A SHOC-king Disregard for the Constitution
A public school in South Carolina flagrantly violated the Constitution recently by holding a Christian rap concert for students on school property during school hours. While most people would go to great lengths to avoid being caught breaking the law, footage of the event, believed to be taken by the event's organizers, was posted online.
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"Because of this, people in public schools are going to get to know who Jesus Christ is," Bryan Edmonds, also known as Christian rapper B-SHOC, declares in a YouTube video that evinces a series of truly shocking constitutional violations. B-SHOC explains in the video: "324 kids at this school have made a decision for Jesus Christ. I don't know if it gets any better than that. We are in a public school and we did a show for the sixth grade, the seventh grade, and then the eighth grade."
New Heights Middle School in Jefferson, South Carolina, featured the rapper during an assembly that took place earlier this month. B-SHOC's catalog of songs includes titles such as "Jesus Lean'," "Crazy Bout God," and "Christ-Like Cruisin."
A school-sponsored performance of this nature would be unconstitutional by itself, but the list of transgressions doesn't stop there. The video shows event organizers being instructed to pray with students before they return to classes. And as part of the assembly, a preacher, Christian Chapman, delivers a sermon to students. His message? "A relationship with Jesus is what you need, more important than anything else."
Chapman even admits to a group of parents that the event is legally problematic: "Your principal went to me today and I said, 'How are you getting away with this?' and he said, 'I'm not… I want these kids to know that eternal life is real, and I don't care what happens to me, they're going to hear it today.'"
The ACLU has learned that other schools in the Chesterfield County School District may be planning similar events with B-SHOC and is thus calling on the District to launch an immediate investigation into these allegations and ensure that school officials do not repeat their unlawful activities in the future. We also have submitted a public records request to the District seeking information about similar worship rallies and other religious events that may be planned for other District schools.
Public schools are not Sunday schools. School officials should not be promoting religious beliefs to students. They should be protecting students from this type of unconstitutional religious coercion. Instead, the school used its gym as a pulpit in a blatant attempt to convert students to Christianity. James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, the architects of the First Amendment who railed against governmental efforts to indoctrinate citizens, would B-SHOC-ked.
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Sep 26th, 2011 at 10:55am
Public school is supposed to be a place to learn about math, reading, writing, spelling, history, etc. (and the "etc." does NOT include religion) It's a SCHOOL, NOT A CHURCH!
Sep 26th, 2011 at 11:14am
Jesus Lean? Is that when you lean against a cross with your arms out?
Sep 26th, 2011 at 1:46pm
Despicable. Students rely on adults to teach them the truth. Truth is not necessarily atheistic but requires a lack of faith.
Sep 26th, 2011 at 3:50pm
I think this is WONDERFUL... Maybe if we kept the LORD in our schools we would have less crime and kids killing eachother.. It's obvious that children aren't getting enough of the LORDS word at home..
Sep 26th, 2011 at 8:00pm
South Carolina is so funny
Sep 26th, 2011 at 8:25pm
its not christian chapmans message its THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTYS MESSAGE!!!!
Sep 26th, 2011 at 10:07pm
So we should just trample on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights? I am outraged!
Sep 27th, 2011 at 1:56am
I AM B-SHOCKED!
Sep 27th, 2011 at 11:40am
"...or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
Sep 27th, 2011 at 3:13pm
How dare they trample on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights! Those school officials should be fired!
Sep 27th, 2011 at 4:15pm
This is great! Thanks B-Shoc and Christian Chapman for bringing God to the lost.
Sep 27th, 2011 at 4:33pm
This is a great idea the worst thing this nation under God ever did was take God out of the school system.
Sep 27th, 2011 at 6:10pm
GAY
Sep 27th, 2011 at 6:12pm
The ACLU needs to mind it's own business. Nobody is asking for you people to stick your noses into our business and affairs. Go away. Period!!
Sep 27th, 2011 at 7:09pm
This isn't acceptable.
Sep 28th, 2011 at 7:53am
Thank you! Well done.
Sep 28th, 2011 at 9:45am
That school principal has made a huge difference during his time there ... for the better!
Sep 28th, 2011 at 1:00pm
I applaud the school for their courage! They are indeed promoting civil rights for there is a direct correlation between the spread of the Gospel and the rise of civil liberty.
Sep 28th, 2011 at 4:41pm
How wonderful that 300+ students made a decision to accept Christ in their lives.
Sep 28th, 2011 at 6:54pm
Down with the ACLU. This is a Christian nation.
Sep 28th, 2011 at 6:56pm
Down with the ACLU. It is a bleeding heart socialist organization. This is a Christian nation, deal with it.
Sep 28th, 2011 at 8:12pm
Which "god" is supposed to be in the schools? Yahweh, Zeus, Isis? If the school has one religion, they'd better be prepared to let all religions into the school! So when are the children actually supposed to learn.....
Sep 29th, 2011 at 3:36am
The mighty banhammer of the courts will soon be upon them.
Sep 29th, 2011 at 11:33am
This was a nightmare for those of us who have other religious beliefs. Nothing has changed.
Sep 29th, 2011 at 10:50pm
Conservatives complain and complain about huge government taking over our lives, telling us how to live, and what to think, and on and on and on. The hypocracy is incredible.
Sep 30th, 2011 at 9:10pm
South Carolina is a shameful state!!! Full of Bible thumpers, hypocrits, poverty, racism, and the craziest politicians!!! Doesn't suprise me a bit!!!
Sep 30th, 2011 at 11:11pm
Some people in our country don't have maps. Some people in our country don't have access to a good edjucation. And such as.
Oct 11th, 2011 at 3:43pm
Anti
Christ
Lucifer
Union
300 plus saved.
Maybe in this economy even the devil will end up unemployed
Oct 28th, 2011 at 1:11am
I went to Cheraw High in this district and suffered through a couple annoying visits from Clebe McClary between 1999 & 2002 but they were nowhere near as over the top as this.
Dec 6th, 2011 at 3:11am
Oy Vey! No, Oy Gevault! No,on considering some of the rabid, bonehead, ignorant, intolerant & downright stupid comments- Oy Gottenyu!
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