2.13.07

God Blesses ADF Clients: Five Cases-Five Wins Protecting Pro-Life Speech...
There's a saying, "Free speech for me, but not for thee." That seems particularly apt when it comes to public pro-life speech.

But, in less than a month, we've gone five for five in legal efforts to protect the constitutional rights of public school students who wanted to share their pro-life views and the truth about abortion with their classmates. The students were participating in the Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity, a student-led movement sponsored by Stand True (www.standtrue.com). And not surprisingly, the self-described "guardian of free speech" – the ACLU – was "silent" on all this attempted censorship.

WIN: Winchester, Virginia. A high school student was barred from distributing pro-life leaflets on his own time, outside of class. The student was pulled from class and told his literature distribution would no longer be permitted because other students could "object" or view the material as religious. The school later informed him that it had an unwritten policy that required students to obtain pre-approval for literature distribution before and after school, and banned distribution during the school day—even during lunch time. After ADF filed suit, the judge quickly granted ADF's motion for a preliminary injunction. The student was able to distribute his potentially life-saving leaflets during non-class time last Monday, January 22nd, and indeed any day he feels led to do so.

Read the ADF press release here...


WIN: Clifton Park, New York. ADF attorneys came to an agreement with school officials that barred a middle school student from expressing his pro-life views. Even though school officials previously permitted other students to communicate freely on controversial issues, the principal allegedly told the student, "Students shouldn't be thinking about issues like that at your age." In addition, the principal made a school-wide announcement demanding that all students who received a flyer forfeit it to school officials. Under the agreement, the student was allowed to wear his pro-life clothing and pass out his leaflets on Monday, January 22nd as well.

Read the ADF press release here...


WIN: Adams, New York.ADF attorneys filed a federal lawsuit, and then immediately obtained a concession from school district officials who censored a high school senior's pro-life message. The principal told the student that the message of life might make other students "uncomfortable" and allegedly violated the so-called "separation of church and state." Hours after ADF attorneys filed suit, the school district agreed to permit the pro-life clothing and the passing out of leaflets during non-class time.

Read the ADF press release here...


WIN: Johnstown, Pennsylvania. ADF attorneys settled a lawsuit with school district officials who barred a student from passing out pro-life literature, saying it was "too controversial" – even though she received permission to do so from her assistant principal two weeks before the event. She can now pass out the flyers during non-class time, as well as exercise her constitutional right of equal access to start a pro-life club on campus.

Read the ADF press release here...


WIN: Monroe, Michigan. A federal judge granted a motion made by ADF attorneys that requires middle school officials there to recognize the free speech rights of a student who was forbidden to pass out pro-life literature and wear a sweatshirt containing a pro-life message. The judge quickly ruled that school officials had acted wrongly when they tried to censor the pro-life message.

Read the ADF press release here...


ADF Legal Counsel Matt Bowman – a Blackstone Fellow - handled many of these cases. Matt says: "A public school's property line does not separate a student from his or her First Amendment rights. The law is clearly on the side of peaceful, pro-life student speech. These schools either agreed or were ordered by the court to protect the right of pro-life students to express themselves in a non-disruptive manner."

We praise God for these five victories for the right to hear and speak the Truth – made possible by God's grace, your prayers and your support. We have no idea of how much pain may be prevented and how many lives may be saved as a result – but because of you these students can now lovingly educate their classmates with the truth about abortion.


An Update on Oconee County Case...
Two weeks ago (ADF News Alert 1/23/07), I talked about the vote being held in Oconee County, South Carolina, to adopt an ADF-drafted public invocations policy after the ACLU threatened legal action against the county if it did not cease allowing members of the community to offer invocations before council meetings. Unfortunately, after much "fear, intimidation, and disinformation" from the ACLU, the council meeting last week, the council members voted 4-1 not to adopt a prayer policy but only allow a generic "moment of silence." The ACLU is now threatening other communities (including threats of jail for those who don't surrender) to silence public invocations there. ADF will continue to offer legal assistance free of charge to municipalities if under attack by the ACLU.

Read the ADF press release here...

Prayer Requests | Visit the ADF prayer page
"Without Christ, we can do nothing." - John 15:5

1. Please pray for wisdom and for victory in the many legal battles ahead
   
2. Please pray for the ongoing marriage cases in California, Connecticut, Iowa, and Maryland.