ACLU Tells High School to Allow Students to Protest Against The ACLU at Football Game

[Ian David]

ACLU Tells High School to Allow Students to Protest ACLU at Football Game (10/1/2009)
Gate City High School students organized the protest after the ACLU warned school against sectarian prayers being delivered over the public address system

Gate City, VA – The ACLU of Virginia today asked the principal at Gate City High School to honor the free speech rights of students who plan to protest the ACLU at the school's football game tomorrow night.

The students are reacting to a September 15 letter from the ACLU of Virginia telling school officials that a sectarian prayer delivered over the public address system at a football game was unconstitutional. According to news reports, the students have now produced more than 1,000 t-shirts, which they plan to wear to this Friday's game. The front of the t-shirts shows the school's initials, a cross, and the words, "I still pray…" On the back is, "In Jesus' name."

"Religious liberty demands that the government not impose religious views on anyone," said ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Kent Willis, "and free speech demands that the government allow individuals to express their views. This means that Gate City High School officials may not permit sectarian prayers over the public address system at football games, but that they must allow students to protest the ACLU's effort to stop those prayers."

"This is not nearly as ironic as it seems, and it is certainly a wonderful opportunity for the school and the students to think about how fundamental constitutional principles are applied to real life," added Willis.

In the September 15 letter, ACLU of Virginia Legal Director Rebecca Glenberg warned Principal Greg Ervin that a sectarian prayer delivered over the public address system before a football game earlier that month violated a U.S. Supreme Court ruling holding that such prayers carry the impermissible endorsement of the school and coerce participation in a religious exercise by persons attending the game. Glenberg's letter was written after the ACLU received a complaint from the parent of a student.

In today's letter, Willis writes that students are guaranteed the right of free speech, so long as the speech does not materially disrupt the educational process. Willis points out that a football game takes place during non-instructional time and doubts that a thousand students wearing t-shirts with religious messages will be disruptive.

Glenberg's letter can be found online at: (PDF) www.acluva.org/newsreleases2009/GateCityHighSchoolprayerletter.pdf (PDF)


More:
http://www.aclu.org/religion/schools/41335prs20091001.html

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. This is why I support the ACLU - they have high integrity, and care about the CONSTITUTION

not so much any particular ideological bent.

[hootinholler]

20. Absolutely it's why I have a regular small donation monthly. n/t

[thunder rising]

2. The position is consistent. The students need to add a line "I hate the Constitution"

ACLU is just the messenger.

[niyad]

3. wonder how many of those religious nuts will understand that the ACLU stood up for them in their

religious brain-washed idiocy

[LynnTheDem]

12. The ACLU stood up for Rush the limbaugh as well. And I'm sure Rush didn't get it.

Rightwingnuts, the American Talibornagains, are too damn dumb to get it.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

4. I'm a card carrying member!

and proud of it........

[niyad]

5. remember that line in "the american president"? "I am a member, the question is, why aren't YOU?"

do you suppose that high school should give a lecture on exactly what the American Civil Liberties Union stands for?

[cyberswede]

8. I love that line!

And yes, it does seem that this would be a great teachable moment for the school. I doubt they would do it, sadly.

[SDuderstadt]

6. Me, too!

And a VERY proud liberal!

[cyberswede]

7. Same here

This is exactly why I support the ACLU.

[Ian David]

10. Me too! n/t

[Hepburn]

14. Me, too...and for a lot of years! n/t

[surrealAmerican]

9. Those kids are getting a valuable lesson on the constitution.

I hope they learn something from it.

[Forkboy]

11. Off to the Greatest for you.

[Uncle Joe]

13. Kicked and recommended for the ACLU's high road defense of the Constitution.

Thanks for the thread, Ian David.:thumbsup:

[Nikki Stone1]

19. +1

:thumbsup:

[annabanana]

15. Card Carrying Member for decades. . always WILL be, too. , . . . n/t

[rd_kent]

16. Why why why why WHY?????? WHy does religion INSIST of forcing itself on everyone? WHY?

What the fuck is WRONG with religious people? Why is it SO difficult to understand that there are places where religious and non-religious people gather that needs to remain a NEUTRAL place. Why why why why WHY? Any religious folks want to answer that?

[Qutzupalotl]

17. Christians are told to spread the word.

"Go out and preach the good news to all nations," etc. So that sets up a conflict between our laws respecting freedom and some people's interpretation of how they are told to practice their religion.

But there's obviously a big difference between saying, "Hey, Jesus was born, isn't that great?" and "Convert or perish" or "Join us or be ostracized."

Personally, I think Christians are better off by just setting an example, leading a decent life and letting whoever is interested ASK.

Nothing is gained by forcing your religion on anyone. Conversion must be an act of FREE will, and not the result of any coercion. Put a sword to someone's throat and you might get lip service, but nothing more.

[krabigirl]

18. Yep, and this is why people are turned off to Christianity. Oh, and (more)

that the fact that most right wing Christians are hypocrites, and care only about the parts of the Bible dealing vaguely with sexual "morals."

[krispos42]

21. "I disagree with what you say but defend to the death your right to say it"

Voltaire, I believe.

[Chemisse]

22. That's what I love about the ACLU

They do what is right, regardless of the political (or in this case - the personal) implications.