ACLU to fight religious harrassment in rural Louisiana school (1 Viewer)

[gianmarco]

ACLU vs. Sabine

The American Civil Liberties Union is suing a school board in Louisiana, alleging officials at one of its schools harassed a sixth-grader because of his Buddhist faith and that the district routinely pushes Christian beliefs.

The lawsuit was filed against the Sabine Parish School Board Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Shreveport on behalf of Scott and Sharon Lane and their three children. According to the complaint from the ACLU and its Louisiana chapter, the Lanes enrolled their son — a lifelong Buddhist of Thai descent — in Negreet High School and he quickly became the target of harassment by the school's staff.

"Public schools should be welcoming places for students of all backgrounds," said Marjorie Esman, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana. "No child should be harassed and made to feel like an outsider in his own classroom, and students should not have to endure school officials constantly imposing their religious beliefs on them while they are trying to learn."

In addition to the school board, the lawsuit names as defendant Superintendent Sara Ebarb, Negreet High Principal Gene Wright and science teacher Rita Roark. An office worker who answered the phone at the district Wednesday said Ebarb was out of town and unavailable for comment. A message on an automated voice mail system for a home number listed for Ebarb in Shreveport wasn't immediately returned.

The lawsuit said Roark has "repeatedly taught students that the earth was created by God 6,000 years ago, that evolution is 'impossible' and that the Bible is '100 percent true.'

"She also regularly features religious questions on her tests such as "Isn't it amazing what the —————— has made!!!!"

When the Lanes' son "did not write in Roark's expected answer (LORD), she belittled him in front of the rest of the class."

While studying other religions, she also has told students that Buddhism is "stupid," the lawsuit said.

Beyond that, according to the complaint, the school regularly incorporates official Christian prayer into class and school events and scrolls Bible verses on an electronic marquee in front of the school that greets students as they enter the building.

When the Lanes objected, Ebarb told them that "this is the Bible belt" and suggested they change their son's faith.

"The school district's administration — all the way up to the superintendent of schools — not only knows about these activities, but endorses and encourages all of this," the lawsuit said.

The ACLU also asked the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the school system.

So ridiculous that you can't even make this stuff up.

 

[Johnny Rock]

Whole lotta wrong in this school, not just for this family but all the other students who are subjected to it.

 

[joffer]

"She also regularly features religious questions on her tests such as "Isn't it amazing what the —————— has made!!!!"

there's a good answer here, i just can't quite find it....

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

 

[Ballstein]

common in the deep south. Bogalousa comes to mind.

 

[Henry Ford]

"She also regularly features religious questions on her tests such as "Isn't it amazing what the has made!!!!"

there's a good answer here, i just can't quite find it....

Internet

 

[bigbottom]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

It appears that a video of the marquee displaying a biblical quote from the Book of Proverbs was submitted as an exhibit to the verified complaint. See paragraph 51.

http://laaclu.org/resources/2014/012213LaneComplaint.pdf

 

[Todd Andrews]

KooKs!!

 

[SacramentoBob]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

 

[3C's]

"She also regularly features religious questions on her tests such as "Isn't it amazing what the —————— has made!!!!"

there's a good answer here, i just can't quite find it....

brewer?

It's what I say whenever I have a great beer.

 

[Hooper31]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

 

[SacramentoBob]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

 

[DSP]

Why would thai buddhists go to louisiwna anyway?

 

[roadkill1292]

Why would thai buddhists go to louisiwna anyway?

Everybody lives everywhere these days. Formerly homogenous communities better get used to it.

 

[Hooper31]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Ok. There are about 132,000 school districts in the U.S.

IMO if the superintendent is bat #### crazy its going to empower the administration and teaching staff to use their bully pulpit and preach to the students. Its still a probability problem that there are going to be a few districts where this happens. I have little doubt that there are more teachers somewhere in the U.S. doing similar things that we haven't heard from.

