Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Fw: Way to Go Walmart!

 

 


Having problems viewing this e-mail? 
Try it here.

August 24, 2011
Dear Raymond,

My colleague Stuart Shepard was in Walmart last weekend shopping for back to school supplies for his son when he encountered some rather provocatively Christian notebooks and folders. One of them read: "God Recycles. He made you out of dust." Another read: "John 3:16. This message is illegal in 53 countries."

Usually when we report on Christian expression in the public schools, it has to do with some official trying to kick religion out of school. But when the country's largest retailer stocks school supplies with openly religious messages like this, we regard it as a pleasant change.

Such messages are perfectly legal and they conform with court rulings that give wide latitude to students who want to express religious views in public schools.

Stuart and I talked to attorney David Cortman of the Alliance Defense Fund, who is an expert on this issue, on this week's CitizenLink Report video. You can view our interview with David by clicking here.

Cortman says that many times teachers have the mistaken impression that anything religious is not allowed in school, and they make on-the-spot decisions that religious items need to go. They are wrong. Some school boards have even adopted official policies that inhibit student-initiated religious expression. But these policies also are inconsistent with what the relevant laws actually say.

Given the precedents established by court decisions, parents who stand up for the religious rights of their children to voluntarily express their beliefs in a way that doesn't disrupt instruction will usually win, if they have informed legal counsel.

Cortman reminds students that if they carry religious messages into public school buildings and are told to keep them out of sight, the first thing they should do is to obey that authority. But then parents ought to brush up on their knowledge. A good way to begin is to read a position paper on the subject that the Alliance Defense Fund offers on its website. You can get to it by clicking here.

One more thing. It was refreshing to see Walmart's willingness to carry the school folders with those messages on them. If you see those items for sale in your local Walmart, please take a moment to let the store manager know how encouraging it is to see matters of faith displayed so positively.

For faith and family,

Tom Minnery
Tom Minnery
Executive Director


Home | News | Get Involved | Analysis | State Groups | About Us | Action Center | Petition | Subscribe | Donate
Focus on the Family is a registered trademark of Focus on the Family, a California
nonprofit religious organization corporation, used pursuant to a license.


Don't want to receive e-mails like this in the future? 
Unsubscribe.