Student broadcaster suspended for 'God bless'

WND ^ | Jan 21, 2003

[missyme]

More Attacks agaisnt GOD!

Sign-off before holiday deemed inappropriate for public institution

A high school student dismissed from his school broadcast program for signing off with "God bless" is rallying community members to his side.

James Lord, a senior at Dupo High School in Belleville, Ill., was suspended for one month from his daily news broadcast on the school's closed circuit television after signing off his Dec. 17 broadcast, the Belleville News-Democrat reported.

Lord told his student audience: "Have a safe and happy holiday, and God bless."

School Principal Jonathan Heerboth has said Lord's comment was inappropriate for public school, the paper reported.

Lord said he plans to appeal the suspension because he claims it violated his First Amendment rights. Geoffrey Surtees, a lawyer with the Virginia-based American Center for Law and Justice who is advising Lord, said he would wait to see the outcome of the board meeting before making a comment.

Ahead of his address to the school board, Lord distributed more than 400 flyers to encourage local people to attend the meeting. The fliers said the school board was to meet last night, but board members say it is scheduled Jan. 27.

Will Lord say "God bless" again when he returns to the show Feb. 1?

"I can't guarantee I won't say it again," the student said, according to the News-Democrat.

School board member Mike Kloess said he had nothing against Lord's actions.

"I didn't have a problem with what he said, but [Superintendent Michael] Koebel knows the rules and knows what people can say and can't say," he told the Belleville paper.

Koebel could not be reached for comment.

James' mother, Beverly Lord, called the school's decision harsh and a suppression of free speech, the paper said.

[stainlessbanner]

Principal Jonathan Heerboth has also deemed James' last name offensive and has ordered him to change it.

[Levante]

"School Principal Jonathan Heerboth has said Lord's comment was inappropriate for public school, the paper reported. "

Just curious. I wonder what the official school response would have been if he said, "Have a wonderfully gay day."

[ClintonBeGone]

Already posted Missy :(

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1062122/posts

[WinOne4TheGipper]

I fail to see how this would fall under the establishment clause. This is the free exercise clause. The school does not have the right to violate the freedom of religion.

[missyme]

Sorry about that :-)

[Prime Choice]

I wonder what the official school response would have been if he said, "Have a wonderfully gay day."

And what is the school's policy on what students can or cannot say after someone else sneezes?

For crying out loud, it's time we put these idiot Leftists in their place! "God bless" is NOT HATE SPEECH!

[azhenfud]

With the impending lawsuit, maybe the principal should learn to say, "Lord have mercy."

[pabianice]

More Liberal insanity.

[AfghanIraqVeteran]

Get out of my head! {;o) That was my first thought after reading this baloney. ha. This is getting rediculous. My first name is David. Better change my name too so as to not offend anybody. But wait! The principal's name is Jonathan. How did he get to be principal? That is a name found in the Bible to. We seriously do not want to send the wrong message to people of a different belief. I propose that from now on government/school officials may only have neutral names such as Bob or Bill, etc.

[princess leah]

I heard the President of the United States say "God Bless America"...I'm tired of hearing these atheist anti-God rabid activists trying to shut us up.

[mtbopfuyn]

Gotta laugh at the kid's name; Lord. If Bush can sign off his State of the Union address with "God bless", the top of all government talks, then a kid has every right to say that at his piddly public school.

[4CJ]

Principal Jonathan Heerboth has also deemed James' last name offensive and has ordered him to change it.

ROTF!

School Principal Jonathan Heerboth has said Lord's comment was inappropriate for public school, the paper reported.

Lord yes. They're free to dicsuss abortions, drugs, politics, pedophilia, beastiality, homosexuality etc, but any mention of God might offend someone. </sarcasm>

[Hidgy]

In the good ole days Red Skelton signed off every TV broadcast with "God Bless"....or is my memory fading?

[Wheee The People]

I'm sure the ACLU which defends lap dancing and flag burning as constitutional, won't touch this.

[Ff--150]

Lord yes. They're free to dicsuss abortions, drugs, politics, pedophilia, beastiality, homosexuality etc, but any mention of God might offend someone.

Uh, think it's past time to flush the commode, with a plunger handy JIC.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

"Good night and God Bless."

I remember what you remember. But he wasn't in publik skool.

[Levante]

Thanks for your post.

You brought up an interesting point. If someone sneezes, what if a devil-worshipping student said "Satan empower you." It's an absurb example, of course, but just how far will these leftist idiots go? Would they have the huevos to censure a devil-worshipper? How about a Muslim? Or a Hindu? We already know the leftist rif-rafs' take on Christians and Jews.

[tutstar]

LOL
You took the words right out of my mouth!

[Levante]

"They're free to dicsuss abortions, drugs, politics, pedophilia, beastiality, homosexuality etc, but any mention of God might offend someone."

And adultery, wife-swapping, oral sex, etc.
If someone told this principal to "go to hell," would that be considered merely insolent, or an example of "religious hate speech?"

I guess it depends on what he/she would be doing when they get there.