Moulton Elementary School in Lawrence County, Alabama. | Screenshot: Google Maps
A legal group that advocates for atheists, agnostics and nontheists is calling for an investigation into an Alabama teacher after she incorporated a coloring book picture of Jesus accompanied by a Scripture passage into a lesson plan.
Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit organization that advocates for a strict separation of church and state, sent aletter to Lawrence County Schools Superintendent Jon Bret Smith on July 21 expressing concern that a first-grade teacher at the districts Moulton Elementary School taught students about Jesus Christ and Easter, and also provided students with religious coloring book pages to take home.
The coloring book page in question featured a picture of Jesus Christ along with the words Jesus is alive and included a reference to Mark 16:6, a Bible passage that discusses the resurrection of Jesus.
The FFRF letter to Smith follows a complaint from a concerned parent, who maintained that the coloring book page was not included in the class curriculum.
FFRF Staff Attorney Christopher Line said that the purpose of the letter was to request that the District immediately investigate and ensure that [the teacher] and any other teachers in the district, are no longer teaching students religious lessons, distributing religious materials to students, or otherwise indoctrinating students into a particular religious belief.
The District must make certain that none of its employees are unlawfully and inappropriately indoctrinating students in religious matters by giving religious assignments, teaching about religion, or promoting their personal religious beliefs, he added. We ask that the District immediately investigate this situation and ensure that [the teacher] fully complies with the Establishment Clause and stops violating the rights of her students and parents.
Line instructed Smith: Please respond in writing, outlining the steps the District will take to correct this serious constitutional violation so we can notify our complainant. He also insisted that it is not a violation of the free speech rights of teachers when a school district regulates what they teach to students while acting in their official capacities.
The letter cited the 1987 U.S. Supreme Court case Edwards v. Aguillard finding that [f]amilies entrust public schools with the education of their children, but condition their trust on the understanding that the classroom will not purposely be used to advance religious views that may conflict with the private beliefs of the students and his or her family."
Using a religious holiday, Easter, as a pretext to teach religious lessons in a public school is unconstitutional, Line maintained. If the district turns a blind eye to the overt proselytization in [the teachers] classroom, it becomes complicit in an egregious constitutional violation and breach of trust.
For his part, Smith contends that the teacher did nothing wrong. In a statement to The Decatur Daily, Smith said, From my point of view, an investigation is not warranted because the teacher was teaching from the course of study.
"Every teacher in the state of Alabama is charged to thoroughly teach the course of study," Smith was quoted as saying. "That is covered under two objectives in the first grade course of study.
Objective No. 11 in the Alabama Course of Study for First Grade Social Studies states that students will identify traditions and contributions of various cultures in the local community and state. Specific examples of such traditions and contributions include Kwanzaa, Christmas, Hanukkah, Fourth of July and Cinco De Mayo.
Referring to Objective No. 11, Smith said that If Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa is in there, so also is Easter.
Objective No. 12 in the first-grade social studies curriculum declares that students will compare common and unique characteristics in societal groups, including age, religious beliefs, ethnicity, persons with disabilities, and equality between genders.
Stressing that No. 12 talks about religious beliefs, Smith identified Easter as an aspect of religious belief: Were definitely covered with the course of study. We want to make sure classroom discussions are based on the course of study. We teach what has been approved by the state.
FFRF rejected the comparison of Easter to Christmas, describing Christmas as a national holiday with pagan origins and many seasonal and secular accompaniments in contrast to Easter, which it characterized as a celebration of the supposed resurrection of the Christian deity and not a federal holiday.
FFRF officials believe that the teacher went beyond the course of study.
