Fox News meets Ocean Grove. Photo by Charles Layton
By Charles Layton and Paul Goldfinger
The dispute over Neptune High School’s use of the Great Auditorium for graduation ceremonies drew national attention on Wednesday, when the Fox News program “Fox and Friends” featured interviews about the issue. Fox also posted a story and a video report on its website.
The television segment was based on interviews with Neptune School Superintendent David Mooij and Rev. Scott Hoffman of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association.
Also on Wednesday, a born-again Christian legal advocacy group announced that it had offered to represent Neptune High School in court, free of charge, in the event of a law suit.
The school district has been in negotiations with the American Civil Liberties Union — and under threat of legal action — over its use of the Ocean Grove Great Auditorium for high school graduation ceremonies. The ACLU is asking that certain religious signs, including the large white cross outside the building, be covered during this year’s graduation and that the practice of having a Christian invocation and Christian hymns as part of the program be discontinued. (Read our original story by clicking here.)
The legal advocacy group, Liberty Counsel, sent a letter to Mooij and the school board, dated May 17, saying it agrees with them that the school district “does not violate any student’s constitutional rights by simply using a church building to host graduation ceremonies.” The letter said that, “assuming we reach an agreement on strategy,” Liberty Counsel would be happy to represent the district and “cover all the legal costs.”
The organization describes itself as “a national public interest law firm specializing in constitutional law, particularly free speech, religious freedom, and church-state matters.” It has offices in Florida, Virginia, Texas and Washington, D.C. It’s press release and letter to Mooij can be found on its website: click here.
Mooij told Fox News that, as a result of negotiations with the ACLU, the district has already agreed to discontinue the practice of including an invocation and religious music in this year’s graduation ceremonies. However, the covering up of religious signs in and about the building has become the sticking point. Hoffman told Fox that the Camp Meeting would not agree to removing those signs. “The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association is a Christian ministry,” Hoffman said, “and we can’t change who we are.”
Both Hoffman and Mooij were interviewed on Tuesday by Lauren Green, a Fox religion correspondent. Hoffman told Blogfinger that his interview with Green was brief, because he sees the CMA as “peripheral” in the dispute. He did say he was “supportive of the school board.”
Graduation is scheduled for June 17. The ACLU is representing the grandmother of one of last year’s graduating seniors. The woman also has relatives scheduled to graduate from Neptune next year.
The Camp Meeting Association had no problem taking money from Woody Allen and covering up the cross to make the Movie Star Dust Memories!
Paul Carey
former Ocean Grove resident
It’s about time that the ACLU gets put in its place. This is not about separation of Church and State – it is an assault on Christianity and it has persistently and consistently been persued by this athiest legal group for over 40 years. They have distorted the establishment clause and the exercise clause of the constitution to the point of being unrecognisable. I called the Superintendent and advised him to Consult with the Alliance Defense Fund. I’m glad Liberty Counsel stepped forward. ENOUGH!
Oh, just *cover* our signs of faith. How civil of them. And how big of them to have conceded anything.
Well, those points have been common knowledge, so I’m not sure what misinformation is at issue. (I’m a stickler for details as opposed to vague points.)
It’s unreasonable because this isn’t the OGCMA’s issue; it’s between the ACLU, by way of a distant complainant, and Neptune Township.
The ACLU did not ask the CMA to “remove” the signs. They simply asked that they be covered during the ceremony. I’m sure there is a local sign shop owned by an alumni who would be happy to donate “Class of 2011” banners to display over the religious paraphernalia. Why does anyone think this is unreasonable? The ACLU even conceded that the graduation could be held in the Auditorium. So many people involved in this situation are commenting from misinformation.
Let the students take a vote.
Let their wishes take precedence.
I think this has gotten way out of hand!
I thought we were “melting pot” nation
Where has our tolerance gone?
Again may I suggest that perhaps one or more of our local lawyers (many of whom themselves graduated in the Great Auditorium) might volunteer pro bono to handle this matter. An independent private defense fund supported by community donations, as suggested by Jerry, is also a very good idea. I do not think outside intervention would be wise as this petty silly matter might then blow up to be a showcase and a circus.
Does anyone know how much the school/township pays to hold the commencement in the Auditorium? Just curious.
I for one would NOT let that Christian group near this. Not that I am anti Christian. I would fear of an “I told you so moment” by the ACLU who would EASILY be able to say that we KNEW this was a religious thing.
I am sure Mr. Mooij, Mr. Hundley & Mr. Daniels know this, but maybe we should call and let them know?
I think alumni groups and private citizens should donate via a legal defense fund set up outside of the school system so that ALL tax payers do not have to foot the bill, especially if they agree with the ACLU…
The legal defense fund could donate the funds to the school board.
Just one man’s thoughts
Celebrate. I like that.
I think tolerance should prevail. Let us respect all symbols. religious or otherwise and be offended by none.
It seems to me that the ACLU is wrong on the facts and wrong on the law in the Great Auditorium Dispute.
Previous cases involving school prayer or the display of religious symbols typically involve the use of public funds to support the challenged activity and/or an element of coercion or intimidation resulting in palpable harm to the complaining party.
For the complainant, graduation is a one-time event, and it is difficult to see how a student is harmed or oppressed by having to spend an hour or two in the presence of a religious symbol. The student is graduating, and therefore has no reasonable expectation of being penalized for his or her objection to a religious display; nor is a one-time exposure comparable to the experience of daily prayer or continuing exposure to religious symbolism.
Just continue as always— have the graduation. Let’s celebrate our young people having reached this point in their lives.
Good luck graduates; you have done well!
This dispute over the location of high school graduation is no longer a matter of convenience and tradition. It has now become a national spectacle and a target for an organization with a religious agenda.
I do hope that the Township is not contemplating any form of cooperation with outside groups that want to take advantage of Neptune and its citizens to promote their own interests.
Saw the Fox report on Fox and Friends and later with Lauren Green. She did a great job, but the gentleman who reported earlier kept saying “The Camp Town.”
Doo Dah, Doo Dah.