A Christian plaque at the Mountain Peak Elementary School in Midlothian, TX has been the topic of controversy for the past couple months. However, the debate escalated to new heights on Monday, September 15 during the Midlothian ISD Board meeting.
While the Freedom from Religion Foundation wants to have the plaque removed, local residents are petitioning for it to stay in place. The two-by-three-foot plaque, located near the front entrance of the school, was initially covered with duct tape back in July.
On July 17, the school district was legally advised to remove the plaque as requested. Residents are not in agreement with the district’s legal counsel. However, someone removed the duct tape and uncovered the plaque on August 27, reports Fox-DFW. The decision to cover the plaque came shortly after the Freedom from Religion Foundation threatened to sue the school board for the plaque’s offensive nature. The plaque, which includes two Latin crosses, contains the following phrase:
“Dedicated in the year of our Lord 1997 to the education of God’s children and to their faithful teachers in the name of the Holy Christian Church — Soli Deo Gloria.”
Now, the foundation wants the plaque removed completely.
On June 26, the Freedom from Religion Foundation sent a complaint to the Midlothian Independent School District Superintendent, Jerome Stewart. According to Fox News , the letter cited how the plaque offends the Constitution due to its specified promotion of “The Holy Christian Church.” The plaque’s phrase also contains a Latin religious phrase that means, “Glory to God alone.”
Here’s an excerpt from the letter:
“The plaque at Mt. Peak Elementary offends the Constitution… since the plaque specifically promotes ‘the Holy Christian Church’ and contains a Latin phrase meaning ‘glory to God alone’ or ‘glory to the only God.’ The two Latin crosses on the plaque further solidify its impermissible purpose.”
FFRF Attorney Sam Grover also shared further details about the foundation’s perspective the plaque, reports NBC-DFW . “Our organization is about keeping religion out of the government,” Grover said. “Because these plaques are on the school building, they’re not individual speech. They’re government speech, and that is restricted.”
Do you think the plaque should be removed? Share your thoughts.
[Image via Bing]
