OCR Text |
Show 1- - 480 UTAH expires 013091 PRESS ASSOCIATION F 467 EAST 300 SOUTH SALT LAKE CITY UT 84111 &ftT ) iff fV I Vol. 12, No. 29 Fill 50 cents a single copy Wednesday, August 1, 1990 will ffigM ACLU prayer suit Alpine reaffirms belief rights were violated chose to notify the media. The suit focuses specifically on Lehi High School and Orem High School in the Alpine School District and Granite High School and Eisenhower Junior High School in the Granite School Districts. Plaintiffs in the action include a BaugH that prayer has place in graduation ceremonies " Alpine School District Monday was named in a lawsuit filed with the Federal District Court of Utah by the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah Foundation to stop prayer at graduation ceremonies. District officials Tuesday answered the suit by saying their position prior to the 1990 graduation ceremonies was that they were not in violation of the Constitution but that ceremonial prayers as a traditional part of graduation ceremonies is a form; of free speech which is clearly protected by the First Amendment. Richard Gappmayer, district school board president, said at a press conference Tuesday the district had not received a copy of the complaint but it apparently alleges that the district has violated the constitutional rights of one former student and a current student and two employees because of its position of allowing prayer at graduation ceremonies. Gappmayer said in April of this year, Dr. Steven C. Baugh, district superintendent, released a statement stating it has been a longstanding tradition in Alpine School District to allow non sectarian prayers as part of the graduation -- ceremony. Baugh's prepared statement said speaking for the district he found nothing in legal precedent or in the Constitution itself which would prohibit this tradition from continuing. "Again this year, then, prayers will be allowed as a ceremonial portion of the graduation exercises," . . the statement said. The board, Gappmayer said, finds "no reason to alter this statement at this time. In fact, we believe that allowing graduates to offer ceremonial prayers as a traditional part of graduation ceremonies is a form of free speech which is clearly protected by the First Amendment. "It is our position, then, that not only are we not in violation of the United States Constitution with this 1989 graduate of Granite High School tradition but that the practice itself supports and maintains both the letter and the spirit of the Constitution." . Gappmayer concluded "The Alpine District Board of Education fully intends to allow this tradition to continue, and to defend in court our right to do so. We believe that our patrons fully support us in this and an Orem High School counselor and English teacher. Three students and their parents were also named as plaintiffs, but initials rather than names were used to identify the students tomaintain their anonymity. Included is a 1990 graduate of Lehi High School, a junior at Granite High School and a sophomore at Orem High School. action." Baugh said it was difficult to respond to a lawsuit or know the legal ramifications without having had the time to review the full text of the complaint. "We have had no formal notice at this point," he said, "and the information we have may or may not be accurate." He said their understanding is that "we are responding to what appears to be lawsuit regarding the alleged violation of the civil rights of two current employees, a former student and a current student. If the information we have is accurate, the lawsuit filed in the US District Court of Utah alleges that the Constitutional rights of the plaintiffs was violated by allowing public prayer at graduation ceremonies, Baugh said. The lawsuit, he said, allegedly contains three primary objections - that teachers andor students are being forced to attend school sponsored activities where prayer may or may not be offered; that prayers are being offered at a variety of school sponsored activities; and that prayers are being offered as a traditional part of graduation ceremonies. Responding to these objections, Baugh said, "To my knowledge no student or teacher has requested permission to be absent from school activities because of the possibility of being subjected to prayer. "As superintendent, I can say unequivocally, ifthe request is ever made it will be honored. If any person feels their civil rights will be vio- -- ' A" i .'l ....... .L. ! I : ! -- X 1 Alpine Board ot Education President Richard Gappmayer, left, and Superintendent Steven C. Baugh explain district's response to ACLU lawsuit against graduation prayer. by the offering of prayer at a school function, or activity, they may choose not to attend," Regarding the allegation that lated prayers are being said at a variety of school activities, not just graduation, Baugh referred to a statement regarding prayer at graduation that was sent out by the district on April 9. In the statement, the district reminded that under district policy prayer was not al- lowed at school functions other than graduation. Regarding the allegation that the district is in violation of th constitution because prayer is al- lowed at graduation ceremonies, he said, "Notice we are not accused of mandating or prescribing prayers but only of allowing them. It's to this issue that we take issue." "We believe that the offering of public prayer is a traditional and ceremonial part of the graduation ceremony. It's a form a free speech which is clearly protected by the Constitution." Baugh said, "Please remember that we are defendants in this case. Our business is education, not law, however, we feel there are principles at stake here that should be defended, therefore, we have every intention to continue to allow prayers at graduation ceremonies and defending our right." Baugh said principals, teachers, students and PTA come together to draw up the graduation program. The Principal is ultimately responsible. "Of course what occurs is. ultimately the responsibility of the . board." When questioned as to can the district afford the suit, Gappmayer replied, "We will afford it if we have to." He said he had no idea what it will cost but has been told it could be tens of thousands of dollars. He also said he believes if the district, known as one of the poor est in the state, made a public appeal for support, they would get it. Asked if anyone had contacted him about discontinuing the practice of prayer at graduation ceremonies, Baugh said the employees contacted him. He told them it was important to him, he would review it and communicate back. After consideration, they said they would go to the next step, "which they seemingly have done." Baugh said the district does not know the identity of the students involved. He said the teachers involved will not be treated any differently