Leviathan

Greetings everyone, I'm new to the forums and would like to introduce myself. Hi, names' Leviathan, and you can note my profile if you're interested.

So which part of this county's proposal violates the Lemon Test?

Toto

Hi Leviathan - welcome to the boards. Your profile says you are a Christian relativist/nihilist? Have you introduced yourself in the lounge where you can explain this intellectual feat?

As for which part of the Lemon test that is being violated - how about entanglement? how about lack of a secular purpose? (The member who said "kids need Christianity" has supplied some helpful evidence for the ACLU.)

Leviathan

Hi Toto, nice to meet you. I have not entered the lounge, as I didn't know of such an area. I'll not get the thread off topic, and will answer you in a pm, if you wish to have such an answer to your question.

My understanding of the Augusta school proposal does not isolate anything, in my opinion, which would "entangle" the school's proposal (the state action) with that of religious instrument. The program is after school, or maybe the last 45 minutes of it, I'm not sure on that, and it doesn't seem any employees would be "burdened" with the lecturing of religious doctrine. Additionally, the latest Seperation of Church and State cases are distancing themselves from the argument, so I'm not sure what credibility there would be in claiming that it violates that Lemon prong.

Now the lack of a secular purpose is a more strong argument. The statement "kids need Christianity," to my knowledge, isn't very damning, given it isn't really a statement reflective of the legislative intent. The legislative intent is merely to provide a way for kids in school, who *want* to be in such a club, the chance to. Is this not in line with the 90' decision (mind block on name) which said that equal opportunity to be in any amount of clubs, so long as no club is privileged over another, is constitutional?

I'm not big on First Amendment jurisprudence, but that is my take on the situation. Any court cases/citations at all would be helpful. Thank you.