JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Parents are suing the St. Johns County School Board saying a teacher made their children learn a religious-themed song for an end-of-the-year program.

The lawsuit, filed last week in federal court, says "In God We Still Trust," interferes with the parents' right to raise children according to their own beliefs.

The song was cut before the lawsuit was filed after another parent complained. But the lawsuit says they are still entitled to damages because their children were required to learn the song. They are seeking to bar the district from the "religious instruction" the song represents.

School Board attorney David Marsey says the issue differs from school prayer because public school choirs historically have been permitted to sing religious songs.

This is going beyond ridiculous. Even after having the song cut they want to file a lawsuit. If parents were so truly interested in what their kids where singing they'd monitor the radio stations as well. Yet the sales of songs with questionable lyrics and cursing is still on the rise.

For example:
Flo Rida Right Round lyrics

You spin my head right round, right round
When you go down, when you go down down
(Kesha)
You spin my head right round, right round
When you go down, when you go down down

Betcha this doesn't really mean he gets dizzy or he's getting a massage, does it?

Teach your kids what you want to teach them at home, be it religion, be it baking, what you do at home is your business, but to try and find compensation for learning a song, WTF. They were taught a song, they were not taught religion, they were not taught to obey this or that, it's a flipping song. Now please tell me why seek monetary damages from a lawsuit, unless they are going to use those monies for the therapy these kids will have to undergo after all learning a flipping song can cause so much damages.

Watch out itsy bitsy spider your next - as this song is about abuse, the rain kills the spider.

off soap box

I agree. My son goes to public school and over the years has learned many songs that reference God or religion. While I don't like this as it does conflict with my own personal spiritual beliefs and my belief that God and school don't mix, I never said anything and allowed him to participate. I felt it more important that my son feel a sense of belonging with his classmates. We had a couple of discussions at home but I didn't really make a big deal out of it.

That being said, once the song was removed from the program, the problem was solved. A lawsuit is simply frivolous at this point and hopefully will be thrown out as such. It will be difficult if not impossible to prove any damages anyway. These kinds of cases are what's wrong with our legal system.

This is the era of let's all sue!!!

Yeah, it is. It's pitiful really. Thing is, they'll probably end up with some sort of settlement, it's cheaper than fighting it. Which only encourages more and more of these kinds of suits. Which bogs the whole justice system down and those with legitimate issues get screwed.

I hope this doesn't sound angry as it is not intended to be.

Not knowing what the songs content was I can't say I would know how bad this is, but if the song was removed it should be done with for the most part. Oh maybe not..

'They are seeking to bar the district from the "religious instruction" the song represents.'

It seems they want the lawsuit to serve notice to teachers that they don't have the right to assume what our kids are to participate in and learn in the way of religion. The damages should be used to educate people that they don't live alone in this country and that not all parents want any kind of religious instruction in public school. A song can influence a child as well as an adult. Hell I am not happy with some of the lyrics in songs on the air waves but I think that comes under the heading of free speech whether I like it or not. But this is different....

You have places of worship, you have community events and you have your home to teach that to your kids. Why must people have religion in every setting, at least public school should be a place free of it.

If you are into religion then I suppose one might not find this a big deal. I would find it an issue, because I would not want my kids indoctrinated into a religion period. I decide what I want my kids influenced by.

No we can't control what's on the radio, but in public school where my kids go to get an education not to be indoctrinated into religion. The teacher should be teaching in a private religious school.

I wish the heck religion would stop trying to force it self into public school. Teach kids that stuff at home if it's that important.

I bet we would be totally up in arms if the song was about the Muslim faith? I of course am assuming it was christian?

If I am missing something feel free to fill me in.

thats the song

http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-03-24/story/st_johns_parents_file_suit_over_school_song

I truly don't find this worthy of a lawsuit, they complained, school complied and they want damages because they learned a song. I say every parent should sue all schools, as the itsy bitsy spider promotes violence, afterall the rain wiped the spider out. Wait did that kill the spider, did it harm the spider, hmmm, maybe my child will suffer in latter years because of this song, ah ok, let's sue for it's all 'their' fault.

As for the radio, yes we have some control over what's played, contact radio station or turn off radio.

