Parents Can Stop ACLU Lawsuit Against Wilson Co. Schools

Tennessean: Parents allowed to enter legal battle over church-state separation

A federal judge has granted permission to four parents to try to stop a lawsuit filed by the Tennessee chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union claiming that Wilson County schools violated constitutional separation of church and state.
The parents are being represented by the Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative legal group that takes up cases nationwide.

The ACLU filed a lawsuit in September alleging that Lakeview Elementary school in Mt. Juliet and the Wilson County school system endorsed and promoted activities on campus that led to constitutional violations.
The suit claimed, for example, that a group of Praying Parents who met at the elementary school passed out fliers in classrooms to let students know they had been prayed for — a step that, according to the ACLU, broke the church and state separation clause.
The ADF officials said in a statement today that they’re committed to defending people’s constitutional right of religious freedom.
The trail date on the merits of the case has been set for Oct. 9, ACLU officials have said.

Very short article, lacking much information, but here is an Oct.2006 piece from Alain's Newsletter that gives a bit more detail.

Old Hickory, TN –

U.S. Senate candidate Bob Corker today said the Tennessee chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is woefully wrong to have filed what he called a “frivolous liberal lawsuit” against the Wilson County School District alleging a morning prayer endorsed by Lakeview Elementary School officials is a constitutional violation of church-state separation.

“When the President declared September 14, 2001 — just two days after the attacks of 9-11 — a National Day of Prayer, no one sued him for crossing some arbitrary line between church and state,” said Corker. “We just bowed our heads and prayed. When a school in Wilson County or anywhere in our country allows children to do the same on the National Day of Prayer, or at a gathering at the flagpole, the courts ought to stay out of the way."

Corker said he supports the efforts of Mt. Juliet Commissioner Glen Linthicum, who said it was time for the community to take a stand against the ACLU lawsuit recently filed against the Wilson County School District. Linthicum co-sponsored a resolution unanimously approved last Monday night by the Mt. Juliet City Commission that encourages the elementary school and the Wilson School District to fight for their rights to religious expression.

"Like many parents across our state, I pray for my family everyday,” Corker stated. “We should never force anyone to believe a certain faith or pray a certain way," Corker continued, "but if a school decides to set aside some time to allow children who wish to pray to do so, we ought to support that school and community. That is precisely what it means to protect our freedom of religious expression — and I will fight to do just that in the U.S. Senate if elected."

It appears that the ACLU has set it's sights on this school district...The ACLU Targets Christians

ADF's motion to intervene can be found here.

This was a production of Stop The ACLU Blogburst. If you would like to join us, please email Jay at Jay@stoptheaclu.com or Gribbit at GribbitR@gmail.com. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll. Over 240 blogs already on-board.

Crossposted at Stop the ACLU