Arizona school board member sues district for not letting her quote Bible at meetings

Debate Room
1

I saw this, what are your thoughts?

An Arizona school board member who was instructed to stop quoting Bible passages during board meetings filed a federal lawsuit against her district Wednesday (Sept. 27), alleging her First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of religion had been violated.

Heather Rooks, a Christian who attends a large nondenominational church, has been serving the Peoria Unified School District, one of Arizona’s largest districts, since January 2023. She is being represented by the law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP and the First Liberty Institute, a Texas-based conservative legal organization known for defending school football coach Joe Kennedy, who recently won a Supreme Court Case after being fired for praying at the 50-yard line.

Since the start of her term, Rooks, whose four children attend school in the district, has quoted short Bible passages during the “board comments” portion of each board meeting. The passages were often related to the theme of courage.

2

This will be interesting. Freedom of religion vs. separation of church and state.

2 Likes
3

I’d ask her one question: Would you sue on behalf of someone quoting some other religious book or teaching?

3 Likes
4

I have no time for such people. Get on with your job and leave your personal beliefs at home, no need to intrude in other people’s lives or become burdensome to others. Her view of scripture is so far removed from mine that I have little in common with such people.

1 Like
5

It doesn’t seem that complex to me, she is free to believe whatever she wants, but forcing it on others violates their right to believe whatever they want, and the separation of church and state is there precisely to avoid just that, and protect that freedom…done…next

Anyone going to bet it doesn’t go that way?

2 Likes
6

Depends, unfortunately, upon which court hears it.

2 Likes
7

This is Arizona where I live and I’m pretty tired of dingbats like Carrie Lake and the other clowns who supported (still support!) Dufus Trump. Note too it is bizarre Christian phenomenon peculiar to the United States that produces this stupidity. The “evangelicals” are irrational, uneducated, aggressive, violent, racist and homophobic and gun crazy.

This degree of insanity is rare outside the US in other Christian nations. These people are fundamentalist Christians and would likely have little in common with Jesus if he sat and talked with them.

4 Likes
8

Yes, and fearful as well.

2 Likes
9

And if the the jesus figure actually existed he wouldn’t talk to them because of their disregard of the law, and they would not allow him in their clubs because of his jewishness…

2 Likes
10

I love hearing about stuff like this, as I think that a member of the Satanic Temple should quote Satanic verses before such a meeting.

1 Like