What If

A letter to the Lenoir City school board from Loudon activist James Raucci poses the question: "What if Loudon County Churches and student families threatened a class action lawsuit for re-instituting prayers?"
 

James Raucci
Greenback, TN 37742
(865)964-1435
April 16, 2012
 

Lenoir City Board of Education
Bobby Johnson
Rick Chadwick
Glenn McNish, Sr.
Rosemary Quillen
Mitch Ledbetter

Lenoir City Schools
2145 Harrison Avenue
Lenoir City, TN 37771

Wayne Miller, Superintendent
Lenoir City Schools

2145 Harrison Avenue
Lenoir City, TN 37771

Chuck Cagle, Attorney
424 Church Street, Suite 2500
Nashville, Tennessee 37219
 
CC
Tony Aikens, Lenoir City Mayor
Don White, Lenoir City Chief of Police
Hugh Willett, Knoxville News Sentinel Columnist
 Van Shaver, Independent Reporter

Response to Response: Promotion of Religion at Lenoir City Schools

Dear Superintendent Miller, Attorney Cagle, and Board members:

On March 29, 2012, the citizens of Loudon County met in unison at the Loudon Courthouse lawn to pray in peaceful assembly in response to the decision that was made by the Board to forgo the opening of Board meetings with prayer along with the request to remove police patches.  Now that several weeks have passed, we expected a response from the FFRF with continued threats of litigation.  Instead we read in the local Knoxville News Sentinel an article compromising prayer with a moment of silence.   The threat of litigation is a serious matter that could indeed cost the state and the local school systems monies.  However, the price of compromise will far exceed that 'what if' price as the FFRF and other like organizations continue with their threats finding communities across the United States that will curtail to their influence.  Lenoir City is in their cross-hairs and this and other Anti-Religion organizations smell defeat.  In response, I have notified Governor Haslam's office and my request has been forward to the Department of Finance.  I have also notified Lamar Alexander's office and Representative John Duncan of these threats against Lenoir City with Duncan's office responding in a detailed letter.

I present to you an example, of a what if.  What if the local Loudon County churches and a selection of  Lenoir City student families threatened to form a class action lawsuit suing the Lenoir City schools system for re-instituting prayers?  What would be your response?  The threat of litigation is just that, a threat.   NOTE: This paragraph is only an Example.

We are beginning to organize for peaceful and public responses not to bring attention to ourselves but to let the all to silent conservative majority voice be heard on these matters concerning threats against Lenoir City and Loudon County.   We ask that you join us and take a stand and that the majority response will aid you in your decision making when threatened with litigation in the future.
Accordingly, we urge you to immediately remedy the following practices.

A. Re-institute prayers as was the tradition of board meetings  in addition to the moment of silence.

B. Re-institute Prayers at /football games.

C. Allow Prayers at graduation ceremonies.

D. Allow for promotion of religion by teachers. 

E. Distribution of religious literature on school grounds by church members.

F. Prayer by school officials at school events.

G.  Allow Fellowship of Christian Athletes posters.

We will continue to investigate the threats of litigation against Lenoir City Schools and monitor the school district’s responses closely.

Please respond to the concerns raised by this letter by the close-of-business on Wednesday, April 18, 2012.

Sincerely,

James Raucci
Apparently, the Lenoir city Superintendent and school board members have not yet replied.

Dear Superintendent Miller, Attorney Cagle, and Board members: 
 

As of close of business April 18, 2012, I have not received any correspondence pertaining to the letter I sent on April 16th, and in response I wanted to share with you some of our intentions moving forward.  We are investigating the FFRF threat of legal actions towards other school districts and we are glad to report that Terry Kennamer of the Marshall County, AL Board said no to the FFRF letter requests similar to those sent to Lenoir City school officials: http://www.waff.com/story/17516466/ffrf-writes-second-letter-to-marshall-county-schools.  We are hopeful that you will take the time to review Mr. Kennamer's interview and know that you too can take that stand. 
 
  • We shall continue to reach out to organizations that defend our liberties and have them on stand by for any next steps that are legally applicable, as we expect the FFRF and perhaps others to threaten litigation against Lenoir City schools and offices. 
  • We shall continue to address our concerns to our state and local officials as we believe it is applicable to do so in addition to the federal level.
  • We shall monitor Lenoir City schools and officials responses to threats of litigation from outside organizations.
  • We shall monitor the FFRF and other like organizations, and contact their state and local officials (Ex: Wisconsin) where applicable.
  • We shall be in contact with other threatened school and government organizations throughout the United States to consider appropriate unified actions and responses.
  • We shall peacefully and prayerfully respond to any actions that transpire from the aforementioned bullets.
 
In conclusion, I ask that you respond promptly to our original letter and give our requests the same consideration that you afforded to these outside organizations. 
 
Sincerely,
 
James Raucci
 
Letter sent on April 16, 2012:

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4/23/12