Christmas party? No, a disturbance in the community!

An elementary school student at the Pocono Mountain School District of Pennsylvania was told by school officials that she could not invite classmates to a Christmas party at her church.

Sometimes when government officials are confronted with the unconstitutional, and frankly preposterous, nature of their restrictions, they quickly back down and change their policies - and no court action is necessary.

However, even after Federal Judge Richard Caputo ruled once in favor of "K.A.," the elementary school student, the school district pushed back, arguing that it needed the power to enforce restrictions such as the one in question because such invitations can create a "disturbance in the community."

The appeals court upheld the original ruling, but the school has now filed a second appeal.

Lawyers with the Independence Law Center and Alliance Defense Fund were available for the case. They plan to continue their involvement as long as necessary to change the policies in the school and ensure religious liberty and freedom of speech.

(from Pennsylvania Citizen, Spring 2012, a publication of Pennsylvania Family Institute)