Munford ACLU advisor is fired

defending the First Amendment against the Christian right ...

... because if Jews don't speak out, they'll think we don't mind

Web JewsOnFirst

Optional Member Code

Please email us
(click here)
catcher@JewsOnFirst.org

And "bookmark" us at
JewsOnFirst.org

Jews on First
P.O. Box 33821
Washington DC 20033

310-553-1146

Munford ACLU adviser is fired

By Lela Garlington, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee), May 24, 2006

A nontenured Munford High teacher who was the faculty adviser for the newly formed ACLU campus chapter has lost her teaching job.

School officials gave her the news that they would not be renewing her contract on May 12. That's the same day a letter was faxed to the school by an attorney representing the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee. The letter requested that the school cancel all prayers during Monday night's graduation program.

After consulting with their local school board attorney and with the American Center for Law and Justice, the school did cancel all prayers, much to the dismay of many students and parents.

At Monday night's graduation, most of the 286 graduating seniors recited "The Lord's Prayer" during a time when Principal Darry Marshall had asked for a moment of silence and calm so everyone could "reflect on what makes this day so special."

School administrators say they had no idea the seniors were planning such a recitation.

Reached at her home late Tuesday, Dr. Patricia Kilzer, 45, who has taught chemistry and advanced placement chemistry for two years, said school administrators have refused to give her a reason why her contract is not being renewed.

Kilzer said she would have needed to teach another year to gain tenure. "I got very good evaluations and I'm highly qualified," she said, adding she believes it may be because she agreed to be the ACLU faculty adviser when students asked her. "Since this is a public school, I didn't think it would be a problem."

While Kilzer said she heard a rumor on May 11 about her contract not being renewed, school officials met with her May 12. "That's when they told me."

She said she didn't realize that was the same day as when the ACLU letter was faxed to Munford High Principal Darry Marshall.

The letter was a response from the ACLU office in Nashville to a complaint filed by about a dozen Munford High School students who said they were concerned that prayers would be a part of the Munford graduation exercises. They asked that all prayers be cancelled.

When asked about Kilzer early Tuesday afternoon, Marshall said he couldn't comment on personnel matters. "Her being the adviser of the ACLU chapter has nothing to do with her future employment," he said, declining to discuss the matter further.

When Marshall received the letter from the ACLU, Marshall said school officials were trying to be careful and fall within the law.

Marshall said the ACLU never reviewed or objected to the speech prepared for delivery by Scott Ballentine, the class valedictorian. The principal said he initially was concerned about whether references to Jesus would be permissible and held off on approving the speech until he could review the matter with school system and American Center for Law and Justice attorneys.

The matter was resolved "within 10 hours" after Marshall said he reversed his decision based on the legal advice he was given. During that time, Balentine's parents had contacted an attorney.

ACLU executive director Hedy Weinberg said the ACLU "never, never looked at (Balentine's) speech" and never told the school to censor his speech.

"If the valedictorian wants to recite a prayer or thank his or her God during the time designated to them, they can do that and should not be told they can't," Weinberg said. "Our focus was to ensure that the school adhere to the constitutional guarantees and not have invited guests or school officials reciting prayer or jeopardizing religious freedom."

Before the school prayer issue, Kilzer said her students had asked Marshall not to use the school's broadcasting system to talk about Jesus and religion.

Since the prayer controversy, Kilzer said, "People are blaming me." Other teachers either won't make eye contact in the hallways or turn their heads when she passes by, she said.

When asked if there were any lessons learned from this, Kilzer paused. "Lessons learned? I'm a Christian myself. People say I am a God-hater. I simply believe in the Constitution and equality. I am very tolerant of other religions and that to me is what we're supposed to be."

Regarding the future of the Munford High School ACLU chapter, she said, "I don't know if they will be able to find a faculty adviser."

Fair Use Statement: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.