School sued for not letting boy dress as Jesus for Halloween

[Doondoo]

PHILADELPHIA — A Christian legal group has sued a school district on behalf of a 10-year-old boy who claims his rights to religion and free speech were violated when he was not allowed to wear a Jesus costume during Halloween activities.

The complaint, filed in federal court Tuesday by the Alliance Defence Fund, says officials at Willow Hill Elementary School in suburban Glenside told the boy Oct. 31 that he could not wear his faux crown of thorns or tell others he was dressed as Jesus.

The principal, Patricia Whitmire, told the boy's mother that the costume violated a policy prohibiting the promotion of religion, according to the lawsuit. Ms. Whitmire suggested that the fourth-grader, whose costume included a robe, identify himself as a Roman emperor, the suit states.

Though the boy's costume was rejected because of its religious nature, the principal allowed other students to dress up as witches and devils, according to the lawsuit, which identified the boy only by his initials.

Ms. Whitmire and the Abington School District are named as defendants. District attorney Ken Roos said Wednesday that he had not seen the suit and that school officials “feel like we've been a little bit ambushed here.”



http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070222.wjesussuit0222/BNStory/International/home

[saltpoint]

1. This is a tough one.

On one hand I think it's interesting that a 10-year old can throw such a big wrench into the works. On the other I wonder if the school would permit someone to dress as Thor.

[The Wizard]

4. or Satan or Zeus or, take your pick (nt)

[saltpoint]

8. Right. I wonder if the rules were written generally or specifically.

I bet phones rang all over that district when it happened. It would be an interesting court case to sit in on.

[Hosnon]

13. Red devil constumes are not that uncommon. This is an instance of

a school being over-cautious.

[saigon68]

43. My Favorite COSTUME

[noonwitch]

49. You are just bad!

I know it shouldn't be funny, but the smile on the kids makes it even funnier.

[saigon68]

51. I know I am

Irreverent too :-) :-)

[Ilsa]

76. Mine too! I doubt anyone in my neighborhood would get it, though. nt

[crud76]

10. No It's Not Tough

If the kid wants to dress as Jesus, let him. It's not the same as promoting a religion.

I'm surprised that this happened in this day and age when so many RW's want public schools to promote religion.

[Hosnon]

12. I agree. The school is minimally involved in this. He should get to wear the constume. NT.

[saltpoint]

14. I believe a reasonably good attorney will argue that it is very much like

promoting a religion.

Let's follow this case and see what happens.

[pokercat999]

70. I agree, what I don't understand is how the "Christians"

are NOT upset with the boy for disrespecting Christ. This was a Halloween event, that's not exactly a Christian holiday.....or is it?


Sounds to me like the typical "Christian" victimization jag they've been on for years. Poor, poor, WASP's.

[NashVegas]

25. Halloween Costumes Are Supposed to Be Scary!

For some people, that kid took the sweepstakes.

If I were religious, and Christian, I would view that costume as an affront. Heck, I'm lapsed, and I still do see it as kind of an affront.

[AngryAmish]

37. I know I'm terrified of all the princesses

However the school should ban them too because the government cannot give royal titles and allowing the princess coustumes would be advocating a return to monarchy.

[saltpoint]

38. I'm not exactly ready to ... uh... nail the kid over this. Or his parents.

But I can easily see that the school is edgy about it.

And I think the legal arm of a public school will bring to bear considerable pressure in this case that a public school function is not a venue for private religious expression, even if from a 10-year old.

My own personal choice would have been Pan. now THERE's a cool diety.

[Tesha]

50. It's not tough at all. School's wrong. Slam dunk. (NT)

[yardwork]

60. I agree

[w4rma]

62. It's not tough at all. That school made a mistake. (nt)

[fishwax]

63. nah, the school blew it

i wouldn't be surprised if it was a deliberate plot to trip the district up--right wingers love to claim that schools are endorsing religion just by celebrating halloween.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Good grief

This is why my school and many others don't even have Halloween anymore.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. The costume was already taken by Bush.

[Doondoo]

5. LOL!

[TexasLawyer]

72. Indeed! Here's the picture:

[iowa_democrat]

6. easy to fix

From now on, elementary students are only allowed to dress as mythical beings. That should allow the jesus costume and piss off the evangelicals at the same time

[Kablooie]

7. I hear that three kids were allowed Mohammed costumes though.

[Bucky]

74. Does that mean they were invisible?

How do you know they just weren't playing hookie?

