Saturday, February 24, 2007

Lawsuit Claims School Prevented Boy From Wearing Jesus Costume for Halloween

Free exercise of religion seems to be infringed here:

"A Christian legal group has sued a school district on behalf of a 10-year-old boy who claims his rights to religion and free speech were violated when he was not allowed to wear a Jesus costume during Halloween activities.

The complaint, filed in federal court Tuesday by the Alliance Defense Fund, says officials at Willow Hill Elementary School in suburban Glenside told the boy Oct. 31 that he could not wear his faux crown of thorns or tell others he was dressed as Jesus....

Though the boy's costume was rejected because of its religious nature, the principal allowed other students to dress up as witches and devils, according to the lawsuit, which identified the boy only by his initials.

Source

By contrast, in California playing religious roles in school is compulsory -- as long as the religion is Islam, of course. The 9th Circuit has upheld it too, so it must be right. Now if the kid above could get his case before the 9th Circuit....