Christian teachers now have fewer rights to express their faith after a ruling form a New York judge.
Joelle Silver, a teacher who had displayed Bible verses in her classroom on motivational posters, a painting that included three crosses on a hill and a prayer box on her desk placed by the school’s Bible Study Club, has been told all of those items must be removed from the classroom.
Judge Leslie G. Foschio ruled that she could not proceed in her lawsuit against the Cheektowaga Central School District that her rights were being violated. The judge did, however, leave open the possibility she could move forward in her suit on the basis of equal protection discrimination because only Christian items were forced to be removed.
The removal of her items came when the virulent anti-Christian group Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the school complaining about the Christian teacher.
An anti-Christian group is seeking to have a memorial to men killed during World War I removed because it is in the shape of a cross in a public area.
The American Humanist Association sent a letter threatening a lawsuit if the 40-foot tall Bladensburg Cross is not immediately turn down. The anti-Christianists say that the location of the cross violates the First Amendment of the Constitution.
The 40-foot concrete memorial to 49 Prince George’s County men who were killed in combat during World War I was built by the American Legion in 1925. The monument was initially owned by the state but then deeded to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in 1960.
Steven Lowe, a man from Washington, claims in the complaint that he was “shocked” when he first saw the cross and gets “upset” every time he has to pass it because he is exposed to something that could possibly be Christian. Lowe is trying to perpetuate the myth that the existence of the cross in itself is the state promoting Christianity over other religions.
The town administrator said that the cross has historic and patriotic value and they will not remove it because of the anti-Christian group’s efforts.
Update 12/4/13: A public relations and marketing specialist for the school district has released a statement claiming the information given to Fox News was inaccurate. The statement claims the Christmas cards involved were personal cards of teachers and that the display was moved because one teacher had expressed “legitimate, personal privacy concerns” about the display. The statement also said the incident had nothing to do with “current open and ongoing discussions that the school system is having with local citizens about religious liberties and expression.” The statement did not include any response to accusations teachers were told to remove Christian items like Bibles from their rooms or that they were told to turn their backs on student-led prayers.
The Bullock Georgia County Board of Education is cleansing an elementary school of any object that could be tied to Christianity.
Teachers say that they were forced to take down Christmas cards made for them by students because of the word “Christ” in Christmas and because some of the cards contained pictures of the nativity. Now students are asking the teachers why they won’t be hanging up their cards as they’ve done in previous years.
The district’s edict, however, goes beyond just Christmas cards.
Teachers have been ordered to remove anything from their classrooms that can be connected to Christianity like Bibles or Christian music even if it is for personal use on break times or lunch. They have also been told that if they come across students leading a prayer, they are required to turn their backs on the students or face disciplinary action.
The Board of Education released a statement to Fox News attempting to justify their attacks on Christianity by saying there are “established legal requirements to which we must adhere.”
Four Iranian Christians will be receiving 80 lashes after being convicted of breaking Iranian law for using wine in a communion service.
The four men were sentenced on October 6th after being arrested on a raid of a house church in December. The men were charged with consuming alcohol because they were using wine to conduct a communion service.
The head of Christian Solidarity Worldwide says this action by the Iranian government effective criminalizes Christians exercising their faith.
“The sentences handed down to these members of the Church of Iran effectively criminalize the Christian sacrament of sharing in the Lord’s Supper and constitute an unacceptable infringement on the right to practice faith freely and peaceably,” Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, told Fox News.
More than 300 Christians have been arrested in Iran since 2010 for exercising their faith. The United Nations has been very critical of Iran’s treatment of Christians and has called for the release of several Christians imprisoned for their faith including American pastor Saeed Abedini.
