tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post2355087305060835731..comments2024-03-28T13:08:26.494-04:00Comments on Religion & American Law: Anderson v. Chesterfield County School DistrictBrantley Gasawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02894338478934982958noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-79275603293271418972012-02-22T08:41:10.195-05:002012-02-22T08:41:10.195-05:00I agree with Catherine, the way the school is bein...I agree with Catherine, the way the school is being described seems like a private school. Students who do not wish to attend after or before school activities should not be punish with detention. If rallies were taken place after or before school then the students should not have been punished. If the rallies were taken place during school, then there should have been another location for students to go to if they did not want to attend the rallies. It almost seems like forceful conversion. The students who do not wish to participate are punished which forces them to participate next time. The school seems to be hoping that the word of God will eventually make the students come to these events on their own. I agree with the previous post that the ACLU was right to step in.Amisha Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11813170028488176690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-41695691163562591212012-02-21T14:03:47.895-05:002012-02-21T14:03:47.895-05:00Emrah, I think the issue here is that students are...Emrah, I think the issue here is that students are being compelled to attend what are essentially church services while they are at school. Often students will form Christian or other religious groups which are permitted to meet and use school facilities for their activities, but in those cases participation is voluntary and does not infringe on other students' rights. The school's policy of punishing students with detentions for not attending a Christian event is unacceptable and a complete violation of the other students' right to religious freedom.Alexis Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13978964973885405612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-72551034969806812932012-02-19T22:23:56.252-05:002012-02-19T22:23:56.252-05:00This issue is very interesting in terms of the sep...This issue is very interesting in terms of the separation of church and state. However, I am confused on one point that what the main problem is. Is the problem that "the issue is that they (Christians) are practicing in a state-sponsored place" or "all students at New Heights Middle School were compelled to attend and in-school Christian worship rally in which a church minister and a Christian rapper known as “B-SHOC” were to deliver a sermon?" If a school does not compel its students to attend to any religious ceremony or event, does it mean that "the state is establishing a religion?" Do you think both of them are the same?Of course here there is a compulsion but I am asking the question to learn what you are against.Emrah Kayahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14538607556409575281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-46664882271316350722012-02-19T20:25:09.220-05:002012-02-19T20:25:09.220-05:00Thank you for posting this. I find it very unnerv...Thank you for posting this. I find it very unnerving that the children that did not attend some events had to serve detention. So either they go to essentially a church service or they are punished with detention. The way the events are described, one would think that the school was a private school, but it is not. What made the school (or even the school district) think they could get away with this? The ACLU was in every right to file suit because this is directly against the first amendment, as you stated in your post.Catherine Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01776157951977668773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-29555994019460319772012-02-19T19:47:35.695-05:002012-02-19T19:47:35.695-05:00Good post Aanal. I believe the ACLU got this one r...Good post Aanal. I believe the ACLU got this one right. If students are compelled to attend religious events then the school's behavior towards them because of these practices needs to stop occurring. Under certain conditions students and teachers do have rights under the First Amendment to pray at school and participate in certain religious activities, such as the "meet me at the flagpole" events. Being harassed to attend or ostracized for not attending would be fearful for a student. This represents a clear infringement of the law and the student's rights. I see an obvious slam dunk for the ACLU and their client against the Chesterfield County School District.Anne Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13188312209303186069noreply@blogger.com