'Franshade',

From the lyrics you posted: 'You place your hand on the bible', hardly meets the abstract nature of the 'god' from your statement: '...what you and I call 'god'...', and certainly doesn't cover 'not believing in god', which is a fundamental 'right' afforded all US citizens whom choose the alternate side of the believing coin.

Believe or not believe is equally promoted and guarenteed as a fundamental right under the US Constitution.

Besides the fact that the statements :
'there's no seperation' and
'we're one nation under him'
... are two blatant lies, and while tolerated as such, are totally contrary to US constitutional law.

As for your closing comment,

'... As a parent if you feel your child ...' ,

... it isn't up to parents to constantly remind 'religious zealots', and conniving school administrations, of their duties and responsibilities to teach, and refrain from proselytizing when entrusted with our chidren's education.

As for the 'punitive damage', which seems to be the cornerpiece of your argument, I suggest that without a monetary deterrent, 'religious zealots' will not pay US laws any attention.
Even with strong punitive deterrent, a lot of them place themselves and 'THEIR PERSONAL GOD' above the law of the land.

The Pledge is still said in my son's school, though the phrase Under God is taken out.

There are far too many faiths, including those that choose to have no faith at all, in most communities. It's not a matter of political correctness so much as it is a matter of respect of those many differing views within said community.

This is a frivolous lawsuit, not because there is no basis but because it would be difficult if not impossible to prove any sort of "damage" to the child/ren. In order for damages,including punitive, to be awarded, you need to PROVE what EXACTLY the damage is and how much it did cost and will cost in the future. One song with the word God in it is NOT going to cause such irreparable harm to anyone that they will spend years in therapy and on medication because of it. If, for some reason it did, there is far more going on with said child than the song.

That being said, this discussion has grown far too hostile.

very well said

Voile, all open to interpretation, I see it as nothing more than the same verbage said at many a court hearings.

No argument - it is our rights to believe as we chose

this is your opinion not fact - we are one screwed up nation but still one nation


if not up to the parents who shall be deemed responsible for this???
the schools? the neighbor? my uncle's sister's aunt from her husbands side twice removed?

I see this not as a deterrent for religious zealots as you call them, but this is yet another get rich quick scheme.

But like yours this is only my opinion

Not just yours, Fran! Given what I do for a living, I've seen far too many of these types of cases and it almost always boils down to the dead prez's

some people just would rather get than earn - that's a crappy example to set for a child (jmo)

The sad thing is, if the suit goes forward, there'll probably be a settlement of some sort and I highly doubt that poor "damaged" child will see a penny! At least, put it in a college fund or something

What bothers me most, is that this child whose parents did not find it appropriate to learn a flipping country song, now can seek solace in our court system... hmmm where do remember hearing those same words they found offensive

no country bashing....says the texas redneck lol

Ok So this is a non-issue for you guys, the biggest issue for you is the 'money' you assume is their main focus. Forget about the point Voilezur makes, about the constitution and the larger point of concern for some parents...

It's just a flipping country song. So then we can replace god and the bible with Allah and the Koran, no problem right? Or we can replace some of the words and incorporate Satanic verses.. That's ok, it's just a song, all the teachers teach it? So what's the big deal.

The constitution be damned.. Parents larger issue be damned? Why would any child be damaged by words that contradict or manipulate the constitution of our country, nah, why should that be important.

Interesting. To manipulation is damaging, half truths are damaging. But oh well I'm probably just old fashioned and out of touch with today's world, where one can spread all manner of bs and sware it's the truth.

I don't think anyone said that song was appropriate.

Nope, I think we all agreed that the song was inappropriate in a public school. What we did say was that parents complained, it was removed and THEN the parents sued. They didn't sue to have it removed after the school refused. They sued for MONEY! They didn't sue for an injunction, they didn't institute a constitutional lawsuit asking a judge to impose separation of church and state, they sued for MONEY.

There's a big difference, which many are failing to note.

Oh and btw, unfortunately we do live in a world where people can spread all manner of what someone else may consider bs, it's called freedom of speech. You may not like or agree with it but if you take away someone else's right to speak, you take away all our rights to speak.

