JESUS IN THE CLASSROOM

A lawsuit has been filled by the ACLU on behalf of the Scott Lane and Sharon Lane and their three children. C.C., one of their children is a Buddhist of Thai descent and has been repeatedly harassed and taunted because of his beliefs. C.C. attended school at Negreet High, a public school, starting in sixth grade and faced discrimination from his teacher and the students at the school. In one instance the teacher included the fill in the blank question, “ISN’T IT AMAZING WHAT THE _________ HAS MADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” on a science test. When C.C. didn’t know the answer he was made of by his teacher in front of the class and on the next exam when he answered that same question with “Lord Buddha”, she marked it wrong.  Even when another student spoke up and said that “People are stupid if they think God is not real”, the teacher still continued to harass C.C. and called him out for missing the question previously listed, causing the entire class to laugh at him. This same teacher continued to proclaim her faith by saying that “the Bible is ‘100 percent true’” and “that the Earth was created by God 6,000 years ago, and that evolution is ‘impossible’ and a ‘stupid theory made up by stupid people who don’t want to believe in God.’” At another time this same teacher told her class that Buddhism was stupid.

Unfortunately, this kind of behavior was not just limited to this teacher, but extended to multiple school officials who were also imposing their religious beliefs on students. In the high school, there was a picture of Jesus over the main entrance to the school, bible verses displayed on the electronic marquee and many other religious symbols are displayed throughout the school. As well as these physical things, the other students said that it was not uncommon for there to be mandated prayer included in activities like assemblies and sporting events. The school even required attendance at an event called “See you at the Pole”, which is designed to be a voluntary event that occurs all over the nation at a set time and date for the students to be able to worship together. Negreet High didn’t stop at this; some school officials were even handing out copies of religious literature to students. One book was from the “Truth For Youth” program which contained the entire New Testament and it denounced evolution and talked about the issues with birth control, alcohol, pornography, homosexuality, and things of that nature.

 Scott and Sharon Lane contacted the superintendent of this school district assuming that she was unaware of the actions of teachers and officials in Negreet High. The superintendent was aware and she did not care about the unlawful activities going on at this school. She said that because she was not offended by a person having a statue of Buddha at the place where she gets her nails done, a private business, that Mr. and Mrs. Lane should not be upset about the proselytizing at Negreet High, a public school. The superintendent even as far as to suggest that C.C. change his faith so that he might fit in better. The next day Negreet High received a letter from the superintendent praising the teachers and officials for keeping religious values in the school system. The Lanes moved their son to another school district in hopes that he would not face religious persecution at this school but was faced with teachers who still regularly promote their faith.

This blatant promotion of a certain faith instead of one in a public state school is in direct violation of this students right to and from religion. C.C. was not allowed to openly practice his faith without the constant ridicule and harassment from not only his classmates but also his teachers. This is in direct violation of his right to freely exercise his religion and is bad enough on his own but for there to be virtually an established religion in the schools makes the situation even worse. While a school system might allow students to express their religion and for students to hold events like See You at the Pole, I don’t see how a school system can allow the educators and officials to hold mandatory religious events and have official prayers. It is one thing for a student to behave in this manner but when a teacher becomes an extension of the state and acts this way, they are violating the anti-establishment clause.  I believe that the Lanes and their son will win this case and will hopefully get the religious freedom given to them by the Constitution. 

https://www.aclu.org/blog/religious-liberty/if-you-want-fit-public-school-just-become-christian