Diamond Rio sung that song as well. whatever happened to just saying no? if it bothers yu....talk to the teacher and principal

Exactly

2 parents did complain and the song was removed, but their children now suffer from being exposed to lyrics (I guess)

they suffer???? OMG...come on. they removed the song. what??? these kids need therapy now???? I know alot of people that don't believ in God, but they can teach their kids it's been taken care of. I don't think the kids will be traumatize for life over this. the teacher should have used better judgement....yep, but too many people these days are sue happy usually for greed. I taught my son there are many different views in the world (and country) and to just hold on to what you belive and move on. he has turned out great. some parents don't want to take responsiblity and do their job these days....very sad

maybe I should sue (so I can get a piece of the pie too) because they wouldn't allow people to have their beliefs these days. but i won't because it's silly. it's more of a patriotic song anyway.

People just take things too far sometimes and as always looking for a quick buck (jmo)

fran I agree with you there. some people either don't have lives or good ones so they have to make a mountain out of a mole hill JMO of course. But think about all of the other cases where people have sued for little reasons. it's clogging up the system. sue on Judy Judge for the little things in life. at least that would provide entertainment.

and gain worldwide exposure I think Judge Judy is in syndication by now

I like Judge Judy....she doesn't take cr@p from anyone. but these people need to stop wasting the courts time here. go to Judge Mathis, People's Court...something. at least then they will be providing entertainment to some people

for that matter....people could sue the schools for anything. kids can get condoms at my son's school from the nurse. although I don't have a problem with this....someone could sue for that as well. let's all sue the schools for little things and make the tax payers pay more. sorry for the rant

Thanks for pasting the song itself, but with all due respect. Ever wonder why religion is taught to young people in the first place? Because they are impressionable. I would wonder, had the teacher not gotten complaints just how long she would have required the kids to sing this song. And wonder how long it would take before those children knew it by heart and accepted it as fact.

I agree what if it was only one or two times, not real harm done.

If you are religious as it appears some of you are, then I can see why you think this is trivial.

I find it's only worthy of a law suit if the complaints were dismissed and the teacher continued to use the song. However it appears this goes on enough times that it could very well be that some are just tired of it. I personally would not continue the law suite in this case, but that's just me.

I fail to see the association with itsy bitsy spider... Monuments, the bible, the pledge of allegiance.. etc, itsy bitsy spider fails to meet the seriousness of that song and what it is meant to instill.

I disagree that religion is taught to the young because they are impressionable. the teacher may not have even thought about it. the teacher may have seen it as a patriotic song only. who knows. but it was addressed and the child isn't going to suffer in the adult life for it. as a parent...if my son was taught something that i disagreed with...i would explain it to him. I would then go to the school with my problems with it. then drop it if it is dealt with. these parents just wanted money

My associating it with the itsy bitsy spider song is that in my opinion it is trivial and not instilling any religious anything, just as the itsy bitsy spider is not implying the death/torture to the spider, this song was taken out of context (as I did w/spider song)

I see the song God Bless America and the Pledge of Allegiance, as well as our money say God, is it telling me one way or the other anything about religion, I truly do not belive so.

Sorry I am not religious. I am curious by nature, I question all faiths and love to learn but I just found this to be a bit too extreme and appears to me to just be a way for a fast buck.

I didn't thik about that fran. maybe we should sue for little bunny foo foo for being cruel to animals. my point is that it isn't a big deal because it was addressed and the child doesn't need therapy because he/she will be traumatized for it. the parents need to step up and explain it to their child and explain why they don't agree with it. BTW....ring around the rosy (sung by most kids i have always known) is about the bubonic plague. should we stop kids at recess from singing this because it's morbid?

Well my issue is not about money, that I would have to assume is what the parents bottom line was. You are assuming or suggesting the teacher isn't aware of what she is doing? She may not have thought about it? I am not into religion as you know, the last thing I would be using as a song would be that. Tell me an intelligent teacher is not aware of the controversy this song would bring about? And then I would tell you that I would prefer a more intelligent teacher for my kid in the first place.

Yes it was addressed and that was a good thing, of course we don't know ever detail involved in this incident either so I can only respond to the general theme. There are patriotic songs with not attachment to God or religion as well, so again I question the teachers ability to reason.

I realize that this is a sore spot for you Rose, as it is for me for the opposite reason, so I am not posting this to prolong an argument, just to point out the obvious from my own point of view.

Also you might want to take a trip around the internet to religious sites that directly tell you that they best time to teach religion is young as well as to adults in poor country's that are more apt to be swayed by the teaching for other reasons. That's no secret in any religion.