I could handle suing if they did nothing or repeated doing it....but it was handled...the parents spoke up about it and HOPEFULLY they talked to their children about why they did. but people can sue for anything...which is their right of course. even the simpliest child song that may not mean much to others...some can take offense to it. but if everyone sued for those things when the issue has already been taken care of...the courts would really be flooded more than now

Suing for the money is still your assumption, the article does not make that clear at all. Personally I didn't see where the focus was on the song being inappropriate, but more complaining about the lawsuit itself. Though I am happy to see that we can agree that is was inappropriate, as well as what the teacher told the children noted below in the Bold.

BTW, I fully understand free speech and support it.

To be a bit more clear I would like to post the article in full:

Story updated at 12:04 PM on Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2009
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-03-24/story/st_johns_parents_file_suit_over_school_song

The parents of two third-graders have sued the St. Johns County School Board over a religious-themed song their teacher planned to have their class sing at an end-of-year program.

Teaching the song, “In God We Still Trust,” amounts to religious indoctrination and interferes with the parents’ right to raise their children according to their own beliefs, the lawsuit says.

The district’s superintendent pulled the song after receiving a complaint from a parent hours before the lawsuit was filed last week in federal court, a school district spokeswoman said.

But the parents’ lawyer said they are still entitled to damages because their children were required to learn the song. They are seeking to bar the school district from the “religious instruction” the song represents.

The song, recorded by country group Diamond Rio, speaks of God’s place in American history and urges followers to stand against attempts to secularize society.

“It’s a song that preaches a particular religious point of view,” said attorney Gray Thomas.

Thomas filed the lawsuit March 17, about a month after the students’ third-grade class at the Webster School in St. Augustine began practicing “In God We Still Trust” and other songs for a year-end assembly.

The students’ teacher told them March 11 that anyone who objected to the song would no longer be required to practice it but would be excluded from the entire performance.

The students and parents are identified by initials.

In an affidavit filed in response to the lawsuit Friday, school Principal George Leidigh said rehearsals for the show were canceled March 12 until further notice, and the song was formally removed from the program the morning of March 17.

“We did that before there had even been a lawsuit filed,” said school district spokeswoman Margie Davidson.

Additionally, Leidigh said, the song was only practiced once and a recording played three times in the classroom.

School Board attorney David Marsey said in his response to the lawsuit that the issue differs from the battle over school-sponsored prayer because public school choirs historically have been permitted to sing religious songs. Courts have held that a choral curriculum can be expected to include religious songs because a significant percentage of choral music is based on religious themes or texts, Marsey said.

“Simply, a public school ... does not endorse religion because its choir sings a Christian song,” Marsey said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The students’ teacher told them March 11 that anyone who objected to the song would no longer be required to practice it but would be excluded from the entire performance.

And the message here?

Yes, it's taught to the young for a reason. I've witnessed it. My child attends a Christian school.

News like this really gets my blood boiling.I already know this is some idiot Atheist without even reading the story.If I was the judge in this lawsuit I would personally take this idiot out back and beat the crap out of him.So what if you got offended?Are we supposed to sue every time says something offending?Is this the way to raise children teaching them that they have to live in this sheltered cocoon and if someone offends them mommy or daddy has to sue?You know what...if your offended don't sing the stupid song or leave.You got 20 plus kids that don't have a problem with it.I'm sure if they were all singing R rated and banned hip hop music nobody would give a damn but since it mentions God it has to be a national emergency.

The best way to fight this nonsense is to take your kids out of the public schools and put them into Christian schools.I read not too long ago thats what many people are doing.

This post also furthers my point that Christianity and God have been banned in schools and saying their names is not allowed.

The school was wrong, the teachers were wrong but they did rectify the situation. Yes, I am assuming this is about money. I've been working in the legal field for over 20 years, 99 times out of 100 it's about the money. Perhaps I'm allowing my own experience to make me a little cynical but in my opinion, it's a valid observation and conjecture based on my own knowledge.

And, any lawyer worth even 1/10th of their overpriced fee is going to tell the parents that if anyone asks, it's not about the money, it's about the principle. There's no way this case would go forward and no chance of winning if the parents admit to it being about making a buck.

I would like to live in a world where these parents are doing the right thing for the right reason and are teaching their children a good lesson, that you fight for what you believe in. But, I think we all know, we don't live in such a world, at least most of the time.

And rightfully so!!!! As far as putting my child in a Christian school....You dont turn your back on or transfer out people who have molested children...They GO TO JAIL. How can anyone trust their judgments...I WONT!!!!!!!!! The public schools might go alittle beyond the handeling of situations but they dont push criminal acts under the rug either.

Personaly I like "MY" schools....If you dont like yours get involved!!!