Friday, May 22, 2015

Nevada Teacher Bans Student's Christianity: Lawyer

Representing parents Tim and Kate Frasier, Liberty Institute has given Academica Nevada, manager of the Somerset Academy charter school in North Las Vegas, ten days to apologize for the unconstitutional actions of Miss Jardine, a teacher at Somerset's Losee campus, barring their sixth-grade daughter from quoting a Bible verse in an assignment.

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

California School Bans Books by Christian Authors

'God Bless America' Banned from Florida School

Texas Teacher Confiscates Bible from Second-grader

Student Suspended for Jesus Talk Sues Washington School

Colorado School Bans Jesus Talk During Free Time

Teacher Bans Free Time Bible Reading in Missouri

Florida Teacher Bans Bible in Free Time, Parents Sue

Florida Kindergartner Forbidden to Bow Head Over Lunch

Satanic Book Distribution in Florida Schools

ACLU Demands Bibles Off Kentucky School Grounds

Atheists: Ban Christians from Schools in Michigan, West Virginia, Oklahoma, California, Florida, Ohio, etc.

Also read myriad examples of public schools discriminating against pro-life Christian students.

In contrast, read myriad examples of public schools celebrating Islam.

-- From "Parents say teacher barred Bible verse use in homework" by Kimberly Pierceall, Associated Press 5/20/15

The Fraisers said their daughter Mackenzie was told she couldn't use the Bible verse John 3:16 for a technology class assignment called "All About Me" that involved creating a PowerPoint presentation and including an inspirational saying on a slide.

[Assistant Principal Jenyan] Martinez said based on [U.S. Department of Education] directives, a student's right to free religious expression didn't include "the right to have a captive audience listen or compel other students to participate."

Jeremy Dys, senior counsel with the Liberty Institute, disagreed, citing the federal agency's guidelines on religious expression in class assignments that say students are free to express their beliefs "in homework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free from discrimination."

A statement sent by the [school's] legal manager Colin Bringhurst said Somerset Academy would investigate the circumstances of the complaint and respond to Liberty Institute's letter once the investigation was complete. The letter demands an apology within 10 days.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Teacher bans Bible verse from sixth grader's school assignment" by Kathy Damrill, Assistant News Director, KOKH-TV25 (Oklahoma City, OK) 5/22/15

The little girl is proud of her Christian faith and her father, Tim Frasier, is a pastor at Grace Point Church, a nondenominational Christian Church.  She says it made sense to her to include a quote about God's love for the world in a presentation about herself.

Fraiser said he was shocked when his daughter told him she shouldn't because she's not allowed to talk about God at school. He emailed the school to find out why his daughter was instructed she wasn't allowed to use “Biblical sayings” in assignments.

“Can you please explain if this is true? Perhaps, she misunderstood you? Since I am certain you understand that this clearly infringes on my daughters/your students right to freedom of speech, I want to make sure we understand your instructions,” he wrote on April 29.

Two days later he received a response from Assistant Principal Jenyan Martinez.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Bible verse in charter school sixth-grader’s assignment stirs controversy" by Wesley Juhl, Las Vegas Review-Journal 5/21/15

The North Las Vegas family is demanding an apology from the school and said they will seek legal relief if they don’t get it.

Dys said the U.S. Department of Education and the Supreme Court have both been clear about the law, and Somerset’s administration got it wrong.

Federal education guidelines say students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork and other written and oral assignments free from discrimination.

What Somerset did violated Mackenzie’s constitutional rights, the lawyer alleged.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Gay Teachers Indoctrinate 8-year-olds in North Carolina

Abstinence Education Illegal in California, Judge Rules

Public Boarding Schools Proposed by Obama Administration