Ruling bans singing 'Lord's Prayer' at graduation

DesMoines Register ^ | 05/11/2002 | KEN FUSON

[CFW]

The Woodbine Community High School choir will not be allowed to sing "The Lord's Prayer" at the school's graduation ceremony this month, a federal judge ruled Friday, declaring that "this is not a situation where the majority may rule."

U.S. District Judge Charles Wolle said the song cannot be rehearsed nor performed as long as sophomores Donovan and Ruby Skarin, 14-year-old twins who are choir members, remain in the western Iowa school. The students testified that they are offended by having to perform a religious song.

[sirchtruth]

Ignor this anti-freespeeches order and sing the song anyways. The fight has to start sometime.

What are they going to do, Kill the Choir?

[RightOnline]

It's interesting...........I had just written a lengthy reply to another FReeper on another thread regarding exactly this type of anti-Christian attack.

The judge is a drooling idiot. Any moron could see the solution here. "Don't want to sing the song? Get out of the freakin' choir. Don't want to sing R&B? Don't join an R&B band, then. Sit in the audience and don't sing. Case closed. Next............."

The idiocy that attempts to pass for "law" or even "reasonableness" in this country just floors me.

I'll bet the parents are as proud as punch. "I'm just so proud of you girls!! You sure showed these Iowan Bible thumpers what's what, by golly!!! Now.........off to the mall with you........and no, those skirts aren't too short at all...................."

[DB]

The first amendment does not protect one from being "offended". If that were the standard there would be no speech at all.

Singing in the choir is not a school or government requirement. It is a purely voluntary activity. If you don't want to do what the majority of the voluntary group wants to do, you don't get some special veto power over everyone else because you're offended. You can either go along with the group or not participate. At a minimum you could choose not to participate in those songs you found offensive. But no, this person has to override everyone else no matter what.

If the activity were a required activity by the government run school then they would have some argument. In this case they have none.

These are evil selfish self-centered people.

If I were in the choir group I would consider protesting the decision by not sing at all. Just call it quits until these people are gone. Then the jerk doesn't get her way either and she can decide if it was worth it.

But hey, that's just me...

[Buggman]

I remember another case like this a couple of years ago. The parents and students stood and recited the Lord's Prayer in the middle of the ceremony anyway. I pray that the same happens here.

Yours in Truth,

[DB]

I would have everyone that wants to sing the Lord's Prayer drop out of the school choir leaving only those that are "offended" still in the school choir (maybe two left). If there aren't enough left to form a "school" choir, well too freaking bad. It was by your own choice that killed it.

Then gather all those that dropped out of the school choir off school property and practice anything they want. Then the official school choir can perform as they please at this event (which is unlikely because there aren't enough people) and the other kids can do their thing without interference from these few kids at the same event.

[jimtorr]

. . . Our Constitution prohibits state-compelled religious conformance," Wolle wrote.

Oh, really? Isn't state-compelled religious conformance exactly what Judge Wolle has ordered?

[alnick]

Goof grief. Has this judge ever considered the idea of having the twins not participate in the song? Duh.

[rovenstinez]

Maybe they could sing instead, GIVE ME YOUR POOR YOUR TIRED, YOUR HUDDLED MASSES YEARNING TO BE BE FREE, SEND THEM, I LIFT MY LIGHT....(so much for the Statute of Liberty and illegals)! I remember in my glee club of 7th grade singing stuff that probably was offensive to 2-3 of he choir members.

[AppyPappy]

Atheist goose-steppers march again.

[Cvengr]

Well, I'm offended by the judge's decision on freedom of religion.

Accordingly, remaining consistent with his ruling, he mustn't judge on religious issues as long as Cvengr might read them or at least his decisions aren't to be afforded any legal foundation or authority.

[Dante3]

I bet the Judge has a whole lot of skeletons in his closet.

[2sheep]

>Singing "The Lord's Prayer" has been a tradition at Woodbine graduations, and the school board voted to have the song performed at the May 18 ceremony.

May 18 = Shavout = Pentecost.  18 is also the biblical number for Judgment.  See Rev. 18.

Last year the U.S. Supreme Court Refused to Hear Ten Commandments Case on Shavout = Pentecost.

This year another Judge Refuses to allow the Hearing of the "Lord's prayer."  America cannot have too many "last straws" left.

Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.

[GRRRRR]

Woodbine Community: www.woodbine.k12.ia.us

Woodbine High School

501 Wearel

Woodbine, IA 51579

712-647-2227

A Severe Freeping is in order....Remind them about all the TAX money they get and spend that has "IN GOD WE TRUST" printed on it...

GRRRRRRRollin'

[yawningotter]

If a high school senior went to the aclu and said that he was being denied his constitutional free speech and free exercise of religion rights by not being allowed to pray at graduation, would they take the case? Would it make a difference if the prayer was offered to Jehovah, or to Allah or Zoroaster or Gaia? Have some fun with this one, y'all

[GRRRRR]

Woodbine Superintendent Terry Hazard declined to comment.

th@woodbine.k12.ia.us

Send Mr. Hazard a comment AND here is the email for the Vocal Teacher, Mrs. Mary Joe Schmitz mjs@woodbine.k12.ia.us

GRRRollin'

[tutstar]

I hope they sing it anyway. These kids who are against it need to learn that there is no guarantee that they will never be offended in life. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[SouthernFreebird]

Our school went thru the same....one 'witchs' wants overrode the whole schools and our spineless principle would'nt let our chorus sing a christian song. Our children, on their own went ahead and sang it

....boy were her parents mad :) started a big shouting match....when they left they were greeted by cars playing gospel music wide open.The police were called to run people off.
After a couple weeks of witches all over the Country blasting our children for "attacking the poor helpless girl" she went away ........decided to homeschool the next year, yay.

I hope they sing The Lords Prayer.....I just don't understand why the girls won't just sit out a song they find offensive, rather than demand the whole choir bend to their desires...

[TomB]

Christine Skarin described her family as "very gratified" by the ruling, and she hopes Woodbine residents will abide by the decision.

Any bets on how long it is until the parents are suing the school because the kids are now outcasts?

"Gee, we can't understand why everybody hates our kids all of the sudden."

[2sheep]

"Ah consensus … the process of abandoning all beliefs, principles, values and policies in search of something in which no one believes, but to which no one objects; the process of avoiding the very issues that have to be solved, merely because you cannot get agreement on the way ahead.  What great cause would have been fought and won under the banner 'I stand for consensus'?"

— Margaret Thatcher

What's Wrong with Consensus?

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