The state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Newark public school district, saying a school’s decision to hold its graduation ceremonies in a Baptist church violated a Muslim student’s religious freedom.
It also violated every other students’ right to an educational process — separate from religion.
The incident violated provisions in the state constitution prohibiting public institutions from showing a preference for certain religious sects over others; compelling people to attend a place of worship; and segregating or discriminating against public school students because of their religious principles, the ACLU-NJ asserts.
The ACLU-NJ said it first complained about a West Side High School graduation at New Hope Baptist Church in 2005, but agreed not to sue when the district’s legal director made assurances that the school district would avoid holding a graduation at a religious location again.
But in 2006, graduation was again held at New Hope. And the principal at the time even told graduating students that they would get two additional tickets for family and friends to go to the graduation, provided they also attended a separate religious baccalaureate ceremony for the class at a Roman Catholic church.
If you want to get rid of constitutional principles separating church and state, there are legal means and methods. True Believers act like they’re above the law. But, it shouldn’t take an outside agency to push government into obeying the law.
Of course, the dimwits who ignore that constitutional separation will only focus on the initial complainant being Muslim. Cripes, if I lived in his neck of the woods, I’d join the suit on behalf of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
#33, Excellent suggestion.
You forgot to mention the ritual cleansing part where he should bath while holding a radio with Pat Robertson Show on. The best way to meet his maker first hand.
its a building.
its just a building.
my HS graduation was in the rain. We got wet. I’m not sure how that applies, but, I thought I’d throw it out there.
Regardless of constituational, political or religious beliefs, it’s just in bad taste to require a large audience such as graduating class to hold their ceremony in a particular religion’s house of worship as it runs the risk of excluding a portion of the participants. A Jehovah’s Witness is forbidden from entering another faiths church. If a “witness” was in the graduating class and has successfully completed all of the requirements to receive the diploma, don’t they deserve to be present at the ceremony along with the family members that have tickets?
The whole right vs. left, dem vs. rep, and religious vs. secular has grown tiresome, and the current banter makes both sides look silly. Humanity would be much improved if we could begin to appreciate our individual differences and respect each other because we are different.
I find it funny that even when a church does something nice, like let the community use its building, it get criticized. One of the 10 largest charity organizations in the WORLD is run by a major baptist denomination. Sure, some Christians can be jerks, but it looks like to me they were just doing a nice thing for the school system and the community. Of course, in today’s litigious society, NO good deed goes unpunished…
(I wonder if the Christian kids in Saudi Arabia get to decide where their graduations take place……)
The utter ignorance of the Dougs of the world gives me pause at times, so I didn’t comment after reading this thread previously. Trying to penetrate that kind of bulletproof cluelessness is usually futile, but here goes anyway.
The Constitution forbids two forms of supporting religion:
•Establishing religion. No form of government can declare itself a theocracy either overtly or covertly.
•Favoring religion. Religion is to be treated neutrally, given no special treatment. (The religious Right has been steadily attempting to erode this boundary.)
The situation in Newark violates both forms of the prohibition. The principal has merged the school’s graduations with religion by both holding them in churches, and, providing incentives to those who practice religion to attend. He has discriminated against the nonreligious and those of other religions by giving special treatment to religion he favors.
The ‘but the Church is doing a good thing by loaning its building’ argument is particularly disingenuous since the behavior may well be a form of proselytizing. The other giveaway is that attendance at graduations is coerced, not voluntary. Unless a student was willing to give up the only high school graduation she would ever have, she was forced to participate in a religious ceremony.
What would be legal under the constitution? I’ve been to many a lecture at a lovely church in Seattle, but that was voluntary attendance with the church being rented by Seattle Arts & Lectures. Plus, the attendees were adults.
The “dope sat” criticizing my words. I did take the US constitution test. I guess I’ve forgotten a lot. I suppose I didn’t understand that the word “congress” really meant “no form of government”. It’s the whole letter of the law vs. the spirit of the law I guess. I’m sure there are supreme court judgements further clarifying the point. But wouldn’t that make it the “Lawful separation of Church & State” instead? There must be a big O Pasted on my forehead for “oblivious”.
And I’ve agreed the whole time that it probably was not the best place to hold the graduation. I can see that the situation is most likely in conflict and indirectly supports one religion by having the ceremony in a church. I was also trying to separate the “holding a ceremony in a church” part of the story with the “incentives for religious ceremony attendees” part. I think everyone can see that’s a conflict, so it wasn’t part of my debate.
#38, One of the 10 largest charity organizations in the WORLD is run by a major baptist denomination
And that would be,…
The 700 Club ???
Maybe Oral Robert’s University ???
How about The Christian Coalition ???
The size of the prize matters less then the actual work done. I have no idea which charity you are thinking of.
We are in America, not Saudi Arabia. While whatever happens over there may be tragic, the American Constitution covers what happens within our own borders. Maybe you don’t like it, but the separation of church and state has worked well.
Podesta (39) – yes, the church likely is trying, in one minor way to proselytize – they’re getting people in their doors that normally wouldn’t come – its a very minor thing though – lots of people go to weddings and funerals at churches, and that’s the only time they darken the doors – you don’t really think that weddings are a form of evangelism?
One more minor issue – I’m sure the grad class would be insulted by the “Plus, the attendees were adults.” comment – are you implying that just because they haven’t graduated high school yet that they’re somehow less capable of making judgments about religion? (a minor thing – the comment just seemed incongruous)
#42, Bruce, Weddings and Funerals are usually religious services. One is voluntarily attending such a service though. A Graduation is one of the rewards of surviving 12 years of school, the reward should come with unpalatable strings attached.