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VA School Board Gives Supreme Court the Finger and Re-Instates Ten Commandment Plaques

January 23, 2011 By 6 Comments

VA board votes to reinstate commandmentsThe Giles County School Board of Roanoke, VA, voted unanimously to reinstall Ten Commandments plaques in all public schools (see related article). Parents who supported this decision told news station WSLS 10 News that they are willing to pay higher taxes and other funds in order to defend this decision in court.

"It is so disheartening to see public officials in Virginia — the state that produced Madison and Jefferson — directly flout the law and violate the constitutionally required separation between religion and government," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) co-president.

The Supreme Court explicitly ruled in Stone v. Graham (1980), against schoolroom postings of the Ten Commandments: "The pre-eminent purpose for posting the Ten Commandments on schoolroom walls is plainly religious in nature."

The superintendent had removed Ten Commandments displays from Giles County schools and replaced them with copies of the Declaration of Independence.

"This was such a rational outcome, and it is shocking to learn what this rogue school board has done," Gaylor said. "When the Supreme Court has spoken directly to this violation, it should not be necessary to keep fighting the same battle!"

FFRF is considering a lawsuit and if it does so, asks that parents willing to serve as plaintiffs contact them. FFRF will move to have protective orders to protect the identities of families involved.

FFRF's complaint letter and the superintendent's response can be read here.

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Deborah is the owner and administrator of the site, starting it in February 2009. She received her business education at the University of Texas and operates a number of websites and small businesses. She hosts the God Discussion show and handles the site's technical work and editing.

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  • Thomas Jefferson

    The commandments are un-American, the first one demands obedience to one God, the first constitutional amendment allows obeisance to one God, many Gods or no Gods.

    • Thomas Jefferson

      Last obeisance = obedience

  • http://www.SyteReitz.com Syte

    ALL conservative communities in the US should put up similar historical displays in ALL their schools, in support of Giles County, and illustrating to our children the documents on which our laws and our democracy have been based– the Declaration of Independence and the Ten Commandments.

    If many communities did this, the FFRF, being a small organization, would not be able to cover all of them with their frivolous trademark — intimidation by litigation.

    If nobody stands up to them, the FFRF, representing 0.003 of 1% of America, will continue to bully 80% of America, depriving us of our right to exercise our religious beliefs, as guaranteed by the US Bill of Rights.

    In our town of Madison, WI, the FFRF is already starting to oppose the activities of the local Catholic Student Center – see http://sytereitz.com/2011/01/freeedom-from-religion/ .

    • http://www.goddiscussion.com admin

      How on earth is our democracy based on the Ten Commandments? And why should Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, humanists, and everyone else who is not Christian pay for these?

      Syte, I will gladly accept your argument if you can go through each commandment, one by one, and demonstrate how it supports our Constitution and the First Amendment.

      Deborah

  • http://anziulewicz.livejournal.com Chuck Anziulewicz

    Yes, the decision by the Giles County BOE to post the Ten Commandments in public schools is BLATANTLY unconstitutional. But what local person in his right mind would dare take the board to court over this? To do so would mean being ostracized by most of the rest of the local community, having his property vandalized, receiving death threats, etc. The Ku Klux Klan would probably burn a cross on his front lawn. This is perfect example of the "tyranny of the majority."

    • http://www.goddiscussion.com admin

      Good points, Chuck. I'm not sure exactly what happened to the veteran in King, NC, who had wanted remain anonymous for that very reason when he asked that the Christian flag be removed from the city's veterans memorial park. His identity was revealed somewhere along the line and I'm willing to bet that his reputation in the community has been severely damaged because he dared to say anything.

      What you wrote is, I think, quite true and illustrative of Christian behavior in today's society. They might not get as extreme as the KKK, but there seems to be a growing attitude that because they are the majority, communities should be in their absolute control. Non-Christians have 'freedom of religion' so long as they do not say a word or question anything.

      The only way to stop this type of tyrannical behavior is to stand up to it and say "no." That's why I am so supportive of groups such as the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, People for the American Way and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and am impressed with each individual out there who has the guts to stand up and say "no."

      Deborah