SFGate.com: U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton ruled that the pledge's reference to one nation "under God" violates school children's right to be "free from a coercive requirement to affirm God."I guess this means that the ruling only affects the school where the children attend? In any case, the ruling will be immediately appealed to the 9th Circuit which will no doubt uphold its own precedent and then its on to the Roberts-led Supreme Court.
Karlton said he was bound by precedent of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which in 2002 ruled in favor of Sacramento atheist Michael Newdow that the pledge is unconstitutional when recited in public schools.
Karlton, ruling in Sacramento, said he would sign a restraining order preventing the recitation of the pledge at the Elk Grove Unified, Rio Linda and Elverta Joint Elementary school districts, where the plaintiffs' children attend.
CNN: U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton ruled that the pledge's reference to one nation "under God" violates school children's right to be "free from a coercive requirement to affirm God."
Indianapolis Star: U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton ruled that the pledge's reference to one nation "under God" violates school children's right to be "free from a coercive requirement to affirm God."
Wired News: The Becket Fund, a religious rights group that is a party to the case, said it would immediately appeal the case to the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. If the court does not change its precedent, the group would go to the Supreme Court.
CBS News: This time, Newdow, an attorney and a medical doctor, filed his lawsuit on behalf of three unnamed parents and their children. Karlton said those families have the right to sue.The earlier reports said that Newdow was representing two other atheist families. I'll add to this post as more info comes in.
TAGS: Pledge of Allegiance, unconstitutional, federal judge, atheists
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