2 Florida teachers could get jail time for praying at school

Thanks to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) we are treading a path to Godless-ness in the U.S.A. When someone faces a fine and jail time for praying, we are in deep trouble. This is exactly what could happen, on September 21, to 2 northern Florida educators who face a fine of up to $5,000.00 and 6 months in jail for praying before a meal at Pace High School. The lawsuit was initiated after Frank Lay (Pace Principal and deacon at a Baptist Church) asked Robert Freeman (athletic director) on January 28

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to offer mealtime prayers at a lunch for school employees and booster-club members who had helped with a school field-house project.

The troubles pre-date this particular incident, and are a direct result of an ACLU lawsuit that was settled out of court in January 2009. Apparently, 2 students at Pace took offense to prayers being offered at graduations etc., and claimed that certain administrators and faculty members were proselytizing on campus; so they contacted the ACLU, in August 2008, to complain. Part of the settlement agreement against the Santa Rosa School district and Pace High School included:

a provision to bar all school employees from promoting or sponsoring prayers during school-sponsored events; holding school events at church venues when a secular alternative was available; or promoting their religious beliefs or attempting to convert students in class or during school-sponsored events.

The current lawsuit claims the teachers were in violation of the conditions of that settlement by praying in front of students, although there are discrepancies as to whether students were actually present or not, and whether it occurred during school or after hours.

Lay and Freeman are being represented by Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel who commented

“It is a sad day in America when school officials are criminally prosecuted for a prayer over a meal. [snip] It is outrageous and an offense to the First Amendment to punish a school official for a simple

prayer.”

And he's right, aren't people who choose to pray having their civil liberties and their first amendment rights violated?

The First Amendment states:

'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or

prohibiting the free exercise thereof'

And yet there have been similar frivolous lawsuits nationwide. Then there's the case of 2 students who were expelled for praying for a teacher at Alameda College, in California in 2007. There's always one or two rotten apples who take offense to everything and attempt to ruin it for the majority. It's very simple, if you don't want to pray, don't pray, but don't make others suffer because you choose not to. I do have problems with the issue of proselytizing, in any religion, but praying? Give me a break!