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LINK Public high school scheduled to hold 'Back to School Worship Service.' Atheist group isn't down with it. - TheBlaze

From The Article: FTA: The FFRF letter demanded that the district investigate the situation and "make certain that its teachers and administrators are not unlawfully and inappropriately indoctrinating students in religious matters" and tell the FFRF what steps it's taking to "protect the right of conscience of its minority religious and nonreligious students and families."

AL.com reported that it requested a response from the school.

"This religious promotion is not only problematic from a constitutional perspective, but is also a harmful assault on the students' right of conscience," FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor told the outlet. "DeKalb County Schools must direct its focus, time and resources toward educating its students, not proselytizing to them."

zblaze 7 Aug 7
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17 comments

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2

So long as the school administration is not directly involved in the organization of any of these activities and no student or teacher is forced to participate without consent, and so long as it does not interfere with the regulary scheduled activities of the school day or pose a danger to anybody’s physical safety, these folks should be able to gather as they see fit.

We don’t have laws dictating the nature of public gatherings in the United States

It also needs to be held OFF CAMPUS or it is nothing but an attempt to pressure students into attending...

1

The report didn't mention who won the examples of previous lawsuits (FFRF won). They also never discuss the reasons for the lawsuits and how it may impact the non-Christian student or faculty body. Always about me and mine and screw everybody else.

2

I agree fully with FFRF on this. Religion has no place in public schools in the first place but they keep playing with this idea and have for years. I suspect that the current administration has a lot to do with this because I saw a PBS program last night on TV that went into great detail about "prayer breakfasts" that were popular now all over. Politics has embraced it fully and even Mitch McConnell is involved. Trump and his GOP are setting it up to get what they want and desire out of the believers. Frankly, it should be against the law. I'm not anxious for Casper the Friendly Ghost to decide things for me. Public schools are also not a place to be told about gods.

1

They've been doing a similar thing at our local school district for years and years now. They call it Pray Around The Pole or something to that effect. They come to school early one day at the beginning of the year, and students, teachers and parents gather around the flag pole to pray for a good school year blah blah blah. And though it's not mandatory, I've always looked at it as a sort of litmus test; to see who is the most "godly". That's their new word, "Godly". I hear it all the time around here. They love to talk about how "godly" one another is.

2

According to other news sources the event was not sponsored by the school and none of the teachers or staff was involved. It was a Sunday event organized by community members for the public and had nothing to do with the school except that it was held in the school gymnasium. The event has been held every year for five years. Because of all the hullabaloo this years event was swamped by hundreds of attendees.

[al.com]

My prediction is that the case will be thrown out of court as groundless, but we won’t hear a peep about that from the national news media. For the present though it makes a great target for the spewing of hatred toward Alabama.

Carry on with your tirades.

Nothing of this nature should be held in a public school gymnasium or even close to school property.

@DenoPenno That is your opinion but are there laws to that effect? In many small towns the school building is a multi-use facility for use by the public when school is not in session.

@WilliamFleming Generally, you are correct about everything here. As long as it is not lead by school personnel during school time, it is legal. Schools often rent out space for various purposes.

Student led prayers on school property for anyone who wants to participate during lunch, before school, or after school is also legal. Praying individually in class is also legal as long as you are not disrupting class, or praying instead of doing whatever you are supposed to be doing right then.

It is also legal to proselytize during non-disruptive times at school up until the person says they are not interested--after that, it is harassment.

Edit: the FFRF is very good an knowing the law, though. I did notice this: "The worship service is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 4, at 6 p.m. and is advertised on the school’s Facebook page," which is problematic legally.

@greyeyed123 [ county school superintendent ]

“...Barnett said the social media post did not constitute sponsorship.

“The Board is not promoting this event, but rather has permitted an announcement of the event on the school Facebook page just as it permits others to provide information about community events,” Barnett said. “The ‘us’ in the Facebook announcement refers to the organizers of the event, not the school or the school board.”

As you say, the Facebook announcement might cross the line. Only a court could decide, but it is something that could easily be remedied for future events. Apparently the event was allowed, and it was heavily attended.

1

Hopefully TST will show up and hold their own pre-school worship.... Hail Satan!!!

3

Fucking Alabama.

I literally was going to say the EXACT same thing.

Fucking Alabama.

2

Every time that religion is involved in government results in an immediate violation of human rights. Even our founders that were religious knew this which is why they only mention religion in the constitution in its exclusion

7

#SEPARATIONOFCHURCHANDSTATE What is so fucking hard to understand about that?

3

I don't have kids but I'd be blazing mad if some public school tried to forcibly indoctrinate my kid into any religion.

4

Why do they feel they have to push it onto everyone why can't they just leave everyone else alone. It is like a cult not happy untill every one joins!

1

Which religions are they addressing? Hindu, Muslims, Christians all forms of them? Do the Atheist get recognized too? Why don't they just go Humanization night?

2

Thank Goodness For FFRF !!

2

Is it mandatory? If not I really don’t care.

Still needs to be after school or otherwise it’s setting up the non-Christians for discrimination and abuse.

5

Fucking Alabama, why am I not surprised?????

2

It continues to be a never ending battle.

2

WTH?! Love the response from our people.

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