You Can Fortify our Complaint - Action Alert
FFRF Complaint Makes Waves in Iowa City
April 26, 2006
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, contacted for help by one of its Iowa City members last week, was able to stop a violation in the city's public schools. But the letters against the Foundation are running 8-1, according to the Iowa City Press-Citizen, and the Foundation office has received many nasty e-mails from Iowa City residents insisting a blind eye should have been turned toward the event in question, even though it violated the separation of church and state. You can help educate!
Background:
The West High School booster club, which is an official school club, was scheduled to host an exhibition game between University of Iowa players and high school teachers on April 19 in the school gym. In light of the recent tornado hitting the area, the players suddenly announced they were turning the tournament into a fundraiser to rebuild a Catholic Church, whose dome was one of the tornado's several local casualties.
Learning about the intended violation on the day of the event, the Foundation contacted the school district. We noted that while the charitable impulses were laudable, the money should go to "an all-purpose fund for tornado victims which does not exclusively aid Catholics or is otherwise religiously discriminatory or segregated."
The Foundation pointed out that the Iowa Constitution, Art. I, Sec. 3, specifically forbids any person from being compelled to pay taxes "or other rates for building or rebuilding places of worship." As the event was hosted by the school, not private entities, and no rent was collected, the Catholic fundraiser amounted to taxpayer subsidy of religion. The school district, to its credit, agreed, albeit somewhat grudgingly, and at the last minute directed that the money collected should go to a general fund.
Of course, the Catholic church in question is presumed to be amply insured, and there are many Catholic schools where fundraisers could appropriately be held. The Foundation pointed out that individuals are free to personally donate to the Catholic Church--but the school district is not. The community is still in an uproar over this, and needs to be educated.
Send your comments:
The Iowa City newspaper ran an editorial on April 25, "Sheesh, they were trying to do a good thing."
They are asking for comments to be sent to:
opinion@press-citizen.com
It would also be helpful if you contact the Iowa City Community School District to thank them for honoring the separation of church and state:
Lane Plugge, Supt.
Iowa City Community School District
509 S Dubuque St
Iowa City IA 52240
plugge.lane@iccsd.k12.ia.us
Read the Foundation's letter of complaint.
Thank you! Short letters or e-mails, concentrating on one or two points, are most apt to be read and published. Please identify yourself. FFRF is pleased to receive blind copies of your e-mails or letters at: algaylor@ffrf.org, Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF, PO Box 750, Madison WI 53701.