‘Head of Christ’ removed from Ohio schools

[SecularMotion]

FFRF, ACLU settle Jesus portrait case

The Freedom from Religion Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio have settled a lawsuit against the Jackson City School District in Jackson, Ohio, with the district agreeing not to continue to display a portrait of Jesus.

FFRF Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert wrote a Jan. 2 letter of complaint on behalf of parents with students at the school, provoking Superintendent Phil Howard to publicly vow that the "Head of Christ" painting would only be removed with a court order.

That order now comes in the form of a consent decree mandating that the portrait be permanently removed from school property. Parties agreed to a financial settlement requiring the school to pay the plaintiffs a combination of damages and legal fees totaling $95,000.

"We're pleased that the plaintiffs — parents and students — whose identities will be protected, will each receive $3,000 in claims and damages," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "It's just and appropriate that students and parents who risk public exposure amid threats of retaliation for speaking up for the First Amendment should receive damages and that public school officials who violate the First Amendment be held accountable."

http://ffrf.org/news/news-releases/item/18853-ffrf-aclu-settle-jesus-portrait-case

[MADem]

1. All that money that could have gone to school books or teacher salaries....

For a damn....POSTER in a cheesy gold frame?



We're not talking High Art, here. We're talking a picture that's as commonplace as Farrah Fawcett in the bathing suit, or the freaked out cat with the "HANG IN THERE" logo....

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/Community-Fights-to-Keep-Portrait-of-Jesus-185946042.html

Howard said they've worked to save taxpayer dollars by cutting nearly 23 teaching positions, and they are down an administrator. One is currently working at the middle school and the high school...

[Atman]

2. You can be damned sure that if it was a Farah Fawcett poster...

...a lot more parents would have been outraged.

[MADem]

3. Ya never know...they may have worshipped at the altar of their youthful desires, for the

perfect "girl next door," or the perfect hairstyle, depending upon one's focus!

That Farrah flip was everywhere!!

[Atman]

4. LOL! My was was sporting the flip back then.

I met her when she was 17 -- all the girls had that Farah flip!

[rurallib]

5. Sounds like they could save some major bucks by dumping Phil Howard

[cbayer]

6. Damages?? Are you kidding?

They should have just taken it down when asked and the legal fees they incurred when they decided to fight it they are clearly responsible for.

But damages?

FWIW, all other news sources say the money went to the ACLU and FFRF. They say nothing about some (and it appears to be a very small part of the overall amount) going to any plaintiffs.

And the claim that the plaintiffs deserve some of it because of their exposure and threats of retaliation is completely bogus, since their identities have never been revealed. Hell, it could have been one parent and one kid, leaving $89,000 for the lawyers.

This was part of the lawsuit: "students and visitors to the school “will continue to suffer permanent, severe and irreparable harm and injury,”.

Really? Permanent, severe and irreparable harm and injury?

[dimbear]

7. Still relevant from last week:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1218&pid=96930

That stick is looking a little larger now.