Ohio teen refuses to do homework until school brings back Ten Commandments plaque

www.rawstory.com...

Marion, Ohio high school student is going on strike to protest the removal of a Ten Commandments plaque from the school’s hallway, The Marion Star reports.

A gift to the Harding High School from its graduating class of 1953, the plaque had hung next to the Preamble of the United States Constitution until it was removed by the Marion City School District.

“I don’t care about my grades now,” he continued. “I told the principal, until there is an agreement reached, I will not participate in any Harding-related activities, any Marion City Schools-related activities. Sports, choir, classes, whatever. I won’t even wear my Harding Marching Band shirt.”

Miller insisted that the Ten Commandments are not just a religious symbol, but guidelines it would behoove all students to follow, and that he will carry on with his strike until the plaque is replaced.

“Until there is at least some agreement made between the administration and the students,” Miller said, he will continue his strike. “If it is all year,” he added, “then it is all year.”

What a refreshing change to see a young man take action and stand up for his convictions; knowing full well the consequences he will face both socially and academically.

I personally don't agree with religion in schools but I will support freedom of speech, peaceful protests and demonstrations by groups or individuals.

Anthony Miller, I don't agree with your stance but you have my utmost respect for having the guts to take action, question authority, and take the heat.

There are a lot of members here that have the erroneous idea that I'm on a crusade to dis Christians in general. You are wrong!

I'm on a crusade to expose hypocracy in all it's forms,

His grades, his problem. All he is going to accomplish is that he will ruin his chances for future education and employment with a good job. The school isn't going to care, the world isn't going to care, he will just be ruined because he naively thought that high school was a super important part of his life. Such are the consequences for using ones freedom of speech recklessly. Tough lesson to learn, but he's young, he can recover.

Also lol at his opinion:

Miller insisted that the Ten Commandments are not just a religious symbol, but guidelines it would behoove all students to follow, and that he will carry on with his strike until the plaque is replaced.

Half the Commandments are about worshiping god, not about interaction between man and man. They are JUST a religious symbol. If he wants a good symbol for the students to know and practice, how about the Bill of Rights? This kid is an idiot.

What I have never understood about the removal of religious art from any public, or political forum is that the majority of people want them there, while the minority do not.

People get upset when the powers that be bow to the whims of those who don't want something.

I think if the majority of a population wants something then it should be allowed - no questions; unless it causes physical harm upon another individual. People's mental hang-ups is their own problem.

originally posted by: olaru12
www.rawstory.com...

Marion, Ohio high school student is going on strike to protest the removal of a Ten Commandments plaque from the school’s hallway, The Marion Star reports.

A gift to the Harding High School from its graduating class of 1953, the plaque had hung next to the Preamble of the United States Constitution until it was removed by the Marion City School District.

“I don’t care about my grades now,” he continued. “I told the principal, until there is an agreement reached, I will not participate in any Harding-related activities, any Marion City Schools-related activities. Sports, choir, classes, whatever. I won’t even wear my Harding Marching Band shirt.”

Miller insisted that the Ten Commandments are not just a religious symbol, but guidelines it would behoove all students to follow, and that he will carry on with his strike until the plaque is replaced.

“Until there is at least some agreement made between the administration and the students,” Miller said, he will continue his strike. “If it is all year,” he added, “then it is all year.”

What a refreshing change to see a young man take action and stand up for his convictions; knowing full well the consequences he will face both socially and academically.

I personally don't agree with religion in schools but I will support freedom of speech, peaceful protests and demonstrations by groups or individuals.

Anthony Miller, I don't agree with your stance buy you have my utmost respect for having the guts to take action, question authority, and take the heat.

You have a reasonable take on it and it is great to see someone who disagrees with someone else but still can respect the stance they take.

If the Ten Commandments thing was donated by the class of 1953, couldn't it be kept for historical reasons and not be considered an endorsement of religion but more as a part of the school's history?

He has all the right in the world to repeat the tenth grade. This is only going to hurt him so it's a stupid way to protest. He would know that if he did his homework...

a reply to: olaru12

Yaeh, he's gonna suffer.

His parents are idiots though if they let him ruin his grades over something like that.

~Tenth

S&F for being open minded.

I have the ten commandments hanging in my front office of my shop and would be pissed if told to take it down.

This kid, while I applaud his actions, he is on the losing side of this fight and is not going about this right.

Fighting for everyones religious views is what he should be for. Not just ours.

Half the Commandments are about worshiping god, not about interaction between man and man. They are JUST a religious symbol. If he wants a good symbol for the students to know and practice, how about the Bill of Rights? This kid is an idiot.

This is absolutely untrue.

1. You shall have no other gods before me (GOD)
2. You shall not make idols (GOD)
3. You shal not take the name of the LORD your God in Vain (GOD)
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (GOD)
5. Honor Your father and mother (Others)
6. You shall not murder (Others)
7. You shall not commit adultery (Others)
8. You shall not steal (Others)
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (Others)
10. You shall not covet (Others)

Grand Total : God - 4, and man and man - 6

Why is this kid an idiot for standing up for what he believes in?

