Saturday , August 15, 2009
A principal and an athletic director in Florida could be charged with crimes and spend six months in jail after they prayed before a meal at a school event, the Washington Times reported.
A principal and an athletic director in Florida could be charged with crimes and spend six months in jail after they prayed before a meal at a school event, the Washington Times reported.
Pace High School Principal Frank Lay and athletic director Robert Freeman will go on trial in federal district court Sept. 17. They're accused of violating the conditions of a lawsuit settlement reached last year with the American Civil Liberties Union, according to the Times.
Local pastors and some students and teachers are outraged that Lay and Freeman face criminal charges, and they have protested during graduation ceremonies, the newspaper said.
"I have been defending religious freedom issues for 22 years, and I've never had to defend somebody who has been charged criminally for praying," said Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, the Christian-based legal group that is defending the two school officials.
"I have been defending religious freedom issues for 22 years, and I've never had to defend somebody who has been charged criminally for praying," said Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, the Christian-based legal group that is defending the two school officials.
But an ACLU official said the Santa Rosa County School District has been guilty of "flagrant" First Amendment violations for years, the Times reported.*
"The defendants all admitted wrongdoing," said Daniel Mach, ACLU's director of litigation for its freedom of religion program. "For example, the Pace High School teachers handbook asks teachers to 'embrace every opportunity to inculcate, by precept and example, the practice of every Christian virtue.'"
The case stems from a Jan. 28 incident in which Lay, a local Baptist church deacon, asked Freeman to offer mealtime prayers at a lunch for school employees. Staver said no students were there and the event took place on school property after hours.
Mach countered that the event was held during the school day and Lay has admitted in writing that there were students present, according to the newspaper.
The ACLU contends that the allowance of the lunchtime prayer was a breach of last year's settlement, in which the district promised, among other things, to prohibit all school employees from promoting prayers during school-sponsored events, espousing their religious beliefs and trying to convert students.
...
*Personal comment- It seems to me that the first amendment rights of these men to pray is what's on trial here. Funny that the ACLU would use the first amendment to suppress the first amendment rights of Christians.
4 comments:
That is ludicrous. I mean, seriously. I get it if he gets disciplinary action for breaking a rule of the school, but criminal charges??? That is insane!
-Jenny
I know this is a touchy subject for Christians, but it is a clear case of breaking the law. The law says you cannot have prayer in public institutions such as schools. That’s what they did, that’s why they are being prosecuted. If I trespassed onto my local golf course tonight to play a couple holes, even though I love golf, I would expect to get in trouble for it. And this isn’t singling Christians out for persecution. Today in fact, I was disciplined by my HR department for stating Koreans love golf, which they considered stereotyping and discriminatory. Considering YE Yang won the PGA yesterday, I thought it was an appropriate comment, but obviously someone did not and I have to respect their authority. Just a little perspective to add here. The world is what it is.
Anonymous, I agree- The world is what it is, BUT that doesn't mean it's the way it SHOULD be. To keep from offending someone we are trampling on the rights of others. We have come to a very difficult time when offense is taken even when it isn't given. Sad days from my perspective.
I think this is a readers-digest version. I suspect there is a lot of prior stuff and behind-the-show. Note that there is mention of a handbook, of them violating prior court cases, then there are conflicts in the report. "no students" and "some students" and such.
I suspect there is much more to it. But it is still sad.
Post a Comment