There a lot of things that have no place in a High School Yearbook. And at Liberty High School in Brentwood, California it appears that God is one of them.
The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting:
After years of banning God from its award-winning yearbook, a Brentwood high school recently reversed the policy. But the change of heart came after the book went to the printers, so a conservative religious-liberty group is threatening to sue to get the school to pay $21,000 for a partial reprinting that would include God.
The dispute arose after the yearbook staff at Liberty High School changed a parent's ad for his son's graduation from "May God bless your life" to "May He bless your life."
The ad, placed by Jeff Renner, was ordered in January as a tribute to Renner's son, a senior. About 75 pages of the 450-page yearbook consist of parent advertisements honoring seniors with photos, quotes and farewell wishes.
Until two weeks ago, the yearbook staff had a policy banning references to drugs, alcohol, violence, gangs and religion.
How does religion come to fall into the same category as drugs, alcohol, violence and gangs? And why isn’t sex on the list? This is just one more example of the education establishment’s hostility toward God. It is time that these educators get a civics lesson regarding free speech and religious freedom. And that is exactly what the Pacific Justice Institute is going to help them get. Unfortunately for them though, it will come with a $21,000 price tag.
The bottom line is, when a school district creates a public forum for free speech, it cannot engage in discrimination based on religion," said Brad Dacus, president of the institute. "If this is not resolved, a lawsuit would be in order."
Next week the district superintendent plans to meet with Renner to work out a solution. The district offered to refund his $175 ad fee, but spending $21,000 for reprinting has not been approved, at least not yet, Halloran said.
"It would be nice to be able to give in to all the wishes of parents," Halloran said. "Unfortunately we can't. Although in this case, it might be that we spend the money."
In the name of “not offending anyone” school districts have repeatedly usurped the rights of Christian students and their families to exercise their free speech rights. I am glad to see that they are standing up and speaking out.
The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting:
After years of banning God from its award-winning yearbook, a Brentwood high school recently reversed the policy. But the change of heart came after the book went to the printers, so a conservative religious-liberty group is threatening to sue to get the school to pay $21,000 for a partial reprinting that would include God.
The dispute arose after the yearbook staff at Liberty High School changed a parent's ad for his son's graduation from "May God bless your life" to "May He bless your life."
The Sacramento-based Pacific Justice Institute is demanding that the school spend the $21,000 needed to reprint the ad as the parent originally ordered it.
The ad, placed by Jeff Renner, was ordered in January as a tribute to Renner's son, a senior. About 75 pages of the 450-page yearbook consist of parent advertisements honoring seniors with photos, quotes and farewell wishes.
Until two weeks ago, the yearbook staff had a policy banning references to drugs, alcohol, violence, gangs and religion.
How does religion come to fall into the same category as drugs, alcohol, violence and gangs? And why isn’t sex on the list? This is just one more example of the education establishment’s hostility toward God. It is time that these educators get a civics lesson regarding free speech and religious freedom. And that is exactly what the Pacific Justice Institute is going to help them get. Unfortunately for them though, it will come with a $21,000 price tag.
The bottom line is, when a school district creates a public forum for free speech, it cannot engage in discrimination based on religion," said Brad Dacus, president of the institute. "If this is not resolved, a lawsuit would be in order."
Next week the district superintendent plans to meet with Renner to work out a solution. The district offered to refund his $175 ad fee, but spending $21,000 for reprinting has not been approved, at least not yet, Halloran said.
"It would be nice to be able to give in to all the wishes of parents," Halloran said. "Unfortunately we can't. Although in this case, it might be that we spend the money."
In the name of “not offending anyone” school districts have repeatedly usurped the rights of Christian students and their families to exercise their free speech rights. I am glad to see that they are standing up and speaking out.
No comments:
Post a Comment