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A federal appeals court in New York this morning will hear oral argument on behalf of a former Syracuse kindergarten student whose art project was censored because it glorified Jesus.
Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, will argue for the plaintiff in the case of Peck v. Baldwinsville School District before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The court that has ruled twice in Peck's favor.
Here's the story, which dates back to 1999: A five-year-old Peck was punished for including a figure of Jesus in an art project. Antonio's kindergarten teacher instructed the class to draw a poster showing their understanding of the environment. His first poster had several religious figures with the words, “The only way to save the world.” Antonio was expressing his belief that God was the only way to save the environment. After this poster was rejected because of its religious content, he was forced to create a second poster.
Peck's second poster contained cutout figures and other artistic work, including children holding hands around a globe, people recycling trash, and children picking up garbage. On the left side of the poster was a bearded man wearing a robe kneeling with one knee to the ground and hands stretched toward the sky. To Peck, this figure was Jesus, although the figure was not identified. This poster was displayed for part of one day on a cafeteria wall, along with 80 other student posters, but unlike the other posters, Peck's poster was folded in half to hide Jesus.
“Students may present religious themes in their homework. Despite the federal guidelines on religion in public schools recognizing that students may include religious themes in assignments, school officials insisted on folding Antonio Peck's poster in half to hide the figure they interpreted to be Jesus,” Staver says. “What a terrible message to send to students that everything is permissible so long as it is not Christian. These educators need educating about the Constitution and American history.”
Jennifer LeClaire is the editor of The Voice magazine and author of “Doubtless: Faith that Overcomes the World.” You can also find her online at www.jenniferleclaire.org.
Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, will argue for the plaintiff in the case of Peck v. Baldwinsville School District before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The court that has ruled twice in Peck's favor.
Here's the story, which dates back to 1999: A five-year-old Peck was punished for including a figure of Jesus in an art project. Antonio's kindergarten teacher instructed the class to draw a poster showing their understanding of the environment. His first poster had several religious figures with the words, “The only way to save the world.” Antonio was expressing his belief that God was the only way to save the environment. After this poster was rejected because of its religious content, he was forced to create a second poster.
Peck's second poster contained cutout figures and other artistic work, including children holding hands around a globe, people recycling trash, and children picking up garbage. On the left side of the poster was a bearded man wearing a robe kneeling with one knee to the ground and hands stretched toward the sky. To Peck, this figure was Jesus, although the figure was not identified. This poster was displayed for part of one day on a cafeteria wall, along with 80 other student posters, but unlike the other posters, Peck's poster was folded in half to hide Jesus.
“Students may present religious themes in their homework. Despite the federal guidelines on religion in public schools recognizing that students may include religious themes in assignments, school officials insisted on folding Antonio Peck's poster in half to hide the figure they interpreted to be Jesus,” Staver says. “What a terrible message to send to students that everything is permissible so long as it is not Christian. These educators need educating about the Constitution and American history.”
Jennifer LeClaire is the editor of The Voice magazine and author of “Doubtless: Faith that Overcomes the World.” You can also find her online at www.jenniferleclaire.org.
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