Lynn v. Sekulow

Recently in Public Schools Category

Monday November 2, 2009

Halloween Continued...And Planned Parenthood

Little did I know when I started writing about Halloween that new "research" by the Christian Broadcasting Network uncovered that witches were contaminating Halloween candy and allowing demons to be ingested by "Trick or Treaters."  But here it is.

Now moving on to Planned Parenthood.  I think it is morally outrageous that one of the most well-respected sources of information on sexuality and pregnancy prevention is given so little government funding, and that their clinics providing abortion services are not funded by the federal government at all.  Why Congressman Mike Pence wants to cut funding even more is beyond me. Does he want young people to remain ignorant of human sexuality, or would he prefer they learn about it by finding their father's stash of old Playboy magazines? We are either going to be honest with young people or we have nobody to blame but ourselves when things go wrong.

Obviously, I am not privy to the details of your lawsuit regarding one or more Planned Parenthood affiliates' alleged "over billing."  It seems that the state of California has already conceded that the rules were unclear and doubt that Planned Parenthood will ever owe anything.  In addition, the state was apparently investigating this even before your "whistleblower" suit.  We'll see where all this goes.

Monday October 26, 2009

No Halloween Outcry; Concern Over Use of Taxpayer Funds

Barry, we don't get a lot of calls about Halloween.  Over the years, it's not something we hear much about.  And this year is no exception.  What we are hearing about from a lot of folks, though, is the continued frustration and concern about the use of taxpayer dollars to fund organizations like Planned Parenthood - the nation's largest abortion provider.

 

A recent example is what's taking place in Ohio where a local government body approved a $50,000 grant to Planned Parenthood to provide 'sex education' in public schools.  

 

At the national level, as Planned Parenthood continues to receive hundreds of millions of federal taxpayer dollars each year, debate is intensifying over whether the organization should receive ANY federal funds in the future.  In Congress, Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana has introduced H.R. 614 which would prohibit federal dollars from going to Planned Parenthood.

Wednesday October 21, 2009

Categories: Public Schools

Halloween, Religion and the Public Schools

Every year about this time Americans United starts getting calls about celebrations of Halloween in public schools.

They come from two kinds of people.  First, we get calls from Christians wondering why Pagans are able to get decorations and parties at schools around one of their holidays, but Christians can barely get a tree in the schoolhouse door in December, much less have a Christmas party.  Second, we get calls from Pagans and Wiccans wondering why their local schools are insulting their religious traditions by putting up ugly pictures of "witches" and acting like Halloween is just about loading your mouth with chocolate bars and gumdrops.

Do you get these calls, too?  Do both sides have a point?  Would you, Jay, suggest schools put up--oh, maybe-- maps and math puzzles from October to January and leave black cats and pine trees out of the decor?

Thursday October 1, 2009

From Commandments to Pledge - Federal Court Win Upholding "Under God"

Ok, Barry - looks like we won't agree on the Ten Commandments and what we consider to be the proper and constitutional displays present in Judge DeWeese's courtroom.

 

Let's try this one. 

 

A federal district court in New Hampshire has issued a decision upholding the voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by students in school and has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

 

The suit was filed in 2007 against two New Hampshire public school districts and Congress on behalf of several parents and students who objected to the voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in school.  Specifically, the lawsuit challenged the addition of the words "under God" in 1954 in the Pledge and the practice of reciting the Pledge in public schools as a patriotic exercise.

Wednesday September 16, 2009

No Abortion Diversion, Just the Facts

Barry, even as another health care plan is being introduced into Congress, there's a continuing - and a very real - concern about the issue of abortion.

Senators Michael Enzi of Wyoming and Charles Grassley of Iowa have expressed their concern to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus who is offering his own health care measure.  Senators Enzi and Grassley are correctly concerned about the lack of language in the bill.

According to the New York Times report:

Mr. Enzi and Mr. Grassley also told Mr. Baucus that health legislation must include language affirmatively prohibiting the use of federal money to pay for abortion. The restriction, they said, should apply to any subsidies that help low-income people buy insurance. In addition, they said, health plans should not be obliged to provide abortion. Thus, they said, the bill should "include a conscience clause to protect entities from being required to contract with abortion providers."

Wednesday May 20, 2009

Nothing Wrong with Charter Schools

Barry, congratulations to your daughter on her graduation.  It is that time of year - my son just graduated from Regent University School of Law.   The New Jersey school sounds perfectly legitimate from a constitutional standpoint. The article states...

Friday May 15, 2009

Categories: Education, Public Schools

Cross Is Religious; Charter Schools Are Bad News (Usually)

I think the first four people who responded to your last post claiming the cross isn't necessarily religious are completely on the mark, particularly emphasizing that all deceased war veterans are not Christian.  I'd be happy to leave them have...

Friday May 1, 2009

From Graduation, to Supreme Court Vacancy

Barry, the big news, of course, is the reported retirement of Supreme Court Justice David Souter.  The news comes just 102 days into the Obama Administration and sets the stage for President Obama to move to put his liberal stamp on...

Wednesday April 29, 2009

Categories: Censorship, Public Schools

No, Jay, the Toe Tapping Will Have To Go

Well, Jay, we didn't agree about holding graduations in churches.  It looks like we won't agree on what students can say or do at graduation, either. Songs which mention God are usually called "hymns."  Hymns are prayers set to music. ...

