High school student sues over ban on religious imagery in artwork

[bjorkfan]

WISCONSIN — Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed a federal lawsuit Friday on behalf of a Tomah High School student — referred to as A.P. — who was given an F and two detentions for including a Bible reference in his artwork.

According to the complaint, the student's art teacher, Julie Millin, told A.P. to remove the words "JOHN 3:16. A sign of love" because of comments from other students. She later showed A.P. a document students are required to sign at the beginning of the semester, which prohibits them from including "blood, violence, sexual connotations, religious beliefs" in their artwork.

"Christian students shouldn't be penalized for expressing their beliefs," attorney David Cortman said in an ADF press release. "It is unconstitutional for the school to punish students simply because they choose to exercise their First Amendment rights."

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, also says school officials violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment by not approving A.P.'s drawing while allowing other student artwork that includes Hindu, Greek, Buddhist and demonic depictions.

Greg Gaarder, business manager for the Tomah Area School District, said the school has been in contact with its legal counsel but has yet to receive anything official regarding a lawsuit.

"At this point in time there really isn't anything to comment on," Gaarder said.

In addition to asking the court to restrain district officials from violating A.P.'s First Amendment rights, the complaint asks the court to decide the constitutionality of the district's religious expression policy, give A.P. $1 in nominal damages and order the district to remove all references in the student's record to the discipline related to the incident.

Neither Cortman nor his co-counsel returned SPLC's call by Tuesday afternoon.

By Kathleen Fitzgerald, SPLC staff writer

http://www.splc.org/newsflash.asp?id=1728&year=

[Forkboy]

1. I saw the pic on the news last night and thought it was pretty cool.

[Lerkfish]

2. how bizarre.

Instead, they should have an ASSIGNMENT to do artwork from ALL religions of the world.

[bjorkfan]

3. Yes, can't they learn about the Sistine Chapel or "David"?

[Lerkfish]

4. Pretty much most of the art before the 19th century was based on, or

funded by, religion of one kind or another.

I think the art teacher is an idiot.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. the prohibition seems a bit odd

If the class ever gets into art history, they can't avoid religion. Better to look at and accept all expressions of religion than to exclude them all.

[regnaD kciN]

9. No kidding...

Take out violence, sex, and religion, and you've pretty much reduced "art" to poker-playing dogs and sad clowns on velvet.

[sandnsea]

6. Then sex, blood, and feces on Madonnas

has to be allowed too.

[Buzz Clik]

7. It's art.

This is going much too far.

[NC_Nurse]

8. As long as anti-religious art is also allowed.

[RC]

10. Hmmm, I wonder what the consciences would be if this student were to be

A Wicken, Muslim, Islam, Zoroastrianism, or maybe a Druze.
This was a public school and the students were told and had signed a piece of paper saying they understood.

Notice the 'Christian' religion was singled out above all others.
Davis Cortman would have a stronger case if he had just said "Students shouldn't be penalized..." But he knew he could not do that because it would open it up to all religions and the good Christians would not stand for that.


"Christian students shouldn't be penalized for expressing their beliefs," attorney David Cortman said in an ADF press release. "It is unconstitutional for the school to punish students simply because they choose to exercise their First Amendment rights."

[bjorkfan]

11. The school already allowed Hindu, Greek, Buddhist and demonic artwork