quote:
Originally posted by Julie Marie Clare:
ISI people-
There is a debate going on now on the innocent-sounding miscellaneous section of this forum. Even more innocent-sounding is the original post by our much-loved membership director. Francisco posted a copy of Washington's Thanksgiving Day Address for our general enlightenment and benefit.
Lo and behold, years later, a firestorm over religious liberty, freedom, and statesmanship in the early founding had brewed.
I find myself posting and I know that people reading this know a lot about early church-state relations and on the intersection of religion and politics in general. I call you to this post. I request that you assist in clarifying the case.
For ISI's own forum to house assertions in favor of a strict separation of church and state, on grouns of tradition, constitution, theology, and political philosophy, with only one weak student mustering a response- unheard of! Unthinkable! Vigorous debate must commence!
Duty and honor call you to this post.
Bible Banned In Cincinnati In 1869
…religious instruction, and the reading of religious books, including the Holy Bible, are prohibited in the Common Schools of Cincinnati…
The plaintiffs, who bring this action on their own behalf, and on behalf of many others, say that they and those on whose behalf they sue, are citizens and tax-payers of the city of Cincinnati. That on the 1st day of November, A. D. I869, the Board of Education of said city, at a regular meeting thereof, then held, passed the following resolutions by the vote of a majority of the members, to-wit: by the votes of W. J. O'Neil, J. H. Brunsman, J. W. B. Kelly, Edgar M. Johnson, Benjamin J. Ricking, D. J. Mulliley, Henry W. Poor, Joseph P. Carbery, F. Macke, H. P. Seibel, C. F. Bruckner, Stephen Wagner, Joseph Kramer, F. W. Rauch, Thomas Vickers, A. Theurkauf, John Sweeney, George D. Temple, John P. Story, Samuel A. Miller, Herman Eckel, J. 1f. Wisnewski, defendants, and members of said board: "Resolved, That religious instruction, and the reading of religious books, including the Holy Bible, are prohibited in the Common Schools of Cincinnati, it being the true object and intent of this rule to allow the children of the parents of all sects and opinions, in matters of faith and worship, to enjoy alike the benefit of the Common School fund. "Resolved, That so much of the regulations on the course of study and text books in the Intermediate and District Schools (page 213, Annual Report), as reads as follows:'The opening exercises in every department shall commence by reading a portion of the Bible by or under the direction of the teacher, and appropriate singing by the pupils,' be repealed." Plaintiffs state that the entire rule quoted from is in the words following: The opening exercises in every department shall commence by reading a portion of the Bible by or under the direction of the teacher, and appropriate singing by the pupils. The pupils of the Common Schools may read such version of the sacred scriptures as their parents or guardians may prefer, provided that such preference of any version, except the one now in use, be communicated by the parents and guardians to the principal teachers, and that no notes or Marginal readings be allowed in the schools, or comments made by the teachers on the text of any version that is or may be introduced." Plaintiffs say that the rule last above quoted was adopted by the Board of Education' of the city of Cincinnati, said board then being known as the Board of Trustees and Visitors of Common Schools, in the year I852, and has ever since that time been in full force Petition
---The Bible in the Public Schools: Arguments in the case of John D. Minor et al. Versus the Board of Education of the City of Cincinnati [et al.], Superior court of Cincinnati; with the Oinions and Decision of the Court. Author: Minor, John D. (1870)
