Spartanburg District 7 Sued Over Religious Education Course
Published: June 18, 2009
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) - A South Carolina school district is being sued for offering academic credit for a religious education course. The Herald-Journal of Spartanburg reported that Spartanburg District 7 was sued Wednesday by two parents and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Robert Moss and Ellen Tillett and the foundation say the course offered to Spartanburg High School students is unconstitutional. The elective course is offered at a church next to the school. The lawsuit doesn’t question the course, but challenges a 2006 South Carolina law that allows academic credit for courses evaluated on secular criteria. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1954 approved allowing students to leave school for religious instruction. District 7 Superintendent Thomas White would not talk about the lawsuit.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
Regarding atkins007’s comment about being forced to one religion… No one is forcing anyone. The release time law allows any religion to hold classes. Spartanburg County Bible Education in School Time is offering a course on the Bible, but other religions are free to apply to offer a course on their religion. Nothing is being force.
This story has me outraged! Evidently, the ones who started this lawsuit don’t understand what ELECTIVE means! FYI…it means that YOUR children don’t have to take it!! It’s is completely unbelieveable to me that these people have nothing more important to do!! Why are you worried about it?? Your child does not have to be exposed to it if you don’t want them to be! It’s ELECTIVE!! Don’t worry about what classes other students are getting credit for, concentrate on your own.
It really surprises me the battles that some parents choose when it comes to their child’s education. Instead of wondering what classes other students are taking just worry about your children and the classes they are taking!!! The battle for appropriate education should not be fought in the court which will take precious dollars away from our children’s education we need to put the money into the hands of our teachers and educators.
I find it amazing that two Wofford Professors are doing this! One who served at a Jewish Religous University in Israel before serving here at Wofford. The other is Methodist! This program is not costing taxpayers anything. There is no requirement for students to attend. Why can’t people leave other people alone!?!
If you want to have religion in your child’s education then put them in a private school. Religion has no business in the public school and should be banned entirely this is a nation of free speech yes, but you cannot force people to one religion, when you do that then you have lost your freedom.
BAN ANY MENTION OF RELIGION, WE NEED TO SPEND OUR TIME/MONEY MAKING SURE GAYZ,LESBIANS,AND THEIR LIBERAL FRIENDS CAN RAM THEIR AGENDAS AND LIFESTYLES DOWN OUR THROATS. TO ALL OF THE ABOVE I SAY SHOVE IT !!
These children should have freedom to choose to take that course if they want too. When we were in elementary school (before all this craziness began) our teachers read the Bible to us and prayed at the beginning of the day…and you know what? Most of us turned out better for having been treated that way. If someone is offeneded by God—that is sad. Our teachers did not push the Bible or religion. This was PUBLIC SCHOOLS not private and religious schools. This nation has made a sad turn from what it use to be founded upon. But let a tragedy occurr——what is the first thing people do? They PRAY to the God that they do not want to be in their public schools and public offices.
Schools are for education, churches are for your religions. if you want to have your child learn religion in that way, home education or private schools are out there. Public education should be just that, teach the real things that one needs in life, if you feel education needs the religious push, private schools abound everywhere.
I noticed how right below this story was the “Gay pride march” story. Apparently religion is off limits in our society, however the gay pride march is on schedule. This world is going down quickly ! It’s sickening.
I just want to say that i think it is utterly ridiculous that we are suing each other for something like this. In a country where free speech is valued why is it that we can’t consider that some children may want to learn about God and his ways. I really think that the christian community must speak up and say that we want to be heard too. God may not be important to the ffr foundation but it is important to me and my family!
Advertisement