FFRF takes issue with LaPoynor flag

By Michael V. Hannigan/HCN

The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has taken aim at another Henderson County governmental entity for what it calls “unconstitutional endorsement of religion.”

In a letter to LaPoynor ISD Superintendent James Young dated Oct. 11, an FFRF attorney alleged the school district violated the U.S. Constitution by flying a Christian flag and promoting a See You At The Pole event and a baccalaureate service on it website and Facebook page.

“The district’s practice of displaying the Christian flag on school grounds and promoting religious events online has an exclusionary effect, turning non-Christian and non-believing students into outsiders,” wrote FFRF Associate Counsel Sam Glover.

Glover wrote that the FFRF’s action was prompted by “a concerned local resident and former LaPoynor ISD student.”

The FFRF is the same organization that in 2011 unsuccessfully tried to get Henderson County Commissioners Court to remove the nativity scene from the county’s annual Christmas holiday display on the courthouse lawn.

Young this week said that the FFRF has its opinion and LaPoynor ISD has a different opinion, adding that the FFRF doesn’t have any authority over the school district.

“Our community and our school district will continue doing what we do until some agency that does have authority over us says something,” he said.

Young made it clear that the school district was in no way trying to be abusive or intolerant.

“We don’t want to offend anyone,” he said, “we respect anybody’s religion. We want to be respectful to anybody. We just have a different viewpoint.”

Young said he has always looked at the Christian flag as “simply to show love.”

“I hope we take this opportunity to demonstrate a Christian attitude to people with a different viewpoint,” he said.