WATCH: 16-Year-Old ATHEIST Teen Wins Lawsuit Against School, Forces School's Removal of 50-Year-Old PRAYER BANNER
Friday, January 13, 2012 at 10:01AM 
Jessica Alquist, a 16-year-old Atheist student is celebrating her legal win over Cranston High School West, in Cranston, R.I.. The school must now remove a prayer banner that begins with "Our Heavenly Father" and ends with "Amen." The mural has been on the school wall since 1963 reports Providence News.
"It's not something that belongs in a school," said Jessica in an interview." When I saw it there I knew it didn't belong. And every time I saw it, it was a reminder that my school wasn't doing the right thing, and that my school didn't necessarily support me in my views, so it was offensive."
The Christian Post reports:
Michael Traficante, a committee member, said he was "extremely disappointed" in the ruling and that the banner was removed because of "one" person’s opinion.
"What's ironic is this banner has to be removed because one individual after 50 years believed it to be offensive because of her disbelief in any religion," Traficante stated.
After receiving negative backlash from this public battle, Jessica is still on the fence about whether she will return to Cranston to finish out her senior year.
But, in her mind, it was all worth it. "Even if kids in school hate you. Even if there's nasty comments all over the Internet. It's important to just stand for what you believe in."
If believers would be this outspoken and courageous when it comes to our faith in Jesus Christ, imagine how many more souls we would saved.
The takeaway lesson from this tenacious 16-year-old?
Don't be afraid to stand up and speak out. In our case, the message, however, would be markedly different.
Reader Comments (9)
miserable. who is HER mom. I am so angry that one lil person has the gaul to mess with others freedoms. Absolutely horrible.
so great you are going to ruin something and then LEAVE, if you are so tough why not stick it out. If you are so clear about what you believe. this infuriates me the devil is a LIAR, im going to pray for that little girls soul.
I just want to know if she still celebrates Christmas. And if she is ok with that.
This teen showed bravery by defending what she believed in while Christians sat idly by and became complacent. The devil is always busy 24/7 and never ever takes vacations! We must always be vigilant, on guard and ready to defend what we believe. There is strength in numbers. There is no reason that one girl was able to do this in the midst of hundreds and thousands of believers!
I have never found anyones beliefs to be offense. I have always respected them and felt that live and let live is a policy worthy of adoption. Of course, it should and can only work both ways. Through the years, I have been offended by certain things associated with society as a whole. One such thing is "political correctness". It's nothing but a socialogical gag order and conflicts directly with our founding principles as, of course, it was meant to. Another thing that offends me greatly is the ever increasing inabilty for people to turn the other cheek or more plainly put, "mind their own damned business"! Try removing yourself from a situation if it presents a problem for you. Don't expose yourself to it continually for the sole pupose of removing it from existance without considering what it means to others you selfish little secular witch. THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED AS A CHRISTIAN NATION, like it or not! Their are age old records and publications to verify this. Of course, you might risk being offended once again if you chose to read any of them. It's just another one of those things you need to remove yourself from sweetie, although, it seems that you already have. Do you know of or have you heard of the US constitution? How about the bill of rights? Were they too inflamatory for you to deal with? I would assume so.
Your organization should be disbanned and forced underground for promoting your beliefs in an attempt to indoctrinate others. You are a malcontent liar. I find the bill boards errected around the nation by your cohorts, during my holidays, extremely offensive. Yet, this is the first time I have made mention of it. You have that to your credit as well. The school you have dishonored should remove, rewrite, rescript and replace the school prayer to in it's entirety to exclude the first and last lines. Instead the revised version should be dedicated, in writting, to you in as much as being the selfish person that ended her school's long standing tradition at the fifty year mark by just having a big uncontrolable mouth and the inabilty to mind her own business. Congatulations, I hope your family is still able to hold their heads up. I wish you and your secular assoiation nothing but the highest degree of scrutiny in the future. You can only immagine what I feel for the ACLU and the court that found for you.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. What I find most offensive, above all else, is people that impose themselves and or their self serving wishes on others unjustifiably! Someone, anyone, should teach you just a little bit of humility. God knows, no one has yet!
In cases like this, there are no winners. We have to continue to pray, the banner is not going to get any of us into Heaven, it's our relationship with God the Father, and His Son Jesus.
As an atheist living in this great country, I would like to point out the Treaty of Tripoli. It points out the U.S. government was in no way founded on Christian doctrine, and was ratified by congress on June 10th, 1797.
"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen,—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
This treaty was drafted by Thomas Jefferson. Same person that invented the concept of separation of church and state.
the devil IS a LIAR, this is b/c we have turned from G-d as a nation and He is allowing our enemies and His enemies to take over this land. This is why we have no spiritual power. i say pray, b/c G-d has allowed this little girl to rise up b/c of our failures and our love of money more than HIM. if you agree with this you strip GOD from this nation and you can b sure we will be in WANT, FAMINE and sorrow like the other gODLESS nations, and the enemy with prevail. G-d bless our founding fathers who led us, imperfectly. The devil and G-d's enemies will b defeated
Great!! I dont know what it is about some Christians that don't understand the separation of church and state. Back when this mural of sorts was posted America had a huge "Christian " idealogic swing where we even put "in god we trust" on our money (yes.. it hasn't always been there). We also had issues of racism. Weve come along way from then in terms of racism but the afront and lack of empathy to the non religious is still there. It makes me sad to see a 16 year old girl harassed, berated, and made fun of by people that are supposed to treat people with the utmost dignity and preach manners to others. Some Christians should feel ashamed by their behavior.