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DONATE TODAY >Athiest family protests presence of a cross in public school classroom
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An unnamed atheist family reportedly complained about a public school teacher in Texas after noticing a large Christian cross displayed on a bookshelf inside her classroom.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
9/17/2015 (1 decade ago)
Published in Marriage & Family
Keywords: Constitutional Violation, Religion, School, Public, Teacher, Cross, Lord, Statements, Texas, Complaint
MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - In a letter sent to the school principal and district superintendent, an activist organization stated that the teacher violated the constitution with the display, as well as making religious-themed statements to her students.
In a letter addressed to Dr. Esperanza Zendejas, the superintendent at the Brownsville Independent School District and school principal, Sherry L. Stout claimed the teacher had committed a constitutional violation, specifically against the First Amendment. The Christian cross on the complaint was one-foot tall and was displayed on the classroom's bookshelf.
"A concerned parent has contacted our office to request assistance with regard to what is correctly perceived as a constitutional violation that has occurred under the authority of your school and school district. Specifically, a third-grade teacher at Benavides Elementary School has been displaying a large Christian cross in her classroom and proselytizing to students through her classroom activities," wrote the American Humanist Association's (AHA) Appignani Humanist Legal Center.
AHA stated that the concerned parent claimed the teacher even told her class about "Our Lord," whom she had referred to as the one perfect person. The organization also said they received other reports with similar cases from schools within the district and asked the supervisor to take action in ceasing such religious activities.
"With the school year having just begun, this family and other non-Christian families in your school district should not have to endure Christian proselytizing as a price to pay for sending their children to public schools," said AHA in the letter.
Comments from the school and the activist group have yet to return and the school district has not responded to the letter.
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