FLORENCE, Colo. (CBS4) – A Colorado teacher is suing a school district, claiming a school is not keeping church and state separate.
In the lawsuit former Florence High School teacher Robert Basevitz says he experienced religious discrimination at his school. When he formally complained about it, he says he was transferred to another school in the district, and that's when things elevated to the lawsuit.
Personalized Bibles distributed to students, morning prayer circles on campus, and a church pastor regularly on the Florence High School campus ministering with the principal nearby, are a few examples that attorney Paul Maxon says is unconstitutional.
"Government and public schools need to remain neutral on questions of religion so that you and I are not forced to (be exposed to) someone else's personal religious beliefs," Maxon said.
Maxon represents Basevitz, who is Jewish, in the lawsuit that says the Cowboy Church at Crossroads has been a regular fixture at the school.
Basevitz says the church also hosts lunches at the school known as "Jesus Pizza."
A prayer circle outside Florence High School (credit: image from lawsuit)
"The church has been involved in the school for at least three years. The pastor states they haven't missed a day of prayer at the school in the past three years," Maxon said.
"Our legal team has been working diligently to settle this matter informally, but regretfully, we were unable to do so. I also want to reassure our community that Florence High School has been, and continues to be, an educational institution that does not promote religion. The majority of the information in the complaint is inaccurate, or at best, taken out of context," Fremont RE-2 Superintendent Rhonda Roberts said in a statement. (Read The Full Statement)
A Christian activity at Florence High School (credit: image from lawsuit)
"This country was founded on the idea of separation of church and state — that's the very first sentence in the Bill or Rights before any other freedom is discussed," Maxon said.
The teacher claims that once he filed a formal complaint he was moved to another school in the district. The district says it was a move they needed to do for their special education program to accommodate the needs of their students.
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