Supreme Court Upholds Student's Constitutional Right To Religious Fredom Of Expression

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EDUCATION & THE COURTS / U.S. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS STUDENT'S CIVIL LIBERTIES, RELIGIOUS RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

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In Baldwinsville School District v. Peck, the high court let stand a ruling by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals that prohibited public schools from censoring the religious viewpoints of students in class assignments.

The court's decision "serves as a warning to school officials who engage in viewpoint discrimination and trample on the civil liberties of students."

Supreme Court Won't Rule on Kindergartener's Religious Discrimination Case

~ By Melanie Hunter
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
April 24, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - The Supreme Court Monday refused to hear the case of a New York kindergartner who sued his school after the Jesus poster he submitted for a class assignment on saving the environment was allegedly censored.

In Baldwinsville School District v. Peck, the high court let stand a ruling by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals that prohibited public schools from censoring the religious viewpoints of students in class assignments.

Antonio Peck and his parents filed the lawsuit, saying his free speech rights were violated when school officials folded his poster in half to block any view of Jesus. The poster depicted Jesus kneeling on one knee with his hands open to the sky.

"Today's ruling is a victory for religious freedom and students who have been singled out for discrimination by overzealous school officials," said Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, in a statement.

"In a nation founded on religious freedom, it is appalling that a kindergarten student would be subjected to censorship and humiliation simply for expressing his religious viewpoint," said Perkins.

Perkins said the court's decision "serves as a warning to school officials who engage in viewpoint discrimination and trample on the civil liberties of students."

Copyright 1998-2006 Cybercast News Service.

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Home-Schoolers Field Their Own Sports Teams

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EDUCATION -- SPORTS / RADICAL LEFT-WINGERS PROHIBIT TAX-PAYING HOME-SCHOOLERS FROM PLAYING ON PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAMS -- HOME-SCHOOL PARENTS FIGHT BACK -- FORM THEIR OWN TEAMS

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Fifteen states REQUIRE public schools to allow home-schoolers access to classes or sports, according to the Home School Legal Defense Association in Purcellville, Va. -- Virginia and the District are NOTamong them.

The legal group argues that since home-schooling families pay taxes that are used for public education, they should not be excluded from public sports programs.

Home-Schoolers Field Own Teams

~ By Michael Hunsberger
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
April 30, 2006



Matthew Werking, 16, makes passes during a drill, as the Central Maryland Christian Crusaders take their second day of practice.
PHOTO: RODNEY LAMKEY JR. (THE WASHINGTON TIMES)

Home-schooling parents in Frederick County, learning that their children could not play on high school football teams, decided not to punt. They formed their own squad instead.

"My son and daughter have not been able to play football or cheer because the [community] programs end at eighth grade," says Terry Delph, who with fellow home-school mother Nancy Werking co-founded the Central Maryland Christian Crusaders.

"This team is really, really needed," she says.

The Crusaders now are the second football team in Maryland made up entirely of home-school and private-school students. The Maryland Christian Saints first took the field last year in Harford County, north of Baltimore.

"You can be a Christian, hit really hard on the football field and still glorify God," Mrs. Delph says.

The Crusaders and their cheerleader squad for girls yesterday held their second informal practice at St. Stephen's Reformed Episcopal Church in Eldersburg, Md. Official practices are set to begin July 31.

The football team currently includes 28 boys, while nine girls have signed up as cheerleaders.

Mrs. Delph's son, Bobby, 16, hopes to play defense for the Crusaders.

"I think that we have a really good team and a really good program," he says. "I am excited."

Bobby went to public school until eighth grade, when Mrs. Delph became concerned that he was falling behind. She pulled him out and began home-schooling him.

Her daughter, Megan, 14, cheered for nine years for the community youth-football team. Now she helps her mom teach cheers to the other girls.

"I think it will be a great opportunity," Megan says. "It will be a lot of fun."

Many of the children already know each other from a home-school support group, and Mrs. Delph and Mrs. Werking's sons already were friends.

David Arenz, one of the Saints' coaches, said he anticipates more football teams in Maryland being started by home-schooling families.

"As more parents see this as something that is [possible], more teams will show up," he says.

The two Maryland home-school teams will play each other in a couple of scrimmages at the beginning of the season, then in two regular-season games.

The Crusaders have nine games scheduled. They and the Saints cannot play against public schools, so their games will be against other private-school or home-school teams. The Saints have traveled as far away as Philadelphia to play, organizers say.

Both teams are overseen by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which helps with fundraising and provides guidance and insurance. The nonprofit, interdenominational ministry is one of the nation's largest Christian sports organizations.

The ministry was founded in 1954 to challenge athletes and coaches from the professional ranks down to the youth leagues to use athletics to exemplify the life of Jesus. Among those in its Hall of Champions are PGA golfer Larry Nelson and Roger Staubach, the Heisman Trophy winner and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback.

The Crusaders' parents and players have raised nearly $30,000 for uniforms, tackling dummies and, of course, footballs. Football is an expensive sport, Mrs. Delph points out, especially without state funding.

Mrs. Delph says she does not expect home-schooled children in Maryland ever will be allowed to play on public school teams. "And if it does happen, it won't be in my kids' time," she says.

Fifteen states require public schools to allow home-schoolers access to classes or sports, according to the Home School Legal Defense Association in Purcellville, Va. Virginia and the District are not among them.

The legal group argues that since home-schooling families pay taxes that are used for public education, they should not be excluded from public sports programs.

Home-schooling was not recognized as legal by most states until the early 1990s. Today, it is legal in some form in every state.

The Crusaders' head coach, the Rev. Eric Jorgensen, is a home-schooling father with five sons. His 10th-grade son, David, is on the team.

Mr. Jorgensen worked for three years to get a bill through the state legislature that would allow students not attending public schools to play on public school teams -- only to see the bill fail each time.

"We eventually gave up because our kids were getting older," Mr. Jorgensen says.

Copyright © 1999 - 2006 News World Communications, Inc.

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