School Reverses Course After Threatening to Boot Student From Honor Society Over Church Service Hours
- Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:22am by
Billy Hallowell
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Alliance Defense League lawyer Matt Sharp
A school is reportedly threatening to kick a 17-year-old student out of the National Honor Society after she completed required community service at a local church rather than a secular organization.
The young woman, who is currently remaining anonymous, is hitting back, claiming she’s the victim of religious discrimination. The senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, has filed a federal lawsuit to address the matter.
The student’s issues began in the fall of 2011, when she submitted her service hours for official membership in the National Honor Society, FOX News’ Todd Starnes reports. In order to be retain membership, high school students must complete 12 hours, minimum, of service.
This particular student had 46 hours of service — far exceeding the minimum requirement needed for membership. These hours were served at “Kid Quest,” a Sunday school program at the teen’s church. However, when she logged these hours, a faculty adviser said that they would not count, as they were conducted at a church and, thus, violated district policy.
The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a conservative legal group, will be representing the student in her legal battle against the district. According to the organization, the Fairfax County School Board’s Faith-Based Service Policy does, indeed, have a solid stance on credit hours. The policy reads that faith-based volunteer hours “must have a secular purpose…and may not include preparation or participation in the performance of religious services.”
Additionally, the National Honor Society seems to have a nuanced definition of faith-based service and it defers to individual school boards to make final credit-based decisions.
“In essence, she was targeted and discriminated against solely because of the religious nature of her community service work,” said Matt Sharp, a lawyer with the ADF. “There’s no honor in penalizing an honors student’s community service to children just because it happens to be faith-based.”
Sharp went on to say that this sort of community service should be praised and encouraged and said that his client is being subjected to “unconstitutional discrimination.”
In a press release that was disseminated by the ADF, the following explanation of the student’s activities is given:
The student performed the same types of community service activities with children for which other National Honor Society students receive credit: playing games, singing songs, teaching lessons, working on crafts, and providing mentoring and guidance to children from different nationalities, children with behavioral problems, children with special needs, and children in abusive family situations.
In order to ensure that her name is not removed from the honor society’s roster, the student must make up the 12 hours at a secular service institution (along with four additional hours). The school district currently has no comment on the matter.
Update: The school district has decided to reverse its decision to remove the student from the National Honor Society. The decision comes just hours after ADF filed a lawsuit alleging religious discrimination.
(H/T: FOX News)
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Comments (65)
Carlinpa
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 12:05pmMy how fast our culture has been inverted, 40 years ago this service at a religious institution would have been expected, now, with secular anti religion militants it’s rejected.
Report Post »The_Jerk
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 12:48pmCarlinpa, so correct. That is exactly the thought I had some years ago. That thought sent me on a search and exploration that changed many of my previously held beliefs. Those former beliefs were based on deception, obfuscation, and most often omission. What I did find is that very little occurs by accident.
Report Post »Melvin Spittle
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 1:05pmShe should have done her community service in a Mosque if you want to get unquestioned credit.
Report Post »muddpuddle
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 2:22pmIts only regected by the left wing leaning organization tied to the government. The you look for the world’s approval, the less it will be there. Obviously, with four times the hours required, this girl was not engaged in trying to please the government….. So…. Do your service, and expect nothing from the gov’t
Report Post »pavepaws
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 3:58pmSupport ADF.
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 9:34pm@ The_Jerk
Report Post »“Those former beliefs were based on deception, obfuscation, and most often omission.” A great description of a move from the Left to the Right. For over 4 decades, Accuracy in Media has been doing a great job at “pulling back the curtain” on the MSM’s deception, obfuscation, and omissions.
Grey Eagle
Posted on March 10, 2012 at 9:51pmThere are constant attacks on Christians now. Most conducted by liberal Democrats in positions of authority. I am glad Christians are beginning to fight back.
Report Post »conservativewoman
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:46amI teach Sunday school at my Catholic church. The teenagers who serve as my teacher aides are required to do 3 years of service in order to be confirmed Catholics.
Report Post »An Honor Society that only requires 12 hours of service doesn’t have much honor.
Psychosis
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 12:48pmso , it is a requirement to become a catholic????
not sure where that is written in the Bible
one of the many things i dont agree with in the catholic church
your faith and salvation with Jesus Christ is a personal matter and isnt given or taken away by a “ church ”
Report Post »000degrees
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 1:07pmPsyco….you are misunderstanding and missing the point. Am I to gather you were formerly Catholic? Not now? What are you???? Hopefully not comfortable with this world…
Report Post »jacques.daspy
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 2:14pmIt is a peculiar institution but 25% of the US population pretend to be Catholic and choosed to be identified as such. Approximately 15% make no pretense at all, almost 2% pretend to be nothing at all. It’s a freedom of choice kinda thing. Go Figger?
