Americans United Challenges California Community College Prayer Policy In Federal Court

[Adsos Letter]

SOURCE: Americans United for Separation of Church and State
November 20, 2009

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging official prayers during public ceremonies at a Southern California community college.

The lawsuit challenges the South Orange County Community College District’s practice of opening its events with prayer. The District oversees two Southern California community colleges – Saddleback College in Mission Viejo and Irvine Valley College in Irvine; the legal action challenges prayers at Saddleback.

School officials, the legal action asserts, routinely sponsor official invocations at events for students and faculty, including scholarship-award ceremonies, commencement ceremonies and training programs for faculty. Plaintiffs assert they are subjected to unwanted religious worship at these events, a stance AU backs in its lawsuit.

“These community colleges need to stop promoting religion and get back to the business of education,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “Faculty and students should be able to attend school events without being subjected to official prayer and religious worship.”

AU’s lawsuit notes that students and faculty members have protested the mandatory prayers many times.


LINK: http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2009/11/au-challenges-california.html

[kestrel91316]

1. There shouldn't be the slightest whiff of religious doctrine in ANY

publically funded educational institution anywhere in the US. You want prayer, go to church, or better yet, OBEY JESUS'S COMMAND IN THE BIBLE AND GO PRAY ALONE IN YOUR CLOSET.

[RKP5637]

3. EXCELLENT!!! n/t

[jaysunb]

4. Amen ! n/t

[RKP5637]

2. GOOD!!! n/t

[Adsos Letter]

5. To anyone who has any discretionary income during these tight times...

AU is an excellent organization to consider when deciding who to contribute to; probably more important now than at any time in the last 100 years.

[wryter2000]

6. I find money for them every year

They do great work.

www.au.org

[Adsos Letter]

7. Me too! And I applaud you for doing so...

and the whole nation should be thanking them.