[Deep13]

9. If it is a function where students may participate...

...and students may choose costumes, they may not discriminate against religious theme costumes.

[all.of.me]

11. i think the school went too far.

it's a kid holiday, for crying out loud!

when my daughter was in 3rd grade, there were stipulations for halloween. you had to be an historic figure, fictional or non-fictional. the kids were coming up with great ideas, but when they told them to the teacher, they were told they could not bring weapons (swords, etc). usually the weapon was a crucial part of the history of the person, but no, they needed to let the kids know that violence is bad, and that they might hurt someone with their fake weapon (that is actually what the admin said). this was in an elementary school that only went to 4th grade! some parents kept their kids home that day in protest as well as verbally protesting to the offices. i was one of those parents. the stipulations just crushed the whole holiday for the kids, esp since they go trick or treating right from school to the shops downtown then to homes after dark. it wasn't like you wanted to pull together 2 costumes for the day.

[nebenaube]

17. gee, when I was a kid...

I once went to school dressed in camos, complete with sidearm, a Thompson and a cigar! Oh wait that was a DOD-USAEAUR school...

[leftyclimber]

15. Did anyone else catch the irony of the suggested costume change?

Jesus to a Roman emperor. :rofl:

I agree. It's just a costume. Dressing up like Jesus has bupkus to do with interfering with his rights to religion, though, unless he's in some previously unheard-of sect that requires such costumery every day. But on Halloween, it's just a costume.

[fishwax]

64. yeah, that was funny

:rofl:

[gorbal]

16. This is PC ness going to far.

Reminds me of when I was designing a Christmas window for the hospital, I had to scrap the entire design because it depicted Jesus and Mary (or something to much like them. It's like "come on" they depicted jewish menorahs at hanakah.

[saigon68]

47. Let your kid go as Shoe Bomber Richard Reid

"Shoe Bomber" Richard Reid

Kick up the fear factor with everyone's least favorite airline passenger, Richard "shoe bomber" Reid! With one of Dad's old pullovers, a pair of beat-up sneakers, and a length of leftover wire, you've got the makings of a truly spooky costume! Add a burnt-cork beard and an electric match from the tobacconist, and your little terror is ready to fly!

Total cost: Under $5.

[Imperialism Inc.]

18. Seems like the family will win easily.

I'm not seeing the establishment problem here.

[Towelie]

19. Oh FFS, letting a kid dress up as Jesus

is is no way an endorsement of Christianity on behalf of the school. It's Halloween, if the costume is not obscene or otherwise illegal, then it doesn't need to be banned. Did any of the kids dress up like a devil? Isn't that a Christian concept? Were they not allowed to wear their costumes?

OK, this is exactly why us atheists are hated in this country. But you know, if they allowed it, they would be sued by some other parent who claims it was an endorsement of religion. Schools absolutely cannot win anymore, and all these god damned lawsuits are doing nothing but taking valuable dollars out of our children's classrooms.

This BS isn't going to stop until parents love their children more than they hate the other parent's religion, or lack thereof.

[BigDDem]

20. WWJD?

[saltpoint]

21. If he existed, he wouldn't have had a public school to attend in the

first place.

If he had, he might well have gone as John the Bpatist -- or, for all we know, as Alexander the Great.

[A HERETIC I AM]

67. I do!! I do!!

WWJD = Who Wants Jelly Donuts.....right?

[Tanuki]

22. Seems sacrilegious to me anyway, dressing up as Jesus

I grew up in a pretty conservative evangelical environment, and it would have been considered extremely inappropriate. When I first saw the headline, I thought the kid was being a smartass and mocking religion by reducing Jesus to the stuff of Halloween costumes, right along with Spiderman, ghosts, witches, et al. Btw, my mother told me that when she was in the first grade, a kid came to school on Halloween dressed in a Ku Klux Klan costume! He was sent home, of course. I supposed nowadays his parents would sue.



edit for spelling

[Judi Lynn]

30. Damned right, Tanuki. I am so glad to see your comment, finally. n/t

[WorseBeforeBetter]

61. I'm with you on that one...

and I'm not even "religious." There's just something about it that's off.

[bklyncowgirl]

82. Strikes me as a tad sacriligious--but we used to have to dress up as saints in Catholic school

We had lots of little Francis of Assisi's. No one was allowed to go as any member of the Holy Family except Saint Joseph. Jesus and Mary were definately out--too sacriligious.