Report Post »LRC
Posted on March 10, 2012 at 7:45amPsychosis, get over yourself. You hate Catholics, I get it.
Report Post »IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:40amThe Church is part of the community.
Report Post »OklahomaBound
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 3:21pmTrue, but not in the eyes of the government which seeks to replace the church with the religion of government dependency. The church is competition for the government therefore it must be eliminated.
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:39amJust a question, wouldn’t the government receiving taxes from ANY faith based business or person working for a faith based business be a violation of their version of “Seperation of church and state”?
Report Post »If getting any tax dollars means that religion can’t then be involved, how can the Govt. have it the other way and take in money that was earned through God?????
BLACKDIAMONDSKIER
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:36amThis is the most dishonorable and unjust “rule” regarding service hours.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963
One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty…………………….over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
I might add to this “law” being the equivalent of Honor Society requirements for service hours. Just because they have been clearly listed doesn’t mean they are honorable, just, or right. It is not a matter of whether the rule existed…….it’s a matter of whether the rule was just and honorable to begin with! Who are the dishonorable jokers who came up with the idea to blacklist churches and religious organizations anyway.
Report Post »freedom4ever
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:35amIt was in my church I started helping a Sunday school teacher at very young age – from there I went on to become a teacher. The person that I worked with was a school teacher who was great! I think my life experience (now called community service) taught me well. Taught over 31 years till I couldn’t take it any longer! The church and my friend gave me great guidance in my long career as a teacher. I feel her community hours should be accepted.
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:35amGo and log the hours at Occupy wall street and she will be called by the Pres.
Report Post »calyptratus
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 12:56pmBest comment!
Report Post »bigmel754
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:34amActually, there is probably more of this type of intimidation going on all across our country! Just think of all the small schools that could be strangling our youth’s Christian beliefs by rules like this. A lot of parents take the schools word for it, usually they have some rule they throw out there to misguide the family. Every parent should be involved with their child’s welfare and education, get involved.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:28amIn my day church-based community service was allowed; food shelters, daycare, etc. Protesting abortion clinics or teaching Sunday School didn’t count though; it’s religious-focused, not community-focused. I’m not sure which side “Kid Quest” would fall into; sounds like teaching Sunday School, but it could be daycare. That would make the difference.
Grades were always the big sticking point though. I remember one year the school felt too many students made it in (something like 40-50, about 1/6th of the class, got in), so the next year they bumped up the GPA threshold. Under 10 got in, causing a huge uproar among the parents.
In the end it’s up to the local chapters to decide.
Report Post »Thomas_Jefferson_philosophy
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:28amShe didn’t follow extremely narrow ideological and conformity of the liberal mindset, if she was in lockstep with the irrational liberal thinking, this would never be an issue.
I glad she is standing her ground! when the light is shown on the facts, liberals fold…
The ironic part, she is attending Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Thomas Jefferson is rolling in his grave that a school with his namesake is doing this, it would be best suited to change the name to “Karl Marx High School for Science, Technology and Social engineering”
Report Post »disabledveterangoarmy
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:40amI agree
Report Post »jacques.daspy
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 2:19pmNaming rights for a high school can be for any body or any thing. Too many people are more comfortable with standing for nothing and it shows. The US is a designated second class, mediocre country and it shows. THe US has been teaching ignorance for forty years and here we are, where we are. I should assume that everyone is proud of all the hard work that went into making us what we are?
Report Post »glen478
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:25amThose who can do, those who can’t teach… and then go on to become school administrators. Public education in this country is an abject failure.
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:33amThere is a little more to that idiom:
Those who can do, do. Those who can not, teach. Those who can do neither, join a union.
Report Post »VRW Conspirator
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 12:48pmthose are ignorant stereotypes…
you should know your Bible and world history better…
Rabbi means “teacher”…Jesus was called Rabbi quite a lot in various parts of the Bible..are you saying that Jesus “can’t” do anything?
most civilized cultures in the world hold teachers as one of the noblest and finest “callings” in life… more religious leaders – priests, pastors, reverends, rabbis – are ALL regarded as TEACHERS of the Faith….
even in the USA, teachers used to be held in great regard and the community upheld them, honored them, and protected them…because after all, you were entrusting your children to them…
so don’t post STUPID remarks about “those that can’t, teacher” because that just proves your stupidity. If you want to base the national and state unions that have corrupted and perverted the calling of being a teacher over the last 100 years…fine…right there with you…
as for every mathematics and science teacher I have had, known, and TEACH with… most of us have held jobs in the corporate world during our adult life…we have CHOSEN to become teachers because we wish to enlighten, educate, and help develop the minds of children…
oh and before you make an idiotic comment about teachers “can’t” do things…remember… the PRIMARY and longest teachers in your life… ARE YOUR PARENTS!!
