Judge: School must remove prayer banner

[Bateluer]

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_...l-of-cranston-school-prayer-banner?hpt=us_bn4

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - A judge has ordered a prayer mural, that has been in Cranston West High School for decades, to be taken down immediately.

City officials have 10 days to respond to the ruling, and haven't decided yet whether to abide by the decision or pay the legal fees to appeal.

Cranston city officials and the Rhode Island ACLU have been arguing over the banner that's hung in the auditorium for decades.

It began when teenage student, Jessica Ahlquist, an atheist sued the city and Cranston school officials, demanding they remove the prayer mural because she felt it promotes a particular religion.

City officials however, claimed it was an historical artifact and serves no religious purpose.

Last April, Jessica Ahlquist said this about the banner.

"I'm an atheist and I don't believe in the heavenly father and I wouldn't like to see that posted on a wall in my school."

The ACLU says the prayer violates the first amendment, pointing to Supreme Court decisions over the separation of church and state, as well as the Cranston School District's policy which states that "the proper setting for religious observance is the home and the place of worship."

The banner has been hanging in the auditorium for nearly 50 years, after being written by a student. It contains reference to "Heavenly Father" and ends with "Amen."

The banner could be taken down as early as next week.

The Rhode Island ACLU said it will hold a news conference about the ruling Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

My 2 cents, the banner should stay up. Its been there for 50 years, hand made by students of the time. Its part of their history and the heritage of the school.

Now, this student, Jessica Ahlquist is an idiot. Here's a little piece of news for you. There's going to be things in life that irritate you, that annoy you, and that boil your blood. Guess what? Tough. You're in high school, not the real world. Stop acting like a whiny snot and get back to your studies. Hopefully, you'll learn how not to be an ass before you graduate.

 

[OutHouse]

these issues confound me. i see both sides of the issue.

 

[CanOWorms]

It's so great to see young people in this nation fight for the Constitution to be followed.

 

[theeedude]

It was a correct decision. Endorsement of religion is a no-no in a public school.

 

[Kadarin]

It was a correct decision. Endorsement of religion is a no-no in a public school.

This. It simply has no purpose being in a school, no matter how long it's actually been there.

 

[xBiffx]

It's so great to see young people in this nation fight for the Constitution to be followed.

What part is being followed here?

 

[ichy]

I'm an atheist and I think the girl who filed the suit is a whiny little wise and beautiful woman. It's a 50-year old mural for god's sake (no pun intended.)

 

[Genx87]

She sounds like a pain in the ass. Freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. If she is offended by that I hope her parent buy her a padded room because there are a lot more offensive things in this world.

 

[woolfe9999]

It was a correct decision. Endorsement of religion is a no-no in a public school.

This.

 

[CanOWorms]

What part is being followed here?

The First Amendment part.

 

[xBiffx]

The First Amendment part.

Try again. Freedom of Religion not being violated here. She is still free to believe what she wants.

 

[xBiffx]

It was a correct decision. Endorsement of religion is a no-no in a public school.

How so? Endorsing a religion I agree but just endorsing religion in general, how so? Besides, a sign (done by a student) does not signify an endorsement.

 

[MovingTarget]

Hand-made by students of the school 50 years ago? Its a historical artifact now. Leave it up. It isn't as if the school requires anyone to believe what it says, or even recite it.

 

[michal1980]

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"

I love that the aclu and liberal judges only focus on the first part 'establishment' of religion. And never the part about prohibiting the free exercise.

IMHO telling the school to remove the sign is equivalent to prohibiting religion.

 

[cybrsage]

Religion is already prohibited from most schools.

 

[waggy]

I'm an atheist and I think the girl who filed the suit is a whiny little wise and beautiful woman. It's a 50-year old mural for god's sake (no pun intended.)

lol

i can see both sides. but i also think the girl is a whiny wise and beautiful woman.

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

So the real question for Conservatives is how would you feel if someone had a poster of Quran sayings up on that same wall? Probably wouldn't be singing the same tune...

 

[soundforbjt]

Repubs whining about the "War on Religion", imagine that.

Boy, for acting so tough, you guys sure play the victim card as well as any liberal.

 

[woolfe9999]

lol

i can see both sides. but i also think the girl is a whiny wise and beautiful woman.

You say you can see both sides, but describe the plaintiff as "a whiny wise and beautiful woman." If you can see both sides, then her side may be the correct one, right? If the cause is correct, then someone has to be the plaintiff. Why not her? Also, you might consider that adults are probably driving this more than she is.

 

[thraashman]

The problem here is that it should really have never gone up in the first place. But 50 years ago if you were to try to make a school follow the First Amendment and not promote a specific religion, you'd have been labeled a communist and ostracised. Now it's been there 50 years and is part of the school's history, albeit a 1st Amendment violating part.
I think the best way to look at this is to consider it in the aspect of other "historical" things a school might have. Were a school to have a confederate flag hanging for 50 years, most people would completely understand removing it. Some things, historical or not, have no place in a public institution. I can see and understand both sides, but the Constitution is even older than this banner and trumps it.

 

[Patranus]

It was a correct decision. Endorsement of religion is a no-no in a public school.

And how does that "endorse" an religion?

Is it forcing anyone to be a certain religion?
It it punishing anyone for not being a certain religion?

This ruling is beyond ridiculous.

 

[theeedude]

And how does that "endorse" an religion?

Is it forcing anyone to be a certain religion?
It it punishing anyone for not being a certain religion?

This ruling is beyond ridiculous.

Heavenly father is establishment of religion.

 

[Ausm]

It was a correct decision. Endorsement of religion is a no-no in a public school.

Agreed and it makes me do a happy dance.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

My 2 cents, the banner should stay up. Its been there for 50 years, hand made by students of the time. Its part of their history and the heritage of the school.

If slavery were occurring and had occurred for the previous 50 years, would you argue that it should be allowed to continue? What if a subdivision had a covenant saying, "No Jews allowed" and it had been around for 50 years. Would you argue that it should be allowed to continue?

Now, this student, Jessica Ahlquist is an idiot. Here's a little piece of news for you. There's going to be things in life that irritate you, that annoy you, and that boil your blood. Guess what? Tough. You're in high school, not the real world.

I think she's a brave hero. Yes--things will irritate you in the real world--but does that mean that you should remain silent when your government and your tax dollars are the ones doing the irritating in violation of the U.S. Constitution?

If a bunch of religious barbarians tried to establish a government-backed religion, should you remain silent about it?

As we speak, hordes of wacko Christian mystics are trying to impose Christian Sharia law on the United States. We shouldn't be silent about it. I don't want to live in Jesus-a-stan.

 

[IronWing]

Religion is already prohibited from most schools.

No it isn't.