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6.12.2007

ADF Attorneys Assist with Defending Middle-School Girl's Constitutional Right to Religious Free Speech...


click here to enlarge photo Melissa's personal message was censored because it was religious and might offend other students.

When Melissa Yates, a member of the art club at Thompson Junior High in Oswego, Illinois, received permission to participate in painting a mural at her school, she was excited.

The mural had a simple theme: "We all come together at Thompson." It was divided into "puzzle" pieces and each student in the club, painted, and signed their name to a puzzle piece. The only restrictions: no depictions of weapons or profanity.

That was until Melissa painted a cross with a personal message regarding her faith.

Although her sketch had been approved and she had painted it on the wall, it was painted over the next day with blue paint at the direction of the school principal. According to the principal, her painting was censored because of the so-called "separation of church and state" and a concern that it could "offend" other students.

Melissa's parents called ADF.

ADF's Kevin Theriot of our Kansas City office informed the school of the law protecting Melissa's speech. The school quickly did the right thing, and allowed her to keep her cross in her painting along with the words, "I believe, do you?"

A copy of the letter sent by Kevin to the school can be read at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/YatesLetter.pdf.

"Because of the ACLU's relentless campaign of fear, intimidation, and disinformation, many school officials are confused about what the law really says when it comes to religious speech in public schools," says Kevin. "We commend the principal and the district for doing the right thing once they received the facts about Melissa's constitutional rights."

Thank you for your prayers and support which have made it possible for ADF attorneys to come to the defense of young men and women, like Melissa, who simply want to express their faith to their classmates. Big or little, every case is critical to reverse years of disinformation spread by the ACLU and its allies, and protect and affirm Our First Liberty - religious freedom.

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