 

[tdog]

Sat through a lovely nativity play during a school assembly that ended with the principal reminding the students that Jesus is the reason for the season. That was 1996 in a rural public school in Louisiana. Doubt they have changed much since then, although shortly before I began teaching there they had removed the Ten Commandments from the classrooms. Everything changes at a different pace down there. The kids I taught were much more racially tolerant than their parents, but that tolerance had not yet been extended to gays or religion. In 30 more years they will likely be years behind much of the country but still trending toward acceptance.

 

[timschochet]

They make good hot sauce though.

 

[Henry Ford]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

You're going to be shocked if you ever spend any time in rural Louisiana.

 

[bigbottom]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

 

[Captain Quinoa]

it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside.

It's hard to believe that it is unconstitutional to do so, but here we are.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

That's what I meant. Obviously they had to know about this too -- this isn't just one teacher being nuts.

 

[bigbottom]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

That's what I meant. Obviously they had to know about this too -- this isn't just one teacher being nuts.

Well I haven't seen the exhibits to the lawsuit, but if you follow my link above, there are apparently photos and videos of those things that have been filed with the Court. Assuming the exhibits aren't forged or doctored, the story seems a lot more believable, wouldn't you say?

 

[timschochet]

it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside.

It's hard to believe that it is unconstitutional to do so, but here we are.

Do you mean that you don't agree that it IS unconstitutional, or that you think it should not be? Please explain.

 

[Zow]

it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside.

It's hard to believe that it is unconstitutional to do so, but here we are.

Shirley, you can't be serious.

 

[bigbottom]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

That's what I meant. Obviously they had to know about this too -- this isn't just one teacher being nuts.

Well I haven't seen the exhibits to the lawsuit, but if you follow my link above, there are apparently photos and videos of those things that have been filed with the Court. Assuming the exhibits aren't forged or doctored, the story seems a lot more believable, wouldn't you say?

Okay, I went on Pacer and looked at some of the exhibits. I find this one particularly interesting, allegedly from the School District's own "Belief Statement."

http://imgur.com/ckxRuLI

 

[Carolina Hustler]

it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside.

It's hard to believe that it is unconstitutional to do so, but here we are.

Shirley, you can't be serious.

Maybe you can quote the part for us where it suggests that it's unconstitutional to flash bible verses on a highschool marquee.. Maybe improper, but it's not unconstitutional..

 

[Carolina Hustler]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

That's what I meant. Obviously they had to know about this too -- this isn't just one teacher being nuts.

Well I haven't seen the exhibits to the lawsuit, but if you follow my link above, there are apparently photos and videos of those things that have been filed with the Court. Assuming the exhibits aren't forged or doctored, the story seems a lot more believable, wouldn't you say?

Okay, I went on Pacer and looked at some of the exhibits. I find this one particularly interesting, allegedly from the School District's own "Belief Statement."

http://imgur.com/ckxRuLI

What is particularly interesting about that?

 

[timschochet]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

That's what I meant. Obviously they had to know about this too -- this isn't just one teacher being nuts.

Well I haven't seen the exhibits to the lawsuit, but if you follow my link above, there are apparently photos and videos of those things that have been filed with the Court. Assuming the exhibits aren't forged or doctored, the story seems a lot more believable, wouldn't you say?

Okay, I went on Pacer and looked at some of the exhibits. I find this one particularly interesting, allegedly from the School District's own "Belief Statement."

http://imgur.com/ckxRuLI

Honestly the first line of that bears no relation to anything else that was written. It feels forged. Not saying it is, but it doesn't make sense.

 

[Zow]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

That's what I meant. Obviously they had to know about this too -- this isn't just one teacher being nuts.

Well I haven't seen the exhibits to the lawsuit, but if you follow my link above, there are apparently photos and videos of those things that have been filed with the Court. Assuming the exhibits aren't forged or doctored, the story seems a lot more believable, wouldn't you say?

Okay, I went on Pacer and looked at some of the exhibits. I find this one particularly interesting, allegedly from the School District's own "Belief Statement."

http://imgur.com/ckxRuLI

Honestly the first line of that bears no relation to anything else that was written. It feels forged. Not saying it is, but it doesn't make sense.

Why wouldn't it make sense?

I would think something like "God exists" would fit right into a "belief statement."

 

[Captain Quinoa]

it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside.

