Frank Lay, principal of Pace High School, and Athletic Director Robert Freeman are accused of violating a consent decree banning employees of Santa Rosa County schools from endorsing religion.
They face a non-jury trial September 17 before U.S. District Judge Casey Rodgers. The statute under which they are charged carries a maximum penalty of up to six months in prison, subject to sentencing guidelines.
Attorneys defending Lay and Freeman call it outrageous that the two are being prosecuted for "a simple prayer." But the American Civil Liberties Union, whose lawsuit led to the consent decree, maintains that students have a right to be free from administrators foisting their religious beliefs on them.
Still, an ACLU representative said the organization never suggested that people should go to jail for violating the decree.
The rest of the story here.
5 comments:
this is the most redcials thing i've heard in along time i thought this country was built on the beleif that you have your right to freedom of relgion.this makes us look like were forgeting about our rights as americans.the courts are for crimes not for praying.we need to stop this before we forget what it is to a american were not in the dark ages whats next back to the witch trails.if you don't want to repect others rights to belevie or pray how you want to go to the middle east you can't take away our rights as americans.it's what makes us free
Just think about it this way. How pissed off would everyone be, how enraged, how quickly would the public call for the lynching of these administrators, if, at every event they reminded everyone in attendance that Jesus is fake and all religions are shams. Thats an equal but different belief about religion. I know everyone is free to practice there religion, so long as it doesn't put pressure on the kids that you have a responsibility to. Set an example, its called deterence people, send them to jail, then fire them
Americans need to face how really fascistic their country is and go through an antifascistic movement like Europe had to go through.
Religion is the cause of fascism.
Don't forget that the Nazis were endorsed by the conservative christian party!
And then if you can accept that, start redefining democracy and not an oligarchy (using religion to stabilize its influence) which you have right now.
I beg to differ with the 2nd Anonymous....People would be horrified, yes, but nothing would happen to anyone who "reminded everyone in attendance that Jesus was fake and all religions were shams".....This type of thing is being said over and over in a hundred different ways by people in positions to make their voices heard....and nothing is done....
I fear our country is fast becoming one which persecutes anything having to do with Christianity...
I know those who are not Christians get tired of hearing this, but our country WAS founded on the basis of Christianity...
But...aren't we as a nation blessed that we CAN differ in our opinions without being persecuted by the government?....Yet....
And, I DO see your point, Anonymous #2, on the point you make about not pressuring the students whom we teach to believe "our" way.....I wouldn't want someone shoving Atheism or Buddhism, etc. down my child's throat....
But send them to jail?...No. Fire them?...That depends...
This Judge Casey Rodgers is completely out of line here. The Pace High School situation brings up the fiasco of Alabama Chief Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore all over again. Public officials have the Constitutionally protected right to acknowledge God in their duties. Florida's State Constitution violates the U.S. Constitution, and now we have the false interpretation that liberty is about freedom FROM religion rather than freedom OF religion.
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