because of their involvement. "There will be no repercussion on the part of the school district." He said he doesn't know why the ACLU chose Alpine School District out of the six who held prayer to be one of two to be sued. He said he doesn't believe the district has been more vocal than others, however, those who feel their The suit maintains that the districts' purpose in having prayer in the graduation ceremonies "was not secular and the primary effect of having . . . such prayers was to advance andor endorse religion. In addition, defendants' conduct of having . . . such prayers . . . has created entanglements between religion and government. A statement release Monday by the local ACLU claims that forcing junior high and senior high school students and teachers "to participate in acts of worship which often violate their own personal religious beliefs. Refusal to participate in this praying leaves students and teachers vulnerable to ostracism, ridicule and discrimination." Michele Parish-Pixleexecutive director of the ACLU of Utah, said, "it is with reluctance that the ACLU has sponsored the filing of these lawsuits, given the shortage of funds available to the school districts for important programs and teacher salaries. All our efforts to resolve these problems out of court have been rejected, and we feel we have no alternative but to submit our complaints to the courts for a final resolution." There m ay be some state help for the school districts fighting the ACLU in court. Last week, Governor Norm Bangerter said he would call for a special legislative session to ask the legislature to appropriate money to help school districts pay for their legal defense, if needed. school-sponsore- d r, Building site of worship for 120 years By RICHARD VAN WAGONER During the summers of 1854 and 1855, grasshopper depredations destroyed so many Lehi crops that most people had considerable time on their hands. To prevent the discontent that often comes with idleness, Bishop Lehi Yesteryears David Evans engaged the ward in various public works projects. The most important of these was the Meeting House which was erected at the center of Lehi's fort (southwest corner of present First South and Second West). A committee, including James Harwood as assessor and collector, was appointed under the chairmanship of Daniel S. Thomas. A comtax of $1.50 per $100 munity-widvaluation was assessed. One dollar was to be paid in labor and 50 cents in grain. Some men worked off their la- e -- 3 bor assessment felling trees in West Canyon. The saw timber was then taken to mills in Alpine and proc--- e d into planks, shingles, joists, ,. .Iar9 and other needed lumber. Additional workers labored in the limestone quarry at Zion's Hill . on the Lake Mountains. Hundreds of tons ofrock were required for the building's massive 60 by 40 foot foundation. Most men, however, worked in the adobe pits south of the present Lehi Roller Mills where d bricks thousands of the thick were required for the walls. The construction of the Meeting House required five years. Everything was made locally except the glass and hardware items, which were freighted from the East. By the fall of 1855 the building was beginning to take form. The foundation was in and the adobes and timber were on the ground. Once the roof was on, gatherings were held in the Meeting House periodically (possibly only during inclement weather). Meetings continued to be held in the Log School and an outdoor brush bowery that was constructed each summer. ,4 H i ! viqpvjw 1 sun-bake- 18-in- , During"TheMove"inthespring of 1858 when nearly 30,000 people in the Salt Lake Valley migrated southward to escape the invasion of the Utah Expeditionary Forces, more than 20 of these families lived for several weeks in the Lehi Meeting House. One account noted that so many people were sleeping on the dirt floors that "it was quite impossible to put a foot down between the beds." The building was finally finished in the fall of 1860 although it was never formally dedicated. Lehi Meeting House at 100 South and 100 West (southwest corner of intersection) is shown here. The Thurman school is on the West Photo is from the Ed Southwick Book of Remembrance. The main entrance fronted to the east on Second West. Double doors opened into a 12 by 40 foot anteroom. After 1865, the north portion of this chamber was used by the Lehi Library Association. A stock company was formed and 150 volumes of Harper's Family Library, histories, biographies and scientific works were made available to the associa- tion's members. A stairwell to the gallery and school and praver the second-story room was in the south end of the anteroom. The auditorium was 48 by 36 feet. The ceiling and second floor were supported by eight pillars which were arranged so that the first two on the east supported the gallery and the last two on the west defined the speaker's stand and the pulpit. These pillars were originally shaped with e a by carpenter Thomas 20-fo- ot eight-side- d draw-knif- Ashton. See YESTERYEARS on page 3 Police investigate rash of thefts A rash of thefts caused Lehi Police Department to make many Summer Dive Youth takes a leap off the high dive at Lehi City Pool. Many have sought the cool water to fight off the heat of the summer of ItZO. investigations during the past several weeks. Other reports involved several automobile accidents and numerous bad check reports. There were nine citations issued for DUI, according to police rec-- : ords. Police officers also checked out several reports of family fights and family problems, soma involved runaways and missing persons. Some of the theft complaints were reported when people got gas and then skipped without paying. There was one report of curfew violation, and another investigation occurred when a case of joy riding was reported. One family Tight resulted in an assault charge being file, another occurred when a report told of a man beating a woman. Police investigated another ' re- port of a fight and officers filed a report of disorderly conduct and illegal consumption of alcohol. That case involved a youth. Two cases of dog bite were reported, and several instances of juvenile violations were checked out, and a disorderly conduct charge was filed. Police also investigated a report of littering. An American Fork youth was reported to assaulting a youth from Lehi, and another assault charge was reported when a Lehi man assaulted his wife. Other incidents of criminal mischief were reported when some one let the air out of tires, caused by shooting the tires with a pellet gun. Some of the theft reports resulted after bicycles, auto licenses were stolen. A case of trespass was checked out when Lehi man was confronted by a woman who had not been invited into the home. The woman told the man she had come to deliver flowers. A report of criminal trespass was filed. |