The fleet goes off unblessed

[Abbey Marie]

Another one bites the dust. If the school cursed the fleet, it probably wouldn't be a problem in these folks' eyes. Regarding this "misinterpretation" of the 1st Amendment, is reading comprehension really getting this bad? Or is it Christianphobia? Hmmm.

SOUTH BRISTOL, Maine — South Bristol Elementary School eighth-graders
will launch their handmade skiffs next month without the traditional
“blessing of the fleet” after a letter from Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State informed the school that student involvement with the historic maritime ceremony violated the First Amendment.

For 16 years, eighth-grade students at the school have visited Maine
Maritime Museum in Bath every Friday during the school year to build
small wooden row boats. Each June, they launch them at Bittersweet
Landing, accompanied by a blessing by a pastor from the Union
Congregational Church of South Bristol.

This year, the June 4 ceremony will be without the traditional
prayer. Instead, a community member will give a “ceremonial launch
speech” followed by the traditional smashing of a bottle over the bow,
Principal Scott White wrote in a May 9 memo to staff.

Last year, the organization, whose mission is to preserve the
separation of church and state, received a complaint about a prayer at
the school’s ceremony. In December a lawyer for the organization sent
the school a letter saying the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
prohibits public schools from sponsoring prayers at events.

“Please ensure that future school-sponsored ceremonies do not include
prayers or other religious content,” the letter stated, adding that
even if attendance at the launch was voluntary, prayer would still be
prohibited.

White said that “we would absolutely allow students not to go if they
felt uncomfortable,” but that the issue has never come up in the seven
years he’s been at South Bristol Elementary School.

The school’s law firm, Drummond Woodsum, and the Maine School
Management Association determined that the blessing “could be construed
as a prayer. A pastor gives it, and passages in the blessing mention God
and ‘Amen,’ and she does ask people to bow their heads, but it is
certainly very nonsecular,” White said.
...

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/05/1...rst-amendment/

[fj1200]

...after a letter from Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State informed the school that student involvement with the historic maritime ceremony violated the First Amendment.

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/05/1...rst-amendment/

Because they got a letter? Doesn't anyone have any guts over there?

[Abbey Marie]

Because they got a letter? Doesn't anyone have any guts over there?

Schools crumble too easily, I agree. But they do often have trouble defending lawsuits, and I think that makes them run scared. What really gets me is the outrage over something that is non-secular, traditional, and so positive. I'd love to hear someone for once quantify what harm is actually being done when a non-secular prayer is offered.

[fj1200]

But they do often have trouble defending lawsuits, and I think that makes them run scared.

True, but at least make them send more than a letter.

[Thunderknuckles]

This is definitely an attack by Atheist busy bodies on Christianity. These guys go out of their way looking for crap like this so they can piss people off.
I don't know how they continue to win with this Separation of Church and State idea. They have managed to co-opt the 1st Amendment for their own purpose apart from it's original intent. The pertinent part of the Establishment and Free Exercise clause reads as follows:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"

The founders never intended for the practice of any religion to be banned from government. They intended for religious doctrine to be separate from government law.
In other words, if some members of Congress wanted to start a session with prayer, they could do so of their own free will. Likewise, if members of the school in question wanted to lead a ceremony with prayer, they are also free to do so. In either case, no rules or laws could be established that would force others to participate.

Somehow the Free Exercise clause has been re-interpreted to mean absolutely no practice of any religion by anyone in government. This was not the intent of the founders!

Now, it seems to me that all this school has to do is open the prayer ceremony to any religion that wishes to participate so as not to give the appearance of favoring any religion over another. If they did that, I don't see how an Atheist group would have a case against them. If anything, these Atheists would trampling all over the Free Exercise clause.

[PostmodernProphet]

they will be pissed when they find out that a priest was hiding behind a tree and blessed the fleet when no one was looking.......

[aboutime]

There is a great way to get back at Athiests. It costs nothing, hurts no-one, and is Honestly, and Equally, politically correct.

If they insist on reminding us THEY DO NOT BELIEVE in GOD.

I don't really care, when I tell them "I DON'T BELIEVE N ATHIESTS!"

They do not exist. So. There is no reason to recognize them for any reason.

End of story. Pragmatically speaking...of course.

[Kathianne]

Schools crumble too easily, I agree. But they do often have trouble defending lawsuits, and I think that makes them run scared. What really gets me is the outrage over something that is non-secular, traditional, and so positive. I'd love to hear someone for once quantify what harm is actually being done when a non-secular prayer is offered.

If the kids go every Friday, from the school, it's a 'school sponsored event.' They'd lose in court. The letter is a warning that someone will bring suit, likely via the ACLU.

If the school body wants to keep their traditions, it would have to all be done off of school time and totally voluntary membership.

[Thunderknuckles]

If the kids go every Friday, from the school, it's a 'school sponsored event.' They'd lose in court. The letter is a warning that someone will bring suit, likely via the ACLU.

If the school body wants to keep their traditions, it would have to all be done off of school time and totally voluntary membership.

Like I argued before, open prayer should still be allowed in a school sponsored event, on school time. Until someone has the guts, and financial ability, to make a strong case, you're right. They will just cave or lose in court. I see this as similar to the Patent Trolling lawsuits you see going on. It's just easier and vastly cheaper to settle and move on than make a good fight of it. We are starting to see some push back by the courts in Patent Trolling. Hopefully at some point there will be some push back on Establishment Clause Trolling by Atheist groups.

I like your idea of the school doing this on private time with voluntary attendance. In fact, if you're a school with a strong Christian tradition I'd say just cancel every official fun activity you have as a way to say "If we can't do it with prayer, then we won't do it at all! -- except on our own damn time with the majority of people that want to attend. Have fun staying home and saving yourself from the psychological damage brought on by the exposure to prayer".

[PostmodernProphet]

There is a great way to get back at Athiests. It costs nothing, hurts no-one, and is Honestly, and Equally, politically correct.

If they insist on reminding us THEY DO NOT BELIEVE in GOD.

I don't really care, when I tell them "I DON'T BELIEVE N ATHIESTS!"

They do not exist. So. There is no reason to recognize them for any reason.

End of story. Pragmatically speaking...of course.

I have a modified version of that......I'm an agnostic when it comes to intelligent atheists.....if I ever see one I will believe they exist.....

[Marcus Aurelius]

they will be pissed when they find out that a priest was hiding behind a tree and blessed the fleet when no one was looking.......

I am an ordained minister... Universal Church of Light. Internet and $5.00. I just blessed the fleet from here.

Hey, atheist fucktards...