The Rhode Island teen who was recently thrust into the national spotlight for fighting to have a prayer banner at her high school removed, is now receiving a scholarship from an atheist group, MyFoxBoston.com reports.
The American Humanist Association, a national atheist organization, says that Jessica Ahlquist, 16, of Cranston High School West, stood up for her beliefs despite critics and, “responded well to online threats when she challenged the constitutionality of the display,” MyFoxBoston reports.
The group’s campaign has resulted in $40,000 raised on the website, the Friendly Atheist.
NYT:
CRANSTON, R.I. — She is 16, the daughter of a firefighter and a nurse, a self-proclaimed nerd who loves Harry Potter and Facebook. But Jessica Ahlquist is also an outspoken atheist who has incensed this heavily Roman Catholic city with a successful lawsuit to get a prayer removed from the wall of her high school auditorium, where it has hung for 49 years.
Image: Gretchen Ertl / The New York Times
People like her annoy the shit out of me. They weren’t forcing her to pray, she didn’t even have to acknowlege it was there but she goes and gets her panties up her ass and ruins a school tradition and takes away something that the people it was directed to found comfort and solace in. Same with the people who want to take “in god we trust” off the money, leave it alone, no ones forcing you to look at it. Leave it alone, I am so sick of hearing about stupid lawsuits like this.
Heavy sigh…
As Jessica has stated, anyone who goes to that school and has to see that prayer everyday and isn’t a Christian gets to see that her school is a Christian one. The administration are Christians. Her fellow students are Christians. They get to see the prayer and be reminded constantly that they’re not the same as the rest of the school and that they’re ideas, beliefs, and passions aren’t welcome there— they’re not welcome there. It is her school too. A public school. That is, a school that’s funded by the government. By tax payers. The school broke the law when it put it up 49 years ago, and the “tradition” should never have started. It’s unconstitutional to have the prayer up which is exactly why she won the case.
Public schools are not the places for religious ritual in any form. If those kids who are heartbroken to see a prayer go, then they can go to a religious private school that doesn’t use tax payer dollars and have all the prayer they want.
Jessica Ahlquist Has Won Her Lawsuit!
***Update***: The 40-page decision from U.S. District Court Judge Ronald R. Lagueux can be read here (PDF)
…
I began writing a draft of this post back in October. And I think it’s finally time to post it.
Jessica Ahlquist has won her lawsuit.
The religious banner that hangs in the auditorium at Rhode Island’s Cranston High School West will soon be coming down.
The official statement from Jessica won’t be out for a little while and the media stories will surely follow. But for now, we can take heart in that Facebook update.
***Update***: Mark Schieldrop at the Patch says this:
_U.S. District Cour Judge Ronald Lageux issued a decision in the case regarding the prayer banner at Cranston High School West this afternoon._
The court ruling orders the prayer’s removal and the Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union announced it will hold a 9:30 a.m. press conference at the ACLU office on Dorrance St. in Providence tomorrow (Thursday).
This is what is was all about:
That banner reads:
_Our Heavenly Father._
Grant us each day the desire to do our best.
To grow mentally and morally as well as physically.
To be kind and helpful to our classmates and teachers.
To be honest with ourselves as well as with others.
Help us to be good sports and smile when we lose as well as when we win.
Teach us the value of true friendship.
Help us always to conduct ourselves so as to bring credit to Cranston High School West.Amen.
When Jessica saw that banner over a year ago, she knew there was something wrong. She created a Facebook page to rally support to bring it down. For that, she was insulted and threatened by students and strangers. When the ACLU planned to file a lawsuit to bring the banner down, Jessica wanted to be the plaintiff.
In interview after interview after interview, I’ve been struck by how mature, well-spoken, and courageous Jessica has proven to be. Most adults don’t have those traits, much less a 16-year-old.
She’s proven to be a leader, standing up for what she believes is right, despite the overwhelming number of people in her high school who have tried (unsuccessfully) to make her life a living hell for what she’s done.
And if you saw Jessica’s speech at the 2011 Secular Student Alliance conference like I did, you’d understand why we need more student activists just like her.
When I heard about Damon Fowler‘s story, people rallied together on his behalf.
Once again, I’m asking for your support. I think we owe it to Jessica to make sure she can go to a wonderful college — one that respects her in a way that many of the people in her high school don’t — without having to worry about tuition.
I spoke with Roy Speckhardt at the American Humanist Association to see if they would consider holding onto the money in a trust fund (as part of the Humanist Foundation of the AHA) and he gave me an enthusiastic “Yes.”
Let’s show Jessica that we appreciate what she’s done and let’s encourage other students to do the same thing:
Please help spread the word.
And if you’re not a member of the AHA, please consider becoming one.
A little personal abuse, bogus accusations and threats of violence
Another brilliant (and new) Jesus and Mo cartoon. Sound familiar? By the way, I just saw this. Below the comic it says: ’Today’s comic is dedicated to Rhys Morgan, Jessica Ahlquist, One Law for All, and Salman Rushdie. Heros, all.’
http://dlvr.it/15qd5Z
If I was capable of feeling love, I would feel it for this comic series.
Jessica Ahlquist and Christian love.
If you don’t know, Jessica Ahlquist is a 16 year old girl who wanted a school prayer mural removed as it was unconstitutional. A judge ruled in her favour. You should see the disgusting abuse she’s getting. From every angle; Twitter, Facebook, comments sections of any site running articles on the story. Her home address is being posted around by people hoping to exact some sort of revenge. She has already had to leave the school.
Here’s just an example of the things people are saying to her. Feel the Christian love, eh?
Rhode Island state representative Peter Polumbo called her “an evil little thing” on WPRO 630 talk radio.
