ACLU frustrated by kids in Michigan and Pennsylvania (7/94)
    The following is from Christian Crusade Newspaper, P.O. Box 977, 
    Tulsa, OK 74102, in its 42nd year of publication. We can
    be E-mailed on America On Line as Christcrew, on Compuserve 
    at 72204,541, and via the Internet as Christcrew@aol.com .

by Keith Wilkerson, editor
       Graduating seniors at the Zeeland High School in the western 
Michigan town of Zeeland turned a deaf ear to pleas from the 
American Civil Liberties Union to be a plaintiff in a prayer-blocking 
lawsuit. Instead they chose to "embrace their parents' religious 
heritage and snub the ACLU by praying at their graduation 
ceremony," according to United Press International.
       The ACLU spent six months trying to find a student in the town 
of 5,400 willing to be named on the suit against the school district.
       No student came forward and an ACLU spokeswoman said the 
lawsuit plan had been dropped.
       Zeeland  Superintendent Gary Feenstra said the ACLU decision 
vindicated a district policy that lets students choose whether or not to 
pray at graduation. "We feel good about it," Feenstra said. "We feel we 
are on solid ground and are doing what's right for the kids."
       Prayer opened the commencement for 190 graduating seniors. 
Most of Zeeland's residents belong to local churches. "Zeeland High 
has traditionally included prayer at graduation," reported UPI. "But last 
year, after the ACLU objected for the first time, the school district 
formed a committee of students, parents, and teachers to recommend 
a policy for future graduations. A committee came up with a 
recommendation that mirrored a Texas school's prayer policy upheld 
last year by federal courts. It allowed student-initiated prayer, free of 
input from faculty or administrators."
       The ACLU responded by sending a letter to the local newspaper 
editor to solicit for a plaintiff, saying it needed a student who thought 
the prayer policy violated his or her civil rights.
       Feenstra said in pressing the issue the ACLU had overlooked one 
of the students' rights: The right to choose whether to pray at 
graduation. "We truly believe students have a right to pray," he said.
       In Clearfield, Pennsylvania, the ACLU also failed to stop students 
from making any religious references during graduation ceremonies. 
Clearfield Area School District officials refused the ACLU's demand for 
written assurances that students would not make any religious 
references at their commencement.
       School district attorney Carl Beard said the ACLU wanted a written 
guarantee that the students wouldn't spontaneously ad lib prayers or 
public thanksgivings to Almighty God. 
       However, said Beard, "I don't know how to prevent that, short of 
going up there and gagging them or pulling them off the stage."

WHAT IS CHRISTIAN CRUSADE NEWSPAPER?
            Christian Crusade Newspaper is in its 42nd year, has 
    a worldwide circulation and is published by Christian
    Crusade, P.O. Box 977, Tulsa, OK 74102. 
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            Although Dr. Hargis no longer travels, editor-in-chief 
    Keith Wilkerson accepts speaking invitations. Both can be 
    E-mailed on America On Line as Christcrew, on GEnie as
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