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Askthejudge.info features regular updates from the news, important decisions from the nation′s courts, and online discussions with Judge Tom. Find out everything you need to know about youth rights, juvenile law and juvenile justice. AsktheJudge – Empowering youth one question at a time.

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Copyright, 2014
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December 2, 2011
Judge Tom
Blog
1

Can a student bible club distribute religious materials at school?

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This is a question being debated in classrooms and now in a courtroom in Oklahoma. Once a week at Northeast Elementary School in  Owassa, Oklahoma, a student bible club meets in the morning before school starts. In April, 2011, the group wanted to send a flyer home with classmates with a phrase that read “Reaching the world for Christ.” The club was also denied an opportunity to use the school’s public address system and take part in an open house.

The restrictions were put in place as a possible endorsement of religion which would be a violation of the First Amendment. The Endorsement Clause states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This means that the government is prohibited from passing legislation to establish an official religion or preferring one religion over another. It enforces the “separation of church and state.”

A lawyer, speaking on behalf of the Owasso students commented that “The school has to remain neutral in all of this. It can’t pick and choose which group it likes or doesn’t like based on the religious content or viewpoint of their message.” The school district’s lawyer further explained that “It is difficult to see how an elementary student could discern that Kids for Christ is not endorsed by the school district when such activities on behalf of Kids for Christ would be occurring by the school district to a captive elementary student audience.”

In October, 2011 the Christian youth group filed a lawsuit against the school district for preventing them to promote their club through fliers, announcements, etc. while other groups like the YMCA continue to be allowed to promote their activities.

Other cases we’ve discussed on AsktheJudge about religion in public schools include the following:

Prayer banners at school

Holiday cards/gift bags with religious messages

Bible verses on cheerleaders banners

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Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.

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1 Comment

  • Samuel
    February 12, 2013 3:18 pm count( 0 )

    I believe that we have the right to distribute whatever as long as the recipient doesn’t have to pay or work for it.