ACLU investigates allegations that a Christian speaker tried to proselytize to students
The North Carolina Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU-NC) is investigating allegations that a Christian speaker at Enloe High School (EHS) tried to proselytize to students. ACLU-NC became involved after students complained that a guest speaker encouraged them to convert to Christianity and to shun Muslims. The guest made the comments while visiting some classes of social studies teacher Robert Escamilla. ACLU-NC’s executive director, Jennifer Rudinger, sent a letter to EHS’s principal, Beth Cochran, seeking assurances that there would be no further proselytizing of students. The response from Wake County Public Schools Superintendent Del Burns, failed to provide such assurances. As a result, ACLU-NC expanded its investigation, but it has not yet announced it will file a lawsuit. However, Ms. Rudinger has not ruled out a suit. "Once we gather all the facts, we will make a determination as to whether further action is warranted," she says.
According to students who heard the presentation, guest speaker Kamil Solomon urged girls not to marry Muslims and handed out pamphlets comparing the teachings of Jesus and Muhammad. One pamphlet called the Muslim prophet a "criminal," "demon possessed," and "inspired by Satan." Ms. Rudinger also says her organization has received calls from former EHS students claiming this was not the first time Christianity had been promoted at the school. The students reported that in the past Mr. Escamilla has witnessed to his own faith and invited speakers to do the same. School district spokesman Michael Evans has declined to comment on whether the incident violated any laws or amounted to a school-sponsored promotion of religion. "We're conducting a review as we speak," he says. "Until that review is completed, it's hard for me to speculate." However, Ms. Rudinger has expressed concern that the school district is characterizing the incident as an example of free speech. In particular, she points to a letter from EHS Principal Cochran to a Muslim advocacy group, in which she says the school "prides itself on encouraging the free exchange of ideas" and that teachers emphasized that Mr. Solomon's appearance was "one person's perspective." ACLU-NC charges that the incident constitutes a clear violation of the First Amendment, and several constitutional lawyers and experts on the First Amendment agree. "This is a flagrant violation of what public schools are supposed to do," says Charles Haynes, senior scholar at the First Amendment Center. "Schools can't turn their classrooms over to anyone to promote or denigrate religion. They did something unconstitutional, and there's no way they can explain it away."
Raleigh News & Observer
By Yonat Shimron
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