Two Florida school officials won't go to jail for praying

[kandrathe]

For spitting on the sidewalk, I agree with you. For spitting on religious freedom, I think it's good we've got it in the Bill of Rights. Follow your logic and Jim Crow would be alive and well throughout the South.

I see a difference between allowing free expression of religion, and imposing laws of segregation.

The government did not always dominate the educational arena. But, because the free market failed, communities decided to share the cost and the benefits of a public education.

I don't think private education failed. I think America had a crisis and the government stepped into the void to resolve issues of fair and equal access, and to enforce mediocrity. Of course, the government only resolves our problems by first dipping their hands into our pockets. But, this is really the confounding of the founders. What started as an exercise of implementing a government based upon "negative liberty" was replaced with one based upon "positive liberty". I think it is a false notion that the state can set things right, deliver equality, delivery quality, and a cost effective solution. That is not to say that "Judgement" is not needed.

Pace, Florida, could abolish property taxes and school levies and charge the families of the students directly for their education. Of course, many people could not afford it, others would rather spend the money on pizza and beer. And those of the 'wrong' type would probably not be allowed -- but that's OK, they're inferior pagans anyway.

A bit of a straw man. I'm sure there are other ways to arrange for the community to provide a fair and equal education to all of its children.

I do, from the Spanish Inquisition.

NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise! ...Surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our three weapons are fear, and surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our four...no...

And in whose name Spain was purged of a culture, thousands of 'infidels' were killed in the Middle East, whole populations were massacred in South and Central America, the Auto da Fe was invented, six million (give or take) Jews were sent up the chimney? Scared? I'm petrified.

Wow. That is quite a long laundry list. Well let see. The holocaust was not a Christian endeavor. Conquistadors were not the only Europeans that considered indigenous non-European people animals. It had more to do with power and politics than Christ, and even then the Catholic churches land grabs, money grabs, and political maneuvering around The Holy Roman Empire had very little to do with Christian values. Oh, and you want to go back to the Crusades. Why not Charlemagne or Constantine? We can sweep together every power hungry dictators misuse of and misinterpretation of a poor carpenters plea for people to love each other more.

That religious expression was, in effect, forcing the religious beliefs of those two administrators on all present.

I hear you. Did anyone actually file a complaint? Was it a victimless crime? Let's say I was at a public ceremony (in Duluth) and I suddenly found that a holy man was solemnizing the event, but it was an entirely different religion than mine, I would have two options; remain calm and let them honor the event in their way, or walk away. This has happened to me, and will probably continue to happen to me. I choose to remain solemn, listen and learn from the event. I've attended Hindi ceremonies, Jewish ceremonies, Buddhist ceremonies, Catholic ceremonies, Naturist ceremonies, Native American ceremonies, and while I was often an outsider, I never felt awkward being there or ostracized for not being "one of them". Atheists sometimes come off like they are saying, "Keep your damn joo joo away from me." Which you can understand would be somewhat off putting for most anyone.