N.Y. Teacher Sues District Over Order to Remove Christian Posters

A New York teacher has decided to take on her school district after the superintendent ordered her to remove all religious themed materials from her classroom or face losing her job. Last June Joelle Silver, who teaches in the Cheektowaga, New York Central School District, received a “counseling letter,” signed by the district's superintendent, ordering her to remove all religious items from her classroom, including inspirational posters openly displayed, along with discreet personal sticky notes with Bible quotes and religious messages that she kept on her desk, explained the American Freedom Law Center, which is representing Silver in the suit.

According to the Christian News Network, one of the posters included the Bible verse, “Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. And everything you do must be done in love” (1 Corinthians 6:13-14). Also displayed was a quote from President Ronald Reagan which read, “Without God there is no virtue because there is no prompting of the conscience…. Without God there is a coarsening of the society. Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure…. If ever we forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

The letter from the district advised Silver that if she needs “to occasionally glance at inspirational Bible verses between classes during the course of the day” she should “keep such material in a discreet folder that only [she] will have access to” and only “so long as [she is careful] not to share it or disclose its content to [her] students or their parents or guardians.”

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Bighoss

The teacher is clearly out of bounds on this. She is, in effect, running her own little church right there in the classroom. Her actions clearly constitute an endorsement of one belief system over others. She, as an agent of government, is designing and applying an extracurricular program of religious instruction/indoctrination. This is flagrantly unconstitutional and her lawyer who has described this situation as “one of the most egregious examples of religious hostility I have witnessed in a public school" is either fabulously naive, clueless, or just bluffing, knowing that her case will go down in flames but that his organization will be looked on as a heroic defender of religious freedom for allegedly trying to "uphold the principles that this Christian nation was founded on.".
This teachers actions constitute an "egregious example," all right. They are an egregious example of governmental intrusion into constitutionally-prohibited religious activity in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. This case is cut and dried and the American Freedom Law Center, is on a fool's errand.
Now all you theocrats can reply to this with your standard, amateurish, and ignorant guardhouse lawyer rhetoric and any number of anecdotal quotations from the founding fathers and framers of the Constitution, but you will be dead wrong in defending governmental intrusion into religion as engineered by this apparently sincere but constitutionally-illiterate schoolmarm.
- lightyeare
  
  agreed. and that is why all Christians parents NEED TO REMOVE THEIR KIDS FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL! it is:
  corrupt – the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. public schools could not be further from fearing the LORD
  bankrupt – just how many more programs are they going to cut to balance the budget?
  broken – every time an educational ranking is released the picture gets more and more depressing. you want a good public school education for your child – send them to a public school in asia.
  
  it is not a mission field, it is a God-hating, man exaulting, brain-washing institution. in addition, you are exposing your children to an absolutely corrupt youth sub-culture for 8 hours a day. you think sending them to sunday school and youth group can combat the relentless assualt they receive monday through friday? christians, you want to win public schools back? take your kids out of them for a few generations and raise them in the fear of the LORD. those kids can then transform this country from its culture, to its politics, to its educational system. otherwise, our country is doomed. it might already be too late.
  - Bighoss
    
    My! my! seems you don't have a very high opinion of public schools. But why are you holding back? Why don't you tell us how you really feel?
  - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
    
    The fear of the lord is the beginning of the indoctrination plan that theists have used successfully for centuries.
    - Esther
      
      The fear of retribution by tyrants like yourself you mean.
      - Bighoss
        
        Esther, your taxonomy is in error. I AM a Christian and a conservative one at that; thus I am not "versus" the Christians. I am also a strict constructionist relative to the Constitution, including the First Amendment, which is why I disagree with those theocratically-inclined but misinformed folks who would like to use the engines and agents of government to endorse particular religious beliefs,
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        Esther does not care what the truth is hoss. She merely wants to act like a petulant child, pretending she is offering comments of interest or logic.
      - Esther
        
        Responding in kind to your elaborate nonsensical constructions Bighoss and Dixon, don't make me laugh.
      - Bighoss
        
