An atheist group’s demand to get rid of a Christian flag on a public school campus flagpole was defied by Texas high school students, who flew the flag with a message that was loud and clear.
After the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) discovered that the “Come and Take It Flag” – donning a Christian cross that was flown during the Texas Revolution – was hanging from a flagpole at LaPoynor High School, it ordered the school district to remove it.
Outsmarted by students
This move only motivated students to fly the flag all the more, as they moved it right in front of their high school – just outside of the campus boundaries.
“This has nothing to do with the community or the school board – or anything like that,” LaPoyor High School senior Sarah Barnes insisted to East Texas Matters (ETM). “It’s us students – it’s whatever we want to put up.”
She said that the students claimed victory in the matter over FFRF in more ways than one.
“Actually, we put two more flags on poles that aren’t on school property over there, and now the kids are flying them on their trucks,” Barnes added.
Adding flames to the fire …
Before the controversial flag was removed from campus, an attorney with the Wisconsin-based FFRF – which represents atheists, agnostics and freethinkers – issued a letter to the local school district, ordering officials to stop the flag from being displayed on campus.
“It is unconstitutional for the school to display the Christian flag,” FFRF attorney Sam Grover argued to the district’s superintendent, James Young, in a letter, according to Fox News. “The display of this patently religious symbol by the District confers government endorsement of Christianity, in violation of the Establishment Clause.”
Before the students’ bright idea to move the flag off campus, FFRF’s letter alleged that the Christian flag worked against a campus environment of inclusivity – and therefore isolated atheists and students who practiced other religions, or no religion at all.
“The District must immediately remove the Christian flag from school grounds,” Grover ordered in his letter that was obtained by Fox News. “In addition, the District must ensure that its staff members are not organizing, promoting, or participating in religious events while acting in their official capacities.”
Who’s bullying who?
Even though FFRF now acknowledges that students can basically do what they want, the atheist groups insists that the move was an act of intimidation, but students could not disagree more. In fact, parents have impressed that students were merely standing up for their convictions.
“They’re willing to put it all out there for what they believe in,” Shaine Snyder, a mother of a student at LaPoynor pointed out, according to ETM.
Students are exhibiting the same boldness that their Texan ancestors displayed more than a century ago when they were fighting for their independence and flew the flag.
“It has long been a symbol of defiance in Texas,” CBN News reported. “The original ‘Come and Take it’ flag flew as a message to Mexican troops, ordered to forcibly remove cannons from the possession of Texan forces.”
Student now feel justified in waging a rebellion of their own.
“Back in the Texas Revolution, the Texans put it up for Santa Anna to come take the cannons, so if they want to take our flags, they’ll just have to come and take them,” LaPoynor junior Austin Dunn told ETM.
Essentially, it all comes down to the students wanting to take a stand for their Christian beliefs against a group that has relentlessly endeavored to eradicate every vestige of Christianity from public school campuses across the nation.
“The Freedom from Religion Foundation says the students are using intimidation tactics,” CBN News’ Caitlin Burke informed. “The students say that ultimately, they’re defending their faith.”
Dunn stressed that he is not looking to force his religion on anyone, and indicated that he merely wants to enjoy his constitutional right to freely express his faith without fear of punishment.
“I know a couple of students here that are from different religions, and even some that don’t have a religion,” Dunn added. “We all still work together – we’re all still friends.”
Students and parents are not worried about the possible ramifications for standing up to the bullying anti-Christian organization.
“If you can’t stand up for a small battle when the battle gets huge, ya know – it’s the little things that count,” Snyder asserted.
Even though FFRF has not moved forward to wage a lawsuit, students feel that they have won some small but crucial victories.
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Copyright American Family News. Reprinted with permission.
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