ACLU picks on school district, eventually loses

Some good news... 

Pete Chagnon - OneNewsNow - 6/4/2009 5:20:00 AM

A Florida school district has reversed two decisions concerning a Christian club and private baccalaureate services.

Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the Santa Rosa County School District for allowing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to meet on campus and for allowing teachers to attend private baccalaureate services. David Cortman, senior legal counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), explains that the school initially capitulated to the ACLU's demands.

"We've all heard of those [situations], now that it's graduation time, where private organizations -- [in this case a local] ministerial association -- rents out school facilities to hold a private religious graduation service," says Cortman. "But because of the ACLU's lawsuit, the school prohibited teachers from participating at all."

The school also prohibited the Fellowship of Christian Athletes from meeting on campus, but the ADF sent letters to the school district outlining its rights concerning both situations. According to Cortman, the district has since done the "right thing" by standing up to the ACLU's threats and reversing its decision on both issues.

"[The] ACLU tends to pick on smaller communities throughout the country and basically looks to completely eradicate any mention of religion at all in the public square," the attorney explains.

"And so we sent these letters to give some push-back to the ACLU to basically tell the school regardless of what they want you to do in their zeal to eliminate all mention of religion, what the law actually requires is that you allow the Christian clubs to meet on the same terms as other clubs."

Cortman says the ADF also argued that allowing teachers to participate in the private graduation services is no different than a teacher going to church on the weekend.