From the desk of:
Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel
Dakota Ary, a high school freshman Fort Worth, Texas,
was ridiculed by his teacher and suspended for merely
stating his Christian view on homosexuality in class.
The teacher had previously posted a photo of two men
kissing in the classroom, telling students that
homosexuality is becoming more prevalent in the
world and that they should just accept it!
Liberty Counsel is defending Dakota. Please see my
message below for an important update concerning our
legal response to this overzealous teacher's assault
on Dakota's rights - Mat.
Conservatives,
Last week, Dakota Ary was issued an in-school suspension for
stating in the classroom that he believes homosexuality is
wrong because of his Christian faith.
Dakota was in Kristopher Franks' German language class when
the topic of homosexuality arose. Dakota said to one of his
classmates, "I'm a Christian and, to me, being homosexual
is wrong." Franks overheard the comment, wrote Dakota up for
an infraction, and sent him to the principal's office.
Franks charged Dakota with "possible bullying" and
indicated, "It is wrong to make such a statement in
public school."
Prior to Dakota's comment, Franks had displayed a
picture of two men kissing on an in-class "World
Wall" and told the students that homosexuality is
becoming more prevalent in the world and that they
should just accept it.
Dakota didn't "just accept it." Instead, he chose to state
his belief on the issue. Later, his family contacted Liberty
Counsel for legal help.
My Liberty Counsel team sent a demand letter to the school
calling for full vindication and a full retraction of the
suspension. Matthew Krause, Litigation Counsel for Liberty
Counsel in Texas, then met with school officials. The
school district reversed the in-school suspension and
placed Franks on administrative leave with pay.
We are pleased with the school's response thus far.
Mr. Franks clearly crossed the line. Teachers cannot
use their position to bully students and humiliate
them in front of their peers or force their views
about homosexuality on their students!
It wasn't the so-called "separation of church and state" that
was violated, as Franks alluded to in the discipline referral
form. It was Dakota's First Amendment rights that were clearly
violated!
Once the school's administration gained that understanding,
they quickly reversed their decision.
This case is a clear example of why I believe
the Liberty Counsel's "Patriot's Handbook of Religious
Freedom in Public Schools" is a must-have reference that
should be providing guidance in EVERY SCHOOL in America!
++ There are nearly 100,000 public schools in America.
Here's my plan!
We are undertaking a bold initiative by committing to send
20,000 Patriot's Handbooks to 10,000 schools by October 31st.
But our long-term goal is to place these powerful Handbooks
in every public school in America before the 2012-2013
school year begins next August!
But we cannot achieve this vital goal without your help!
Through our bulk mail processing center, we can ship
2 books to a school for $3.00. That means, for your
sponsorship gift of $30, we can send two copies of
the "Patriot's Handbook of Religious Freedom in Public
Schools" to 10 schools!
We have good contact information and the names of principals
in each school you will sponsor. Click here now to sponsor
ten schools, a hundred schools - or even more!
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=51574&CID=337&RID=32821008
The cost of getting these 20,000 invaluable handbooks into
10,000 schools is $30,000. As of this writing, we have
more than 2,000 schools sponsored - 20 percent of our goal!
I need 800 more Liberty Counsel team members to sponsor at
least ten schools to receive this valuable resource!
Please consider becoming one of those 800 thoughtful, pro-
liberty Americans to help us meet this important goal!
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=51575&CID=337&RID=32821008
++ Our rights are not void inside the schoolhouse!
Imagine how many other students there are in classrooms
across the country who are being ridiculed for their
Christian faith and beliefs - who are being taught by
misguided teachers that they cannot express or demonstrate
their Christian views in class or on school grounds without
facing suspension or expulsion.
Misguided activists are doing everything in their power
to push their "alternative lifestyle" agendas while
undermining the rights of freedom loving, God-fearing
Americans!
Consider two recent Liberty Counsel cases: In Santa
Rosa County, Florida, teachers were charged
criminally for praying at an off-site school-
sponsored event. Then, just a few months ago,
Jerry Buell, a Florida "Teacher of the Year,"
was suspended for opposing same-sex "marriage"
on a social site, on his own personal home computer,
outside of school. Our Liberty Counsel litigators
successfully defended these educators who were
simply exercising their own constitutionally-
guaranteed freedom of speech.
These days, hundreds of legal cases on these issues emerge
from schools every year. Instigated by ultraliberal
activists, pro-homosexual radicals, and anti-religious
organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU), such cases arise from the bullying of school
systems, teachers, educators, and parents.
Imagine the impact our powerful campaign could have! We
know that if a school principal and assistant principal
in each of our nation's nearly 100,000 public schools had
this Handbook, there would be FAR fewer incidents of
radical activists successfully bullying administrators!
Your gift will ensure that each school you sponsor will
receive two Patriot's Handbooks.
Click here now to make that possible:
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=51576&CID=337&RID=32821008
Your sponsorship of a school could make a profound difference
in that school. It could mean an appropriate prayer before
an event...or the ability to display the Ten Commandments
in a classroom...or the empowering of a teen to stand up to
an educator and say that they believe homosexuality is
wrong...or even the simple acknowledgement of the true
meaning of the Christmas season.
Please join me in this important campaign!
As a nation, we are long overdue in demanding that our
fundamental liberties be fully honored in government-
controlled public schools - and in stopping the Orwellian
tactics leftists and pro-homosexual activists are using
to undermine our values in tax-funded classrooms!
We will not cater to two-faced radicals who call
for "tolerance" and yet will not tolerate a
dissenting opinion if it comes from a religious
viewpoint - especially in our public schools.
The "Patriot's Handbook of Religious Freedom in Public
Schools" belongs in every school in America!
Please consider becoming one of the 800 team
members I need right now to get two of these booklets
onto the desks of administrators in another 8,000 schools
in order to meet our initial goal by October 31st.
God bless you as you help take back our tax-funded schools!
Mathew D. Staver, Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel
P.S. Dakota Ary fought back! We must empower others to do
the same. We must help misguided administrators to gain
legal understanding. Getting Liberty Counsel's "Patriot's
Handbook of Religious Freedom in Public Schools" to
these school administrators is an excellent first step.
That's why we are starting with 10,000 schools. Please
consider sponsoring ten schools - or many more!
Thank you and God bless you!
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=51577&CID=337&RID=32821008
No comments:
Post a Comment