        Esther, your apparent definition for arguments that you can not adequately address is to characterize them as "elaborate nonsensical constructions." That doesn't cut the mustard, Esther. There is no substance whatsoever to that kind of answer. But when have you bothered with substance anyway?
      - Esther
        
        The altars to Christianity of the teacher in this topic are no more obtrusive on a child's mind then the altar to Barack Hussein Obama in the personal account I have given you three times above of which you have chosen to ignore. Yep, it "cuts the mustard." You are really full of it, Bh.
      - Bighoss
        
        You refer to so-called "altars," but there are NO altarsl in the "personal account" you have given. Just what in thunder are these "altars" that you can't get out of your mind?
      - Esther
        
        I care very much about the truth. What I don't care much for are people who move the goal posts.
      - Esther
        
        Jeff is still upset that I caught him using chemistry to describe evolution.
- Esther
  
  Clearly, we know where you stand. still hiding behind the framers, reprobate.
  - Bighoss
    
    You are couched with the theocrats, Esther–those who would like to co-opt the powers of government to promote their sectarian religious belief systems. Your stance on these matters is an insult to the framers.
    - Esther
      
      Wrong, but you would not understand where I stand your brain is so skewed up.
      - Bighoss
        
        Another transparent evasion by the ever-crawfishing Esther!
      - Esther
        
        Didn't like akdart.com either, eh, BigH@ss? lol.
aceituna

Why is the government 2 faced about this? If the material she quietly displayed was of any other religion rather than Christianity they would not have even paid attention, unless she were teaching their doctrines to the students. She is just telling them who she is. She has as much right to display who she is as the student shows who he is by what he reads, wears, carries etc. She has the right to speak privately about it if asked, but she is not preaching to a captive audience. If we are to be multicultural, why is Christianity not included? Could non Christians be afraid that if others are exposed to Christianity that they might believe? Do they in their deepest conscience fear the power of the Holy Spirit?
- Bighoss
  
  You say this: "She has as much right to display who she is as the student shows who he is by what he reads, wears, carries etc. She has the right to speak privately about it if asked, but she is not preaching to a captive audience."
  
  Wrong, aceituna. When this lady posts written religious materials on the walls or bulletin boards of her classroom, she is using school resources to promote her views to the captive audience in that schoolroom. The other article about this matter, "Teachers get a lesson on liberty", also posted on Zionica, says that she decorated her classroom with quotes from Ronald Reagan and I Corinthians.
  
  Yes, these Biblical quotes can be a "personal expression" but she is not keeping this personal when she posts it in a public school classroom. She is selectively endorsing her chosen religious points of view and THAT is unconstitutional!
  And insofar as your assertion that someone of some other religion than Christianity could have carte blanche to display their goods as she has hers, that is no more than your assertion and I contend that it is just not so. There have been some cases, widely reported and criticized, of public school classroom exercises that have focused on Islam, and that is probably your frame of reference, but I don't think you can find any instance in which that kind of endorsement has been allowed to persist. There will always be some few public school teachers who don't show the kind of prudence they should in dealing with religion and those who care about the Constitution need to be vigilant about such matters and demand that they cease and desist.
  - terrie
    
    Wisdom has many voices and many are the christian notes of these. What if they build up and help children to think showing them an enlightened path? There is so much darkness in our schools and they are afraid of the light of truth and reason under God's tutelage and wisdom. If a country persists to shut God out of our educating our children we will continue to have our children grow up and act out in godless thought and action. Fear and respect of God IS the beginning of wisdom.
    - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
      
      The USA has avoided much of the religious bloodshed that has plagued other countries for centuries. The Founders exhibited much wisdom in establishing the concept of separation of church and state. Theists demonstrate their folly when they try to ignore that wisdom.
      
      "The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries."
      
