TAMPA BAY, September 8, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Last week saw victories in two U.S. court cases which advanced religious freedom. Liberty Counsel, a law firm which defends the rights of Christians, argued the cases.
In one case a federal court of appeals issued a 3-0 decision ruling that school district employees, including teachers, may participate in after-school religious clubs for elementary-age students, even if the meeting occurs on the campus where they work during the day. As a result of this decision, Barbara Wigg, who teaches elementary school at Laura B. Anderson in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will be able to participate in and conduct an after-school Good News Club designed for elementary students. She will be able to do this not only in other schools within the district, but on the same campus where she teaches during the day. Commenting on the case, Liberty Counsel’s Mat Staver said, “This case is the first of its kind in the nation and is a huge advancement for the cause of religious freedom.”
In a third case, a Florida court of appeals issued a unanimous first-of-its-kind decision in Florida, and for most of the country, upholding clergy confidentiality. The state attorney general tried to erode clergy confidentiality and thus undermine the pastor’s role in the counseling process. Commenting, Staver said, “Had the state of Florida won this case, it would not only have undermined pastoral counseling, but could have set the stage for the licensing of pastoral counselors by the state.” See the Liberty Counsel website: https://www.lc.org
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