Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Olivia can sing
Olivia Turton, a Frenchtown, New Jersey elementary school student, had her First Amendment rights violated when her school district barred her from singing the song "Awesome God" at an after-school talent show, according to a ruling issued Monday by U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson.
In May 2005, the school district denied the then-second-grader's request to sing the song saying that the lyrics amounted to the "musical equivalent of a spoken prayer." Judge Wolfson disagreed and held that the district's actions were inappropriate because Olivia's song was one student's "private speech" and could not legitimately be perceived as a public school's endorsement of religion.
Olivia had some help in her court battle:
Olivia plans to sing the song in an upcoming talent show.
In May 2005, the school district denied the then-second-grader's request to sing the song saying that the lyrics amounted to the "musical equivalent of a spoken prayer." Judge Wolfson disagreed and held that the district's actions were inappropriate because Olivia's song was one student's "private speech" and could not legitimately be perceived as a public school's endorsement of religion.
Olivia had some help in her court battle:
The case drew national attention and the backing of strange legal bedfellows: The Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal advocacy group that represented the Turtons, and the American Civil Liberties Union, which intervened as a friend of the court.Strange bedfellow indeed.
Olivia plans to sing the song in an upcoming talent show.
