‘God’ stripped from Higley High yearbook

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May 18, 2007 - 7:14AM

The Associated Press

An honors student at Higley High School is asking administrators for an explanation after the word “God” was edited out of his biography in the school’s yearbook.

Anthony Sciubba was one of 13 seniors to receive a special full-page tribute in the yearbook, which was distributed Tuesday.

The text accompanying a photo of Sciubba, shown wearing his letter jacket and holding a Bible, said that he owed all of his success “to others.” But Sciubba said he specifically credited God.

He later was told by Higley’s yearbook faculty adviser that God could not be printed because of concerns over separation of church and state.

Sciubba said he met Wednesday with Higley’s vice principal and was told that the school would consult with lawyers on the matter.

Sciubba, 18, plans to study theology at Pepperdine University and hopes to become a doctor and Christian missionary.

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Alycia

Our country is in a sad state of affairs already. Let the kid excercise his right to freedom of speach. We as a country are trying our hardest to strip God from all things. Dont allow them to make the choice for you. Check out your ammendment rights Comment has been reviewed

May 18, 2007

Yearbook Advisor

TEACHING religion in a public school is not permitted, but using religion as a teaching tool IS. It is perfectly legal and appropriate for a student, in the context of an interview or "personality profile," to mention God in any context he or she desires. Alas, for Higley's rookie teacher who slipped here. Comment has been reviewed

May 18, 2007

Atheist

I am an Atheist; I hold all religious beliefs to be silly, supersititions and will be happy when people wake up and see the actual harm religion does to individuals and society.

That being said, this is an outrage. Yes, there is, and should be, a seperation of Church and State, but there is a little thing like the Constitution of the United States. There is no statutory resons, or logic, in any sense that would consider a person talking about what their beliefs in this context.

The bigger issue is Freedom of Speech. The narrow mindedness of these Gilbert censors are of the same mindset as those that are trying to put prayer INTO school, just slanted to a different direction.

This just goes to bolster that they cannot be a "perfect" God who made man perfectly, if he did this types of ignorant censors would not be in the gene pool, smile.

Comment has been reviewed

May 18, 2007

heti

This is rediculous! It is not as if the school was preaching God or a specific religion. It was a student who made a statement on his page. He believes God helped him with his achievements. So what? If others don't agree, that is their choice.

America has lost its freedom of speech, unless your speech content is something other that Christianity. I am not a practicing Christian, but I feel bad for those who are. It seems more acceptable to be a head to toe tattooed- body pierced- cross-dressing transvestite-illegal alien, than it is to be a Christian kid.

We are at the point where the Jerry Springer guests are considered normal! Suggest removal of this comment

May 18, 2007

All right Heti

Right on. Lets get a petition up and going to revert Gilbert's name to "Springerville." Very appropriate.
Suggest removal of this comment

May 18, 2007

SurfnMurf

Yearbook Advisor is right on this one; it's not an issue of separation of church and state, but an ill-informed school administrator. So long as the content does not originate from the school or it endorsed by the school, there is no issue. America will always have its freedoms--and dumb school administrators! Comment has been reviewed

May 18, 2007

J

I go to church with Anthony and am good friends with his family. He is a wonderful christian and we support him. It's too late for him to change the yearbook, but he knows what he meant and is raising this awareness to pave the way for others to be able to express themselves. God bless you and your family Anthony! Stand up for what is right and don't worry about what others have to say about you. Afterall, the school apologized for the "mistake" and acknowledged that they were in the wrong. That was not acknowleged in this article and I wonder why?

Congrats on doing so well in school and being accepted to such a great school. God be with you in your future endeavors. Suggest removal of this comment

May 18, 2007

wondering

Interesting point on the usage. If this was a Muslim student who had written "Praise be to Allah for all of his blessings on me" - what would the school have done then...in this political climate?

Bet they would have been fearful of severe backlash and a lawsuit and they would have not edited it...seems that it all depends on whose speech you are censoring these days.

A kid could personally thank Red Bull for keeping him up in order to cram for finals but he can't personally thank "God"? Please... Suggest removal of this comment

May 18, 2007

IGNORANT

As I said before, (before it was removed) had he thanked joyce lutrey , they would have made SURE the comment was bolded and font made bigger.....The leadership inablilities are obvious in this school district.... Suggest removal of this comment

May 18, 2007

Joe4949

God didn't make this boy successful, his own hard work did. It's a shame that some of our youth is so brainwashed into religion today. Good luck to him, wish him the best though. Comment has been reviewed