On February 27, members of the Board of School Trustees for the Clark County School District (CCSD) were asked to vote whether the following section of the CCSD regulations should be deleted:
Section 6113.2
VI. High school commencement exercises may include an invocation and/or benediction under the following conditions:
A. The decision to include an invocation and/or benediction at a high school graduation exercise must be voluntarily agreed upon by a majority of the graduating senior class, with the advice and counsel of the school principal.
B. The invocation, benediction, if used, shall be given by a student volunteer.
Does this section of the regulations sound dangerous to the well-being of our students? Does it force something on them that they wouldn’t want? Is something the majority would want? I don’t think so. It sounds perfectly reasonable to allow 17 and 18 year olds to decide whether they want to have a short invocation at their graduation ceremony. However, attorneys for the school district warn that if it isn’t rescinded, the district could lose $70 million in federal funding, because this ruling supposedly goes against the First Amendment.
Let’s review for a moment. Here’s what the First Amendment says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Period. If anything, it seems like rescinding this regulation would be prohibiting the graduating seniors from freely exercising their right to include a religious sentiment in their ceremony.
At press time, the issue had not yet been decided, but no matter how it turns out, the three board members who originally voted in February to let the regulation stand should be commended. Sheila Moulton, Ruth Johnson and Denise Brodsky may have gone against the advice of the district’s attorneys and incurred the wrath of the American Civil Liberties Union, but in my opinion, they were doing the job they were elected to do by defending the rights of students and looking out for the students’ best interests. Moulton was quoted as saying, “This is the last bastion of recognition of a higher being left in our policy. In good conscience, I can’t support any action on this item at this time.” It’s refreshing, in this day and age, to hear an elected official actually talking about voting her conscience. Those who caved in to pressure and voted to rescind this section indicated that they didn’t have any choice, because the district can’t afford to lose the federal funding. However, as Brodsky pointed out, “I think we always have a choice. If you don’t stand for something, you stand for nothing.”
How true. This country was founded by people who were willing to look beyond their financial well-being and stand by their principles. Those who supported the colonies’ war of independence had their homes and businesses burned and their property confiscated, not to mention putting their very lives at risk. During the 200-plus years since then, our greatest heroes have been those who made personal sacrifices for their principles and their country, not those who played it safe and did what they were told. These three women are heroes and voters in their districts should remember that they took a stand for our children.
Just a few days after the school board’s vote, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit refused to reconsider a ruling it made in June 2002, which stated that a daily classroom pledge of alliance to the American flag was unconstitutional because the pledge includes the words “One nation under God.” So I guess the school district board will have to decide soon whether Clark County’s children are allowed to pledge to the flag. I wonder who will stand up and defend our children’s rights on this issue. I hope our board members will show some courage when the time comes.
The ironic thing is, if you look on the agenda for the board meeting where this issue was discussed, the first two items on the agenda are: “Invocation by Cantor Joel Gordon, Congregation Shirat Emet in Boulder City;” and “Flag salute.” So I guess the board members, just like the U.S. Congress and the members of the Nevada Legislature, recognize that it’s important to ask the blessing of God before their meetings and to reaffirm their loyalty to the country they serve. If it’s important for them, why is it not important for our children?
When our country is threatened by enemies abroad and by enemies within our own borders who want to destroy our way of life, God and patriotism are needed more now than ever. Let’s not deny our children this precious heritage.