tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post5141184879484722815..comments2024-03-28T00:46:19.476-04:00Comments on Religion & American Law: Taking Jesus Out of a Public School, LiterallyBrantley Gasawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02894338478934982958noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-33492182901279552212013-10-16T14:39:09.782-04:002013-10-16T14:39:09.782-04:00I agree with both Nicole and the court’s decision ...I agree with both Nicole and the court’s decision on this case. First off, it fails all three requirements of the lemon test (which I am becoming quite fond of). There is no secular purpose, it advances Christianity, and creates excessive entanglement due to the fact that it is a public school. In addition, the fact that majority of the school is Christian is irrelevant, as it is a public institution and needs to remain religiously neutral as per the establishment clause, regardless of what faith the members of the school are.SChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14016723584670728029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-61203315243428116822013-10-15T20:47:51.397-04:002013-10-15T20:47:51.397-04:00I think the district court made the right decision...I think the district court made the right decision in this case. Having the poster hanging in the school is a clear violation of the Establishment Clause, especially considering the magnitude of the poster and the clear reference to one religion.<br /><br />I think there are other ways to honor a group of students from the past that do not make current students uncomfortable every day at their public school. I am not persuaded by the historical argument in this case.Jennie M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13806138538524287490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-45154305017902257622013-10-15T20:37:37.565-04:002013-10-15T20:37:37.565-04:00I agree with Nicole that the court made the correc...I agree with Nicole that the court made the correct decision. I liked the comparison to the Stone v. Graham case because even in that case where there was an argument for a secular purpose for the display of the Ten Commandments, it was still considered unconstitutional with respect to the Establishment Clause. In this case, there is no argument for a secular purpose, but just that it has been there for 65 years. The picture is clearly religious and promotes the Christian religion over other religions and non-religion. Therefore, it is not neutral and unconstitutional for the public school to have it displayed.Maddie C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/18049241668905770415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-55382445394128431682013-10-14T16:07:33.131-04:002013-10-14T16:07:33.131-04:00While I agree that the portrait should not be hung...While I agree that the portrait should not be hung up in a public middle school (for many of the reasons Nicole cited), especially in the entryway, I do not understand how the storage of the portrait in the building establishes religion. The only people who will really know that the poster is there are the administration. If the school ended up putting the portrait in storage, then why is there further need for legal action?Cori Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016173590431873336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-91278079501061742202013-10-13T09:39:01.502-04:002013-10-13T09:39:01.502-04:00I completely agree with Nicole on this issue. I pa...I completely agree with Nicole on this issue. I particularly like the part where she stated that "the purpose of the Establishment Clause is to prevent the state from imposing the majority religion on those minority citizens." This is an important idea because I feel that a lot of times the court sides with Christian religion/tradition just because the majority of the public identifies with those beliefs. Nicole's case here is comparable to Lynch v. Donnelly, where the opposite ruling was decided by the Court on the basis of history and tradition.<br /><br />The most compelling argument supporting this court's decision would be that there is really no secular purpose. I don't even know how to craft in argument in saying that a large picture of Jesus posted in a public school is somehow serving a secular purpose. If I saw this portrait hanging in my school I would be highly confused and definitely offended. Gabby (东碧柔)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01208742107973775296noreply@blogger.com