The ACLU - pros and cons

[GreyMouser]

Those crazy Christian-haters at the ACLU are at it again

ACLU backs student's singing of Christian song
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a legal brief today supporting a Frenchtown elementary school student’s right to express her religion by singing a pop Christian song at a school talent show.

Maryann and Robert Turton sued the district last year after the school struck the act from its performance list. School officials said the Turtons’ daughter, Olivia, then in second grade, could not sing the song “Awesome God� at the evening talent show because it was too religious for a school setting.

After the suit was filed in federal court in Trenton, the ACLU asked to intervene in the case.

School officials banned Olivia from singing the song, arguing its content was unsuitable for the school-run talent show held on a Friday night in May 2005. Concerned about crossing the line separating church from state, they said the performance might lead the audience to believe the school endorsed Olivia’s religion.

Olivia did perform, but sang a song from “Annie� along with a group of friends.

A hearing in the case has been tentatively set for July 3 before U.S. District Judge Stanley Chesler.
..........

The ACLU argued in its motion filed today that no reasonable person could conclude the school endorsed religion simply by allowing Olivia to sing her song.

http://www.nj.com/newslogs/starledger