Monday, June 06, 2005

Religion: Everybody Shut Up!

[via John Cole]:
NEWARK, N.J.—A public school prohibited a second grader from singing a religious song at a talent show, prompting a lawsuit Friday alleging violation of the girl’s constitutional rights.

A federal judge declined an emergency request to compel Frenchtown Elementary School to allow 8-year-old Olivia Turton to sing “Awesome God” at the Friday night show, but allowed the lawsuit to go forward. School officials in the western New Jersey community had said the performance would be inappropriate at a school event.

The girl was told May 10 that she could not sing the song. Her mother, Maryann Turton, protested at a school board meeting that night. She was told three days later by Joyce Brennan, the school superintendent and principal, that the religious content made it inappropriate at school, according to the lawsuit filed by the child’s parents Friday morning.

I hate this crap. No, not the religious song, the fact that everything has to be a fucking federal case. People on the right neeed to stop trying to shoehorn God into public school, and people on the left need to lighten the fuck up when it's just a kid singing a song.

If the school assigned the chorus that song, that's a problem. If a student were to lead a prayer from the stage, that would probably still be a problem. But this? Gimme a break.

I suppose there might be a slippery slope argument where a bunch of religious students would all pick hymns and hijack a public school talent show, but until that's the case, STFU.

Same goes for the valedictorian who wanted to thank Jesus Christ in her speech [link]. Fine. Her speech was submitted, the content was pretty benign, in my opinion, and the school should back off. Every freaking athlete who wins anything starts out by "thanking my Lord Jesus Christ," so, I don't think this is going to have a dramatic impact on anyone.

Lighten up and/or shut up, people.

1 comment:

Missouri Mule said...

I couldn't agree more, Mr. Furious. If there is a gawd she must be amused with us all.