qfnol31 Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 [url="http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/14628069.htm"]http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/14628069.htm[/url] [b]Coin image omits 'In God We Trust'[/b] [b]By JESSAMY BROWN[/b] [b]STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER[/b] [img]http://www.dfw.com/images/dfw/startelegram/news/2065084-861676.jpg[/img] STAR-TELEGRAM/LAURIE L. WARD Debi Ackerman and her daughter Tawni, a fourth-grader at Liberty Elementary, show the yearbook. A Keller school district parent said political correctness has run amok at her daughter's elementary school, where the principal chose to omit the words "In God We Trust" from an oversize coin depicted on the yearbook cover. Janet Travis, principal of Liberty Elementary School in Colleyville, wanted to avoid offending students of different religions, a district spokesman said. Students were given stickers with the words that could be affixed to the book if they so chose. Debi Ackerman of North Richland Hills said she is offended by the omission. It's yet another example of a politically correct culture that is removing Christian references from all public places, she said. "I think it's really ridiculous," said Ackerman, whose daughter Tawni, 10, took the book home Thursday afternoon. "Now it has come to this. ... When is it going to end?" She likened the situation to retailers that use "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas" in their displays and advertising. "First, we can't say 'Christmas' trees. It's 'holiday' trees. Then it's 'holiday' decorations," Ackerman said. "It just doesn't make any sense to me." Officials chose an image of an enlarged nickel for the yearbook cover because this is Liberty Elementary's first year and because the nickel has a new design this year. The nickel design features President Jefferson and the word [i]Liberty[/i] in cursive, with the words "In God We Trust" along the right edge. Keller administrators agreed with the decision, which Travis made in conjunction with a school parents group, district spokesman Jason Meyer said. District policy states, in part: "The District shall take no action respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech." Principals must strive to remain neutral regarding religion, Meyer said. "It's not always easy to make everybody happy when we are making decisions," he said. He said Travis was unavailable for comment Friday. Michael Linz, a Dallas attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, said the district's move was appropriate, sensitive and constitutional. "Sometimes administrators and schools are really caught trying to make appropriate decisions with respect to people's views. Someone is always going to complain," he said. "I think that the school administrators were drawing the appropriate line by trying not to offend others." Many parents have said they like the $16 yearbook, which chronicles the school's inaugural year, said Tom Gardner of Colleyville, president of the Liberty PTA. Parents donated photos of events, he said. Ackerman suggested that the school could have used a different symbol for liberty, such as the Liberty Bell or the Statue of Liberty, if it was concerned about giving offense. But Gardner said those symbols may not be acceptable to everyone, either. "We are a public school," he said. "We sure do not want to step on anybody's toes. I don't think any harm was intended." Liberty Elementary School [b]Opened:[/b] August 2005 [b]Enrollment:[/b] 331 [b]Address:[/b] 1101 McDowell School Road W., Colleyville SOURCE: Keller school district [i]Jessamy Brown, (817) 685-3876 [email=jessamybrown@star-telegram.com]jessamybrown@star-telegram.com[/email][/i] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tindomiel Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Always concerned about "stepping on people's toes". Except of course Christians' toes. After all, weren't Christians the oppressors of all other religions in Europe, the exterminators of the Native Americans, etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisZewe Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 (edited) I am a Christian, and I consider this to be a step up in terms of secularity. I mean, really, why should our coins say "In God We Trust"? As an ex-atheist and ex-Wiccan (shh...), I can tell you that that's an absolutely ridiculous slogan. And those two chicks are [b]ugly[/b]. [quote name='Tindomiel' post='985911' date='May 20 2006, 12:44 PM'] Except of course Christians' toes. After all, weren't Christians the oppressors of all other religions in Europe, the exterminators of the Native Americans, etc? [/quote] No, that was just you Catholics. EDIT: Oh yes, and then there's the fact that the government who prints the coins claims to trust in God, which is a disgusting idea. Edited May 21, 2006 by ChrisZewe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toledo_jesus Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 this is pretty stupid. The Supreme Court has already addressed this regarding the Federal Government's continued use of the motto. They ruled that the phrase "In God We Trust" has become less about what it literally says and more about the tradition of it. There's no harm in it. These educators are in need of American Politics 101. Gosh darn idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 [quote name='ChrisZewe' post='986340' date='May 21 2006, 07:48 AM'] And those two chicks are [b]ugly[/b]. [/quote] That is unnecessary. Keep those kinds of comments to yourself, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisZewe Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 It is unnecessary, but they aren't here to be offended by it, so no harm is done. And you know they are =\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 [quote name='ChrisZewe' post='986340' date='May 21 2006, 08:48 AM'] No, that was just you Catholics.[/quote] Hmm, whatever history book you used in school must have left some stuff out. [quote name='ChrisZewe' post='986368' date='May 21 2006, 10:32 AM'] It is unnecessary, but they aren't here to be offended by it, so no harm is done. And you know they are =\[/quote] By saying that you defamed them, so yes, one could say that harm was done. Just because someone isn't here to hear it about themselves doesn't make it okay. "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisZewe Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Just because there are old sayings doesn't mean that they're right. I'm entitled to my opinion, and I'm allowed to express it. Those two have serious aesthetic issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicCid Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 (edited) The school should have avoided the issue entirely if they don't want to step on people's toes... They could have either used a different part of the nickel (say Jefferson's face just with nothing else) or a diffrent item... Edited May 21, 2006 by CatholicCid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musturde Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 So what if a coin on a yearbook doesn't say "In God We Trust"? I don't get the point of this. I think people have too much time on their hands to complain about this. Now if we're debating the money, i agree with it's use. The main reason is because it has to do with tradition. Btw Chris, ur judging 2 girls way too young/way too old for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Wednesday Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 I probably wouldn't have noticed and chalked it all up to an attempt at a more minimalist cover design. It would be kind of dumb if they were trying to pass it off as being a "real" nickel though, as nickels still have that slogan, whether they like it or not. [quote name='musturde' post='986515' date='May 21 2006, 12:20 PM'] Btw Chris, ur judging 2 girls way too young/way too old for you. [/quote] Maybe he's secretly disappointed about that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 [quote name='ChrisZewe' post='986368' date='May 21 2006, 09:32 AM'] It is unnecessary, but they aren't here to be offended by it, so no harm is done. And you know they are =\ [/quote] The point is, if it is unnecessary, then dont say it. You may be "christian" but you have alot to learn about how to be one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zunshynn Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 (edited) [quote name='ChrisZewe' post='986368' date='May 21 2006, 07:32 AM'] It is unnecessary, but they aren't here to be offended by it, so no harm is done. And you know they are =\ [/quote] And this, from the guy that wenton and on about spewed being inappropriate. Anyway... that isn't actually a nickel is it? Have they changed them AGAIN? I can't keep up with our money. You can't even call it green anymore because its turning orange. Edited May 21, 2006 by zunshynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulton Sheen Warrior Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 +JMJ+ [quote]And those two chicks are ugly.[/quote] "Whenever you did it to the least of my brethern, you did it to me." Matt. 25:40 [quote]It is unnecessary, but they aren't here to be offended by it, so no harm is done.[/quote] Yeah, that's what I was always taught...You can insult people as long as it's behind their back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indescribable Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 i don't understand why that would be a big deal. that motto was adopted in 1956 (or around that year) to distinguish America from socialistic coutries. i think it's kind of unnecessary now that we're not in the cold war and we are a country that should be open to new religions. but on a public school's yearbook it is especially insignificant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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