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Do we want kids growing
up ashamed of
religion?
By Kevin J. Hasson
It's less true in New Jersey today. And there is a
little boy in Medford, New Jersey who doesn't understand what happened
to his right to free speech.
The boy's name is Zachary Hood. When he was in the first grade at a
public school and had just learned to read, his teacher decided that a
good way to reward the children for their accomplishment was to have
them read their favorite story in front of the class. That was the
assignment. Bring in your favorite story and read it out loud. No
restrictions. No guidelines. So, Zack came bounding down the stairs
the next day with his Cat in the Hat book in hand and was ready to go.
At the end of the day when his mother saw Zack coming up the driveway,
her son's tear- stained face told her something had gone wrong.
"The
teacher didn't let me read. She said my story was religious and
religion isn't allowed in public school", was all he had to say.
Shocked, Zack's mother went to the school the next week to clear up
what she thought was obviously some sort of mistake. It wasn't. The
principal suggested that maybe Zack wasn't "public school material" and
perhaps he should attend parochial school.
The story Zack had chosen to read was about forgiveness. It was called
The Big Family and in it two brothers named Jacob and Esau have a fight
and then reconcile. That's it. Not even any mention of G-d or
miracles. Just a story about two brothers who forgive each other.
Apparently that was not appropriate for public school.
In a New York public school, another budding artist met a similar
fate. Antonio Peck's teacher asked the class to make posters about the
environment and ways to save it. When young Antonio submitted a poster
that included Jesus, the Ten Commandments and the statement, "The only
way to save the Earth", his teacher refused to hang the picture and
asked him to do another.
On his second try, Antonio depicted children
recycling trash in front of a church and off to one side of the drawing
a man in robes kneeling down with his hands outstretched. The teacher
accepted the second drawing, but when it was hung the part with the man
in the flowing robes was folded over.
Yes, order in school is crucial. And, yes, state-led religious services
in public schools are a bad idea. But that's not what we have in any of
these situations. Kids who draw well should be allowed to express
themselves.
And kids like Zack Hood who read well should be allowed to
complete their school assignments without the U.S. Supreme Court giving
its stamp of approval.
President Clinton, of all people, apparently agrees. In his Department
of Education memo outlining the parameters of religion in public
schools, it states that "...nothing in the First Amendment converts our
public schools into religion-free zones" and that "students may express
their beliefs about religion in the form of homework, artwork, and other
written and oral assignments free of religious discrimination based on
the religious content of their submissions."
Its been three years since Zack's teacher told him religion wasn't
allowed in public school and Zack is still battling for the right to
read his story. The school district has refused to budge and is
spending huge sums on lawyers' fees just to keep one little boy from
reading one story about forgiveness. My organization, the Becket Fund
for Religious Liberty, is representing Zack and his parents for free.
So far, the Courts have rules in the State's favor. But it's not over
yet. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals is now considering whether to
open the case for rehearing. The decision to silence Zack and his story
was made by a three-member panel of the court. Our petition requests
that the entire twelve-member court review the decision. If the full
court agrees to rehear the case, Zack and the public school children in
the third circuit might have their right to free speech restored. If
not we will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether a first-grader
has the right to complete his assignment.
Zack's plight should make everyone think about just how we want to
educate our children. Do we want them to grow up ashamed of
religion--afraid to mention it in polite company? Because that's
exactly what is happening. Those first-graders got the messge loud and
clear: Religon, like smoking, is something to be done only in private.
We'll keep fighting. In the meantime, though, why not join us in
subverting political correctness?
And if your children run into trouble for holding their religious beliefs dear, be sure to let me know by contacting us via e-mail
http://www.jewishworldreview.com --
THERE IS A SAYING that children don't leave their constitutional rights
at the school house door. It isn't catchy, but its true. At least it
used to be true.
His mother, knowing how lengthy the Dr. Seuss classic is, sent her son
back upstairs to choose again. Zack came down this time with his
favorite short story marked in his Beginner's Bible and was off to catch
the bus.
This is what we've come to. We're cracking down on little inspired
artists and proud new readers in effort to save ourselves--from what?
JWR contributor Kevin Hasson is president of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Let him know what you think by clicking here.
10/27/99:The outlawing of religious symbols
10/07/99:The military's shame
