Students told they can't hand out Bibles feel free speech is being violated [LINK with video]
by Brendan Kinney, January 3rd 2019
A Mechanicsburg Area [Central Pennsylvania] Senior High School Bible club is saying their free speech is being violated. This comes as their principal is accused of stopping them from handing out Bibles to their friends during lunch.
Lawyers are now getting involved for the second time over whether the principal overstepped his boundaries.
The Independence Law Center in Harrisburg alleges the principal, David Harris, recently denied permission to the Christians In Action student Bible club after they asked to hand out Bibles during lunch with classmates and friends.
“Students have the ability to pass out materials to their friends and to generally they have free speech rights during the school day during non-instructional time... protected by the U.S. Supreme Court; long-standing precedent,” said Jeremy Samek, senior counsel with the Independence Law Center.
It’s also alleged Harris told students they’re not allowed to even hand out Bibles outside of the school day unless they were granted permission first from the school.
Lawyers say this is not the first time the Bible club has been denied. At the beginning of this school year Harris reportedly told the group they could not post a flyer in the school because it mentioned a Bible verse.
The flyer was approved after the Independence Law Center got involved.
by Brendan Kinney, January 3rd 2019
A Mechanicsburg Area [Central Pennsylvania] Senior High School Bible club is saying their free speech is being violated. This comes as their principal is accused of stopping them from handing out Bibles to their friends during lunch.
Lawyers are now getting involved for the second time over whether the principal overstepped his boundaries.
The Independence Law Center in Harrisburg alleges the principal, David Harris, recently denied permission to the Christians In Action student Bible club after they asked to hand out Bibles during lunch with classmates and friends.
“Students have the ability to pass out materials to their friends and to generally they have free speech rights during the school day during non-instructional time... protected by the U.S. Supreme Court; long-standing precedent,” said Jeremy Samek, senior counsel with the Independence Law Center.
It’s also alleged Harris told students they’re not allowed to even hand out Bibles outside of the school day unless they were granted permission first from the school.
Lawyers say this is not the first time the Bible club has been denied. At the beginning of this school year Harris reportedly told the group they could not post a flyer in the school because it mentioned a Bible verse.
The flyer was approved after the Independence Law Center got involved.
