Georgia School District Directs Principals to Remove Ten Commandments Following ACLU Complaint
ICC Note: Principals in Georgia’s Glynn County School System have recently been ordered to remove Ten Commandments displays from their schools, after receiving a complaint from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The complaint suggested that, unless the Ten Commandments are being displayed in a historical context, their presence is in violation of the US Constitution’s Establishment Clause. A petition has since been created in support of keeping the Ten Commandments displays which, at the time of writing, has garnered nearly 1,500 signatures.
By Heather Clark
10/04/2016 United States (Christian News Network) – Officials with a school district in Georgia have directed principals within their jurisdiction to remove copies of the Ten Commandments from their schools following a complaint from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
According to reports, on Sept. 28, the Glynn County School System sent an email memo to principals throughout the district telling them that the Decalogue displays cannot be erected unless they are a part of a “Freedom Wall”—a display featuring a variety of historical documents.
“Please thoroughly go through your building(s) today and collect any items that display the 10 Commandments,” the memo, from Assistant Superintendent Dr. James Pulos read. “The only exception to this directive is for the ‘Freedom Wall’ display—that document may remain as part of the set on display.”
“These items must be removed from view and collected for the time being until additional guidance is provided,” it said. “Please send me an email response by the end of business today regarding whether or not you had to remove any items from display. This must be resolved today.”
The district had received a complaint from the ACLU on Sept. 22, which expressed concern that a prior agreement from the 1990’s was not being adhered to, which stated that the Ten Commandments would only be used as part of integrated historical displays.
The ACLU says that it recently received a complaint about the presence of the Commandments at Golden Isles Elementary School. It did not release the name of the complainant.