In Roe v. Tangipahoa Parish School Board, (ED LA, April 22, 2008), a Louisiana federal district court held that the distribution of Gideon Bibles to 5th grade students at a Louisiana public school violated the Establishment Clause. The court said:
Despite the principal's statement that the children did not have to take a Bible, by allowing the Gideons to set up immediately outside the principal’s office, the School Board "created the impression in young, impressionable minds that 'the school endorsed a particular belief: Christianity.'" ... Therefore, this Court determines that the distribution of Bibles was ultimately coercive...; that distribution of Bibles is a religious activity without a secular purpose... and that distribution by the Gideons amounted to promotion of Christianity by the School Board....The Advocate yesterday reported on the court's decision. (See prior related posting.)
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It doesn't surprise me that things like Bible distributions happen. I can well imagine a lot of them starting relatively innocently, with adminstrators who are just completely ignorant of the law and think the Bible's a positive message, and being thankful someone's willing to donate it to kids.
However, these things get to court. How foolish does the school district (and legal counsel) have to be to think that this won't be ruled a violation of the Establishment clause? What compels them to argue these things?
Oh, I forgot -- they know they don't have the right to push Bibles on children, and that's the right that they want.
Not only that, CL, but the children don't know they have the right to refuse to take those bibles...and the Gideons won't tell them.
Good to see a Louisiana court get the right answer.
But next year they'll be back with an unmanned table piled with bibles, or if that won't fly, a open carton by the bus stop. Penny ante b.s.
tim, They're probably at it right now. The case before this was in 2005, and then this one was filed a year ago in May 2007. They're not backpedaling and trying to find just how hard they can push the law, they know exactly where the limits are and are just ignoring them.
But yes, good to see the LA courts get it right. They'll have lots of practice.
My public school let the Gideons give us New Testaments in school --I don't remember the context. But I knew it was a gift I didn't have to take. All of us were some kind of Christian in my particular public school --or just unchurched --they also had a big easter music program in the 1950's, 60's --on good Fridays. The music teacher taught us The Old Rugged Cross, The Holy City, The Palms, He Arose, etc. --and we dressed our best and performed on the gym floor with parents in the bleachers. Students in white square "choir robes' formed a cross with students in Easter attire forming the background --the kindergarten wore little crepe paper collars to make them the flowers at the foot of the cross.
No one complained that I ever heard about. We also got Bibles, Catholic or protestant versions, from a protestant or Catholic clergyman, at graduation, as part of the activities. This was in indiana in the "good ol' days." These facts did not make Christians out of my classmates -- --not REAL Christians --as many were unchurched or went to churches that didn't believe much was required to be Christian. But no one protested.
It's too bad that so many became agnostics later --it had nothing to do with the school's efforts at "civil religion." There was no controversy over that at the time.
In fact, it's interesting how religious the alumni banquets are --in their entertainment choices and their prayers before the dinner. Several of the older ones ARE real believers and thinking about Heaven and how to qualify and they pray that we'll all find our way there.
All of this was NOT an example of establishment --but an example of the tax payers having the kind of school they wanted to have --without big gov't and the ACLU weilding it's heavy, intrusive, controlling hand.
Chimera, 5th graders aren't babies --they know when something is a choice--a gift to take or not.
It's a shame that one can't add to his personal library with a free Bible without gov't intervention.
Read the article. The complaint came from a girl who was being pressured by adults and her classmates after she refused to take one.
Anyone who really wants a free bible can go to a church and ask for one. Keep them out of schools.
One of the greatest literary works in history--the leading best seller every year --and you don't want such books in schools.
that's real academic openness for you.
I can't imagine a school where a child would be pressured to take the book.
Nothing to do with "academic openness." You wouldn't want copies of Playboy to be available in school, would you?
It's not a "literary work." If anything, it could be held as an example of how to do everything wrong when writing or editing a book. It's horrible as an example of good writing. And sales figures have nothing to do with its supposed greatness, either. The paper it's printed on makes great smoking papers for roll-yer-owns -- either tobacco or marijuana!
"I can't imagine a school where a child would be pressured to take the book."
Pfffft! Luckily, it doesn't take any imagination. Schools are everywhere. Pick one.
I can't imagine a school where a child would be pressured to take the book.
Barb, now you're just being silly. Not long ago, a student in Ohio was suspended for not saying "Under God" in the Pledge. Another student, in Florida, only got out of saying the Pledge because of her Christian beliefs.
If you can't imagine a school where a kid might be pressured to do something they don't want to do -- be it take the Bible, rat out their friends, or take a joint -- you have an incredible paucity of imaginative ability.
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