Some people lay down in front of traffic and are held as heroes, while others set their selves on fire, and are recorded as legendary peace demonstrators.

I don't understand why when an issue is considered important to someone, others trash them, and call them stupid.

We don't know the full story or history of this situation - and all opinions are completely conjecture at this point.

originally posted by: MentorsRiddle
What I have never understood about the removal of religious art from any public, or political forum is that the majority of people want them there, while the minority do not.

People get upset when the powers that be bow to the whims of those who don't want something.

I think if the majority of a population wants something then it should be allowed - no questions; unless it causes physical harm upon another individual. People's mental hang-ups is their own problem.

California had a vote on gay marriage, the gays lost.
Should they just suck it up and deal with it?

originally posted by: Hoosierdaddy71

originally posted by: MentorsRiddle
What I have never understood about the removal of religious art from any public, or political forum is that the majority of people want them there, while the minority do not.

People get upset when the powers that be bow to the whims of those who don't want something.

I think if the majority of a population wants something then it should be allowed - no questions; unless it causes physical harm upon another individual. People's mental hang-ups is their own problem.

California had a vote on gay marriage, the gays lost.
Should they just suck it up and deal with it?

This topic is not about gay marriage - it is about a students demonstration and ideas. I will not detract from the OP.

I'll be happy to have this discussion with you in a PM or another thread, but not this one.

If that young man feels that strongly about having a religious symbol in a publicly funded school, then maybe he and his parents should discuss attending a private Christian school instead. Let him refuse to do his homework and participate at school all he wants, he's only hurting himself and his grades.

Great convictions by a missplaced youth, like a poster said earlier, i am sure a christian school will take him in.

a reply to: olaru12

Thats the spirit!

I personally don't think the ten commandments have any place being displayed in a public funded school. But if you're going to do it. Then give equal display to ALL religions. Not just the dominant religion in America. Where's the plaque for Wiccans, Buddhists, Muslims, and so on. Either give them all equal support. Or give none to any of them. The latter is preferred.

Your religion is your personal business. Not a public affair.

originally posted by: MentorsRiddle

originally posted by: Hoosierdaddy71

originally posted by: MentorsRiddle
What I have never understood about the removal of religious art from any public, or political forum is that the majority of people want them there, while the minority do not.

People get upset when the powers that be bow to the whims of those who don't want something.

I think if the majority of a population wants something then it should be allowed - no questions; unless it causes physical harm upon another individual. People's mental hang-ups is their own problem.

California had a vote on gay marriage, the gays lost.
Should they just suck it up and deal with it?

This topic is not about gay marriage - it is about a students demonstration and ideas. I will not detract from the OP.

I'll be happy to have this discussion with you in a PM or another thread, but not this one.

I'm not arguing for or against gay marriage, just your point that the majority should get its way. Just because the majority is Christian doesn't mean they get to put their religious writing wherever they want. He can demonstrate all he wants, the schools still should not have the ten commandments hanging.

But which set of ten commandments?

First there were these from Exodus 20:

1. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me.

2. You shall not make for yourself a graven image. You shall not bow down to them or serve them.

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

5. Honor your father and your mother.

6. You shall not kill.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. You shall not covet.

But Moses broke those tablets in anger.

They were replaced with a new set from Exodus 34:

1. Thou shalt worship no other god (For the Lord is a jealous god).

2. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

3. The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep in the month when the ear is on the corn.

4. All the first-born are mine.

5. Six days shalt thou work, but on the seventh thou shalt rest.

6. Thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, even of the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.

7. Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread.

8. The fat of my feast shall not remain all night until the morning.

9. The first of the first fruits of thy ground thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God.

10. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk.

Is he talking about the real ten commandments, the ones placed in the ark, the ones with the tenth commandment being not to boil a baby goat in its mother's milk? Maybe his school cafeteria is boiling their baby goats incorrectly.

Edit: Ha! The post above mine, which went up as I was typing, weird minds think alike.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Half the Commandments are about worshiping god, not about interaction between man and man. They are JUST a religious symbol.

What about the other half? Murder and stealing aren't "JUST" religious crimes.

…he will just be ruined because he naively thought that high school was a super important part of his life. Such are the consequences for using ones freedom of speech recklessly

High school is the most important thing in his life. Standing on his right to protest there isn't "reckless".

The lesson of the states supreme authority will be imparted though, like you say. Thats what "public'" school is really teaching these days.

How can any government institution remove anything religious and have the words "IN GOD WE TRUST" printed on its currency? Does that make sense?

originally posted by: MentorsRiddle
What I have never understood about the removal of religious art from any public, or political forum is that the majority of people want them there, while the minority do not.

People get upset when the powers that be bow to the whims of those who don't want something.

I think if the majority of a population wants something then it should be allowed - no questions; unless it causes physical harm upon another individual. People's mental hang-ups is their own problem.

The majority of the population used to want slavery. How did that work out?