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Pamlico County Schools Statement from the Office of the Superintendent Wednesday, May 13, 2009 The District has been receiving calls relating to First Amendment Rights under the Constitution as it applies to Distribution of Bibles at Graduation. In order to educate the public on this issue, please find attached a copy of a document that has been provided by legal counsel that outlines terms such as "Separation of Church and State", "Freedom of Speech", "Limited Open Forum" and "Direct or Indirect Coercion". This document speaks to the impermissibility, under the First Amendment, of distributing Bibles at graduation which is a school-sponsored activity. The District has been informed, as well, that the churches of Pamlico County will be sponsoring a Baccalaureate Ceremony in the High School Auditorium on the evening of Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. (separate from the school-sponsored graduation ceremony). This ceremony is permissible under the limited open forum guidelines because it is a church-sponsored function held on school property. This baccalaureate ceremony is not school sponsored and the District must remain neutral on the issue of advancing or opposing any religious movement or belief as outlined in the attached document. Upon reading this document, if there are any further questions in regards to this matter, please feel free to call Dr. James P. Coon, Superintendent at 745-4171 (X627) during normal school hours.
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