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[STK]
[IN] EDU
[SU] AVO LAW REL CHI
-- WITH PHOTO -- TO EDUCATION, LEGAL AFFAIRS, AND NATIONAL EDITORS:
CY Fair ISD Bans Bible; Second-Grader Prohibited From Reading The
Bible During "Read To Myself" Time
CYPRESS, Texas, April 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today,
Liberty Institute sends a letter to Cypress Fairbanks Independent
School District (Cy Fair ISD) officials in response to a complaint
from the family of a Hamilton Elementary School second grader, whom a
teacher allegedly prohibited from reading the Bible during "read to
myself" time. The student and parents, who requested to remain
anonymous for fear of retaliation or reprisal, say the teacher told
the student not to bring the Bible back to school again because it is
inappropriate reading material.
In its letter to Cy Fair ISD-the third largest school district in
Texas-Liberty Institute explains that the teacher's alleged censorship
of private, student religious expression is illegal and violates the
U.S. Constitution, federal guidelines and state law. To view a copy of
the letter online, please follow this link:
http://libertyinstitute.org/document.doc?id=149
"We expect Cy Fair ISD officials to resolve this unfortunate incident
quickly and amicably by informing us that they have addressed this
matter with District employees, and by assuring us that this will not
happen again," said Michael Berry, Liberty Institute Senior Counsel.
"More than forty years ago, the Supreme Court famously stated that
students do not 'shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech
or expression at the schoolhouse gate.' That means that second
graders have the right to read the Bible during 'read to myself'
time."
Liberty Institute is a national nonprofit legal group dedicated to
defending and restoring religious liberty across America - in our
schools, for our churches, inside our military and throughout the
public arena. Liberty's vision is to reestablish religious liberty in
accordance with the principles of our Founding Fathers. For
information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120523/DC12743LOGO-b
SOURCE Liberty Institute
-0- 04/22/2014
/CONTACT: Gregg Wooding, Cell: 214.558.9455, Office: 972.941.4453, gwooding@libertyinstitute.org
/Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120523/DC12743LOGO-b
/Web Site: http://www.libertyinstitute.org
CO: Liberty Institute
ST: Texas
IN: EDU
SU: AVO LAW REL CHI
PRN
-- DC09968 --
0000 04/22/2014 15:23:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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