Court Rules 'God Bless America' Not Unconstitutional

The Florida high
school that told a
student not to say “God
bless America” during
morning announcements said this week that the
student did not violate the U.S. Constitution.
"Upon consultation with legal counsel and review of
legal advisories, the Nassau County School
District has taken the position that a student's use
of the phrase "God Bless America" during the
morning announcements at Yulee High School does
not violate the Constitution of the United States,"
the school district said in a statement.
Charisma News reports that the student will still
have to remain on-script during announcements.
The unidentified student has not been named, and
according to school officials, he was not punished.
"The student in question has been quite cooperative
and understands not to add to the script," said
Nassau County School District spokeswoman
Sharyl Wood.
The controversy started when the American
Humanist Association sent a six-page letter to the
principal at Yulee High School on behalf of two
atheist students at the school.
In the letter, the Humanist Association said the
phrase "God bless America" is a religious message
that "is invidious toward atheists and other
nonbelievers," and that it violates the U.S.
Constitution's First Amendment that "commands a
separation of church and state.”