'Awesome God’-less talent show
NJ judge denies request for temporary restraining order, second-grader barred from singing ‘Awesome God’ at school talent showSCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—A New Jersey judge on Friday denied a request for a temporary restraining order, thus allowing Frenchtown Elementary School officials to prohibit a second-grader from singing her chosen vocal selection, “Awesome God,” at her school’s talent show that evening. The talent show, called “Frenchtown Idol,” took place last Friday evening in the Frenchtown Elementary School Auditorium. Attorneys for the Alliance Defense Fund had requested the temporary restraining order only after school officials refused to budge in censoring the second-grader.
“This school’s singling out of our client for censorship is a blatant violation of the First Amendment," said Jeremy Tedesco, ADF litigation staff counsel. “Contrary to what the School District thinks, the Establishment Clause does not give schools license to cleanse private religious speech from school events. That’s called viewpoint discrimination, which clearly violates the Constitution.”
The school’s talent show did include students dancing to “Objection,” by pop star Shakira, as well as students singing “You Give Love a Bad Name” by rock band Bon Jovi. The show also included students dressed as witches performing the boiling cauldron scene from the play Macbeth.
“We made every attempt to secure this brave little girl’s right to sing ‘Awesome God’ at her school talent show,” said Tedesco. “Even though we were not successful at this early stage, we are confident we will prevail as the case moves forward.”
ADF is America’s largest legal alliance defending religious liberty through strategy, training, funding, and litigation.
