First Amendment rant

Rant time. If this is not a violation of First Amendment rights then nothing is.

You would expect the school to rally around the teacher, but take care of it quietly. They could have just apologized quietly, called her in, given her some training on the Constitution, and it would be forgotten. At this point they have basically guaranteed a lawsuit.

The kid was not bothering anyone else. Unless they sat near him or asked no other kids would even know he was reading a Bible. SCOTUS has said that schools cannot deny religious groups use of facilities after school based on the fact that they are religious. IOW, the Christian group gets the same consideration as the Chess Club.

Will the school get sanity and apologize and let it drop or will this go to court?

That's stoopid. And illiberal.

Quote: AZDuffman

Rant time. If this is not a violation of First Amendment rights then nothing is.

You would expect the school to rally around the teacher, but take care of it quietly. They could have just apologized quietly, called her in, given her some training on the Constitution, and it would be forgotten. At this point they have basically guaranteed a lawsuit.

The kid was not bothering anyone else. Unless they sat near him or asked no other kids would even know he was reading a Bible. SCOTUS has said that schools cannot deny religious groups use of facilities after school based on the fact that they are religious. IOW, the Christian group gets the same consideration as the Chess Club.

Will the school get sanity and apologize and let it drop or will this go to court?

First Amendment 1, Stupidity 0. The media coverage alone changed the position.

EDIT: (source CBS Miami)

On Monday May 5th, the school district released a statement which clarified their position.

“Broward County Public Schools respects and upholds the rights of students to bring personal religious materials to school, including the Bible, and to read these items before school, after school or during any “free reading” time during the school day. This information has been communicated to the parents of the student involved in this situation.”

Quote: boymimbo

First Amendment 1, Stupidity 0. The media coverage alone changed the position.

EDIT: (source CBS Miami)

On Monday May 5th, the school district released a statement which clarified their position.

“Broward County Public Schools respects and upholds the rights of students to bring personal religious materials to school, including the Bible, and to read these items before school, after school or during any “free reading” time during the school day. This information has been communicated to the parents of the student involved in this situation.”

Sounds like someone in their legal staff explained how big they would lose if they went to court.

Now the next question, does the teacher have to go to "diversity training" or something? Clearly at the least the school needs to use part of their next in-service day to explain the US Constitution to the staff.

In high school my English teacher clearly had no lesson plan so she said to the class "read whatever you want." So I read my chemistry book. When she passed my desk she wrote out a detention slip (I think the only time I ever got in trouble throughout high school). I protested that she said "read whatever you want." She replied, "I meant a book pertinent to the class."

Nobody ever got bothered about my civil rights.

Just today SCOTUS said it's OK to say a prayer
before public events. The Left is taking it hard.

School still not giving up, Bible banned again!

What is with these people?

Quote: AZDuffman

School still not giving up, Bible banned again!

What is with these people?

Xtions love this stuff. They have to have something
to fight against, they have to have an antagonist
or they aren't happy.