Amen To A Great Court Ruling

I was ecstatic to read in the Dallas Morning News today about a court ruling in favor of our constitutional rights and religious freedom... It’s a very timely reminder, as the Fourth of July approaches, of the incredible privilege we have as Americans and as believers to celebrate our earthly and eternal freedom. And it is also a reminder that we must stand up for what we believe ... we must fight the good fight to protect our Christian heritage and values.

Here’s what the DMN reported that happened on Wednesday. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled that two principals in schools right here in Plano (Thomas Elementary and Rasor Elementary) violated the constitutional rights of students beginning back in 2001 when they confiscated candy cane pens that explained the meaning of the candy canes (we all learned this as children); and pencils that said things such as “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” The students were planning to hand out the pens and pencils at school.

The DMN reported: The principals "had fair warning that the suppression of student-to-student distribution of literature on the basis of religious viewpoint is unlawful under the First Amendment," three judges concluded in a sometimes strongly worded decision.

I am so proud of and grateful for the work of my friend, Kelly Shackelford, a local attorney and constitutional scholar who founded Liberty Institute and has protected traditional family values and constitutional freedoms for many years. Kelly represented the families behind the lawsuit and in a statement talked about the enormity of this ruling for the First Amendment. “It is truly outrageous for school officials to argue they have a right to engage in religious speech discrimination against elementary school students,” Kelly said.

So, celebrate this victory ... and be grateful for those who are defending our country, not only on the battlefields, but also in the courtrooms.