Orange County Fla June 14 2013 An atheist group that distributed pamphlets in 11 Orange County high schools last month filed a lawsuit today against Orange County Public Schools, claiming censorship.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation and its local affiliate, the Central Florida Freethought Community, sued the school system in U.S. District Court in Orlando because they were not allowed to distribute some materials.
Specifically, four books, one essay and four brochures were turned down by the school district as inappropriate for distribution. They included pamphlets called: "An X-rated Book: Sex and Obscenity in the Bible," "What Does The Bible Say About Abortion?" and books including "Jesus is Dead" by Robert Price and "What On Earth Is An Atheist" by Madalyn M. O'Hair. The group voluntarily withdrew three other books.
The school district has said it has the legal right to determine what materials are appropriate for a school setting. District attorneys would not comment specifically on the case because they had not yet been served with the lawsuit.
The distribution stems from two Bible distributions the school district has permitted in its high schools by World Changers of Florida, Inc., including one in January.
The district allowed the Bible distribution because a Collier County judge ruled the schools there had to allow "passive" distribution, which involved putting Bibles on a table and allowing students to take them.
Atheist groups requested the same access and conducted a passive distribution in the same 11 schools where Bibles were given out in January.
source- tribune.com
The Freedom From Religion Foundation and its local affiliate, the Central Florida Freethought Community, sued the school system in U.S. District Court in Orlando because they were not allowed to distribute some materials.
Specifically, four books, one essay and four brochures were turned down by the school district as inappropriate for distribution. They included pamphlets called: "An X-rated Book: Sex and Obscenity in the Bible," "What Does The Bible Say About Abortion?" and books including "Jesus is Dead" by Robert Price and "What On Earth Is An Atheist" by Madalyn M. O'Hair. The group voluntarily withdrew three other books.
The school district has said it has the legal right to determine what materials are appropriate for a school setting. District attorneys would not comment specifically on the case because they had not yet been served with the lawsuit.
The distribution stems from two Bible distributions the school district has permitted in its high schools by World Changers of Florida, Inc., including one in January.
The atheist groups' lawsuit claims the district did not review the evangelical group's translation of the Bible before distribution.
"We expected the School Board would provide us with the equal treatment we deserve," said David Williamson of the Central Florida Freethought Community. "The fact that this was so blatantly denied should alarm all parents and taxpayers in Orange County."The district allowed the Bible distribution because a Collier County judge ruled the schools there had to allow "passive" distribution, which involved putting Bibles on a table and allowing students to take them.
Atheist groups requested the same access and conducted a passive distribution in the same 11 schools where Bibles were given out in January.
source- tribune.com