As a public school, the Sabine Parish School Board says it will vigorously defend freedom of religion regarding a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Louisiana charging that a teacher, backed by school administrators, harassed a sixth-grade Buddhist student and suggested to parents that their son should be transferred to a school with more Asians.
For background, read Atheists Say Illegal Christianity is 'Rampant' in Georgia Schools and read ACLU Warns of Christianity in South Carolina School
Also read about humanists suing schools in Illinois and in Missouri and in Georgia and in Mississippi over Christian prayer, and humanists fight the Christian cross in California, and read Atheists Threaten to Sue Every School in Tennessee and in Mississippi but admit they're Short on Lawyers to Sue ALL Christians
In addition read Parents Sue Kansas to Stop Religious (Secular Humanism) Education and also read California Judge OKs Teaching Hinduism in Public School
-- From "Sabine school board responds to ACLU suit over religious harassment" by The Associated Press and KSLA-TV 12 (Shreveport, LA) 1/23/14
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Shreveport on behalf of Scott and Sharon Lane and their three children. According to the complaint, the Lane's enrolled their son - a lifelong Buddhist of Thai descent . . .
Superintendent Sara Ebarb was unavailable Wednesday for comment, but on a statement released by the board on Thursday reads, "The Sabine Parish School Board has only recently been made aware of the lawsuit filed by the ACLU. A lawsuit only represents one side's allegations, and the board is disappointed that the ACLU chose to file suit without even contacting it regarding the facts.
The school system recognizes the rights of all students to exercise the religion of their choice and will defend the lawsuit vigorously."
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From "ACLU sues Sabine Parish School Board for alleged religious harassment of student" by Jade Cunningham & Nancy Cook, KTAL-TV 6 (Shreveport, LA) 1/22/14
According to the complaint . . . His science teacher, Rita Roark, has repeatedly taught students that the Earth was created by God 6,000 years ago, that evolution is "impossible," and that the Bible is "100 percent true."
Beyond Roark's classroom, the school also regularly incorporates official Christian prayer into class and school events. School officials display religious iconography throughout hallways and classrooms, including a large portrait of Jesus Christ, and an electronic marquee in front of the school scrolls Bible verses as students enter the building.
When the Lanes objected to these practices, Sabine Parish Superintendent Sara Ebarb told them that, "this is the Bible belt." She suggested that C.C. should "change" his faith and advised the Lanes that their only recourse was to transfer him to another district school 25 miles away where, in her words, "there are more Asians." Ultimately, C.C.'s parents did transfer him to another school to protect him, but school officials there also unconstitutionally promote religion.
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From "A Textbook Case on the Establishment Clause" by Jeremy Choate, Courthouse News Service 1/27/14
A Louisiana public school repeatedly humiliated a Buddhist sixth-grader, teaches that "evolution is a 'stupid' theory that 'stupid people made up because they don't want to believe in God,'" and scolded the boy for failing to answer correctly a test question: "Isn't it amazing what the _____ [Lord] has made!!!!!!!!," the child and his parents claim in court.
Scott and Sharon Lane sued the Sabine Parish School Board on their own behalf and for their three children, in Federal Court. They also sued school Superintendent Sara Ebarb, Negreet High School principal Gene Wright and Negreet H.S. teacher Rita Roark.
[The student] quickly became a target of "proselytizing and harassment" by his teacher Rita Roark, the family says in the 20-page lawsuit.
They seek an injunction, costs and compensatory damages, including the costs of taking C.C. to a different school.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Teaching Evolution is Religious Indoctrination: Lawsuit as well as Global Warming is a Religion, Say Climate Scientists
