Liberty Counsel defends Gideons activities in one Missouri school district

NOTE: I believe the Gideons only "offer" the Bibles. The students exercise free-will in accepting or rejecting the offer. The Bible is not forced upon them. Isn't this "equal" access? One more thing, when we took the Bible out of the classrooms did we happen to see any change in our schools? Post your comments below.

A federal appeals court has heard arguments in a case involving Gideon Bible distribution in a Missouri public school district. For years, the South Iron R-1 School District in Annapolis, Missouri, has allowed various groups to hand out literature and information to students on school property; but now, in an effort to stop the Bible handout, the American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the school's equal access policy.

In the case of Doe v. South Iron R-1 School District, federal district Judge Catherine Perry issued a preliminary injunction barring the school from allowing any outside group to offer Bibles to students on school property at any time, including non-instructional time.

The pro-family legal group Liberty Counsel represents the school district and has appealed the injunction, arguing it is unconstitutional because it requires the district to discriminate against a particular religious message -- namely, the Bible. Attorney Mat Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, says the First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects equal access policies.

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