He and other Black Muslim speakers referred to Allah and Muslim teachings, and refused to allow female students or women teachers to attend the Feb. 2 assembly. The purported subjects: violence, citizenship, self-esteem and respect.
The event captured headlines for several days as critics assailed the Muslim event, in part fueled by racial controversy.
A Denver Post columnist pointed out the message "was delivered in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Pointed out Bob and Lora Attwood, Foundation members who faxed information about the controversy:
"Since this was a Muslim speaking, the radio talk shows and the general public were quick to condemn the assembly as a violation of church and state and no one has come to the minister or principal's defense. We can't help but think how much different it would be if this had been a Christian minister speaking."Christian evangelizing of students by groups purporting to talk on drugs or suicide is one of the most commonplace state/church violations in public schools, but rarely receives media condemnation.
This party is highly critical of the Republican Party for religious reasons.
"The reason the Republican party zigs and zags and goes all over the map is because it has no fixed standard," said its chair Howard Phillips at the party's meeting in St. Louis on May 5, 1995. "As other speakers here today have pointed out, the standard on which our civil government is founded is the Word of God. It's that simple.
"There was a time when it was commonly said that ignorance of the law is no excuse. And that was because the Bible was the law. And everyone knew the Bible . . . . The Bible says all those who hate Me, love death."
(From The Weaver Report, newsletter of the U.S. Taxpayers Alliance, Nov. 95. Special thanks to Fred Schwartz for sending this.)
The state Supreme Court had approved a limited pilot program permitting Milwaukee inner-city school children to attend private secular schools at taxpayers' expense.
However, the Wisconsin legislature passed a provision in last year's state budget expanding that program to include religious schools. It allowed 7,000 children this year and 15,000 children next year to opt out of the public schools and attend private schools, most of which are religious, at a cost of $55 million. The Milwaukee public schools would lose $3,600 per year per every pupil leaving the public school system.
The ACLU and teachers' union sued to hold up enactment of this provision, successfully obtaining an injunction just before the fall 1995 school year began.
Gov. Tommy Thompson removed the Attorney General from the case, instead hiring private counsel Kenneth W. Starr, prosecutor in the Whitewater investigation, at $390 an hour. Starr argued the case with attorney Mark Bredemeier with the "Landmark Legal Foundation" in Kansas City, and attorney Clint Bolick with the "Institute for Justice" in Washington, D.C.
Jeffrey Kassel, a Madison attorney who represented the Foundation in its Good Friday lawsuit, argued the case on behalf of the parents of public school students challenging the funding and the ACLU. Representing Milwaukee public school teachers was Robert Chanin, an attorney for the National Education Association.
Kassel cited the Wisconsin Constitution, which explicitly bars payments to a religious organization for religious purposes, and which mandates uniform educational opportunities, forbidding any sectarian instruction in public schools.
The pro-voucher legal team insisted the primary effect is to aid low-income parents, not religious institutions. However, the checks are sent to the school, with parents having to endorse them over. Justice Shirley Abrahamson pointed out that the State would be paying far more than a typical parochial school asks for tuition, thus directly aiding the school.
Starr argued that public schools would improve as the result of "competition," and that the program is "neutral" because it "now treats all schools in Milwaukee alike." Bredemeier admitted he had no problem with expansion of "school choice" to fund all religious schools statewide, or with the fact that the litigated provision would allow the state to fund 100% of the pupils enrolled at a particular religious school.
One justice has recused herself, leaving observers to speculate that a 3-3 tie vote is the best that voucher opponents can likely expect. If there is a tie, the case would be remanded back to a lower court. There has been no trial. Gov. Thompson had interceded in the case, although he was not a defendant, asking the Supreme Court to remove the case from the jurisdiction of a county court.
Orange County sheriff deputies found him in his truck in a shopping center parking lot with a prostitute who was performing oral sex.
"I have sinned against my God, my wife, my children and the citizens I represent," said Couch. Absent from this list but clearly deserving an apology was the prostitute, who received only $22 after Couch bartered her down from her $30 asking price. She also was arrested.
Couch was one of 15 legislators last year who sent letters to the Walt Disney Co. criticizing its new policy of extending health care insurance to partners of gay employees because of the alleged sexual immorality of gays.
Couch, who is married with six kids, admitted he's used prostitutes in the past and is "being counseled" for it by his pastor, but says he "knows that God still loves me."
He announced he will not seek re-election.
The city council has refused to back down, even considering broadening its policy to include all charitable nonprofit groups. Ironically, at the same time it is admitting limited means to defend a legal challenge.
Churches, one synagogue and a monastery also receive weekly trash pickup--which is normally a service extended to residences but not to businesses.
ACLU executive director Steven Brown said: "It's the same problem--preferential treatment for religious institutions."
Attorney John W. Dineen added: "Government cannot provide a benefit to religious institutions which is not generally available to secular institutions."