It's hard to believe that it is unconstitutional to do so, but here we are.

Do you mean that you don't agree that it IS unconstitutional, or that you think it should not be? Please explain.

I agree it is.. based on precedent but not based on the constitution itself

 

[pollardsvision]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

That's what I meant. Obviously they had to know about this too -- this isn't just one teacher being nuts.

Well I haven't seen the exhibits to the lawsuit, but if you follow my link above, there are apparently photos and videos of those things that have been filed with the Court. Assuming the exhibits aren't forged or doctored, the story seems a lot more believable, wouldn't you say?

Okay, I went on Pacer and looked at some of the exhibits. I find this one particularly interesting, allegedly from the School District's own "Belief Statement."

http://imgur.com/ckxRuLI

Honestly the first line of that bears no relation to anything else that was written. It feels forged. Not saying it is, but it doesn't make sense.

Could be, but if the other allegations are true, then that would fit in with an overall pattern of putting unrelated religious propaganda where it doesn't beling.

 

[timschochet]

Zoe, if you read the rest of the statements, they're all specific about education and standards. "God Exists" seems out of place; it has no bearing on anything else that was written.

 

[Henry Ford]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

That's what I meant. Obviously they had to know about this too -- this isn't just one teacher being nuts.

Well I haven't seen the exhibits to the lawsuit, but if you follow my link above, there are apparently photos and videos of those things that have been filed with the Court. Assuming the exhibits aren't forged or doctored, the story seems a lot more believable, wouldn't you say?

Okay, I went on Pacer and looked at some of the exhibits. I find this one particularly interesting, allegedly from the School District's own "Belief Statement."

http://imgur.com/ckxRuLI

Honestly the first line of that bears no relation to anything else that was written. It feels forged. Not saying it is, but it doesn't make sense.

It's noted in comments on scienceblogs.com as far back as over 5 years ago:

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/06/12/bad-news-from-louisiana/

 

[Henry Ford]

Webcached through google:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:UGCujcu9UWsJ:www2.sabine.k12.la.us/district/believe04.htm+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

 

[timschochet]

Ok. I'll accept that it wasn't forged then. Awfully weird though.

 

[bigbottom]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

That's what I meant. Obviously they had to know about this too -- this isn't just one teacher being nuts.

Well I haven't seen the exhibits to the lawsuit, but if you follow my link above, there are apparently photos and videos of those things that have been filed with the Court. Assuming the exhibits aren't forged or doctored, the story seems a lot more believable, wouldn't you say?

Okay, I went on Pacer and looked at some of the exhibits. I find this one particularly interesting, allegedly from the School District's own "Belief Statement."

http://imgur.com/ckxRuLI

What is particularly interesting about that?

It is atypical for a school district to openly and formally profess a religious belief as part of its stated educational belief statement. It's atypicality combined with it's arguable unconstitutionality under current precedent makes it "particularly interesting."

 

[Henry Ford]

And if you go to their old website (ww2.sabine.k12.la.us) you can find this:

http://www2.sabine.k12.la.us/district/believe04.htm

Forgot to delete that one, apparently.

 

[Zow]

Zoe, if you read the rest of the statements, they're all specific about education and standards. "God Exists" seems out of place; it has no bearing on anything else that was written.

It does if one of your teaching goals is to incorporate God's existence. My guess is that the school was trying to not completely ignore the 1st Amendment and did its best to keep the statement about as "neutral" as they could while still relaying their message that God will be incorporated into learning.

ETA: What I'm speaking about, in a very general sense, is the prong of the legal test (called the Lemon test IIRC) that says that a state actor only runs afoul of the constitution when it advocates for one religion over another (although the more learned constitutional lawyers on this board can correct me here if I'm wrong). So, the school may have been trying to preserve an argument here by using a very general statement.

 

[SacramentoBob]

It's still up on their website. It's not fake.

http://www2.sabine.k12.la.us/district/believe04.htm

 

[matuski]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

Seems so outrageous I have a hard time believing it. But I could see some small school district with 3 schools in the entire area doing something like this.

There were over 6 million teachers identified by the 2000 census.

Is it really hard to believe that the most bat #### crazy teacher out of 6 million would do this?

