Staff Reports
Heather Rooks, a school board member in Arizona, is suing the Peoria Unified School District for violating her free speech rights after they prohibited her from quoting the Bible during board meetings. Rooks, with the support of the First Liberty Institute (FLI), filed the lawsuit, claiming that the school district infringed upon her right to express herself.
AZ School Board Member Sues District for Stopping Her Quoting Biblehttps://t.co/nbEEjIXcdn
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According to Rooks, the school argued that her Bible quotations violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from endorsing or favoring any religion. Left-wing activist groups lodged complaints against Rooks for her scripture quoting, prompting the school board to intervene. The complaint from the secular group Secular Communities for Arizona accused Rooks of engaging in “unconstitutional proselytizing.” Meanwhile, the Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened legal action, accusing Rooks of imposing her religious beliefs on district parents and community members.
Despite the pressure, Rooks continued to quote the Bible until August of this year. However, she was then instructed by the board’s chair to refrain from doing so during board meetings. Rooks complied but felt that her rights as a public official were being violated. The lawsuit argues that quoting scripture is consistent with the practices of past presidents, such as Washington and Lincoln, as well as President Biden. FLI senior counsel Andy Gould defended Rooks, affirming her right to use religious quotes for personal inspiration and to uplift the community.
It is clear that Rooks’ freedom of speech is under attack by left-wing activist groups who are intolerant of religious expression. It is important to protect the rights of individuals like Rooks, who find strength and courage in their faith. Quoting scripture is a longstanding tradition among public officials and should be respected as such. The Peoria Unified School District’s actions are a blatant infringement on Rooks’ constitutional rights and should be condemned. We must stand up for religious freedom and resist the efforts to restrict the expression of conservative values.
