The US "War on Christmas" continues...


For Immediate Release: December 15, 2004

Children Victimized by School DistrictAEs Unconstitutional Censorship
Policy

"Candy Cane Case" Filed in Federal District Court

Plano - Parents and their children who were victimized by Plano
Independent School District's unconstitutional censorship policy
filed a lawsuit today in the Federal District Court .  

"This lawsuit includes a large amount of evidence that demonstrates
the pervasive religious hostitlity in Plano ISD," said Hiram Sasser,
director of litigation for Liberty Legal Institute.  

Under Plano ISD's policy, a third grade boy was denied his right to
pass out goody bags, including candy canes with religious messages, 
to friends at their "winter" party, while secular gifts from other
students were permitted. Parents were even told they could not hand
out such messages to other parents at the party.  

A young girl was prohibited by Plano school officials from passing out
pencils with Jesus written on it at a class birthday party, while
other gifts with secular messages were permitted. In addition, another
young girl was forbidden to invite her friends to an Easter event at
her church.

Last week, Plano ISD sent a letter home requesting that parents not
send their children to school with anything red or green this holiday
season. All cups, plates, napkins and icing must be white or the
children will be in violation of the policy.

"These government officials have lost all common sense. This Christmas-
time and religious censorship is not the law and this discrimination
must stop," said Kelly Shackelford, chief counsel for Liberty Legal
Institute. "Our children are the ones suffering from this
discrimination. Our schools are not zones of religious censorship."

Liberty Legal Institute and The Alliance Defense Fund will represent
the clients before the Federal District Court .

"We did everything we could to talk the district into doing the right
thing and put an end to these violations and discriminations, but
unfortunatly they refused to back down," Shackelford said. We are
confident that the courts will uphold the fundamental law that school
officials may not suppress or exclude the speech of citizens simply
because their speech is religious or includes religious content."

The Liberty Legal Institute is a legal organization committed to the
defense of religious freedoms and First Amendment rights. To speak
with Hiram Sasser, director of litigation, or Kelly Shackelford, chief
counsel, contact Heather Price, phone: 972-423-8889 ext. 102, email:
media{at}libertylegal.org.  

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Source: http://www.libertylegal.org/inthenews.htm#August%205,%202003

Cheers, Steve...

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