Here is a press release about an interesting attempt by Americans United to censor the reading of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in public schools:
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund say they will offer free legal representation to any Florida schools threatened with lawsuits for participating in the governor's reading contest involving The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.
On Oct. 20, Americans United for Separation of Church and State issued a press release condemning Gov. Jeb Bush's "Just Read, Florida!" campaign, which this year encourages public school students to read the Lewis novel in conjunction with the release of the Disney movie based on the book Dec. 9. AUSCS claims this year's campaign is designed "to promote a religious story."
"The governor's campaign is clearly designed to promote reading in conjunction with a much-anticipated film; it is not designed to promote religion," said ADF Senior Counsel Gary McCaleb. "ADF will defend any school district in the nation that gets sued by AUSCS, the ACLU, or any other group for having students read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, as long as the school allows students to opt out of reading it if they or their parents don't want to."
According to the 2001 executive order establishing the "Just Read, Florida!" program, the campaign is "a comprehensive, coordinated reading initiative aimed at helping every student become a successful, independent reader." Nonetheless, AUSCS called it "an offense to the First Amendment."
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