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First Amendment

Friday, December 14, 2012

Christian Group Seeks Plainfield Meeting Room Policy Change

Liberty Counsel has filed a federal lawsuit against the Village of Plainfield, alleging that a policy barring religious groups from using public meeting rooms is unconstitutional.

A Christian activist group was in court Wednesday seeking an injunction against the Village of Plainfield, alleging that the village’s meeting room policy is unconstitutional because it bans religious meetings or events. On Nov. 28, Liberty Counsel filed a federal lawsuit against Plainfield after the village rejected its request to use a Village Hall meeting room for “an educational program promoting a Christian view of the founding of America.” The organization contends that the meeting room policy, which doesn’t allow rooms to be used for religious services or events, violates its First Amendment rights, as well as the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act. READ: RELIGIOUS ACTIVIST GROUP FILES SUIT AGAINST PLAINFIELD This week, …

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EdCenter

8:09 am on Saturday, December 15, 2012

I don't know about the "Liberty Council", the article is about the Liberty Counsel, a international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom.   more ›

Friday, November 30, 2012

Religious Activist Group Files Suit Against Plainfield

Liberty Counsel, which pledges to “restore poor leadership to right thinking,” accuses village of violating First Amendment rights.

A self-proclaimed “litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom” filed a federal lawsuit against the Village of Plainfield Wednesday, alleging that its First Amendment rights were violated when its request to use a Village Hall community room was denied. Liberty Counsel says it applied to use the room to host a presentation on the United States' founding era and founding fathers.” According to the group, the presentation would be told from a Christian viewpoint. Village staffer DeAnn Snodgrass, who handles requests to use the community rooms, did not discuss the lawsuit, but explained that village policy prohibits use of the room for religious presentations. “We’re not allowed to open up our …

EdCenter

10:03 am on Monday, December 3, 2012

Tom Nosal, you may stand behind the policy all you like, but the Constitution it what actually determines whether the policy at issue is valid. The village’s policy currently prohibits reserving a room for “Religious services or other religious purposes.” From the article, it is clear the group in question was not looking to use a community room for a religious service, but rather a discussion of…   more ›

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Parents Council

Should Boys Be Allowed to Wear Earrings, or Is It 'Really Unsightly?'

While most school districts now allow boys to don ear jewelry, the Joliet Township High School Board recently upheld its ban on them.

The courts say it’s OK for boys to wear earrings to school.  The cops say earrings don’t have anything to do with gangs.  And if you think wearing an earring is a silent way of signaling your sexual preferences, you're showing your age. Plainfield, Bolingbrook and Romeoville high schools have given the green light to guys who want to sport a stud or hoop in the earlobe. But the Joliet Township High School Board is not convinced and recently voted to retain its ban on male ear jewelry. A quick Google search shows guys have been piercing their ears since just about the beginning of time. Pirates popularized the practice in Western culture. An earring made of precious metal was a wearable burial insurance policy that could pay for a funeral …

Lori Janiec

8:57 am on Wednesday, May 4, 2011

I went to high school in an age of PUNKS, BURN OUTS, PREPS & JOCKS. We all had our own fashion expression and as long as we were "dressed" we were accepted by the school. Kelly did have a good point tho...if parents would parent, then there wouldn't be an issue. But schools seem to have been forced to "up" their dress codes to prevent...well, really, prevent what? Other than too short skirts/…   more ›

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Students Surprised that 1st Amendment Protects Eminem, 'Grand Theft Auto'

The traveling "Freedom Express" made a stop at Aux Sable Middle School to show how free speech rights affect all aspects of life.

When Jamie Loo asked a group of seventh-graders at Aux Sable Middle School what rights they had under the First Amendment, they were quick to name the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion. The other three freedoms were a bit harder for the group to guess. Loo asked them to think about when they watch the news on TV, read a newspaper or look at a blog. She asked them if they've ever seen a group of people protesting or gathering together. She told them the First Amendment guarantees the freedom of press and the rights to assemble and to petition and explained that all five freedoms protected under the First Amendment are not just something to study in history class. "These are things that are alive today," said Loo, an online …

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