      -James Madison
      4th U.S. President
      - terrie
        
        I agree with you about papal abuse and authority and the unholy alliances with those in authority that caused so much of the blood shed. But children should be able to have access to christian writings as so many of these are the basis for civility, good government and common sense. The bible used to be a textbook source for many years. It doesn't seem to me it hurt any one. We treat religious thought and writings as a curse instead of blessing. There are a lot of people who just don't want to hear it. or be reminded what our Creator has to say and their accountability to Him.
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        Children have access to Christian writings. The bible is available online and is in the majority of homes in the US.
        It is not just papal abuse and authority. The Protestants have much bloodshed on their hands as well.
        
        However, I am puzzled why you say you do not think it has hurt anyone to use the bible in school.
        
        First off, which bible? There are different versions. The Catholics have a different one than the Protestants. Even among Protestants, there is disagreement on what some of the verses mean or whether they should be included in the bible in the first place. And it is these disagreements which leads to the "ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries.".
        Second, while the majority of the citizens are Christians, not all are. why should a non-Christian child have to deal with bible passages being thrown in their face? The idea of keeping the church out of school is to make it a safe haven for children of all religious or non-religious beliefs.
      - terrie
        
        I would say "The problems we face in America are moral
        problems, which cannot be solved legislatively or judicially. We need a moral
        code to address them. There is no better educational and moral code than the Ten
        Commandments." Robert Scheneck. I would start there and dare to say they should be posted in EVERY classroom. I know that will rub your sensibilities wrong but so be it.
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        It does not rub my sensibilities wrong. It is just wrong. The bible is a not a moral code of conduct. The Ten Commandments offer three good ideas. Do not lie, steal or murder. Good ideals that are part of every society and have been part of our history long before the Ten Commandments were written. Honoring ones parents might make sense if the parents deserve to be honored. But if the parents are good people, it most likely their kids will respect them anyway. It does not take a commandment to make kids like their parents. The rest is just nonsense.
        
        But that does not address what I asked you. Which bible, and additionally, who decides which bible? If it a Protestant bible, expect the Catholics to complain. And the Protestants will complain if it is a Catholic bible. Also, when the parents of the Hindu's or the Muslims complain, which they will, just remember you are the one who wanted to cram the bible down other peoples throat.
        
        So, while you agree we should avoid the bloodshed of Europe, you want to do all the same things that they do which will cause the same bloodshed here. Great plan.
      - Esther
        
        Your atheism is doing/will do exactly that which you preach against, Pastor Dixon.
      - terrie
        
        And I will end my commenting in this vein with the 'nonsense' from the fools house. Your lack of acknowledging God as supreme and your responsibility to Him, is all nonsense.
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        In other words, since you cannot present any type of actual argument, you run away. Typical.
      - Esther
        
        I would add the immorality of cheating to maintain status for upward mobility is number one.
      - Esther
        
        There are disagreements about everything academic. And much of it is more incindiary then evolution or creationism. A lot of it has to do parents support of the student's plain unwilliness to learn the basics expecting high passsing grades for their medical career dreams.
      - Esther
        
        Keep the faith!/ This NY woman teacher's activities and postings are mild compared to the tripe that is seen in the halls of public academe in support, for example, of Barack Hussein Obama against Bush, McCain, Palin, Ryan and Romney, respectively, during those presidential campaigns. What a joke is the pompous stuff displayed here on this page in defense of the separation of church and state, in opposition to "Christianity," etc, to show cause why that woman should remove her paraphernalia. Hypocrites, all, are these people who have little perspective of just what is going on in schools, while they wave their Obama flags. Obama has the Turks in charge as John Adams was threatened would happen by the very same culture of anti-semitic Turks early on in our Republic… at Tripoli. We now kowtow to them. http://zionica.com/2013/01/18/obamas-religious-freedom-proclamation/ and http://zionica.com/2013/01/18/hungarys-revival-of-the-the-cult-of-anti-semitism/ 011813
      - SonnyMagoo
        