I remember I wanted to go as Joan of Arc but Mom wanted me to go as Saint Teresa. I wore a brown nun's habit and carried a cross. I guess Mom never saw that famous Bernini statue of "Saint Teresa in Ecstasy" in which the saint appears to be having the world's greatest orgasm, or she might have thought twice about it.

My saint Teresa costume was a big hit at trick or treat time. The old Catholic ladies loved it.

As for the kid in the Jesus outfit, it strikes me as pretty tasteless, I mean do you really want to see Jesus trick or treating or toilet papering people's lawns along with Spiderman and Freddy Kruger?

[enki23]

23. kids are free to promote religion all they damned well want

within reasonable limits regarding harassment and good taste. this was a stupid move, and makes my side look bad. it's the teachers, as agents of the state, that i care about.

besides, *I* might well dress up as jesus for halloween. or the easter bunny. or santa claus. or a werewolf. etc.

[MonkeyFunk]

24. I have to side with the school

I don't think it's right to nail children to crosses, even if it IS Halloween.

[Ishoutandscream2]

26. I'm sure this was a set-up by religious whack jobs

who were wanting a fight and confrontation with "godless" public schools. They sure got what they wanted, and now they can point to the idea that we in public schools are out to suppress and even eliminate Christianity.

[hughee99]

31. Even if the "religious whack jobs" set this up...

the SCHOOL fell for it. IMHO, the school is wrong on this one.

[Ishoutandscream2]

36. Oh yes, totally agree

The school fell hook, line, and sinker. However, I still think this was contrived by these folks as sort of a test. And the school dropped the ball. And the whack jobs now can point and say how "anti-Christian" public school are.

[fishwax]

65. i'm sure you're right

and the school blew it, thus giving those same folks some material for the next fundraising letter :eyes:

[Tyo]

27. I think it's a great idea to have a Jesus at a Halloween party

If there happened to be too many partiers and too few cupcakes or gummy worms he'd be able to save the day.

[DemKR]

28. ADF are hypocrites

You would think the Christian conservatives object to this because if you read the bible, it's a sin to impersonate Jesus. Aren't these the same people that call Halloween evil?

The hypocrisy never stops.

[hughee99]

32. It's a sin to impersonate Jesus?

I don't remember seeing that in sunday school.

[CBGLuthier]

57. I think I missed that verse

Which book is the prohibition on imitating Jesus in?

[Judi Lynn]

29. Oh, great. Now the streets on Haloween will be crowded with hordes of boys and girls

all dressed as the Son of God! There's nothing pompous about that, is there? Only the dullest witted slug would even dream of such an obnoxious exhibition.

What would at least show a little creativity would be dressing as Elvis dressing as the Son of God.

Maybe these clowns don't remember that Jesus said in the Bible to his disciples that he had come to them many times and they had not known him. That kind of remark should have left a crease somewhere in someone's brain. That would have stuck in some people's minds while they were sitting in church listening to sermons, if they hadn't been daydreaming about how much holier than thou they were.

That kid needs a good swift kick in the rear, and his ignorant parents as well, for not raising him to be more respectful.

[dipsydoodle]

33. No ..............

The rest of them would be the Disciples with a few Mary Magdelenes hanging around for the sake of completeness.

[Judi Lynn]

34. Maybe they could help bring the kids who had been a little under the weather

to one of the Jesuses to be healed! Two birds with one stone. Can get Haloween candy, AND be healed the same night!

[frogmarch]

35. Well, at least

he didn't dress up as an atheist!




Photo from Landover Baptist Church

[Judi Lynn]

44. There are some atheists right-wing kids might appreciate if they didn't know they WERE atheists:

Ayn Rand, Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Carnegie James Madison, President John Adams, President James Madison, ETC.

Not as "spiffy" as Mark Twain, but defintely great costume possibilities!

[jollyreaper2112]

59. Dressing up as Ayn Rand?

That's scary! I'd sooner have the kid dress up like the Prophet. >:)

[dansolo]

69. Franklin was not an athiest

He wasn't a Christian either, but he definitely believed in a higher power.

[Judi Lynn]

79. Looks as if my link was wrong. Too bad the author didn't know what you have learned.

Here's where I got it in a quick search:
http://www.wonderfulatheistsofcfl.org/Quotes.htm

Thanks for the illumination.

[Felix Mala]

39. When will these types of "Christians" get half a brain and realize

that Halloween is a Christian holiday. It wouldn't exist save for the Catholic calendar.

[Ian David]

40. I wish I had thought of dressing up as Jesus for Halloween

Oh, the mischief I would have caused!

