our Founders had something to do with this was not accurate, and therefore not a good idea for school."
Clare Wagner is the President of the Middle School PTA and argued against displaying the posters.
Claire Wagner, Colerain Middle School: "The company that made this statement inserted a belief statement as fact, and that is something that public schools are not allowed to do."
Vicki Rohlfer, Colerain High School PTA: "This is a foundation, and I think things are chipping away at the foundation, and if you let it go, then we don't have anything to stand on."
The students we talked to agreed.
"I don't think it'd offend anybody."
"I don't think it's like you're are telling people what they should believe. It's just an interpretation."
With the school board voting the posters down, they'll have to rely on their own interpretation.
"I've thought about what it means to me and our nation and God doesn't favor one nation, he loves everyone equally."
"With liberty and justice for all."
The Northwest School Board Attorney advised against displaying the posters, because of the wording, and because they are sold by an organization dedicated to promoting christianity in the schools. He felt that could expose the district to potential law suits.
http://search.isp.netscape.com/nsis...ove_url=http://www.wkrc.com/weather/forecast/
LAST UPDATE: 5/26/2005 6:44:06 PM
Video
'One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'
What do you think those words really mean? A poster seeks to tell you and the idea of displaying it in the classroom has set off controversy in Colerain Township. The Northwest Local School Board voted not to put up the posters in its school buildings. Local 12 Reporter Dennison Keller looks at the wording and how both sides interpret it.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of America."
Ask any Colerain student to recite the pledge, and it rolls off their tongue with ease. But, do they really think about the meaning of the words?
"I think they have an idea of what they're saying, but I don't think they really think about it, so I think this is a visual reminder of why I'm saying this."
Colerain High PTA President Vicki Rohlfer and her organization offered to buy classroom posters offering an interpretation line by line.
"The posters that she wants to put in the classrooms are about twice this size. But that's not the issue. The issue is this paragraph here right under one Nation under God. It says,quote, our founders understood that the government does not give us our freedom. Our freedom ultimately comes from God and our government was established to secure that God given freedom."
"Under God was inserted in 1954 by Congress, and so that explaining our Founders had something to do with this was not accurate, and therefore not a good idea for school."
Clare Wagner is the President of the Middle School PTA and argued against displaying the posters.
Claire Wagner, Colerain Middle School: "The company that made this statement inserted a belief statement as fact, and that is something that public schools are not allowed to do."
Vicki Rohlfer, Colerain High School PTA: "This is a foundation, and I think things are chipping away at the foundation, and if you let it go, then we don't have anything to stand on."
The students we talked to agreed.
"I don't think it'd offend anybody."
"I don't think it's like you're are telling people what they should believe. It's just an interpretation."
With the school board voting the posters down, they'll have to rely on their own interpretation.
"I've thought about what it means to me and our nation and God doesn't favor one nation, he loves everyone equally."
"With liberty and justice for all."
The Northwest School Board Attorney advised against displaying the posters, because of the wording, and because they are sold by an organization dedicated to promoting christianity in the schools. He felt that could expose the district to potential law suits.
http://search.isp.netscape.com/nsis...ove_url=http://www.wkrc.com/weather/forecast/
