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Rep. Evers' statement on Liberty Counsel uncovering troubling facts in ACLU litigation

Washington County News, October 22, 2010

Representative Greg Evers (R-Baker) today released the following statement in regards to the Liberty Counsel uncovering troubling facts in the ongoing litigation against the ACLU and Santa Rosa County School Board.

“It is troubling to me that the Liberty Counsel has discovered that the ACLU and Santa Rosa County School Board are using Pace High School Principal Bryan Stephen Shell’s name without his knowledge or permission to further their case.

“This is a vain and appalling attempt by the ACLU and the school board to defend a consent decree that has led to teachers and school administrators being prosecuted for praying before a meal and has barred students from praying before a test

“Frank Lay, formerly the principal of Pace High School, was persecuted by the ACLU and had to suffer through defending himself from federal contempt charges – that if he had been found guilty, he would have served time in jail, and lost his retirement benefits and job – just for offering a blessing at an adults-only event. Now, they are falsely filing papers defending the consent decree using Principal Shell’s name without his knowledge.

“The ACLU and Santa Rosa County School Board will stop at nothing to limit the First Amendment rights of teachers, school personnel and students in Santa Rosa County. This is just another example of the lengths that they will go to defend this unjust consent decree.”

Greg Evers championed House Bill 31 during the 2010 Legislative Session which was subsequently signed into law. The law is designed to preempt future ACLU attacks on the First Amendment protections of freedom of speech, including religious speech, like the attack in Santa Rosa County that led to then-Pace High School Student Body President Mary Allen being censored and barred from speaking at her own high school graduation, as well as Lay and Athletic Director Robert Freeman being charged with criminal contempt of court for offering a blessing at an adults-only event.