Tennessee Court Reviews Religion in Schools
Thursday December 13, 2007
From the Pagan/Wiccan news files, a federal lawsuit is underway against Tennessee's Wilson County school system, after a pair of unidentified parents complained about religious activities in Lakeview Elementary. The couple, known only as John and Jane Doe, say that they objected to overtly religious programs being held in their kindergarten son's school. Events such as National Day of Prayer and See You at the Pole were sponsored by a group called Praying Parents, that got its own link on the school website (the link appears to have been removed at this time). They're also permitted to run announcements in the school newsletter, and they leave notes for teachers and students, saying "you've been prayed for."
Jane Doe, who is Jewish, was permitted to do a presentation to her son's kindergarten class on Hannukah, but says she tried to keep it secular. She also said that in May 2006, following the See You at the Pole event, her son came home crying. "He was feeling left out. I later figured out it was over a prayer buddy." She is now homeschooling the child and his younger brother.
The school's former principal testified that he would have allowed other groups to do the same thing as Praying Parents, had he been approached, but says no other groups contacted him. One of the Praying Parents said in her testimony that teachers should "have a smile on their face and have a light about them that comes from their faith."
That's all well and good, but isn't it possible that people could be smiling and happy for reasons that have nothing to do with prayer cards being left in their mailboxes?
Jane Doe, who is Jewish, was permitted to do a presentation to her son's kindergarten class on Hannukah, but says she tried to keep it secular. She also said that in May 2006, following the See You at the Pole event, her son came home crying. "He was feeling left out. I later figured out it was over a prayer buddy." She is now homeschooling the child and his younger brother.
The school's former principal testified that he would have allowed other groups to do the same thing as Praying Parents, had he been approached, but says no other groups contacted him. One of the Praying Parents said in her testimony that teachers should "have a smile on their face and have a light about them that comes from their faith."
That's all well and good, but isn't it possible that people could be smiling and happy for reasons that have nothing to do with prayer cards being left in their mailboxes?
Comments
I don’t agree with sending flyers about religions home with children. They’re at school to learn, not to promote different religious events.
I feel very strongly that unless a child is at a faith school, it is the parents who should be teaching religious instruction in their own time, not encouraging children to waste precious school hours on it. This goes for any religion! School should be secular.
Religion is not one of the three R’s and shouldn’t be taught in public school. I can just imagine the out cry and the picketing if I came and did the same with my Wiccan beliefs.
Hello, I think people should AA be left alone about there Religion including Satanist weall can believe in what you want to believe in. Aurevoir Yvonne
Hello. this is America land of the free NO ONE should make or JUDGE a persons beliefs including Mormon and the practice of VOODOO, it is there life and beliefs Amorte Yvonne
i don’t think religion has any place in elementary school. but when children are old enough to make up their own decisions i don’t see a problem with school sponsored religious events, so long as they don’t interfere with the quality of education. I know that even some bigger High Schools have Pagan Student Unions.
Judge Not Least you be Judged. Leave it to the powers that be.
Peace and Freedom for All.
My opinion is keep state and church seperate. I get rather irate when I drive past my kids h.s. on Sunday and the school sign is covered by a banner of a church that uses the h.s. as a meeting center for religious services. If you want to preach…build a church, meet in a grove anywhere but a public school. If I were to call I wonder what the village woulds say if I requested to use the h.s. for pagan ritual, guess I could call them services.
Unfortunately, they aren’t satisfied with promoting their own religion in a public school. My son told me yesterday that when his class sings “Deck the Halls” they replace every mention of Yule with the word “Christmas”!! How can they justify their constant efforts to obliterate even the mention of the holidays of other religions?