Bible reading and selective free speech

[Sandra4life]

Judges: No Bible at Pa. kindergarten show and tell

By MARYCLAIRE DALE – 11 hours ago

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A U.S. court says a kindergartner’s mother cannot read Scripture during show and tell, even if the Bible is the boy’s favorite book.
Monday’s ruling is a victory for the Marple Newtown School District in suburban Philadelphia.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says the school’s decision does not violate First Amendment rights given the nonpublic nature of the classroom and the tender age of the children.

The mother, Donna Kay Busch, argues the students heard stories related to Passover, Christmas and other religious holidays.

The appeals court says there is a “significant difference” between identifying those holidays and reading from Scripture.

google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ij5p0sLt2VMj0GABWp-lRlBikglAD98I4JUO1

That’s the appeals court’s ruling. It’s not necessarily the final say.

 

[Dale_M]

That’s the appeals court’s ruling. It’s not necessarily the final say.

I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Do you think the US Supreme Court would consider the case?

 

[Sandra4life]

I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Do you think the US Supreme Court would consider the case?

I’m not a lawyer but isn’t the Supreme Court where one goes after losing in the appellate?

 

[Dale_M]

I’m not a lawyer but isn’t the Supreme Court where one goes after losing in the appellate?

I think you are right, and I am not a lawyer either, but the Supreme Court accepts only a small portion of the cases (I think it is less than 2%) which are appealed to them.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

If the case is in the 3rd Circuit, the kid surely is no longer a kindergartener. So why the fuss at this point? Maybe because a win would mean the school district would have to pay for the mom’s lawyer.

In situations like this, I tend to substitute the word “Koran” for “Bible” to see if I maintain the said level of indignation. If not, I let it go. If yes, I try to think if this is really a case of free exercise of religion.

That’s what I do. Try it with the situation of the guy prevented from holding religious study at his house.

 

[aggiecatholic05]

In situations like this, I tend to substitute the word “Koran” for “Bible” to see if I maintain the said level of indignation. If not, I let it go. If yes, I try to think if this is really a case of free exercise of religion.

That’s what I do. Try it with the situation of the guy prevented from holding religious study at his house.

if other kids were allowed to read from their favorite book, and if this is his favorite book then the school is 100% wrong. we dont lose our rights the minute we go to public school.

this and the bible study are both examples of abuse by those in power against the faithful.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

if other kids were allowed to read from their favorite book, and if this is his favorite book then the school is 100% wrong.

That’s not the law. What if the Koran is a kid’s favorite book? Or the Book of Mormon? Remember the fuss made by the Thomas More Center about junior high school kids in California learning about Islam?

“The odd thing about freedom is that as soon as one group gets it they all want it.” – Gil Scott Heron

 

[aggiecatholic05]

What if the Koran is a kid’s favorite book? Or the Book of Mormon? Remember the fuss made by the Thomas More Center about junior high school kids in California learning about Islam?

its KINDERGATEN! there is a big difference between show and tell and a mandatory class. how long would this kid have talked 30seconds, 1 minute? would that really have made a difference?

secondly your post read like an insult. that somehow we would want the 1st amendment to apply to us but not muslims or mormons. i dont appreciate being judged for supporting freedom, or at least what we have left of it. and if i misread the tone i appologize, thats just how it came across to me.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

its KINDERGATEN! there is a big difference between show and tell and a mandatory class. how long would this kid have talked 30seconds, 1 minute? would that really have made a difference?

secondly your post read like an insult. that somehow we would want the 1st amendment to apply to us but not muslims or mormons. i dont appreciate being judged for supporting freedom, or at least what we have left of it. and if i misread the tone i appologize, thats just how it came across to me.

My point is that a public school is not a place for religious instruction. Plain and simple. You need to examine your own conscience as to if you would feel differently if it were a different holy book which is sought to be read to the class.

 

[aggiecatholic05]

My point is that a public school is not a place for religious instruction. Plain and simple. You need to examine your own conscience as to if you would feel differently if it were a different holy book which is sought to be read to the class.

show and tell isnt religious instruction. is *green eggs and ham *a cooking instruction?

i wouldnt feel differently if it were another ‘holy’ book. you are the one that initially said that could make a difference. why do we have to burden children with this. if they had just let it be not one kid would have remembered the next day, all this hullabaloo that may make something stick. woe unto them that take the innocence from children.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

i wouldnt feel differently if it were another ‘holy’ book.

I applaud that sentiment.

why do we have to burden children with this. if they had just let it be not one kid would have remembered the next day, all this hullabaloo that may make something stick. woe unto them that take the innocence from children.

Well, it looks like the kid’s mom made a federal case of this. She could have read ‘The Cat in the Hat’ or nothing at all. Instead, the school district diverted some scarce dollars to making some lawyers rich as they fought off this mom instead of the district using the money to buy books.

Was there a hullabaloo? I doubt the judge issued an injunction to prevent the district from barring this woman from reading from the Bible. How would the kids even know the suit was going on?

 

[aggiecatholic05]

How would the kids even know the suit was going on?

im not sure how, but kids seem to know pretty much everything that is going on around them. especially 'grownup stuff.