Freedom of Religion or Freedom from Religion?
Posted by: reformedhippie in Christianity, tags: freedom religion
A Tomah High School student has filed a federal lawsuit alleging his art teacher censored his drawing because it featured a cross and a biblical reference. His teacher, Julie Millin, asked him to remove the reference to the Bible, saying students were making remarks about it. He refused, and she gave him a zero on the project.
Millin showed the student a policy for the class that prohibited any violence, blood, sexual connotations or religious beliefs in artwork. The lawsuit claims Millin told the boy he had signed away his constitutional rights when he signed the policy at the beginning of the semester.
The lawsuit also alleges school officials allow other religious items and artwork to be displayed on campus. A Buddha and Hindu figurines are on display in a social studies classroom, the lawsuit claims, adding the teacher passionately teaches Hindu principles to students.
In addition, a replica of Michaelangelo’s “The Creation of Man” is displayed at the school’s entrance, a picture of a six-limbed Hindu deity is in the school’s hallway and a drawing of a robed sorcerer hangs on a hallway bulletin board.
Drawings of Medusa, the Grim Reaper with a scythe and a being with a horned head and protruding tongue hang in the art room and demonic masks are displayed in the metals room, the lawsuit alleges.
In today’s educational system this is the approach used… “freedom from religion” vs. “freedom of religion”. Art is supposed to be about expressing yourself through your art. We are a sum of our experiences. As some of our Presidential candidates have said, their religious convictions are the base of who they are. We cannot expect those candidates to abandon their core beliefs. Neither can we expect students to abandon their core beliefs.
The teacher and school overreached on this one. Students have a right to express themselves. Just like atheists and secularists are allowed to do.
Of course if this student had done created the “Piss Christ” () he would of won an award. That kind of religious piece is acceptable in the eyes of modern day progressives.
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