Smoky Mountains Sunrise
Showing posts with label Patricia Koeze. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patricia Koeze. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Former Holland, Michigan Schools Superintendent Arrested

Former Holland, MI Schools Superintendent Patricia Koeze
In June 2008, Sunlit Uplands reported on  West Ottawa, Michigan Public Schools Superintendent Patricia Koeze, and her censorship of planned remarks by high school valedictorian Jed Grooters, who included quotations from the New Testament in his valedictory speech.  

One of our political mentors, Senator Herman Talmadge, always stressed the importance of differentiating between "good reasons" and "real reasons."  The district termed the valedictory remarks "religious speech" because they included a few scripture passages from Corinthians.  But as the American Family Association of Michigan pointed out at the time, Koeze and the district didn't have a legal leg to stand on in restricting an honor student's First Amendment rights.  And now, with the recent arrest of former Superintendent Koeze on domestic assault charges, perhaps we see the "real reason" she was so offended by the Christian message.