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PA School Board Says Teachers Can Be At "Pole" Event With A Disclaimer

By Howard M. Friedman

Pennsylvania's Carlisle Area School Board, responding to the threat of a lawsuit, voted 8-1 yesterday to allow teachers to attend this year's student-led "See You At the Pole" event. At the annual event, held around the nation, students gather before school at the flag pole to pray for their school, fellow-students, teachers and nation. According to today's Harrisburg (PA) Patriot-News, teachers attending will be required to make clear that they are there in their individual capacities and not as school employees. One of 49 parents who signed a letter opposing teacher attendance testified at the board meeting: "It defies logic that students should believe that a teacher should issue a disclaimer, that for a few moments they are peers under a flag pole, 40 yards from the school." (See prior related posting.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on November 21, 2008 (boomark / email).