AR Church & State Fight Over Charlie Brown Play Generating Buzz
By:
Updated: November 21, 2012
The fight over a Little Rock elementary school's arrangement with a local church's production of a children's Christmas play is making national news.
The debate came to light when a parent whose daughter attends Terry Elementary school told the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers that she is concerned her child could be open to ridicule if she opts not to attend a stage production of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" being held at Agape Church.
The letter sent home by first and second grade teachers at the school states children who wish to attend must pay $2 to cover the cost of using school buses to get to the show, which is being held on a school day.
Freethinkers say this steps over the line when it comes to the separation of church and state. The church says is is putting on a free event and has done similar such productions in the past for students without any issue or complaints raised.
KARK News broadcast its story of the flap on Monday.
In the wake of the media buzz, both sides issued written statements today.
"Those who stand up for the rights of children to be free from coercion aren't making war either on religion or Christmas. Rather this is a case of a church forming an alliance with local government to violate religious freedom." wrote Anne Orsi, a Little Rock attorney and Vice President of the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers.
Agape Church issued this statement: "We hope the complaint or question of a few does not override the opportunity for everyone. This production also included a food drive for area pantries, and we hope that purpose is not lost as well."
The play is slated to be held on Dec. 14.
The debate came to light when a parent whose daughter attends Terry Elementary school told the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers that she is concerned her child could be open to ridicule if she opts not to attend a stage production of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" being held at Agape Church.
The letter sent home by first and second grade teachers at the school states children who wish to attend must pay $2 to cover the cost of using school buses to get to the show, which is being held on a school day.
Freethinkers say this steps over the line when it comes to the separation of church and state. The church says is is putting on a free event and has done similar such productions in the past for students without any issue or complaints raised.
KARK News broadcast its story of the flap on Monday.
In the wake of the media buzz, both sides issued written statements today.
"Those who stand up for the rights of children to be free from coercion aren't making war either on religion or Christmas. Rather this is a case of a church forming an alliance with local government to violate religious freedom." wrote Anne Orsi, a Little Rock attorney and Vice President of the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers.
Agape Church issued this statement: "We hope the complaint or question of a few does not override the opportunity for everyone. This production also included a food drive for area pantries, and we hope that purpose is not lost as well."
The play is slated to be held on Dec. 14.
Comments
It was mentioned above that a letter was sent home OFFERING to take children to the production, so that means if she didn't want her child to go she should of a) not signed the permission slip or b)kept her child home the day of the field trip, they were not forcing her child to go, Some people over react to simple stuff
michelle p.
December 4, 2012 at 1:25 pm
i honestly don't get it, if you're a freethinker more power to you, but don't sit here and raise hell on people who are just trying to do something nice for children because if you think self righteous people look down on you before well that will definitely do it, people no matter what your religion is or non-religion just for the good of humanity, just let it go and stop the fighting, i mean really our god wouldn't want us to fight about it but just pray for them
Iesha T.
November 29, 2012 at 7:23 pm
HAHA! omg and i thought Atheism couldn''t be any more stupid! so what now atheists are going to take God out of church too? and they want to talk about us forcing our religion on them, they're the only people forcing anything on us, they're trying to force us to become Atheists, they took god and everything that has to do with good morals out of schools, holidays, stores pretty much everywhere, oh and we're the ones forcing them to believe in what we do, well there is one thing they can't take away and that is our faith! for you atheists i hope you're proud with yourselves because thanks to you, our children can't even act right anymore because of your fear that your children will be right for believing in someone that is there
Iesha T.
November 29, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Some added PC thoughts. My child doesn't run very fast and I'm afraid he/she will be ridiculed so I don't think the children should be allowed to run in PE. My child isn't as smart so I don't think there should be any grading system. My child is overweight so I don't think any skinny kids should be allowed to attend his/her school. yada yada yada.
Michael B.
November 25, 2012 at 9:28 pm
First off, the attorney, Anne Orsi, is an idiot for even pursuing this. Secondly, the mother is an idiot for making a big deal out of it. The children are not being forced to attend anything. It is up to their parents if they want their children to attend the play. But one mother is afraid her child will be embarrassed if she doesn't go, so she doesn't want any children to be allowed to go. Last I checked, Obozo hasn't installed his dictatorship yet so this is still a free country. It's time the majority quit kissing **** to every little minuscule fraction of this country for the sake of being politically correct. I hope it goes to court and the judge laughs this lawyer out the door.
Michael B.
November 25, 2012 at 9:05 pm
So the day after this trip, why don't we send the kids to a mosque, where they will watch a cartoon with popular childrens' characters in it meaningfully and generously endorse an Islamic holiday? Oh and that will be $2 please. Everyone cool with that?
