For some reason, the Unicoi County Schools Board of Education (in Tennessee) had a Christian flag hoisted during their meetings, and no one paid much attention until the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent them a letter about it.

“The Christian flag being displayed during public school board meetings unabashedly creates the perception of government endorsement of Christianity,” FFRF Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert writes in her letter to the board. “The display of this Christian flag is a brazen affront to the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution.” The Christian flag, designed by Protestants in the early 20th century, features a Latin cross, and each of the flag’s three colors represent a different aspect of Christianity: blue refers to the baptism in water, white represents biblical conceptions of purity and red signifies the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Knowing that their backs were against the wall here, since they would undoubtedly lose a lawsuit, the Board finally did the right thing yesterday:

The Unicoi County school board voted unanimously to remove the Christian flag from its board room. School board chairman Tyler Engle said the vote was 6-0. … The flag will be donated to the Unicoi County Ministerial Association.

When a Tennessee school board votes unanimously to take down a Christian flag, you know the argument against having it must have been powerful.

(Thanks to Brian for the link)



