Nonreligious student wins $90k settlement after teacher made her write out the Pledge of Allegiance



A nonreligious high school student in Texas who sued after her teacher forced her to write out the Pledge of Allegiance has been awarded a $90,000 settlement to resolve the case, according to the anti-religious organization American Atheists.

In a press release Tuesday, American Atheists, which represented the student, Mari Oliver, announced that her 12th-grade sociology teacher, Benjie Arnold, agreed to settle the case and that the Texas Association of School Boards, a risk pool funded by Texas school districts, issued the payment.

Oliver, who is black, had reportedly been singled out and harassed for years over her refusal to recite the Pledge of Allegiance "out of her objection to the words, 'Under God,' and her belief that the United States does not adequately guarantee 'liberty and justice for all,' especially for people of color," the organization claimed.

Under Texas law, students are required to recite the pledge. However, they can be granted an exemption if a written request is submitted from a parent or guardian, as was the case for Oliver.

In her lawsuit, filed in 2017, she claimed the harassment eventually resulted in her being withdrawn from school in favor of temporary homeschooling. But later, upon her return, the alleged discrimination only intensified.

The situation reportedly reached a head in Arnold's sociology class at Klein Oak High School in Spring, Texas. After the school's principal informed staff that Oliver was exempted from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Arnold gave an assignment to his students requiring them to transcribe the words of the pledge. When Oliver refused, Arnold gave her a zero for the assignment.

According to an audio recording of the class, Arnold then went on a lengthy diatribe about patriotism and other topics. At one point, he offered to pay for students to move to Europe if they didn't like America but said they would have to pay him back double if they elected to return.

"You know there's a lot of things I complain about, so when it comes time in November, I go vote or I protest in writing and legal. Those are the ways we do it in America," he reportedly said.

In a statement following the settlement, Geoffrey T. Blackwell, litigation counsel at American Atheists, said, "The classroom is not a pulpit. It is a place of education, not indoctrination. This settlement serves as a reminder that students do not lose their First Amendment rights when they enter the classroom."

Nick Fish, president of American Atheists, added, "Nonreligious students often face bullying or harassment for expressing their deeply held convictions. No one should have to endure the years of harassment, disrespect, and bullying [that] our client faced. The fact that this happened in a public school and at the hands of staff who should know better is particularly appalling."

The Houston Chronicle reported that Arnold remains a teacher at Klein Oak High School. He celebrated 50 years with the district in 2020.

Former Klein ISD student wins $90K settlement, reported harassment for not saying pledge www.youtube.com

'American Atheists' outraged at Betsy DeVos' new rule defending religious liberty at colleges



The American Atheists organization released a statement outraged at a decision made by Betsy DeVos, the Secretary of Education, aimed at defending religious liberty at colleges and universities.

The group released the statement on Thursday condemning DeVos and the Trump administration.

"The regulation requires public and private colleges and universities to fund discriminatory religious groups that discriminate against would-be members. Under this new rule, the Department would especially privilege the speech and activities of religious student groups rather than applying the law neutrally," the group claimed.

Vice president for legal and policy at American Atheists Allison Gill gave an example of the discrimination they claimed would be sanctioned under the new rule.

"If it comes out that a student is LGBTQ, a single mother, or had an abortion, DeVos's rule would allow the group to eject the student, discriminating against that person, all while receiving funding from taxpayers and other students through the public university. Such a policy would silence dissenters and discourage students from being open about their different identities, weakening free speech on college campuses," said Gill.

The president of American Atheists added that the rule would allow Christians to prevent gays, atheists, and other dissidents from joining their groups.

"What DeVos is really doing is cloistering off religious students from the existence of atheists, religious minorities, and LGBTQ people, and trying to force all students to remain in their ideological bubbles," said Nick Fish.

"That's not free speech. That's a multiplication of echo chambers," he added.

"If student groups want to turn away prospective members because of who they are, they can do so on their own dime. Taxpayers and other students shouldn't be on the hook for funding this discrimination," Fish concluded.

Many religious groups and other free speech advocates praised the Devos rule.

"These regulations hold public institutions accountable for protecting the First Amendment rights of students and student organizations," said DeVos on Wednesday.

Critics of the Trump administration have also condemned DeVos for her efforts in trying to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic.

Here's more about religious liberty in the Trump administration:

Trump signs religious liberty executive orderwww.youtube.com