Justice Dept. steps into Plano ISD , TX case

[rainbow4321]

Cripes...does they not have anything BETTER to look into????? Now we have the Justice Dept fighting over a religious candy cane message case.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/121604dnmetplano.122eb0b3.html


A day after four families filed a federal lawsuit accusing Plano schools of banning Christmas and religious expression from classrooms, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday it is investigating the matter.

In a letter to the Plano-based religious rights law firm representing the families, Justice Department official Jeremiah Glassman said the preliminary inquiry concerns the district's "alleged refusal to permit students to distribute religious messages during parties and on school property."

Plano school district attorneys said they question the law firm's motivation and pointed out that the district had already decided students can pass out whatever materials they want – so long as they're not obscene – at elementary school holiday parties Friday.

"This appears to be an effort by 'trial lawyers' to feed at the trough of the taxpayers' pockets, as opposed to truly addressing concerns through a nonlitigious manner," a statement from school district attorneys reads.


The lawsuit seeks a restraining order to allow students to be able to hand out religious messages at elementary school holiday parties Friday. In addition, it seeks changes to district policies governing how and what students and parents can distribute on campus. Wednesday's lawsuit stems from discussions between a Thomas Elementary student, his parents and district staff last year. Jonathan Morgan wanted to hand out candy cane pens with an attached religious message, "The Legend of the Candy Cane." The message stated in part that the red stripe on a candy cane represented "The blood Christ shed for the sins of the world ..."
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The email sent out to our district's parents today:

As you may be aware, the Plano ISD was sued yesterday over the district's distribution policy. This letter is to clarify the District's position regarding the distribution of cards and gifts at Winter Break parties.

On Wednesday, December 1, campus principals received direction to declare non-instructional time during winter holiday parties for students and parents to exchange cards, gifts, treats, or other items they desire to share with others, provided they do not cause a material and substantial disruption, are obscene, vulgar or otherwise inappropriate for these students.

Additional communication has been made to principals to reinforce the
information shared on December 1 about the Winter Break parties. We also wanted you to know as parents that the district fosters acceptance of all cultures and welcomes the celebration of our diversity during the Winter Break parties. Again, the distribution of cards, gifts, treats, or other items are appropriate, but only during non-instructional time. The winter parties, that many campuses celebrate during the final days of the first
semester, have been declared non-instructional time during the event, which allows students and parents to exchange holiday greetings and items with others.

Some campuses celebrated their holiday parties earlier in the week. On Friday, December 17, principals of those campuses will declare
non-instructional time for students and their parents to distribute holiday greetings.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. This is a frivilous lawsuit

but I wonder if this law firm would have gone up to bat for someone distributing dreidels or gelt with "The Legend of Hannukah" attached.

[stepnw1f]

2. More Propaganda to Stir Up The Wrong Wing Nuts

The religious shit smells. Perfect distraction assholes.

[Pale_Rider]

3. Candy-canes representing Christ's blood?

That's damn vulgar.

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/candycane.asp

[WhiteTara]

4. This stinks of KKKRove

He uses tactics like this to make whatever he wants to make
look bad come.  This reminds me of the 90% of the millions (or
thousands of complaint letters the FCC received came from one
small group.  They are on the hunt to remove any effectiveness
a lawyer might have for protecting the ordinary citizen and
making the trial lawyers out to be evil doers.

[yellowdogintexas]

5. Saw this on the local news last night, the kid's dad was all

about how his son who is raised and taught at Sunday School to spread the Word, is now being banned from doing it and is so upset because he can't do what he has been taught is the right thing to do.

Poor kid, probably taught he can't get to Heaven if he doesn't convert a set # of lost souls per day or something. He is only about 8 or 9, what a burden to place on a youngster.

People like this are the reason we don't have public sponsored daily prayer in public schools anyway..because the prayers are all designed to make the "unsaved" feel threatened.

I just about lost it last night watching it on tv.

And another thing, how many ways can these groups reinterpret common ordinary things, build a "legend" so that everybody goes all sappy over it ...it is just a stick of sugar for crying out loud.

Bah Humbug!

[rainbow4321]

6. 2 yrs in a row...

Last year this family did the same thing. Just heard on the radio news that some area judge signed paperwork that bans the school from preventing religious material from being handed out today. They had the family's pic in the Dallas Morning News at their "press conference"..all three smiling ear to ear like they just won the lottery. Maybe if no one in the news gave them attention they would stop with their annual tradition.


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/121604dnmetplano.122eb0b3.html


SHERMAN – Plano schools must allow students to hand out whatever religious messages they want at winter break parties celebrated today, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Paul Brown issued a temporary restraining order against the school district, prohibiting it from interfering with students who hand out items with religious viewpoints, as long as they don't cause a disruption. Parents can also give materials to other parents.

Attorneys for Plano-based Liberty Legal Institute obtained the restraining order on behalf of parents and students who are suing the district, alleging discriminatory violations of free-speech rights.

The case stems from a winter break party last year. Jonathan Morgan, then a third-grader at Thomas Elementary, was not allowed to hand out a candy cane pen with a Christian message attached.