School Apologizes

[Dale Smith]

Just thought I'd post this to see how y'all feel about this -


School Apologizes to Muslim Student Over Graduation Held in Church
By Angela DelliSanti, Associated Press
CNSNews.com
June 10, 2008

Trenton, N.J. (AP) - A Muslim student who sued because his public high school graduation ceremony was held in a Baptist church has received an apology from Newark's school district and assurances that it will not hold future events in houses of worship.

Bilal Shareef said he had to skip his 2006 graduation from West Side High School because his religious beliefs prohibit him from entering buildings containing icons of God.

The lawsuit was filed on his behalf by the American Civil Liberties Union. Newark public schools apologized to Shareef and his father and agreed to change its policies under terms of the settlement announced Monday.

Schools Superintendent Dr. Marion Bolden said in a statement that the location of prior ceremonies was "not in any way intended" to make students or parents uncomfortable.

"We're very pleased," said Ed Barocas, the ACLU lawyer who represented Shareef. "These are important policy changes to ensure that no student is made to feel like an outsider as Bilal was."

Barocas said the ACLU wrote a letter to the district in 2005, demanding the church-graduation practice cease after the parent of another student complained. The Shareefs complained after graduation was again held at the church the following year, and the ACLU filed suit on their behalf.

"I was forced to choose between honoring my education and my faith, and no one should be put in that position," Shareef, now a college student, said in a statement. "I'm proud I stood up for my beliefs and I'm proud that my experience will keep other students from having to face the choices I did."

School officials defended their decision to schedule graduation at New Hope Baptist Church, saying it was based on the need to accommodate 250 graduating seniors.

Barocas said an ACLU volunteer found otherwise.

"We had a volunteer call various locations around Newark, and within a day we found four or five places that are able to house the number of people they wished to house and that are not cost prohibitive," he said.

With about 43,000 students, the Newark district is the state's largest.

[pam]

geez

[sixdogsmom]

What if they had held the ceremony at the local mosque? Or the local Buddhist temple? Or the local Jewish temple? I'll bet there would have been such an uproar.

[Dale Smith]

Can I respond to my own post?  Guess I will.... I'm sure this guy is more than willing to accept our cash though.  Even though it DOES have "In God We Trust" printed on it.   I wonder how long the majority is going to allow the minority to dictate to us how things are going to be.  I, for one, am getting quite tired of people being offended by the America, God, the Flag, etc.  We have tried so hard not to offend people, that as a Christian, I am now quite offended.

[flo]

there used to be a saying "when in Rome, do as the Roman's do" - I say do as the "AMERICANS" do or get out. PERIOD, NO DISCUSSIONS, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS AND AS IT SHOULD BE.  I fully agree, how much longer must we apologize and sidestep to be sure we accomadate everyone who comes to this country, or decides to change their religious beliefs to those of some foreign country? WE ARE WHAT WE ARE, LIKE IT OR LEAVE IT.

[flo]

As Dale has, I will add this bit of P.S. to my post .  True story - I have a cousin who was Supt. of Schools, won't mention which district, but was in Western Kansas.  He was also lay minister and church elder.  The senior class one year wanted to have a Baccalaurate (sp) service and asked permission.  Larry told them that they could not because of laws prohibiting it.  He then added that when he was in high school they done lots of things that they knew they shouldn't, but done them anyway.  Long story short - the seniors had their service, in Larry's church no less. 

[sixdogsmom]

According to the constitution, Americans have seperation of church and state. So if we do as the Americans do, we do not have a civil ceremony in a church; period. The ACLU has filed many frivolous suits IMO, however I must side with them on this one. This was a public high school, and clearly should have had the ceremony in a non- secular environment. Just as I would not want my student be required to graduate out of a mosque, I would not expect a non christian student to be required to graduate out of a christian church.

[pam]

I'm gonna duck when I say this......a building is a building. EVERYBODYs God or Goddess or lack thereof was there with the individual person, and would of been whether they were in a church,synagogue,buddhist temple or a tent in the middle of a field. The Aclu saw an opportunity and took it. It is rEEEdiculus.

[sixdogsmom]

We will talk again when you are required to attend a particular church for your own good! By law of course, because of the demise of the ACLU. In theory without watchdogs, a majority could become in power and require such things. And Pam you surely do need to 'quack' when you duck!

[pam]

Lol, I'm just sendin blessings and light to this subject and the people discussing it. I follow my own path.