A fifth-grader with special needs at Cedar Valley Elementary School in Texas was reprimanded by her principal because during lunch and recess she gave classmates slips of paper inscribed with Bible verses. The precious child was left heartbroken and in tears.
The child’s foster mother went to the principal and was told the Bible verses might upset other parents. A little girl’s simple act of kindness would be seen as hostile?
So, the mother reached out to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) and they explained in great detail to the school district how the principal had violated the U.S. Constitution.
“This was a blatant violation of the 5th grader’s First Amendment rights,” the ACLJ said in a statement.
In Tinker v. Des Moines, the Supreme Court ruled that students retain their First Amendment rights in public schools. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld that students may distribute religious materials during non-instructional time – as long as it doesn’t disrupt school operations, the law firm stated in a post on its website.
The school district admitted it had made a mistake and informed the principal to allow the little girl to resume sharing the Bible verses.
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“This incident is part of a disturbing trend,” ACLJ said in a statement. “Across the country, we’re witnessing growing hostility toward religious expression in public schools. Too many administrators operate under the false belief that faith must be excluded from the classroom entirely. That’s not just wrong – it’s unconstitutional.”
In this case, the victim wasn’t just any student – she was a child with special needs, the law firm noted.
“Her only intention was to share the hope and comfort of Scripture with others. Instead, she was silenced and punished for her faith,” ACLJ said.
The Constitution is clear, good readers. American children do not surrender their religious liberty at the schoolhouse door.