Liberty Counsel Goes to Court Today Against the ACLU-ACLU Harassment of Santa Rosa School District Continues
by Staff
December 3, 2009
PENSACOLA, Fla., (christiansunite.com) -- Representing the Christian Educators Association International (CEAI), Liberty Counsel returns to federal court at 1:00 p.m. today to combat the ACLU's harassment of teachers, staff, and students at Pace High School and other schools in the Santa Rosa County School District. On behalf of CEAI, Liberty Counsel is seeking to intervene in a case to overturn the court order that was the reason for contempt proceedings brought against school employees for a mealtime prayer with other adults. Liberty Counsel successfully defended Principal Frank Lay, Athletic Director Robert Freeman, and Michelle Winkler from the contempt charges. Lead trial counsel for Liberty Counsel is attorney Harry Mihet, who suffered persecution as a pastor's son growing up in communist Romania. Mihet now works to preserve religious freedom in America.The day after National Constitution Day, when Liberty Counsel successfully defended Lay and Freeman in court, the ACLU sent a letter to the District, complaining of 16 separate instances where it alleges the court order has been violated. The ACLU, sore from its last two losses, is now stalking District employees seeking to punish them. The ACLU is even prying into the personal lives of the employees, asking whether they are organizing prayer meetings in their churches regarding the case.
The ACLU's letter is a blatant attempt to intimidate school employees. The ACLU is complaining against Christian student groups receiving equal access in school (which the law requires), alleging that student clubs cannot have a student "chaplain," suggesting that students who on their own created and sold T- shirts supporting Principal Lay should be banned from doing so or that the Principal should be punished for not stopping the students. The ACLU is even complaining against the student-led "See You at the Pole" event and is seeking information about what employees do on their own time in church!
Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented: "The ACLU bullies are pushing an agenda that is neither based on the Constitution nor common sense. The ACLU is investing enormous amounts of money and resources to terrorize school officials into silence and to make public schools religion-free zones. Bowing down to their demands, as the Santa Rosa County School District did, will not satisfy the ACLU. It only emboldens them. The ACLU needs a good dose of the Constitution and a history lesson on the religious heritage and freedom that make America a great nation."
