A teacher in Terre Haute, Indiana, was instructed to take down a Bible verse and a Latin cross from her classroom in response to a complaint from a “concerned parent.”
The English teacher at Honey Creek Middle School, who remains unnamed, had a cross and a passage from the Old Testament book of Jeremiah displayed in her classroom.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” the verse states.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, an organization of atheists and agnostic activists located in Wisconsin, sent a letter to the school, requesting the removal of the religious items. They claimed that these items violated the U.S. Constitution.
“In recognition of the district’s constitutional obligation to remain neutral toward religion, please remove this cross and bible verse display from [the] classroom, as well as any other religious displays [the district] becomes aware of in its schools,” FFRF’s Sammi Lawrence wrote to Supt. Christopher A. Himsel.
However, the Department of Education’s own guidelines support the rights of teachers to practice their faith on school property. Teachers retain their religious liberty even within the school environment.
“The display violated the basic constitutional prohibition by proselytizing students and creating the appearance that the district preferred religion over nonreligion, and Christianity over all other faiths,” the FFRF said.
To our knowledge, there were no reports of students spontaneously converting upon seeing the cross or the Bible verse, nor did the teacher conduct revival services in the classroom.
The school district’s attorney subsequently announced the removal of the cross and the Bible verse, effectively complying with the demands of the out-of-town atheists.
“Maintaining students’ constitutional protections is the duty of all public schools,” FFRF’s Annie Laurie Gaylor said in a statement. “A student looks to their teacher for guidance and support. Projecting religion onto them isolates nonreligious and non-Christian students.”
I suggest that the community of Terre Haute, including its churchgoers, come together to take action. Pastors should address this issue from their pulpits, while Sunday school teachers and youth pastors can organize peaceful protests.
Furthermore, it’s crucial for thousands of citizens to attend the upcoming school board meeting and make it clear to their elected leaders that they will not stand for attempts to remove religious symbols from the classroom by those who don’t believe in God.