[melm00se]

41. ok....dressing up as jesus?

no biggie...not promoting religion, no more so than dressing up as a devil, or an angel or other supernatural figure.

dressing up as jesus and handing out tracts or reading from scripture? that would be a big time problem.

[saigon68]

46. How about dressing as Lynndie England ?

Lyndie England

Transform Daddy's little girl into America's NEW favorite bad girl, Private First Class Lyndie England. For the costume, simply add an invisible-dog leash from a novelty shop to a pair of camouflage pants and a khaki-colored shirt from your local Army/Navy surplus store. (Candy cigarette optional.)

Total cost: Under $30.
Total time: Under an hour.

[melm00se]

54. your point?

if you are attempting to point out that it is tasteless....you are probably correct...but, as the saying goes, there is no accounting for taste.

nor are there, or should there, be any laws against being offended...

[saigon68]

81. oops forgot the sarcasm tag

Is this better ? </sarcasm>

[LanternWaste]

42. I'm surprised that any Christian Group, regardless of secular affiliation

I'm surprised that any Christian Group, regardless of secular affiliation would not merely tolerate, but actually endorse and then fight for someone who wants to wear a Jesus costume.

The church groups I'm associated with (which are all pretty mainstream) would probably frown on a costume like this, as it seems to cross into the gray area of blaspheme (better-safe-than-sorry kind of thinking).

[karlrschneider]

45. I say if the kid wants to wear a dress, let him!

:evilgrin:

[noonwitch]

48. The school is wrong

The kid is expressing himself by dressing as Jesus. If the teacher dressed as Jesus, that would be wrong on the public school's part, because it would be an endorsement of religion.

I'll bet there was at least one kid in a devil costume. If we are going to be oversensitive to those who may be offended by christian symbols or costumes, then we should also be oversensitive to christians who are offended by a devil costume.

Or, the school could stick to rules regarding profanity and decency as far as student behavior/costumes go and let anything that doesn't violate those rules stand.

[kestrel91316]

52. Leave the kid alone. Let him dress up as he wishes.

If he starts aggressively proselytizing among his classmates, that's another matter.

[johnaries]

53. The child has a legal right to promote his faith. The school doesn't.

And the school can't stop him from doing it. That's always been the ruling of the courts in similar cases.

[krispos42]

55. Halloween is not a religious holiday, so this should not be a problem

If it was Easter, I'd understand. But one day of the year kids get to dress up and play pretend. In my mind that includes Jesus.

[tabasco]

56. The costume would probably be offensive to many Christians. n/t

[LeftyMom]

58. I don't see how dressing up as jesus is any different than dressing up as the Tooth Fairy

Well, except that more grade schoolers probably believe in the tooth fairy. :shrug:

[mitchum]

66. The kid is just a tool being pimped by poor put upon xtian legal activists...

AKA theocratic assholes
Onward, Christian Crybabies

[HuffleClaw]

68. what silliness

its a COSTUME fer cryin' out loud, not a religious expression.

[Bjorn Against]

71. In this case I think the school is wrong...

I am a strong believer in the Separation of Church and State, but the fact is students should have some rights to express their beliefs in a public school. Because the school itself is not endorsing the costume they are not violating the separation of church and state. I am sure they probably allow people to wear cross necklaces, and as long as the kid was not being disruptive he should have the right to wear his costume.

I am sure that the ACLU would agree with me that in this situation the school is wrong.

And for the record, I am not a very religious person at all.

[pschoeb]

73. So does that mean that the Alliance Defense Fund will come to my aid

When I have my kid go to Halloween as a rotting corpse zombie Jesus, with a title "Jesus after the third day."

[Judi Lynn]

78. He died for my right to carry concealed weapons. n/t

[VegasWolf]

75. Man creates God/Satan. Man dresses up as God/Satan. Man is God/Satan. nt

[Ilsa]

77. I thought maybe they were insulted that the kid wanted to be Jesus.

You know, like maybe the kid was using Jesus irreverently and as a prop or parody.

Hey, if the kids want to go as Jesus, I'm fine with that, as long as they can go as other stuff too.

[GreenZoneLT]

80. School administrators are so freakin' retarded.

I imagine the ACLU will weigh in on the kid's side. Allowing children to display or practise religion is NOT an illegal government endorsement of religion, you morans.

Now, I could see them rejecting the costume as disruptive and offensive to Christians. Witches and devils are fictional. Best evidence is that Jesus was real, and certainly most people believe he was.

[Name removed]

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