Letter: Ala. school district should resurrect Easter
Ban on ‘Easter’ threatens students’ First Amendment freedoms
Attorney sound bites: Jeremy Tedesco | Matt Sharp
“Schools should encourage, not censor the free exchange of ideas,” said Senior Legal Counsel Jeremy Tedesco. “As our letter explains, the school district is not honoring the religious beliefs of children and parents who celebrate Easter by outlawing the word ‘Easter.’ That’s censorship, not honor or respect.”
The Madison City School District claims that the ban on “Easter” was put into effect in the “interests of religious diversity” and as a way to “respect and honor everybody’s differences.” In a media interview, Heritage Elementary School’s principal stated that she will not allow “the bunny” to be called the “Easter bunny” for that reason.
The Alliance Defending Freedom letter explains that “no court has ever ruled that the Constitution demands school officials to censor Easter songs, eliminate all references to Easter, or silence those who celebrate Easter.” Moreover, no court has ever held that “celebrating Easter and Christmas as religious holidays requires recognition of all other religious holidays.”
The letter also explains that the Supreme Court has “acknowledged with approval that government has long recognized holidays with religious significance such as Easter. For example, Presidents have long held an Easter Egg Roll and over the last several years have instituted an Easter Prayer Breakfast.”
“The Constitution protects the First Amendment freedoms of all students, regardless of their religious practices,” added Legal Counsel Matt Sharp. “Political correctness can’t dictate rules for acceptable speech in schools--especially when it comes to faith practices. The school district’s ban on Easter jeopardizes the First Amendment freedoms of students and teachers, and we strongly urge the district to overturn it.”
- Pronunciation guide: Tedesco (Tuh-DESS’-ko)
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ABOUT Matt Sharp
Matt Sharp serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is the director of the Center for Public Policy. In this role, he leads ADF's team of policy experts as they craft legislation and advise government officials on policies that promote free speech, religious freedom, parental rights, and the sanctity of human life. Since joining ADF in 2010, Sharp has authored federal and state legislation, regularly provides testimony and legal analysis on how proposed legislation will impact constitutional freedoms, and advises governors, legislators, and state and national policy organizations on the importance of laws and policies that protect First Amendment rights. He has twice testified before the U.S. Congress on the importance of protecting free speech and religious liberty in federal law. Sharp also authored an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of nearly 9,000 students, parents, and community members asking the court to uphold students’ right to privacy against government intrusion. Sharp earned his J.D. in 2006 from the Vanderbilt University School of Law. A member of the bar in Georgia and Tennessee, he is also admitted to practice in several federal courts.