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W. Va. School District Tries to Dismiss Atheist Lawsuit Seeking to End Bible Classes
http://www.christianpost.com/news/w-va-school-district-tries-to-dismiss-atheist-lawsuit-seeking-to-end-bible-classes-177904/A West Virginia school district being sued for offering an elective Bible class has filed a motion to dismiss the suit brought by an atheist group.
Mercer County Schools is being sued by the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation for offering a course called "Bible in the Schools" since 1939.
The First Liberty Institute, a Texas-based legal firm, filed the motion to dismiss earlier this week on behalf of the school district.
In their motion, First Liberty argued that the FFRF lawsuit should be dismissed in part because the plaintiffs lack the standing to sue Mercer County Schools.
"Forcing Jane Doe to choose between putting her child in a Bible study class or subjecting her child to the risk of ostracism by opting out of the program violates the rights of conscience of Jane and Jamie Doe and therefore their First Amendment rights."
The lawsuit comes as the West Virginia legislature considers House Bill 2073, a proposed measure introduced in February that would require all schools in the state to offer Bible courses as an elective.