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.
What better book to read then the Bible
This is becoming a communist country
Only if you comply.
THEY will regreat that when theire time comes
Kyle Bock… you just love the govt so much don’t you? What part of the Govt. , which has no business telling an individual what they can and can’t do so long as it is within the rule of law? and don’t think that this has nothing to do with Obama and his handlers… you know… the 1% and their Agenda 21
That’s not free reading if mein kampf and Marx are not banned as well. Their all religions!
It’s a slam dunk win for the student in any court.
SI NO DEJAN AL SER HUMANO TENER COMUNION CON DIOS A TRAVES DE SU BELLA PALABRA , COMO EL SER HUMANO VA A ENDEREZAR SU CAMINO? IF THEY DO NOT LEAVE THE HUMAN BEING TO HAVE COMMUNION WITH GOD Across HIS BEAUTIFUL WORD, SINCE THE HUMAN BEING IS GOING TO STRAIGHTEN HIS WAY?
It seems that this school is doing us in the Christian right a favor. As Mike Maxam stated above, this will be a slam dunk if this is chased through the legal system.
this is what you dum ass parents get for allowing this $#%&!@* to happen take back all your rights raise your own dam kids and stop sucking off the muslim agenda