Wednesday’s NBC Today devoted a full report to the Freedom From Religion Foundation forcing a Kansas school to take down a painting of Jesus. Co-host Matt Lauer declared: “...a controversial decision to take down a portrait of Jesus that’s getting an awful lot of attention.”
In the report that followed, correspondent Stephanie Gosk explained: “...a middle school in Kansas, where a painting of Jesus that was hung for decades was abruptly removed....Less than a week ago, the Freedom From Religion Foundation wrote a letter to the superintendent, calling the placement of the portrait ‘an egregious violation of the First Amendment.’”
A soundbite followed of Freedom From Religion Foundation co-president Dan Barker proclaiming: “It’s a picture of Jesus. And the courts have consistently ruled that pictures of Jesus and other religious iconography do not belong in a public school.”
Gosk briefly noted the other side of the debate: “Tell that to an angry student from Royster Middle School who responded, portrait in hand.” The unidentified boy argued: “I just think that they shouldn't have taken it down and that it was kind of crazy.”
Gosk then promoted how “The Freedom From Religion Foundation fights battles over the separation of church and state all over the country.” Another clip ran of Barker: “Last year we received more than 3,000 initial complaints from people around the country on all sorts of issues.”
Detailing some of those other “battles,” Gosk declared: “Just this month the group protested school prayer before football games in Kentucky and the distribution of bibles in some Florida schools. In fact, the group brought a lawsuit in Ohio over the exact same portrait hanging in a school. The school district settled, agreeing to take the painting down and pay $95,000 amid public anger.”
Wrapping up the segment, Gosk acknowledged: “Some of the anger we’ve heard is focused on the Freedom From Religion Foundation itself, seen by some in town as outsiders.” However, she quickly offered the group’s defense: “...the Foundation says it was a family in the community with children at that school that made the initial complaint.”
On its website, the Freedom From Religion Foundation asserts:
The history of Western civilization shows us that most social and moral progress has been brought about by persons free from religion. In modern times the first to speak out for prison reform, for humane treatment of the mentally ill, for abolition of capital punishment, for women's right to vote, for death with dignity for the terminally ill, and for the right to choose contraception, sterilization and abortion have been freethinkers, just as they were the first to call for an end to slavery.
No mention was made of the slaughter of millions by Communist atheist regimes in the 20th century.
Here is a full transcript of the August 26 segment:
7:36 AM ET
LAUER: Let’s get now to a controversial decision to take down a portrait of Jesus that’s getting an awful lot of attention. NBC’s Stephanie Gosk is here with that story. Hi, Steph.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Debate Rages Over Jesus Painting; Public School Removes Portrait After Complaints]
STEPHANIE GOSK: Hey, good morning, Matt. Well, the debate over religion in our schools ignites passions whenever and wherever it pops up. The latest chapter, a middle school in Kansas, where a painting of Jesus that was hung for decades was abruptly removed.
This portrait of Jesus Christ is probably one of the most famous ever painted. 500 million copies sold. Since the '50, it hung in the hallway of Royster Middle School in Chanute, Kansas. But no longer.
RICHARD PROFFITT [CHANUTE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT]: We wanted to try to do it at the earliest point that we possibly could so that it wasn't going to create any more controversy. The attorneys were very clear that it was a violation of the Establishment Clause in the way that it was hanging.
GOSK: Less than a week ago, the Freedom From Religion Foundation wrote a letter to the superintendent, calling the placement of the portrait “an egregious violation of the Fist Amendment.”
DAN BARKER [FREEDOM FROM RELIGION FOUNDATION CO-PRESIDENT]: It’s a picture of Jesus. And the courts have consistently ruled that pictures of Jesus and other religious iconography do not belong in a public school.
GOSK: Tell that to an angry student from Royster Middle School who responded, portrait in hand.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: I just think that they shouldn't have taken it down and that it was kind of crazy.
GOSK: The Freedom From Religion Foundation fights battles over the separation of church and state all over the country.
BARKER: Last year we received more than 3,000 initial complaints from people around the country on all sorts of issues.
GOSK: Just this month the group protested school prayer before football games in Kentucky and the distribution of bibles in some Florida schools. In fact, the group brought a lawsuit in Ohio over the exact same portrait hanging in a school. The school district settled, agreeing to take the painting down and pay $95,000 amid public anger.
PHIL HOWARD [JACKSON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT]: They don't know anything about the culture of our community.
GOSK: But when the letter arrived on superintendent Richard Proffitt's desk, he didn’t hesitate, and backlash was swift.
RICHARD PROFFITT: I anticipated some negative reaction. However, we just had to act within accordance with the law.
GOSK: Some of the anger we’ve heard is focused on the Freedom From Religion Foundation itself, seen by some in town as outsiders. But the Foundation says it was a family in the community with children at that school that made the initial complaint.
LAUER: Alright, Stephanie. Thanks very much.
