RSS | 
Twitter
| 
Be a fan!
Judges: No Bible at kindergarten show and tell
PHILADELPHIA - A kindergartner's mother cannot read Scripture during show and tell, even if the Bible is the boy's favorite book, a U.S. appeals court said Monday in the latest challenge over religion in public schools.
Marple Newtown School District in suburban Philadelphia told plaintiff Donna Kay Busch in October 2004 that she could not read the Bible passages during her son's "All About Me" program. The school did permit the boy to discuss a poster that included references to his church as well as his family, pet and best friend.
"Parents of public school kindergarten students may reasonably expect their children will not become captive audiences to an adult's reading of religious texts," Chief Judge Anthony J. Scirica of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in the split 2-1 opinion, which upheld a lower court decision.
Rate This Story:
1 the lowest - 5 the highest
Current rating:
Busch argued that the class heard stories related to Passover, Christmas and other religious holidays, but the court concluded there was a "significant difference" between identifying such holidays and reading from Scripture.
Principal Thomas Cook of Culbertson Elementary School believed such a reading would "proselytize ... a specific religious point of view," the opinion stated.
Busch, who describes herself as an evangelical Christian, is contemplating an appeal, according to lawyer Jason Gosselin. He said he took the case pro bono after a request from The Rutherford Institute, which focuses on First Amendment and religious freedom issues. Busch had contacted the group.
Gosselin argued that the school districts can restrict content but must remain "viewpoint neutral" once they invite parents in to celebrate their child.
"What Donna Busch wanted to do was well within that restriction. She wanted to come in and share something that was special to her son, something that they did every day," Gosselin said.
A lawyer for the school district, Mark A. Sereni, declined immediate comment. But in its brief, the district said the case was more about the mother's interests and motives than her son's. A family baby sitter described the boy's favorite book that year as the children's book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear," the district said.
"This case is not at all about Wesley - it is all about Busch (and) Busch's (religious) mission," the brief said.
School officials have to make similar decisions nearly every day in public schools across Pennsylvania and the U.S., according to a lawyer for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, which filed an amicus brief in the case.
"This particular situation may not come up every day, but some version of it comes up often," said Emily J. Leader, the association's deputy chief counsel.
She believes the ruling strikes a balance between a student's right to express religious beliefs, the need to maintain a church-state separation and the need for schools to control curriculum.
"It's probably not inherently harmful for children to hear a passage from the Bible, but it is going to be inherently harmful for kids to hear other things, something violent perhaps, that would be extremely disturbing to a 5-year-old," she said.
Queerdom : 6/3/2009
Kids can be taught about the "virtues" of homosexuality, but not the Bible? What's wrong with that picture?
Apples and Oranges : 6/3/2009
Oh, please, they are not teaching homosexuality in kindergarten!
Bias : 6/3/2009
I am horrified by the obvious bias that the school teaches: it is okay to be homosexual, it is wrong to tell on your friends when they are breaking the laws or rules, it is okay to tell all about your home life. Morals and ethics out the windows, folks! Just so long as we all "feel good"??? The Powers That Be help us all!!!
Apples and Oranges : 6/3/2009
How about this, dreamer.....liberals are sick people......Educators have been waging a covert war on parents -- who are starting to fight back.
Schools : 6/3/2009
Why don't these people just home-school their kids? Then they can fill their heads with whatever they please.
Schools : 6/3/2009
That's exactly what is occurring....more and more intelligent parents are home-schooling their kids..getting them away from indoctrination by government schools.
legal but separate? : 6/3/2009
I can understand the ruling from the "legal" standpoint.....separation of church and state, etc. But I continually wonder how we can have separation of church and state when schools, govt.offices, etc. close for Holidays (Holy days)?
Schools : 6/3/2009
What business does any religious group think it has in using public schools to proselytize? Christians have no special rights in our country. If Bible reading were to be permitting, would you also support equal time for atheists, Hindus and Muslims? Just wondering.
Just have to say... : 6/3/2009
osamaobama, you're an idiot.
Schools: : 6/3/2009
Yes, Brant, when I attended school, we had all WASP teachers. We said the Pledge of Allegiance, Lord's Prayer, and a Bible verse was said over the intercom. Wow, imagine that.
Schools : 6/3/2009
Censoring again Brant???
Just have to say... : 6/4/2009
No, you are the idiot. Keep following that TROJAN HORSE PRESIDENT, and you'll be a greater "IDIOT".
