A federal judge has ordered a Texas school district to prohibit public prayer at a high school graduation ceremony.
Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s order against the Medina Valley Independent School District also forbids students from using specific religious words including “prayer” and “amen.”
The ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by Christa and Danny Schultz. Their son is among those scheduled to participate in Saturday’s graduation ceremony. The judge declared that the Schultz family and their son would “suffer irreparable harm” if anyone prayed at the ceremony.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said the school district is in the process of appealing the ruling, and his office has agreed to file a brief in their support.
“Part of this goes to the very heart of the unraveling of moral values in this country,” Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott told Fox News Radio, saying the judge wanted to turn school administrators into “speech police.”
19 comments:
They need to prove the "insufferable harm" before such a decision is made. Someone should sue the judge. Insufferable harm... My foot!
This judge is a WOOOSe!
Edna Walls
" Our lives begin to end the day we are silent about things that matter"
If I had the opportunity, he would DEFINITELY suffer :insufferable harm" Another case of the tail wagging the freakin dog. What a country!!!!!!!!! Let's go back to majority rules. I could understand if about half the students complained, but just one??????? jackkcharl@aol.com.
When I read this, the first thing I wondered was how the young man would suffer "irreperable harm" over a prayer. It might, for him, be momentary harm, but "irreperable?" Whether we like it or not--and I certainly don't--the judge was upholding the law. Schools are no longer allowed to have prayer during graduation ceremonies; this has been the rule for quite some time. That's just the law as I understand it--I guess the separation of church and state thing. Too bad.
8:39 there is NO "seperation of church and state" in our bill of rights or constitution.
EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE should have stood and prayed "the Lord's prayer".
they couldn't have jailed ALL in attendance. if this was done all over the country we wouldn't continue to have these problems. just don't give into these "wacko" judges. remember "we the people". case closed......
As soon as someone did an Islamic prayer your collective heads would explode.
:o)
Remember. . .if we allow prayer we allow ALL prayer.
UH OH, you conservatives wouldn't like that would you? HA HA didn't think so.
:o)
Wow...so we protect the speech of hatemongers protesting outside of our military funerals but do not allow anyone to ask for God's blessings on our young people.
I applaud the school district for appealing this decision.
The can't LEAD the students in prayer. The students themselves can pray all they like.
If any start praying to allah like the jerk above mentioned, he should do it with one eye open in this country.
1:58 pm - Yes, many court cases have decided that school officials may not lead students in prayer. However, this judge has "banned students and other speakers from using religious language in their speeches. Among the banned words or phrases are: “join in prayer,” “bow their heads,” “amen,” and “prayer.”
This is a far cry from "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech..."
1:58-
"If any start praying to allah like the jerk above mentioned, he should do it with one eye open in this country."
You guys are all about religion in schools as long as its YOUR religion. That makes you the jerk, jerk. :o)
This is the problem: the public school system serves people of many different faiths. We can't start doing christian prayers any more than we can start doing jewish or islamic ones. Its a public school. If you want prayer send your kid to a religious school.
Federal appeals court lifts ban on public prayer at Texas high school graduation. Ruling allows students to say 'amen,' invite the audience to pray - AP
Jerk.
4:15 PM
They can't stop anyone from praying no matter what religeon they may be. School officals just can't lead them in prayer.
Take your head outta your butt.
You can't even spell the word religion, 7:27. Looks like you spent more time praying than learning back when you were in school. No shit, school faculty and children cannot lead the school in prayer. That is what I was saying. Never said you can't say a prayer to yourself, fool. This isn't 1984. . .we have not managed to charge people with thought crime. . .bet you would like that though. We should not impose our religion on others and it is a good thing that teachers and students cannnot lead the school in a prayer. Not everyone has the same beliefs. Keep religion out of public school. Like I said before, send your kids to a religious school if thats what you like.
9:52 PM
You are pretty lame. Worried about spelling when you got nothing else.
You got your head so far up your butt you can't discern points.
RELIGION is out of school. The issue is individual rights.
You are so consumed with your atheist, agnostic or whatever, quest, you cannot see. Your eyes close when you open your mouth.
