A California high school has shut down a memorial brick paver fundraiser just because two Christian women wanted Bible verses on the bricks they purchased.
Lou Ann Hart and Sheryl Caronna submitted requests and contributed several hundred dollars to purchase brick pavers with engraved scriptures. The pavers were to be placed along walkways at Palm Desert High School. Last August, after the bricks were made -- but before they were installed -- the women were informed that because of the religious messages on the pavers, they would not be included along the walkways at the school.
In January, the women filed a lawsuit in a U.S. district court to allow the Christian messages. Now, rather than accept the pavers with Bible verses, the Desert Sands Unified School District has shut down the entire program and refunded all the money.
David Cortman, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), says Christians are not to be treated differently from anyone else.
"Christians should be allowed to express themselves on public school campuses, just like everyone else," says the attorney. "It is cowardly to shut down everyone's participation in this program simply to keep out Christian speech."
In January, the women filed a lawsuit in a U.S. district court to allow the Christian messages. Now, rather than accept the pavers with Bible verses, the Desert Sands Unified School District has shut down the entire program and refunded all the money.
David Cortman, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), says Christians are not to be treated differently from anyone else.
"Christians should be allowed to express themselves on public school campuses, just like everyone else," says the attorney. "It is cowardly to shut down everyone's participation in this program simply to keep out Christian speech."
He says the fundraiser was approved by the school district with no limitations, except for the length of the inscription. Even a Hindu quote from Mahatma Gandhi had been accepted -- as well as a Bible quotation in Spanish.
"There is absolutely nothing unconstitutional about a Bible verse on a brick when a school opens up a program for anyone to express a personal message," says Cortman. "The school simply could have allowed the Bible verses, but instead they chose to punish everyone."
"There is absolutely nothing unconstitutional about a Bible verse on a brick when a school opens up a program for anyone to express a personal message," says Cortman. "The school simply could have allowed the Bible verses, but instead they chose to punish everyone."
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