Parents, students sue Middle Tennessee school district over promotion of Christianity

A federal lawsuit filed Monday accuses a Middle Tennessee school district of promoting Christianity in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

[MARY]

THEN EVERYONE WONDERS WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO PUBLIC EDUCATION? HERE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE!!!!! WHAT WAS THIS COUNTRY FOUNDED ON? IF THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS WOULD READ THOSE GIDEON BIBLE'S INSTEAD OF FIGHTING AGINST THEM, THINGS WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER.

[S Brown]

We as Christians should sue ACLU for our rights. Who stands up for us?

[joeblowfmidaho]

The schools here double as a church on Sunday. I love it, as most people in my area do. I guess in my area, at least, majority still rules.

[joeblowfmidaho]

I was taught that the majority always rules. (or is supposed to anyway) However, you get a few gung ho people who just 'don't want to listen to it' and the majority no longer rules for fear of 'offending' a very few amount of people.

[Me Again]

PNUT BUTTER LOVER wrote:

<quoted text>
It's one thing to use school space as a place of worship on Sundays but it's an entirely different matter when religion and theological beliefs are brought into the classroom and forced onto students as in this situation. Majority should not be allowed to rule anywhere in situations like this and I hope these students prevail in their lawsuit.

I'm just wondering, but would you be as opposed if Islam was a constant topic of discussion in our public schools as you are with Christianity?

[joeblowfmidaho]

Me Again wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm just wondering, but would you be as opposed if Islam was a constant topic of discussion in our public schools as you are with Christianity?

The difference between Islam and Christianity is most Islamics believe that everyone else should be killed if they don't believe in Islamic ways. If Islamic people did NOT believe 'death to infidels' and that is what the majority wanted, no I would not have a problem with it. As long as I am still free to believe what I want.

[joeblowfmidaho]

Another ridiculous lawsuit wasting taxpayer money. It doesn't sound like they are teaching Christian beliefs as fact. What does it hurt to hand out a few bibles? Its not like the students are forced into believing or even reading them.

[joeblowfmidaho]

PNUT BUTTER LOVER wrote:

<quoted text>
I am opposed to any religion being the topic of discussion in our public schools. Religion needs to be kept out of public schools. I feel the same about politics in our public schools.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the way I understood it wasn't that religion of any sort was a topic of discussion, only that they handed out some bibles. Noone has said 'by the way there will be an exam on Genesis Tues.'. If you don't want the bible, just say 'no thank you'. As far as politics goes, I'd like to keep it out too, and every student in my county was forced to listen to one of Obama's speeches. But am I going to go file some frivilous lawsuit against it? Many of my child's teachers taught their political views as facts. Am I going to file a frivilous lawsuit against them? No, I am going to correct them and teach my child what I believe and make it clear that what the teachers say regarding politics or religion is merely that teachers opinion.

[joeblowfmidaho]

PNUT BUTTER LOVER wrote:

<quoted text>
By handing out the bibles and using scriptures as a class topic and lesson.....it is forcing students to read them as well as to discuss them. This is where the harm comes in.....it's violating their Constitutional rights. As someone else has already put it - Noone has the right to use the apparatus of the state to spread their religion in violation of the First Amendment. It seems that Christians are really bad at doing this all of the time.

It did not say they were 'using scriptures as a class topic and lesson' It merely said they passed out some bibles and said a few prayers at school events. It did not say anything about teaching this in class nor did they say anything about FORCING anyone to participate.