Public schools exist to educate, not to indoctrinate, FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor asserted in a statement. The school district must take action to stop proselytization of a captive audience of 5- and 6-year-old students.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
Follow this link:
- Judge tells atheist father to bring son 'in good order and not upset' to mother for first communion ceremony - Irish Independent - May 3rd, 2024 [May 3rd, 2024]
- Iowa town removes Nativity scene after out-of-town atheist steps in - Yahoo News - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- I'm an atheist, but Israel-Hamas war has pulled me closer to my Jewish roots - USA TODAY - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- Universalism and Nonresistant Nonbelief - Word on Fire - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- Proof God, Prayer Transforms Public Schools? How Atheists' Antics Could Inadvertently Fuel Spread of the Gospel - Faithwire - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- Western Colorado Atheists and Freethinkers to run holiday billboard AnneLandmanBlog.com - AnneLandmanBlog.com - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- Why this atheist celebrates Christmas - The Spectator Australia - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Against the Tide: John Lennox and Stephen Meyer - Discovery Institute - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Higher Ground: Atheists outraged over 'In God We Trust' - Washington Times - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Atheists rip Utah city for 'In God We Trust' motto, demand removal - Washington Times - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Can Anyone Give An Actual Argument For Atheism? - The Federalist - November 30th, 2023 [November 30th, 2023]
- Mori atheism on the rise: the legacy of colonisation is driving a decline in traditional Christian beliefs - The Conversation - November 30th, 2023 [November 30th, 2023]
- 3 Science-Related Arguments for God's Existence - Reasons to Believe - November 30th, 2023 [November 30th, 2023]
- God and Nature: What is the difference - The Bubble - November 30th, 2023 [November 30th, 2023]
- Critiquing Hazony - On Religion and Rationalism - Econlib - November 30th, 2023 [November 30th, 2023]
- Macbeth Revisited: The Decline & Fall of Friedrich Nietzsche - The Imaginative Conservative - November 30th, 2023 [November 30th, 2023]
- Occam's Razor: There is a Creator | In Focus | Courier-Herald - Enumclaw Courier-Herald - November 30th, 2023 [November 30th, 2023]
- We've officially entered the Miracle Zone - The Oxford Eagle - Oxford Eagle - November 30th, 2023 [November 30th, 2023]
- Album Review: Muse - Absolution XX Anniversary - Soundsphere magazine - November 30th, 2023 [November 30th, 2023]
- Atheism's obsession with God: Is it 'cultural theism'? - The Christian Post - August 5th, 2023 [August 5th, 2023]
- McCaul, Smith, Mast Demand Answers From State on Grants ... - House GOP Foreign Affairs Committee - August 5th, 2023 [August 5th, 2023]
- TILL THE DIRT (ATHEIST) Streams New Single "Starring Role" - Metal Injection - August 5th, 2023 [August 5th, 2023]
- Dostoevsky the Prophet - The Imaginative Conservative - August 5th, 2023 [August 5th, 2023]
- 'Sex Really Is Binary': Even Atheist Biologist Richard Dawkins Is ... - CBN.com - August 5th, 2023 [August 5th, 2023]
- Sombreros, baseball caps and new friendships: Vignettes from ... - National Catholic Reporter - August 5th, 2023 [August 5th, 2023]
- Watch: ATHEIST Performs Special 30th-Anniversary Set In San ... - BLABBERMOUTH.NET - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- July 2023 Hard Rock And Metal New Releases - XS ROCK - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- Legal abortion widely supported globally, especially in Europe - Pew Research Center - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- United Nations Takes U.K. Bishop's Advice on Persecution - The Living Church - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- Part 2The First of the 7 C's of History: Creation - Answers In Genesis - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- Stephen Colbert And Elon Musk Had Opposite Views About Life On ... - TheThings - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- Hope for living: Anger against Gods word, people has a spiritual ... - Greenfield Daily Reporter - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- Whanganui actor Russell Penton enjoying rehearsals for The Lion in ... - New Zealand Herald - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- Three Jewish leaders named to US heritage government agency - JNS.org - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- CS Lewis' magnificent journey from atheist to transformational ... - The Christian Post - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Atheism and Dreaming - Psychology Today - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Atheism, spiritual experiences, and ESP | Dan Peterson - Patheos - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Rainn Wilson says our world needs a spiritual revolution - CBC.ca - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Harvard's humanist chaplain speaks on finding meaning and purpose without a religious faith - ABC News - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Minnesota humanists take out billboards to spread the secular word - Star Tribune - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Even