        Totally out of context. The Madison Quote. Your thought compared to his is totally misguided. This Godly man was…I'm not going to evev waist my time..
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        What is out of context? He is referring to the separation of church and state and how it will help keep the USA from having the same ceaseless strive that Europe has endured.
      - Esther
        
        Many of our parents' generation have perished during protection of the "ceaseless strife" of Europe that brought an end to atheist Hitler. That does not mean we should run headlong for more of Jeff Dixon's "reason" and atheism.
      - Bighoss
        
        Maybe you could elbow or knee your time if you don't wish to "waist" it.
      - Esther
        
        So now we are making up for all the peace we have had on these shores, with your help we can be more like Turkey, Greece, Saudi Arabia, etc.
    - Bighoss
      
      For the umpteenth time, nobody is "shut[ting]God out of our educating our children." What IS prohibited is the endorsement of a particular religious viewpoint by agents of government, and that is just what this pseudo-martyr schoolteacher was doing.
      
      You and the others who lament a perceived kicking of God out of public schools need to do some real research on this issue and get yourselves properly educated. The ACLU and numerous religous groups have jointly issued very useful guidance on this subject at
      http://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/joint-statement-current-law-religion-public-schools
      
      "The Constitution permits much private religious activity in and about the public schools. Unfortunately, this aspect of constitutional law is not as well known as it should be. Some say that the Supreme Court has declared the public schools "religion-free zones" or that the law is so murky that school officials cannot know what is legally permissible. The former claim is simply wrong. And as to the latter, while there are some difficult issues, much has been settled. It is also unfortunately true that public school officials, due to their busy schedules, may not be as fully aware of this body of law as they could be. As a result, in some school districts some of these rights are not being observed."
      That is just the introduction; there is much more and it tells a very different story than the ignorant version so prevalent in posts from the extremist right wing theocrats who contaminate discussions of this issue with screamingly false claims.
      It is ironic that while so many uninformed conservatives devote their time to hand-wringing about "kicking God out of the schools," that bad ole liberal ACLU is publicizing opportunities for religious activity in those same public schools!
  - Esther
    
    LOL
    - Bighoss
      
      "LOL" does not provide any kind of rebuttal. I suspect that in your case, it is a strong indicator that you have nothing of any significance to offer in reply, consistent with the general level of your participation in these discussions.
      - Esther
        
        You are an idiot and your fake statements don't deserve my time. .
  - Esther
    
    ..This NY woman teacher's activities and postings are mild compared to the tripe that is seen in the halls of public academe in support, for example, of Barack Hussein Obama against Bush, McCain, Palin, Ryan and Romney, respectively, during those presidential campaigns. What a joke is the pompous stuff displayed here on this page in defense of the separation of church and state, in opposition to "Christianity," etc, to show cause why that woman should remove her paraphernalia. Hypocrites, all, are these people who have little perspective of just what is going on in schools, while they wave their Obama flags. Obama has the Turks in charge as John Adams was threatened would happen by the very same culture of anti-semitic Turks early on in our Republic… at Tripoli. We now kowtow to them. http://zionica.com/2013/01/18/obamas-religious-freedom-proclamation/ and http://zionica.com/2013/01/18/hungarys-revival-of-the-the-cult-of-anti-semitism/ 011813
Esther

This NY woman teacher's activities and postings are mild compared to the tripe that is seen in the halls of public academe in support, for example, of Barack Hussein Obama against Bush, McCain, Palin, Ryan and Romney, respectively, during those presidential campaigns. What a joke is the pompous stuff displayed here on this page in defense of the separation of church and state, in opposition to "Christianity," etc, to show cause why that woman should remove her paraphernalia. Hypocrites, all, are these people who have little perspective of just what is going on in schools. Obama has the Turks in charge as John Adams was threatened would happen by the very same culture of anti-semitic Turks early on in our Republic… at Tripoli. We now kowtow to them. http://zionica.com/2013/01/18/obamas-religious-freedom-proclamation/ and http://zionica.com/2013/01/18/hungarys-revival-of-the-the-cult-of-anti-semitism/ 011813