Bakersfield puts `In God We Trust’ in classrooms

vvdailypress ^ | 11-11-07 | AP

[doug from upland]

Bakersfield puts `In God We Trust’ in classrooms

ASSOCIATED PRESS November 7, 2007 - 9:38AM BAKERSFIELD — A school district board has voted to display the motto “In God We Trust” in its classrooms and offices, bucking the norm of separation of church and state.

The board voted 4-1 on Monday to highlight the words in a poster that also will have portions of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence.

The board made the decision following months of contentious debate. Opponents didn’t like infusing schools with religious doctrine, while supporters believe government and God should be intertwined.

“We’re not going to accept the agenda of some radical leftists who want to expunge God from public dialogue,” said Chad Vegas, an evangelical pastor who sits on the board of the Kern High School District. “Instead, we’re teaching our citizens — including our children — that the very foundation of government is that God gave them unalienable rights that cannot be usurped by the will of the majority or anyone else.”

Vegas persuaded the board last year to change the official names of winter and spring breaks to Christmas and Easter recesses.

School district board president Bob Hampton cast the sole dissenting vote, arguing “the spiritual side of a student belongs in the home and in the church — not in the school.”

“They’re calling everyone who doesn’t support it (the measure) unpatriotic,” he said.

The montage of documents on the poster will frame the motto in terms of a civic lesson, said school board member Brian Batey.

Decisions by several courts have upheld the constitutionality of “In God We Trust” on U.S. currency, with judges ruling that the words do not force religion on anyone.

[doug from upland]

Here is the school board: http://www.bcsd.com/

Congratulate them -

1300 Baker St Bakersfield, CA 93305 Phone (661) 631-4600 Fax (661) 326-1485

[doug from upland]

Maybe this development is why the fundraiser was postponed in Bakersfield - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924206/posts?page=24#24

[SmoothTalker]

Meaningless in the end. How about work to break the teachers unions or fix our broken education system? Seems like those campaigning on this issue spend a lot of time on something that won’t make the children learn better and won’t make them any more Christian.

[mdittmar]

Bump!

[doug from upland]

All of the Republican teachers need to divert union dues to charity or at least demand refund of the money used for Democrat politics.

(WA) Teacher attempts to divert dues to charity; union refuses
Evergreen Freedom Foundation ^ | 2-27-07

Posted on 02/27/2007 1:41:10 PM PST by truth49

OLYMPIA—Susan Wiggs, a Vancouver school teacher, has been attempting since August 2005 to divert her union dues to a charity that fights sex trafficking. Under state and federal law, teachers and other workers can opt out of union membership by claiming religious exemption, and can send their union dues to a charitable organization. Susan Wiggs’ local union, however, has refused to send her dues to the charity of her choice. Wiggs’ case against the Vancouver Education Association (VEA) was heard before the Public Employment Relations Commission on February 26, 2007, in Olympia. While the Vancouver Education Association agrees that she qualifies for religious objector status, it has refused to accommodate her charity selection. Wiggs would like her dues to go to Shared Hope International, which works “to prevent and eradicate sex trafficking and slavery through education and public awareness,” according to its website.

VEA Executive Director Roy Maier refused, saying the organization is “not acceptable” to the VEA. Although Susan provided the union with documentation of Shared Hope’s non-profit, non-sectarian status, it has continued to block her from sending her union dues to Shared Hope.

Wiggs discovered guidelines the VEA had previously agreed to follow as a result of litigation with a different religious objector. The guidelines stated, “The goal is to respect the objector’s choice of charities, so long as the designated recipient is lawful and charitable.”

“It is unclear why the VEA has such a strong objection to an organization that works to rescue women and children from sex trafficking,” said Michael Reitz, Labor Policy Director for the Evergreen Freedom Foundation. “As an organization of teachers, one would assume they would be particularly concerned with the trafficking and slavery of children.”

Wiggs contacted the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, who obtained legal representation for her hearing before the Public Employment Relations Commission. Another hearing before the Public Employees Relations Commission on her case has been scheduled for March 21, 2007.

[doug from upland]

Here is a series on how to fight the unions - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1541990/posts

[monkeycard]

“Instead, we’re teaching our citizens — including our children — that the very foundation of government is that God gave them unalienable rights that cannot be usurped by the will of the majority or anyone else.”

This is good news IMHO. The attacks upon Christianity by non-Christian institutions that are allowed to function in our country need to understand that enough is enough. Just because non-Christians shout louder and appear to be more numerous than Christians does not make them right.

[Nathan Zachary]

"A school district board has voted to display the motto “In God We Trust” in its classrooms and offices, bucking the norm of separation of church and state."

This inaccurate statement should be challenged every time it's stated.

Separation of church and state does NOT mean separation of church and society.

The constitution states that the government shall not interfere with the churches business, it does not mean to restrict the churches role in society.

[monkeycard]

“It is unclear why the VEA has such a strong objection to an organization that works to rescue women and children from sex trafficking,” said Michael Reitz...

The union doesn't want to lose its blood money. It seems that when the unions disagrees with a law, that law is simply not adhered to, that is unclear.

[Nathan Zachary]

"“It is unclear why the VEA has such a strong objection to an organization that works to rescue women and children from sex trafficking,” said Michael Reitz,"

It's VERY clear to me why they would object to this particular charity. The VEA is full of pedophiles and homosexuals who prey on these children. The charity works to expose those who do, and very often are found to be practicing their evil from within the education system here or abroad (Thailand is a favorite hot spot for pedophiles posing as teachers) as the arrest of a Vancouver teacher/pedophile in Thailand last month shows, and another on a most wanted list.

[CyberAnt]

This is just plain great news!

And .. the backlash begins!!

I also see an article which says the youth of Quebec are beginning a quiet revolution against their socialist govt.

The dems should be trembling in their boots - we have just begun to fight!!

[TigersEye]

“Instead, we’re teaching our citizens — including our children — that the very foundation of government is that God gave them unalienable rights that cannot be usurped by the will of the majority or anyone else.”

This is what the socialists will have a real problem with. The school is violating the unspoken socialist law of "separation of founding principles and child's mind."

[doug from upland]

The ACLU will ride to the rescue soon.

[Tzimisce]

*Gasp!* Bastards.

(/sarcasm)

[bannie]

Central California is not Hollywood's/SF's California.

[CyberAnt]

Well .. they haven’t been winning too often lately .. but then the MSM has completely avoided telling the public.

I only know that because I get emails from ACLJ - and they have been keeping score. We are winning more and more often.

[doug from upland]

[Guenevere]

bttt

[calex59]

A school district board has voted to display the motto “In God We Trust” in its classrooms and offices, bucking the norm of separation of church and state.ignoring Jeffersons letter and interpreting the constitution as written.

There, I fixed it.

[Eastbound]

That’s the distant roar of a tsunami I hear. Let it happen and swallow up every lib and perp who thinks they can stop it.