Tuesday April 28, 2009

Don't Ban Student Religious Speech at Graduations

Barry, I think the one thing we can agree on is that as long as graduation ceremonies take place across the country, there will be questions - concerns - and ongoing debate about what's proper and what it not. What...

Sunday April 26, 2009

Graduation Battle: What Does Theology Have To Do With It?

Jay, let me assure you and all our commentators that I would be similarly upset about a public school graduation in a mosque or in a predominantly GLBT Metropolitan Community Church. The doctrine of this particular church is, of course,...

Friday April 24, 2009

It's a Graduation Ceremony, Not a Church Service

Barry, as you know, many graduation ceremonies are held in churches around the country every year.  The reason for this is simple and has nothing to do with religion:  the church facility, in many communities, provides the space needed to...

Thursday April 23, 2009

Graduation In a Church--and It's Not Confirmation Class

Well, Jay, let's move from the national scene to a local one. Americans United has now filed a precedent-setting lawsuit challenging the use of a church for a public high school graduation ceremony in Wisconsin. We had asked a number...

Wednesday March 18, 2009

Tragedy Makes For Political Posturing in Kentucky

Yes, Jay, even I was shocked by your report of "prayer police" in Kentucky.  However, having heard these tales in the past on so many occasions, I got myself under control and immediately realized that many facts are missing.Students do...

Tuesday March 17, 2009

Prayer Police in Kentucky?

Barry, there's a troubling situation in Kentucky - in a middle school - where police were actually called to the school after students - are you ready for this - where students were actually praying! That's right.  A student at...

Wednesday March 11, 2009

Vouchers Go Down; Irony Barely Survives

Just yesterday, the Senate trounced the effort to create a kind of "voucher scheme forever" for the District of Columbia.  The vote was 58 opposed and 39 in favor.  The issue will not ever go away, of course, because the...

Wednesday March 11, 2009

Vouchers Support Parental Choice

Barry, what's wrong with giving parents a real choice about what school to send their children to? Parents are in a much better position than you or I to decide whether the public schools in their community are providing a...

Sunday March 8, 2009

Tell Rush Limbaugh: His Friends Are Leading Us To Socialism!

Nevada Senator Jon Ensign has leaped into the debate over the District of Columbia's school voucher program with both feet.  Although not usually known in Congress for his interest in education, his interest in ideology is apparent justification for attempting...

Friday February 6, 2009

Don't Force Christian High Schools to Change Curriculum

Barry, there's another troubling development in the education world - this one is not about stimulus funds for higher education facilities - this centers on high school curriculum and focuses directly on what's being taught in many Christian high schools...

Sunday November 23, 2008

OBAMA REJECTS RIDICULOUS SCHOOL ARGUMENTS

According to the Washington Post, President-elect Obama has decided to send his two daughters to the Sidwell Friends School.  This is a wise decision.  Earlier in the week both the Post and syndicated columnist Cal Thomas had editorialized that he...

Thursday October 23, 2008

Public Schools and the First Amendment

Barry, I never said that the use of a pro-Obama textbook violates anyone's First Amendment rights, but it does illustrate the importance of parents reviewing their child's textbooks, getting involved in electing school board members, and being active at school...

Tuesday October 21, 2008

Inside the Classroom: Pro-Obama Textbook?

These are very interesting times.  Especially when it comes to what's taking place in our public schools.  Barry, I don't know if you've seen the news reports about the controversy in Wisconsin where school officials approved the use of a textbook...

Wednesday September 3, 2008

Stop The Presses!

I literally did see a rainbow over here in Ireland about the time an important case was being argued before the Supreme Court of Florida.  I did not find any leprechauns with or without pot of gold. However, here's the prize as...

Advertisement

Search This Blog

feed icon Subscribe

RSS Feed

Receive updates from Lynn v. Sekulow

About Lynn v. Sekulow

Lynn v. Sekulow is an ongoing debate blog--a blogalogue--about how big (or little) a role faith and religion should play in American politics and government, featuring the two leading voices of the church/state battle: American Center for Law & Justice Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow and Americans United for Separation of Church and State Executive Director Rev. Barry W. Lynn.

Please note that in discussing political issues, candidates’ positions and political party statements, the Rev. Barry Lynn and Jay Sekulow are offering analysis in their individual capacities as lawyers and commentators. They are not speaking on behalf of Americans United for Separation for Church and State or for the American Center for Law & Justice. Those organizations do not endorse or oppose candidates for public office. Nothing contained in this dialogue should be construed as the positions of the respective organizations.

About the Authors

Rev. Barry W. Lynn
Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a nonprofit educational organization that defends religious liberty by opposing government interference in religion
» Posts by Rev. Barry W. Lynn
Jay Sekulow
Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ), a law firm and educational organization focused on protecting religious freedom, American families, and human life.
» Posts by Jay Sekulow
More »

Advertisement

Advertisement


About Beliefnet

Our mission is to help people like you find, and walk, a spiritual path that will bring comfort, hope, clarity, strength, and happiness. More about Beliefnet.

Legal

Copyright © Beliefnet, Inc. and/or its licensors. All rights reserved. Use of this site is subject to Terms of Service and to our Privacy Policy. Constructed by Beliefnet.

Advertisement

Report as Inappropriate

You are reporting this content because it violates the Terms of Service.

All reported content is logged for investigation.