Eugene Scott reports on a new case filed by ADF in the Arizona Republic (2.7.2008):
Deer Valley Unified School District officials said students are not allowed to pray over schools’ public-announcement systems, but are allowed to use the words "pray" and "prayer" in their announcements.
The school district issued its stand on prayer on Wednesday, a few days after the Alliance Defense Fund announced that it was suing the district after a Mountain Ridge High School student said she was told she couldn’t use the school’s PA system to invite students to the Common Cause Club’s prayer meeting.
Also, Carolyn Dryer is reporting on the Glendale Star: Student accuses Deer Valley Unified of religious discrimination:
. . . [ADF attorney Jeremy] Tedesco said the written and video communications are very valuable means of communication for all clubs on campus.
“Clubs use it all the time,” Tedesco said. “The problem the school has here is they denied the club access to the written and video announcements solely because the club wanted to engage in religious speech. It violates the constitution.
“The bottom line in the case is Christians have the same rights as everybody else. They can’t be penalized for their beliefs.”
ADF’s press release on the suit is here.
