San Diego, Calif., May 3, 2007 / 10:06 am
A teacher is suing his school district after officials ordered him to remove classroom posters that make reference to God. The posters displayed phrases that are closely associated to the United States, such as “In God We Trust”.
Brad Johnson, who teaches at Westview High School in a San Diego suburb, is suing the Southern Californian Poway Unified School District. The school district is under the impression that any reference to "Creator," "Creation," or "God" is prohibited by law.
The following phrases struck the school board as objectionable: “In God We Trust,” the official motto of the United States; “One Nation Under God,” from the Pledge of Allegiance; “God Bless America,” a patriotic song considered to be the unofficial national anthem of the United States; “God Shed His Grace On Thee,” a line from America the Beautiful; and “All Men Are Created Equal, They Are Endowed By Their Creator,” an excerpt from the preamble to the Declaration of Independence.
The Thomas More Law Center announced on May 1 that it has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Poway School District, claiming that school officials violated Johnson’s constitutional rights.