Jason S.
November 25, 2012 at 8:17 pm
The actions of the "Arkansas Society of Freethinkers" simply promotes intolerance. Sadly ironic.
Neil R.
November 25, 2012 at 5:47 pm
Oh, the insanity of the atheist activists. Don't they have better things to do with their time and money?
Daniel M.
November 25, 2012 at 5:08 pm
I would think that as an intelligent adult, Ms. Orsi would be embarrassed to choose to be the spokesperson of this battle. As a "FreeLOGICALthinker" I ask this question: How does a VOLUNTARY school outing to ANYTHING equate to the Congress of the U.S. passing a law? "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."
Douglas R.
November 25, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Did I miss something? Is Congress demanding this school send the children to see this production?
I find it curious that the "Freethinkers" ignore "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"
John S.
November 25, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Being an Atheist myself, I find it shameful that others of my ilk feel compelled to tell others what they can and cannot do with regard to religion. Enought already! Live and let live. Can't we just let kids be kids and enjoy that which is of them without the adults making a Federal case out of it? Atheists want to control religion by the use of lawsuits and the mere threat of lawsuits in order to stamp out religion. Atheistts are now practicing exactly the same thing they accuse religious people of doing, namely shoving their nonbeliefs down the throats of others.
Rick S.
November 25, 2012 at 11:44 am
Being an Atheist myself, I find it shameful that others of my ilk feel compelled to tell others what they can and cannot do with regard to religion. Enought already! Live and let live. Can't we just let kids be kids and enjoy that which is of them without the adults making a Federal case out of it? Atheists want to control religion by the use of lawsuits and the mere threat of lawsuits in order to stamp out religion. Atheistts are now practicing exactly the same thing they accuse religious people of doing, namely shoving their nonbeliefs down the throats of others.
Rick S.
November 25, 2012 at 11:44 am
Being an Atheist myself, I find it shameful that others of my ilk feel compelled to tell others what they can and cannot do with regard to religion. Enought already! Live and let live. Can't we just let kids be kids and enjoy that which is of them mwithout the adults making a Federal case out of it? Atheists want to control religion by the use of lawsuits and the mere threat of lawsuits in order to stamp out religion. Atheistts are now practing exactly the same thing they accuse religious people of doing, namely shoving their nonbeliefs down the troats of others.
Rick S.
November 25, 2012 at 11:41 am
Do those who stand up for the rights of children to not be influenced by the varieties of ideological choices give that same consideration when they FORCE them to sing 'praises' to Obama as has happened repeatedly in elementary schools for four years? Do they stand for the rights of 'non doctrinarian' cartoons aired and all other forms of media conditioning? Equal time requires the rights of churches to give invites. NO one would have 'singled' out this parent's child for not attending. Would not have even noticed.
David B.
November 25, 2012 at 11:35 am
If you truly are against this, why "bow down to pressure" and send your daughter to the play? Kids don't participate in school activities for a variety of reasons and, unless you bring attention to yourself, its not a big deal. Also, if you are that committed to a cause, why do it anonymously? That just says "I'm committed...kinda." Certain groups within our society have made it their mission to do away with common sense and replace it with neutered nonsense!
Chris S.
November 25, 2012 at 11:25 am
If you truly are against this, why "bow down to pressure" and send your daughter to the play? Kids don't participate in school activities for a variety of reasons and, unless you bring attention to yourself, its not a big deal. Also, if you are that committed to a cause, why do it anonymously? That just says "I'm committed...kinda. Certain groups within our society have made it their mission to do away with common sense and replace it with neutered nonsense!
Chris S.
November 25, 2012 at 11:24 am
Does everyone have to squash everything? Our lives are becoming so sterile out of a fear of lawsuits. I mean, is Charlie Brown really that "offensive" to you that you feel the need to ruin the fun for the rest of the school...now and in the future? Surely the school isn't trying to sneakily indoctrinate the kids...in a 1 or 2 hour production. This is a classic Americana tradition. If she is really a part of a society of "freethinkers", then she will respect her child's right to think for herself.
Ronelle R.
November 25, 2012 at 10:02 am
I think it's hypocritical of the mother to allow her child to go and refuse to be named. If she so believes her rights are violated or the children are at risk, stand up for yourself.
Traci J.
November 25, 2012 at 9:33 am
I think it's hypocritical of the mother to allow her child to go and refuse to be named. If she so believes her rights are violated or the children are at risk, stand up for yourself.
Traci J.
November 25, 2012 at 9:33 am
Traci J.
November 25, 2012 at 9:31 am
