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Welcome to the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) website! ACLU-TN is the only organization in the state dedicated to promoting and protecting constitutional rights. Our goal is to translate the Bill of Rights into an everyday reality for all Tennesseans.

SPOTLIGHT ISSUE: ACLU-TN Wins Judicial Victory for Religious Freedom in Tennessee

Preferential Treatment of Praying Parents is Ruled Unconstitutional

After a two-year legal battle, ACLU-TN has successfully litigated a case that further protects the religious freedom of Tennesseans.

The ACLU-TN lawsuit, Doe v. Wilson County School System, was filed on behalf of a former Lakeview kindergarten student and his parents, who said their attempts to have school officials cease the religious activities on campus were rebuffed. The family also says school officials encouraged them to withdraw their child from the school.

The lawsuit charged that a variety of religious activities occurring at Lakeview Elementary School in Mt. Juliet, including praying during school hours by a group of parents who then distributed fliers in classrooms informing individual students they had been prayed for, were unconstitutional.

“In a strongly worded 59-page decision, the Judge ruled that school officials were engaged in a systematic pattern of religious violations and that the school supported and tolerated religious activities taking place on its campus,” said Hedy Weinberg, ACLU-TN Executive Director.

In finding that these activities violated the First Amendment, the Court found that

the effect of the [The Praying Parents] predominant religious purpose was to advance Christianity at Lakeview…..The school administration apparently agreed with the group’s purpose and activities and did not properly monitor and supervise their activities on school property, and, by allowing these activities, the school tacitly or overtly endorsed the group’s activities. By doing so the school became excessively entangled with the group’s religious activities, and abandoned the school’s constitutional obligation to maintain strict neutrality toward religion.

The Court issued an injunction preventing any group from being given preferential treatment and ordering that all individuals and groups requesting access to the school request permission and be treated equally. The Court also admonished the school for allowing teachers and administrators to be active participants in religious activities at the school, for displaying the Ten Commandments in the school hallway and for allowing the distribution of Gideon’s Bibles to students.

According to Weinberg, “The decision makes it very clear that private groups like the Praying Parents cannot and should not serve as surrogates for the public schools and promote religious activities during the school day,” said Weinberg.

Upon hearing about the Court ruling, the Does issued a statement saying, “We are very happy about the decision and grateful to all those people who stood with us. We hope this begins a time of healing for the community.”

Additional Information About Doe v. Wilson County School System

View the press release about this case.

View Judge Echols' decision.

 

 

LATEST NEWS

July 8, 2008: The latest edition of The Vigil newsletter is in!

May 30, 2008: ACLU Wins Judicial Victory for Religious Freedom in Tennessee - Preferential Treatment of Praying Parents is Ruled Unconstitutional

May 9, 2008: ACLU-TN Chart of 2008 TGA Bills

April 29, 2008: ACLU Takes On High School Principal For Discriminating Against Male Couple

April 29, 2008 - Tennessee Organizations Call on Fowler to Stop Misleading the Public on SJR127

April 28, 2008: IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED - Tell your State Rep by WEDNESDAY to vote NO on pulling SJR127 to House Floor

April 14, 2008: Voice Your Opinion on Several Pending Civil Liberties/Civil Rights Bills!

April 14, 2008: Support the Racial Profiling Prevention Act (SB3459/HB4001)

April 8, 2008: Show the Metro Nashville School Board your support for a comprehensive non-discrimination policy

April 8, 2008: Re-entry and Restoration of Voting Rights: Dismantling Felon Disenfranchisement Laws in Tennessee

April 7, 2008: Bill Banning Unmarried Adoption Up in Senate Judiciary Committee - Urge Senators to Vote NO on SB3910

April 7, 2008 - Nashville High School Students and Child Welfare Organizations Ask for Comprehensive Non-Discrimination Policy

April 3, 2008: SJR127 Back Again - Attack on Reproductive Freedom - Call you House Representative NOW to vote NO on pulling SJR127 to House Floor

April 1, 2008: Oppose SB2653/HB2858 - Attack on Students' Privacy Rights

March 14, 2008: Tennessee High School Senior is Among 15 Winners of ACLU College Scholarship for Youth Activism

March 8, 2008 - Event: Youth in Action: Know Your Rights, Make Some Change - Students' Rights Conference

March 4, 2008 - Event: In the Best Interests of the Child: Adoption in Tennessee

February 25, 2008: ACLU Sues Over Tennessee's Felon Disenfranchisement Law

October 14, 2007: Politics, Religion and Death: ACLU of Kentucky Board Member Discusses Death Penalty at the Southern Festival of Books

October 10, 2007: Moving Nashville Forward: Why Inclusivity and Opportunity are Essential to Music City's Future

October 4, 2007: “The Future of LGBT Rights in Tennessee: Organizing, Educating and Litigating”

April 23, 2007: Support Repeal of REAL ID Act - Urge your State Senator to Support SJR248 - contact today

April 10, 2007: ACLU Appoints Gay Rights Attorney to Work in the South

April 9, 2007: Oppose Attacks on Students’ Right to Freedom of Association and Privacy

April 5, 2007: ACLU-TN Urges Metro Nashville School Board To Vote NO on Proposed School Dress Code Policy
PDF iconACLU-TN's Letter to Metro Nashville School Board

March 6, 2007: Oppose Parental Consent to Join School Clubs

March 2, 2007: Contact your State Senator to Vote NO on SB201 - Prohibiting Translation of Drivers License Exams

February 12, 2007: ACLU-TN Applauds Mayor Purcell's Veto on English-Only Ordinance

February 6, 2007: ACLU-TN to Expand Efforts to Restore Voting Rights to Former Felons

September 7, 2006:PDF icon ACLU-TN Fights for Religious Freedom in Wilson County School System

August 16, 2006: ACLU-TN Announces "Get Your Right to Vote Back" Town Hall Meeting in Chattanooga on Monday, August 21 (24 KB)

August 10, 2006: ACLU-TN Announces "Get Your Right to Vote Back" Town Hall Meeting in Memphis on Tuesday, August 15 (25 KB)

August 4, 2006: ACLU-TN Kicks Off "Get Your Right to Vote Back" Town Hall Meetings Across State (23 KB)

 

 

   
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