Appeals court upholds ban on Bible distribution to fifth-graders

[proud2BlibKansan]

The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS | A federal appeals court today upheld a lower court ruling that prohibited the distribution of Bibles to grade school students in a southern Missouri school district.

At issue was a long-held practice at South Iron Elementary School in Annapolis, 120 miles southwest of St. Louis, in which Gideons International representatives came to fifth-grade classrooms and gave away Bibles. A U.S. district judge issued a temporary injunction, and a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis agreed the classroom distribution should be prohibited.

Parents of some students first raised concerns about the Bible distribution in 2005. That fall, the school board voted 4-3 to allow the distribution to continue, even though then-Superintendent Homer Lewis, at the urging of the district’s insurance carrier and attorney, suggested an end to the practice. A day after the vote, the Gideons came to the school and distributed Bibles to both fifth-grade classrooms.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit in February 2006 on behalf of four sets of parents, asking that the district be stopped “from further endorsement of religion.”

All four sets of parents are Christian, said Tony Rothert, legal director of the ACLU office in St. Louis.

more . . . http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/241060.html

[nosmokes]

1. According to one of the gospels, didn't Jesus say GIve Ceasar his due and

give God God's due? Was he referring only to taxes? I'm no biblical scholar but it seems to me I sorta recall from my confirmation classes a liftime ago that big J was sposed to be referring to the laws of the land and respect for authority and all that shit too. Or at least that was part and parcel of a 12 yo's indoctrination by the Methodists in Alabama way back when folks were still burning bras and draft cards. I guess it weren't just the fires of hell that had the powers that be scared?

[MissMarple]

2. More rabble rousing. At least the Gideons should have this down by now.

And the school system :eyes: This is "just pure ol' D" ignorant dumb.

The Gideons here sometimes pass out bibles, but usually they stay in the public right of way just as school is let out, a nuisance, but not illegal.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Yes it was pretty daring of them

to go into the classrooms.

[MissMarple]

10. Maybe the parents are Catholic. The Gideons' bibles are protestant.

I found some interesting facts at wikipedia. Different versions, go figure.

Red: for in-school distribution to students
Orange: for sidewalk distribution to Middle/High school students
Digital Camouflage/Desert Camouflage: Military
Dark blue: Law Enforcement Personnel/Firefighters/EMTs
Light green: College/University students
White: Medical professionals (for distribution by the Auxiliary only)
Brown: Personal worker's testaments (for individual witnessing by Gideons)
Light blue: Personal worker's testaments (for individual witnessing by the Auxiliary)

A typical Gideon Bible or New Testament will contain:

a short preface;
an apparatus suggesting Bible verses which may be of assistance in various sorts of trouble;
translations of John 3:16 into a variety of different languages and scripts;
the Bible text itself (the King James Version translation is currently favored), without notes, references, or any other reference matter other than chapter and verse headings — this can either be the full Bible (typical of the copies placed in hotel rooms with the expectation the copy will remain in that room, rather than be taken by any one guest), or just the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs (typical of the copies handed out as gifts to particular individuals);
a short description of biblical salvation, with biblical quotations, and generally a place for the reader to sign and date his confession of Jesus (this is especially common in the shorter editions of just the New Testament and Psalms).

Also:
"On Christmas Eve 1968, the astronauts of the Apollo 8 mission read from the first part of Genesis during a live television broadcast from lunar orbit. A Japanese correspondent staying at a Houston hotel while covering the mission called NASA Public Affairs to request a copy of the speech that the astronauts were reading. The Public Affairs official asked where he was staying and then told him that if he opened the desk drawer in his room he would find a book and that he should open it to page one. The reporter found the Gideon Bible and later reported that "NASA Public Affairs is very efficient - they had a mission transcript waiting in my hotel room."<6>"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideons_International

[JoePhilly]

12. Now that is funny!

[BlooInBloo]

4. Missouri suffers a setback in the battle for Teh Stupid crown! Kansas surges!

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. "Teh" Stupid crown?

Is something happening in Kansas I don't know about?

[BlooInBloo]

7. "Teh stupid" - like "teh gay" - a blogosphere-ism...

... and the 1-2 battle for institutional stupidity is mostly between Kansas and MO. Just funnin - nothing deep.

[SteelPenguin]

5. It would piss me off if that was my kid too

I don't want anyone handing my kid a bible in school. Thanks, but no thanks. We're all full up here.

[rockymountaindem]

8. And abstinence-only education is coming to an end in Colorado

You know, 'cause the Dhimmicrat legislature mandated that there be "science" in the curriculum :)

[in_cog_ni_to]

9. This happened at my son's school. I am so glad they've been stopped.

This Missouri story is 100 times worse than what went down here though! They were allowed in the CLASSROOM???? When they were passing out Bibles at our school, they were on the sidewalk off the school property. I called the police about it and, of course, they couldn't do anything about it because it was a public sidewalk. I'm glad they've been made to follow the law.

[MissMarple]

11. Check out my post above, apparently sidewalk distribution is for middle and high schools.

In room distribution is for elementary schools. This way ups the arrogance factor, they do it in communities where they can get away with it.

And I don't mind that they distribute free bibles, I just mind HOW they sometimes do it. They really need to play by the rules.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. If they ever dared come into my classroom, they would get an earful

But sadly, I can think of several teachers who would welcome them.