Put the energy from the Day of Reason to good use on May 17, as Chuck Samuelson, Executive Director of ALCU MN drops by the Ridgedale Library at 2 p.m. for a presentation on ACLU MN's current lawsuit against a charter school in Apple Valley known as TiZA. Those who are not familiar with the case will learn about how this charter school has violated the separation of church and state and what steps the ALCU MN takes leading up to a lawsuit to attempt to resolve issues without litigation.

TiZA is accused of violating the separation of church and state on several issues. The school has a prayer posted at the entrance, girls are prohibited from wearing short sleeves, and school buses don't leave until the hour after school ends, which is when religious studies classes are held, which most students are enrolled in.

This case is important for several reasons. There are clear concerns at the school, with regard to the endorsement of a particular religion. However, when the Minnesota Department of Education investigated claims, they did not see any violations, but urged the school to better separate religious expression from the school day. What this means is that the rules for Charter Schools in Minnesota need to be written more clearly to protect the separation of church and state so litigation becomes unnecessary. Other religious groups are also watching the outcome of this lawsuit to see how the court will rule. If ACLU MN is not successful, this could mean that your tax dollars could be used to fund other schools with shared religious service facilities, daily worship, and after school religious studies classes.

After the meeting, we will be gathering for an early dinner to discuss the meeting further.

For more information, visit meetup.com.