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Court Rules 'God Bless America' Not Unconstitutional

  • Amanda Casanova

    Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and…

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  • Updated Feb 19, 2015

The Florida high school that told a student not to say “God bless America” during morning announcements said this week that the student did not violate the U.S. Constitution.

"Upon consultation with legal counsel and review of legal advisories, the Nassau County School District has taken the position that a student's use of the phrase "God Bless America" during the morning announcements at Yulee High School does not violate the Constitution of the United States," the school district said in a statement.

Charisma News reports that the student will still have to remain on-script during announcements. The unidentified student has not been named, and according to school officials, he was not punished.

"The student in question has been quite cooperative and understands not to add to the script," said Nassau County School District spokeswoman Sharyl Wood.

The controversy started when the American Humanist Association sent a six-page letter to the principal at Yulee High School on behalf of two atheist students at the school.

In the letter, the Humanist Association said the phrase "God bless America" is a religious message that "is invidious toward atheists and other nonbelievers," and that it violates the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment that "commands a separation of church and state.”

Publication date: February 19, 2015