Right, but it wasn't just a teacher according to the complaint. It was approved all the way up to the Superintendent who wrote a letter supporting the teacher.

Same here. The "crazy teacher" part was completely believable. What made this story sound made-up, to me anyway, was that it also required craziness on the part of at least two people whose jobs are to know better than this (the principal and superintendent).

Do you think the principal and superintendent are unaware of the bible verses on the electronic marquee, the posters with bible verses in the hallways and classrooms, and the large painting of Jesus Christ in the main hallway of the school?

That's what I meant. Obviously they had to know about this too -- this isn't just one teacher being nuts.

Well I haven't seen the exhibits to the lawsuit, but if you follow my link above, there are apparently photos and videos of those things that have been filed with the Court. Assuming the exhibits aren't forged or doctored, the story seems a lot more believable, wouldn't you say?

Okay, I went on Pacer and looked at some of the exhibits. I find this one particularly interesting, allegedly from the School District's own "Belief Statement."

http://imgur.com/ckxRuLI

Honestly the first line of that bears no relation to anything else that was written. It feels forged. Not saying it is, but it doesn't make sense.

Here is the link to the web page.. still up off of their site.

 

[SacramentoBob]

Guys, stop hacking the Sabine website to make it look like they think god exists.

 

[pollardsvision]

Some of this stuff seems a bit, ..., fanciful to me.

I don't live in the Bible Belt, but it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside. They have lawyers in the Bible Belt.

It appears that a video of the marquee displaying a biblical quote from the Book of Proverbs was submitted as an exhibit to the verified complaint. See paragraph 51.

http://laaclu.org/resources/2014/012213LaneComplaint.pdf

Paragraph 13 is pretty insane, if true:

Instead of ceasing these unlawful practices, Defendants vowed to continue them.

Defendant Ebarb told C.C.’s parents that he could either continue suffering the official

proselytizing and harassment at Negreet or transfer to another District school where “there are

more Asians.” She also asked if C.C. “has to be raised a Buddhist,” or whether he could

“change” his faith. C.C.’s parents were incredulous and dismayed by Ebarb’s suggestion.

However, unwilling to subject C.C. to further emotional and physical distress, the Lanes agreed to

transfer him to another school.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Why would thai buddhists go to louisiwna anyway?

Or Indian ones for that matter.

Which reminds me of a certain Indian family that came to America by way of Louisiana and became very very Christian...

 

[Captain Quinoa]

However, unwilling to subject C.C. to further emotional and physical distress, the Lanes agreed to

transfer him to another school.

win/win!

 

[SacramentoBob]

Scavenger hunt:

Find ONE non-white teacher on staff here

http://www2.sabine.k12.la.us/mes/faculty.htm

 

[SacramentoBob]

Scavenger hunt part 2:
Go ahead, find a non-white face here

http://www2.sabine.k12.la.us/chs1/faculty.htm

 

[SacramentoBob]

More faculty pictures at another school:

http://www2.sabine.k12.la.us/fhs/faculty_pages.htm

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

it's hard to believe that there's a school district flashing Bible verses on an electric marquee outside.

It's hard to believe that it is unconstitutional to do so, but here we are.

Shirley, you can't be serious.

Maybe you can quote the part for us where it suggests that it's unconstitutional to flash bible verses on a highschool marquee.. Maybe improper, but it's not unconstitutional..

Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion.

Not a "state religion." Religion. Full stop.

Now unless you don't accept the argument that the 1st Amendment applies to all government actions, and not just laws enacted by Congress or you somehow believe the 1st Amendment was not incorporated against the States by the 14th Amendment, I can't see how you'd have a non-trivial argument (grounded in the text of the Constitution) that the establishment clause applies.

I also find it amusing that the very people arguing for the most restrictive (textually ludicrous) interpretation of the establishment clause somehow interpret the free exercise clause to prevent laws of general application from applying to religious people if it somehow offends their beliefs. Which is something like 1000 times more fanciful as a matter of textual or historical interpretation.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

We only have a couple of "non-white" staff members at my school as well.

But we still don't cram Jesus downs kids' throats.