Rhode Island Christians schedule county-wide prayer rally over removal of prayer banner at Cranston High School

Rhode Island prayer banner

Rhode Island prayer bannerThe Cheraw Chronicle reports that "the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) may have won the battle over religious practices in public schools last week, but the crusades continue."  The uproar is over a federal court ruling ruling that a banner at Cranston High School West's auditorium titled "School Prayer" and addressing "Our Heavenly Father" is unconstitutional.  The ACLU, and its 16-year-old plaintiff, Jessica Ahlquist, won the suit and the Chesterfield County School Board agreed to a settlement wherein they would honor the separation of church and state.  Since then, Ahlquist was called "an evil little thing" by a State representative and had been receiving threats.  When the Freedom From Religion Foundation tried to send Ahlquist flowers, four Rhode Island florists refused to deliver flowers to her.

On January 29, there will be a county-wide prayer rally held at the Chesterfield-Ruby Middle School for the county’s students, teachers and administrators.  The Chronicle reports that students have been taking their bibles to school to protest the federal court ruling. Their parents have reportedly been lauding them as "brave" for doing so, even though there is no law that prohibits students for having bibles at school.

Parents and members of the community attending a meeting about appealing the court decision were so emotional that the school superintendent told them to calm down and set a better example for the students.

 

D. Beeksma

One of the growing crowd of American "nones" herself, Deborah is a prolific writer who finds religion, spirituality and the impact of belief (and non-belief) on culture inspiring, fascinating and at times, disturbing. She hosts the God Discussion show and handles the site's technical work. Her education and background is in business, ecommerce and law.

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  • http://www.mcgath.com GaryM

    When did Rhode Island get so overrun by religious fanatics? I mean — RAPE THREATS against a 16-year-old girl for defending her Constitutional rights? Intimidation of florists? Is this RI or Riyadh?

  • Trevor

    Doesn't the bible say something like, "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you"? I guess a lot of the christians forgot about that part. or maybe the part where the bible says, "judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven". But hey whatev, to each their own.

  • Richard

    This is a clear case of Christian Dominionism rearing its ugly head. It is Christian hegemony in the worst possible sense since it is meant to trap children at an early age and indoctrinate them. Public schools are under constant pressure from Dominionist Christian groups who seek to install creationism and other religious doctrines into public school curricula. America is a secular nation in which all religions and non-beliefs may flourish but none dominate. This school's administration and many of the parents are derelict in their Constitutional duties. We must nip dominionism in the bud or the next step will be Christian Jihad.

  • Ed-words

    Let them get it out of their system. It may lower their blood pressure.

    But not in the Cranston auditorium.

  • Ed-words

    They're planning to rename it

    St. Cranston High School.