Custom Search

Students punished for Krispy Kremes want rights back

Attorney files request for summary judgment against school district

A legal team representing students in New Mexico who were punished after they traveled for hours to another state to buy Krispy Kreme doughnuts to give to their teachers, along with Bible verses, is asking for a court to restore the students' rights by the time school opens in the fall.

"The case challenges defendants' denial of plaintiffs' attempts to distribute various items and religious literature to their friends and classmates during non-instructional time at the two high schools in Roswell," explains today's new filing in the case from Liberty Counsel. "Plaintiffs seek to have their constitutional rights restored before the beginning of the next school year, so they may disseminate their messages to fellow classmates in accordance with their First Amendment rights."

"Plaintiffs request that this court grant this motion for summary judgment so that the unconstitutional suppression of free speech will end," said the filing in U.S. District Court in New Mexico.

WND reported earlier when the case was filed. It happened because a Roswell, N.M., school principal demanded that a team of students cease their "Christian" acts and then suspended three students.

The case developed after the students, who are members of a group called Relentless in Roswell, decided to express their appreciation for their teachers by giving them doughnuts that are not even routinely available in Roswell.

"Since the closest Krispy Kreme shop was in Texas, some of the group drove almost six hours round trip, stayed overnight, got up at 3:00 a.m., filled their car's back seat with fresh doughnuts and got back to school on time to deliver the doughnuts," Liberty Counsel explained.

"When the doughnuts were handed out, a Scripture verse was included," the explanation continued. "One student was immediately sent home and two others were forced to spend a Saturday morning sitting alone in the classroom for four hours as a punishment."

Pastor Troy Smothermon, of the Church on the Move, said, "Our motives were not rebellious. If they were, we would have just bought a box of doughnuts down the street. The whole purpose was to encourage those in the school. We are challenging the constitutionality, but our motive here was to love. Faith without works is dead. We want them to know that we love them and that Christ loves them."

"Some teachers are worried about their students giving them bullets, and this school suspends students over a Bible verse," said Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and dean of the Liberty University School of Law.

"These students are living their Christian beliefs by showing kindness," he continued. "It is outrageous that the Roswell school officials are mean to these students solely because they are hostile to their Christian faith."

The legal brief noted that the students previously had given out sandwiches, hot chocolate and candy canes to the student body and faculty members. They also helped with trash at the school, helped fellow students with their lunch trays and distributed rocks with affirming slogans such as "U are wonderful."

The students also handed out tiny plastic replicas of unborn babies.

According to the Liberty Counsel report, "That morning, one student had decided to take her own life because of her past decision to abort. When she received a model baby with the Scripture, 'you are fearfully and wonderfully made,' she cried and prayed with the students and her life was saved, both physically and spiritually with the forgiveness of God."

: Students punished for Krispy Kremes want rights back http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=323625#ixzz1SZl32a8x

Four Winds 10 - News