I'm done with this little pissing contest. You can say what you want, I won't be here to read it.
I'm going to take a step up to a higher road and stop boring the other readers trying to educate the ignorant.
Spell check that, loser.
Well, obviously religion is not "out of school" when they have been leading graduating classes involuntarily in prayer as a tradition since the school started! Would you read the article next time?! Graduation is a school ceremony with students involved. Not all students worship god. . .many students will not worship the god of the speaker. This is a PUBLIC school where we can't just ignore the INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS of non believers. It does not matter if you are atheist, agnostic, or simply of another religion. . .you should not have to sit through a prayer to a god that you do not believe in during your high school graduation. Pray when you leave or before you get there. Stop imposing your narrow minded views on everyone else. We don't care about what you feel is morally right. The people who boast about their superior morality the most are the ones with the most to hide. You're just another hypocrite who wants freedom to practice YOUR religion in our public schools. What if someone got up there and prayed to Allah? Seriously, what would you do? Would you be cool with that? Oh yeah, you're not reading this! HAHAHA
:o) . . . ;o)
Lisa -
You go girl! Hope to see you and the family Sunday at the picnic.
***********************
Anon 2351 -
Maybe Anon 2205 is reading this, but I am. What's your problem? If I lived in a country where they did a Muslim prayer I would be quiet, and respectful, but I wouldn't participate. It's pretty simple.
Ditto for the kids whose parents initiated this law suit. Personally, I'm sorry for the kids because now they will be chastised and harassed because Mom and Dad wanted their names in the paper.
I may be wrong, but you strike me as one of those people who is genuinely anti-religion. This is America. You have a right to not believe in God. You have a right to not be sure. or... You have a right to worship God as you choose. Hell, you even have a right to worship false gods. What you don't have is a right to not be offended.
Grow up. Relax. The prayer will be fairly short and you will be no worse off because someone said it in your presence.
BTW -
There will be a post Saturday morning about the Texas judge being overturned on emergency appeal.
May God Bless America!
"If I lived in a country where they did a Muslim prayer. . ."
No. . .no don't skirt the issue. What if they did a Muslim prayer at that graduation? To represent those of that faith? You cool with that? In America? I'm not anti religion but I don't like one religion being represented while others are ignored. If you're going to represent one it is only fair to represent the religions of all individuals present. It is every graduate's day. Their beliefs are no less significant than christian beliefs. This isn't one nation, under Jesus, with liberty and justice for all Christians. As some of you would have it. Some people do not believe in god at all. You say it is easy to ignore prayer. . .I say it is equally easy to eliminate it when in a public school setting for the benefit of those who do not accept your beliefs. :o)
Have a nice weekend. :o)
Anon 0125 -
I'm not skirting the issue. I just used a realistic example. I guess we can bring it home, but it's not very practical.
IF I lived in an area that had a large Muslim population then I guess it is possible that they may have a Muslim prayer. If they tried it here (just as an example) the principle and the superintendent would be looking for jobs within 72 hours. That's why I used the example I originally did.
Back to your question. I would do exactly what I said I would do.
What you either refuse to accept or acknowledge is that all points of view are not created equal. You have a right to yours, but if you are a minority (particularly a very small one) then your view simply does not carry the same weight.
IF I lived somewhere where Christians were a minority, I would be respectful of the majority. I would also expect to be persecuted for my faith. Fortunately that doesn't happen in this great country.
So basically you're saying majority rules, minorities be damned. That is why we have laws! To protect minorities from oppression! If you want freedom to give a christian prayer then a local who wishes to give a muslim prayer should have the same rights. We have freedom of speech and religion as you have stated.
"If they tried it here (just as an example) the principle and the superintendent would be looking for jobs within 72 hours."
Thats "principal". ;o)(sorry ha ha) By the way, I disagree. If you can give a christian prayer then someone can give a muslim one. Freedom of religion. Freedom of speech. Live by the sword, die by the sword. Can't have your cake and eat it too. etc.
"I would also expect to be persecuted for my faith. Fortunately that doesn't happen in this great country."
but it does. . .thats why we have laws.
;o) . . . :o)
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