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:15amSo– If another student logs “secular” hours at anything funded by the State, has the district favored State over religion?
Report Post »FEISTY
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:06amSomeone has to clean this up. From the top down, in every court, chamber and public institution.
Report Post »discus02
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:03amThat honor society has no honor!
Report Post »Hiswill
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:53amChurches do communtiy service to help those outside the church. Our students have fixed up, painted, donated supplies, fix meals for the homeless mission in town. They have cleaned up public parks, planted trees, built volleyball courts and cleaned up trash. They have helped paint the Free Clinic in town and help seniors with yard work. They do these things to benefit all people not just Christians. The Honor society should be ashamed of themselves.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:37amFrom what I can tell, those activities would have counted towards the credits she needs.
Report Post »afishfarted
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:52amTHis should be no surprise. The Church has been under attack for many years, and it’s coming to a head.
Report Post »Nevertheless, I AM glad to see students begin to stand up against tyranny and for our American values. It tells me that the parents are indeed raising our kids right. (Plus, it’s a nice round about slap in the face to the student who won her case, ordering her school to remove the Lords Prayer from its halls)
sawbuck
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:46amWell I guess the orders came down from the chief.
Report Post »After all he’s “the expert” on being a “community organizer”, and he knows what they
suppose to look like..!
Hotaman
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:45amAnti supreme being educational organizations, hmm, no surprise here.
I saw a comedian in the 80‘s or 90’s, his line was ‘It’s time to thin the heard’
We should have listened!
PTA, School Board meetings, volunteer, go to church, talk in the check out line, DO SOMETHING!
Report Post »Razorhunters
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 6:58pmgeorge carrlin.
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:43amWhat a sad commentary on our leaders in schools when they no longer encourage faith. Do they not realize that removing morals and values from the schools is the cause of all the declines of civility, respect, behavior issues and even grades. What fools.
Report Post »momprayn
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:20amSadly, no – they don’t believe that. To those of us that understand this as just common sense stuff, can‘t relate or understand this but apparently that’s the case. They are so brainwashed thay they actually think that their ideas of what is “moral” is the opposite of ours – which is based on basic biblical principles (don’t lie, etc.). They think lying is great and noble if it promotes their more “righteous” causes like gay rights, proabortion, etc. The Founders mentioned that specifically – that we must have a nation primarily of “moral” people in order to survive and be successful. We have fallen greatly from all that and have rampant rebellion against the Founders ideas, which all goes back to the age old thing – rebellion against the Bible/God/Jesus….
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:42amCommunity service=helping people, regardless of whether it was done in a church or not.
Report Post »This girl is correct to stand up for her rights.
Joisey
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:42amWhen I was growing up, membership in the Honor Society was solely based on grades. When did this Lefty notion of requiring “community service” get snuck in anyway?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:49amIt was voted on. So now you can read it.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:02amA. Great Grades
B. Great Grades
Community Service
C. Great Grades
Community Service
Liberal DEMOCRAT Approved Service
DEMOCRAT Progressive Liberalism is a slippery slope.
Report Post »slr4528
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:07amI know the NHS has little to do with academic achievement anymore..it is all about sucking up to the leftist agenda. My daughter is on the A honor roll and swims competitively and she didn’t even bother with applying to the National honor society. I asked her why and she said that she didn’t have the time or desire to conform to their shallow criteria for membership.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 1:16pmUPDATE
D. Bright light shines on the Progressive Liberal DEMOCRAT Approved Service. DEMOCRAT cockroaches scurry for the dark.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:34amso let me get this straight instead of helping people learn proper behavior and love the biblical way she gets to do a fun secular project like pick up garbage at the park. oh brother. I sincerely hope she prevails but this is a very good show of the very large gap between secular and faith based service and thinking.
Report Post »chips1
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:47amThe gap is between God and Satan. Guess the school belongs to Satan’s Union. It’s not like he is trying to hide that fact. His minion is in the W. H.
Report Post »shogun459
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:33amSoon Christians will be removed from the public forum by force even when force is not called for.
Get ready for it, when it happens then look up.
Report Post »Sharon Rose
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:31amGod bless this girl for standing up for her rights.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:30amIn the old days… the priority for Kids was… Farming/Work… then Church… then School!
Report Post »