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School Attorney Nixes Biblical Verse On Graduation Announcements

By Howard Friedman

In Finn Rock, Oregon, the school district's attorney has told Mc­Kenzie High School students that they may not adopt a Biblical verse to use on official graduation announcements. Saturday's Eugene (OR) Register-Guard reports that students wanted to use a verse from Isaiah that had been read at a funeral of a classmate last summer. Even though the students modified Isaiah 40:31 to delete explicit references to God, school attorney Bruce Zagar advised the school district that both the state and federal constitutions "prevent any public entity from taking any action which establishes, sponsors, supports or otherwise condones a particular religion or religious belief." McKenzie Superintendent Sally Storm told students that it would be more appropriate to use the verse at a privately sponsored baccalaureate service. Students say the modified verse: "They that believe shall mount up with wings as eagles", would have been particularly appropriate because the school's sports teams are know as the Eagles.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on January 12, 2008 (boomark / email).