Reading, Writing & Redemption
So you say you want to sponsor a religious group for kids, and you need a place for the kids to meet for group activities. Where to go? A church, or other place of worship, perhaps?
Nah, that would make too much sense. Why fellowship in a place where most parents would want their children to become accustomed to going on a regular basis?
How about holding these religious activities in a school - after hours? Ok. Any old school will do? Apparently so; but let's make it an elementary school and plan the meetings for a time when school is officially out, but there will undoubtedly still be youngsters hanging around. We're set now.
And so we are. In a most improbable ruling (on second thought, maybe not), the United States Supreme Court (USSC) held that a religious group may meet in a public school, after hours, for their particular group activities.
To deny that, the Court said, would constitute discrimination against the group because of its religious viewpoint in violation of the Free Speech Clause (FSC).
The ruling was the result of a New York school policy which authorized district residents to use its building after school for things such as instruction in education, learning or the arts and, social, civic, recreational, entertainment and use relating to community welfare.
Stephen and Darlene Fourniers (Fourniers), sponsors of the Good News Club (GNC), a private, christian organization for kids ages 6-12, were district residents who were eligible to use the school's facilities. Specifically, they wanted to use the Milford school's cafeteria for their club meetings.
What did the sponsors do at the meetings? GNC's attorney described a typical one: Mrs. Fournier called each child's name and if that child recited a bible verse, the child received a treat (I don't know whether it was food or something else).
They sang, recited bible verses through games and Mrs. Fournier told bible stories and then related the stories to each child's life (not a bad idea for Sunday school). The kids were also given bible verses to memorize. Each meeting opened and closed with a prayer.
I will note at this point that the group started out holding their meetings at a church.
Fourniers applied with the interim superintendent to hold meetings at Milford. The district denied the request because the club was practicing religion in a public school.
Naturally, the GNC sponsors sued the district, and under section 1983 of the United States Code, a civil rights statute. And knowing the history of that statute, it is rather intriguing to see it used in such a strained manner.
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