A student is suing the Madison, Wisconsin school he attends for violation of the First Amendment when he wanted to make a cross in art class.
A Tomah High School student, named only A.P., was in art class. The assignment was to draw a landscape which he did. However, he added a cross with the words, "John 3:16 A sign of peace". His teacher, Julie Millin, asked him to remove the reference to the Bible and he refused. In fact, when she showed him a policy he had signed giving up his constitutional rights, he tore it up. He was given two detentions. [Todd Richmond, journaltimesonline.com, March 31, 2008]
A.P. has hired David Cortman, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal advocacy group. Cortman says, "Where is the tolerance for religious beliefs? The whole purpose of art is to reflect your own personal experience." [Todd Richmond, journaltimesonline.com, March 31, 2008]
While A.P. is not allowed to show any religious beliefs or symbols, the same school has the following on display within the building:
- Buddha figures
- Hindu figures with a teacher passionately promoting this belief
- Medusa
- The Grim Reaper
- Six-limbed Hindu woman
- Sorcerer
It does appear that the school is inconsistent about which religious beliefs can be voiced. The lawsuit states, "No compelling state interest exists to justify the censorship of A.P.'s religious expression." A case to follow closely. [Todd Richmond, journaltimesonline.com, March 31, 2008]
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