atheists need the beauty of churches - Daily Mail - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Islamic group PA 212 rejects Coldplay's Jakarta concert over band's ... - Coconuts - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- As I See It: The absence of spirituality - Pine and Lakes Echo Journal - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- 47 percent globally say religion does more harm than good in Ipsos ... - Kentucky Today - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- The Dawkins Test Returns an Answer: Intelligent Design - Discovery Institute - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Advocacy group: Bible must be banned if other books stripped from ... - cnhinews.com - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Putin gave Orthodox Church famed icon because of its importance ... - Reuters - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Siddaramaiah, the Congress's southern satrap - Deccan Herald - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Kirk Cameron, aka right-wing Raffi, has a new kids' book for Pride ... - Literary Hub - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- I am proud to be a Christian, Sanghis will burn after learning this, says atheist DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin at a Christmas event - OpIndia - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- God Help Me: Surfing Millionaire Shared About Converting From an Atheist to a Believer Back in 2016 - EssentiallySports - December 16th, 2022 [December 16th, 2022]
- Im an atheist, but I fell in love with the spirituality and magic of Quito, Ecuadors capital - Toronto Star - December 16th, 2022 [December 16th, 2022]
- Atheist Doctor Becomes a Believer After Near-Death Experiencer ... - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- Atheist Drug Addict Gets Saved While On The Verge Of Suicide, Now Preaches The Gospel On Streets | God TV News - GOD TV - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- FFRF and FACT erect four 'I'm an atheist and I vote' billboards in San Antonio - Freedom From Religion Foundation - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Amber Roses Ideal Man Is An Atheist, And This Is What Social Media Has To Say About It - MadameNoire - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Most Americans believe in heaven or hell, but their ideas aren't always biblical - Baptist News Global - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Do You Need to Believe in God to Convert to Judaism? - Jewish Journal - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Readers reply: when I die which religion will offer the best deal? - The Guardian - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- We Don't Have to Let the Dead Die Twice - Sojourners - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Why the Phillies and Eagles successes might have you feeling happier, even if youre not a fan - The Philadelphia Inquirer - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- A Socratic Response to Revelation - The Imaginative Conservative - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- FFRF: Nationwide cop event this weekend should be secular and inclusive - Freedom From Religion Foundation - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Atheist Keir Starmer avoids reference to God in pledge of loyalty to King Charles III - The Telegraph - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Sunday 11th September 2022 - ConservativeHome - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Former cocaine addict and atheist shares about her powerful conversion - Aleteia - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- How can one explain to an atheist that everyone will eventually enter Paradise? - The Weekly Al Hakam - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- Engaging With The Teenage Atheist - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- From Nietzsche to John Lennon: Death and Resurrection of Western Religiosity - Patheos - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- God, the Gipper, and Gorbachev | WORLD - WORLD News Group - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- Where is heaven? Ancient believers have answers for modern question - Times Record News - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- Five business lessons from Lord Ganesha - Times of India - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- Stephen Meyer, Charlie Kirk: Return of WHAT God Hypothesis? - Discovery Institute - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Teaching theology to teens? Be open to unexpected answers - U.S. Catholic magazine - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- All humans are believers - Big Think - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Adam Driver likes what he sees as he gets plump for Venice film - Reuters.com - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- A top neurosurgeon looks to the future as he confronts questions of life and death - The Tablet - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- For anyone with Palestinian roots like me, Netflixs sitcom Mo is groundbreaking TV - The Guardian - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- A Decade After the First Reason Rally, What Happened to Americas Atheist Revolution? - Religion & Politics - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- It Only Takes One Generation - Answers In Genesis - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]