Broward County Public Schools officials have banned reading the Bible during “free reading” time.
It all started on April 8th when Giovanni Rubeo, fifth-grade student at the school, tried to read his Bible during the free reading time in class where students are allowed to read anything they choose.
Swornia Thomas, Giovanni’s teacher, told him that he’s not allowed to read the Bible in her class, so the boy asked his teacher to call his father about it, which she did.
“I noticed that he [Giovanni] has a book—a religious book—in the classroom. He’s not permitted to read those books in my classroom,” Thomas stated in the voicemail left for the father.
The father contacted the school’s principal, Orinthia Dias, who then brought in the school’s legal department. But no school official was willing to acknowledge the boy’s constitutional right to read his Bible.
“Banning religious books like the Bible violates Giovanni’s civil rights to religious free speech and free exercise,” stated Hiram Sasser, Litigation Director at Liberty Institute. “The school’s actions exemplify the hostility to religion that the U.S. Supreme Court has condemned.”
“We expect Broward County Public School officials to resolve this unfortunate incident quickly and amicably,” says Liberty Institute Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys. “Absent such an apology and assurance that students in Broward County Public Schools may read religious books like the Bible during free reading times, our client is prepared to take legal action.”
Listen to the voicemail message here:
Demand Letter to Broward County Schools 50514.pdf
Officials at Broward County Public Schools banned a fifth grader from reading the Bible during “free reading” time, according to lawyers from the Liberty Institute who are threatening to sue the school for violating the First Amendment.
Giovanni Rubeo is a fifth-grade student at the school, who had been given a Bible at church as a Christmas gift. It’s his favorite book, so he decided he’d like to read it during the time in class where students are allowed to read anything they choose.Swornia Thomas is Giovanni’s teacher. On April 8, Thomas told Giovanni he’s not allowed to read the Bible in her class and ordered him to put it away. Giovanni asked her to call his father, Paul Rubeo, about the incident.
Thomas did so, leaving a voicemail that included, “I noticed that he [Giovanni] has a book—a religious book—in the classroom. He’s not permitted to read those books in my classroom.” Rubeo then contacted the school’s principal, Orinthia Dias, who brought in the school’s legal department. None of them are willing to acknowledge that Giovanni has a constitutional right to read the Bible.
So Rubeo retained Liberty Institute to assert Giovanni’s First Amendment rights. Liberty Institute has now sent a demand letter to Broward County Public Schools and is holding a public event this afternoon at the federal courthouse in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Broward County School should thank Go he is reading his Bible & not some of the garbage put out these days!!!! Shame on them!!!
stop the federal help to schools like these
THE ROAD TO HELL
take GOD outta schools , only evil will b. and you wonder y kids do such horrific $#%&!@* . stupidddd
Kudos to the childs dad and the attorney!
If someone thinks it’s worth reading, he, she, or it, should be free to read it at “free reading” time. No skin off anyone’s nose, but it sure wouldn’t be my choice!
If you have a dictionary, look up Treason.
I can’t find mine.
This War on Terrorism thing is so confusing, which side is Obama on today?
http://www.truthandaction.org/arming-enemy-obama-gives-al-qaeda-terrorists-syria-tow-anti-tank-weapons/
Free Reading should mean Free Reading. You should be able to read what you want.
http://www.truthandaction.org/epa-oppose-us-will-come/
Resistance is futile.
The monsters always say that.
Gina what’s her name can not tell we can not talk. She can not tell us we can not tell the world the Scientists are wrong.
This is the Land of the Free and the Brave.
Some rich old worthless good for nothing pencil pushing burecrat political appointee can not tell me what I can or can not say.
If the EPA doesn’t care about Chemtrails or Monsanto’s toxins, they don’t care about anything.
Our Freedom of Speech gives us the right to say the Scientists funded by our Government may lie to us just as Barrack Obama, our CIA, and our Media lie to us each day.
We have the Freedom of Speech.
We are not nobles and serfs.
We are all free men and free women.
The Bill of Rights was written so the fat cat liars and parasites of our Federal Agencies, Administration, our Judges, our Senators, and our Representatives would not forget we are free.
Gina McCarthy is a typical Obama Jack Booted Thug, she believes Citizens of the United States should not have Freedom of Speech.
I guess the IRS is too busy Harassing and Intimidating Patriots and Conservatives, so the EPA has to Harass and Intimidate Republicans who are not Patriots or Conservatives.
Shut down the EPA, the IRS, and the Bureau of Land Management.
They have worked with Obama.
Fire Barrack Obama, Joe Biden, John Kerry, and Eric Holder.
Obama’s Administration and the CIA created, supported, and funded the violence in the Ukraine.
End the Sanctions against Russia.
John Kerry should not have to resign, he should be fired, today, with the rest of them.
Americans died, our Media, Barrack Obama, Susan Rice, and Hillary Clinton lied.
Their lies and their made up truth a year later are all lies. It does not take a year to make up the truth.
Fire Eric Holder, John Kerry, Joe Biden, Barrack Obama, and every one of Obama’s Appointees.
Shred each one of Obama’s Executive Orders.
Barrack Obama should have been fired the first time he wrote an Executive Order that changed our Law.
Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton should have been fired for their lies about Benghazi, they lied when it happened and continue to lie today.
Eric Holder and Barrack Obama should have been fired for their lies about Fast and Furious.
Eric Holder and Barrack Obama should have been fired for using the IRS to harass and Intimidate patriots and conservatives.
Eric Holder and Barrack Obama should have been fired for their abuse of office to harass and intimidate Zimmerman after his trial.
Eric Holder and Obama should have been fired for their abuse of their Office in trying to get the Justice Department to charge the white guy committing the Knock Out Game with a Hate Crime. The Knock Out Game is Terrorism each time it happens. Each one of them should be locked away to protect citizens of the United States from Terrorism.
Barrack Obama should have been fired when he invaded Libya with out the approval of Congress.
Barrack Obama should have been fired for his lies about Obamacare to get it passed. Obamacare as it is is nothing like what we were promised. Repeal it. The delays in the most horrible parts of Obamacare are not good for anyone but the Incumbents. They do not fix anything.
Obama should be fired for allowing groups like the National Endowment for Democracy to create, support, and finance the violence in the Ukraine and then joining with the CIA to lie about it to get our House and Senate to impose sanctions against Russia and then get the help of NATO for a Military Build Up near the Ukraine.
NATO and the United States with their continued War Crimes, Destruction, and murder across Africa and the Middle East have shown they have no love of Human Life and no respect for anyone living and no respect for our world.
Barrack Obama should be arrested for Treason and fired later.
Barrack Obama’s and Joe Biden’s Attacks are not only on your Second Ammendment Rights, but on each one of hour Human Rights and Freedoms.
No Incumbents. They gave us the stupid War on Terror, the NDAA, Obamacrap, and they have not fired Barrack Obama and Eric Holder. They have not kept their Oath of Office to support and defend our Constitution against all threats foreign and domestic. Instead they have became the domestic threat to our Human Rights and our Freedoms. Vote them out.
Free Reading what a joke! See you in court!