School Orders Child to Remove God From Poem

[Bay_Kat (Premo)]

A North Carolina community is embroiled in controversy after a school ordered a six-year-old girl to remove the word “God” from a poem that she was supposed to read during a Veteran’s Day ceremony.

The girl is a first-grader at West Marion Elementary School. She was supposed to read the poem during a school assembly marking Veteran’s Day. The poem honored her two grandfathers who had served during the Vietnam War.

“He prayed to God for peace, he prayed to God for strength,” the poem read.

A parent reportedly found out about the poem and expressed concern about mentioning the word God during a school event. The parent did not want the Almighty’s name mentioned anywhere in the program, according to one account.

School Orders Child to Remove God From Poem | FOX News & Commentary: Todd Starnes

What is wrong with people? This just irritates me so bad.

[MadDogMarine]

The person demanding the removal doesn't bother me as much as the COWARD school system that rolls over and allows these type of people to walk all over them.
I have absolute contempt for cowards that allow this crap to perpetuate. We truly have become a Nation Of Cowards!

[tom88]

Originally Posted by MadDogMarine

The person demanding the removal doesn't bother me as much as the COWARD school system that rolls over and allows these type of people to walk all over them.
I have absolute contempt for cowards that allow this crap to perpetuate. We truly have become a Nation Of Cowards!

I understand the position of the school. I disagree with it, but it would not be my money I would be spending defending this argument. It would be the North Carolina School District. When you have idiotic decisions such as that in Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe (2000) it is hard not to err on the side of caution to avoid a costly legal battle for something which can be avoided.

[Bean Machine]

Originally Posted by tom88

I understand the position of the school. I disagree with it, but it would not be my money I would be spending defending this argument. It would be the North Carolina School District. When you have idiotic decisions such as that in Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe (2000) it is hard not to err on the side of caution to avoid a costly legal battle for something which can be avoided.

Except now, they are open to a lawsuit for actually violating someones rights, namely the girls first amendment right. After all how can the word God itself be offensive? Even Atheists use the word even if only as a descriptive word. Should other certain words like church be outlawed as well. Should you have to change your name if it's Mark, Luke, or Matthew since those are Biblical names and certainly imply a specific religion? Where does the ridiculousness stop?

[Homesick]

" In God We Trust " Reads on the back of every bill I've had.

If the mention of God is so repulsive, I wonder if he/she is burning cash.

[tom88]

Originally Posted by Bean Machine

Except now, they are open to a lawsuit for actually violating someones rights, namely the girls first amendment right. After all how can the word God itself be offensive? Even Atheists use the word even if only as a descriptive word. Should other certain words like church be outlawed as well. Should you have to change your name if it's Mark, Luke, or Matthew since those are Biblical names and certainly imply a specific religion? Where does the ridiculousness stop?

Don't get me wrong, I agree that this is stupid and the kid should be allowed to read the prayer. Having said that, it isn't what the law of the land is. The question of free speech was answered in previous suits. The person can practice free speech but not using public property to promote one religious belief. You can have a biblical name but now you are talking apples and oranges. The poem specifically talked about "praying" to God.

[Bay_Kat (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Homesick

" In God We Trust " Reads on the back of every bill I've had.

If the mention of God is so repulsive, I wonder if he/she is burning cash.

My husband said something along the lines of "if the word God offends them so bad, he'll take all that offensive money off their hands".

[b23hqb]

I just sent the superintendent, Gerri Martin, an e-mail calling her what she is - a politically correct coward. Very politely, of course.

Cowards, trampling on the free speech of a 6 year old.

[TPD]

It is stories like this that reaffirm I am doing the right thing with the sacrifices I make to send my child to a Catholic school, though she and I will have a rude awakening when she goes public for her high school years. Not yet willing to make that $10-12k sacrifice each year for Ryken, but still have some time to decide...

[aps45819]

Originally Posted by tom88

Don't get me wrong, I agree that this is stupid and the kid should be allowed to read the prayer. Having said that, it isn't what the law of the land is. The question of free speech was answered in previous suits. The person can practice free speech but not using public property to promote one religious belief. You can have a biblical name but now you are talking apples and oranges. The poem specifically talked about "praying" to God.

That is not now nor has it ever been the law of the land.
The constitution forbids the Federal government from establishing an official religion and it also forbids the government from interfering with the practice of someones religion