Final Briefings Filed in Two Cases at U.S. Supreme Court Will Impact Veterans Memorials and Public School Children Nationwide
PLANO, Texas, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — In an ongoing effort to protect and seek restoration of America’s founding values and traditions, this week Liberty Institute filed cert petition reply briefs in two landmark First Amendment cases at the U.S. Supreme Court. With briefing complete, now the High Court will decide whether to grant review of these cases, which could determine the fate of veterans memorials containing religious imagery and whether U.S. public school children can express their faith at school without fear of government censorship. It is anticipated that the Court will consider whether to grant review of these cases in early June.
“We stand at a crucial crossroads in America’s history that will forever impact the First Amendment Rights that we hold so dear,” said Kelly Shackelford, President and CEO of Liberty Institute. “We are confident if The Supreme Court addresses the merits of these cases it will put an end to the culture war attacking our veterans memorials, on the one hand, and uphold and protect our public school children and their rights at school on the other. These are crucial cases.”In the case of Mt. Soledad Memorial Association v. Trunk, Liberty Institute represents the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association in its appeal of the Ninth Circuit’s decision that declared the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross unconstitutional because it contains religious imagery and stands on federal land. On Feb. 9, Liberty Institute filed a cert petition at the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to protect this memorial, which honors the selfless service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. The U.S. Solicitor General has joined in seeking to overturn the Ninth Circuit’s ruling.
In the case of Morgan v. Swanson, Liberty Institute represents public school students, including Jonathan Morgan, an elementary student in Plano, Texas, who brought candy cane-shaped pens to hand out to classmates during his school’s “winter” party. Government school officials refused to allow Morgan to distribute the gifts because they included a religious message. In 2010, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in favor of the students. The officials appealed the ruling and in September 2011, the full 16-member U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed that the government school officials violated the First Amendment but nevertheless granted the school officials immunity from any consequence for the violations. On December 22, 2011, Liberty Institute filed a cert petition to the Supreme Court to protect the First Amendment rights of our nation’s more than 50 million public school children.
About Liberty Institute
Liberty Institute is a nonprofit legal group dedicated to defending and restoring religious liberty across America — in our schools, for our churches and throughout the public arena. Liberty Institute’s vision is to reestablish religious liberty in accordance with our nation’s founding principles. For information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.
Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1cBro)
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