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HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL Taking another look at InnnerChange desicision Dear Readers: This week, we return to Judge Robert W. Pratt’s opinion in Americans United. This case presented an interesting constitu tional issue concerning an inmate-rehabilitation pro gram provided by “Prison Ministries,” through its “Inner Change Freedom Initiative” (“InnerChange”), for the State of lowa (“State”). Prison Ministries’ mandate to promote “bibli cal standards of justice in the criminal justice system” clashed with individual inmates’ religious freedom. Judge Pratt begins his anal ysis with Thomas Jefferson’s uniquely American vision of the separation of church and state: “that Almighty God has created the mind free . . . [and, therefore] the Holy Author . . . chose not to propagate [religion] by coercion ... as was in his Almighty power to do . ...” See Virginia Religious Security Bank announces management appointments Special to HDJ Cathy Cotton has been elected Assistant Vice President and named Branch Manager of Security Bank’s Houston Lake Road office. Pam Piper will be in charge of commercial lending in the Watson Blvd. office. “With over 20 years of experience in Houston County banking, Cathy is a tremendous addition to our team,” said George Slappey, executive vice president of the bank. “I know our customers are going to enjoy doing busi ness with her.” .' Cotton is actively Involved in community affairs, serving as treasurer for Internationa] City Civitan, on the Salvation Army board of directors and as ambas sador for the Warner Robins Chamber of Commerce. Student registration information Special to the HDJ Students new to Houston County schools may regis ter for the 2006-2007 school year at the school for which they are zoned. School zones may be verified online or by calling the school. Zones are provided on the HCBOE web page, www.hcbe.net/ zonemaps. Those moving to Houston County from outside of the United States may first reg ister at one of the system’s International Newcomer Welcome Centers which have been established at two schools - Morningside Elementary and David Perdue Elementary. The International Newcomer Welcome Centers are designed to help smooth the transition for interna tional students and their families. Dates for enrollment and required documentation are provided below. International newcom er welcome centers July 24 through Aug. 3 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. Located at either Morningside Elementary or David Perdue Elementary All elementary schools July 25-27 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Parents who need to reg ister after July 27 may do so, but should first phone the school to make certain appropriate personnel would be present to register their children. All middle schools July 25 8-11:30 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. Parents who wish to regis ter at another time may do so but should phone before going to the school to make certain appropriate person Freedom act, 1786, in “The Complete Bill of Rights: The Drafts, Debates, Sources & Origins 51” (Neil H. Cogan ed„ 1997). This was captured in the First Amendment to the original Bill of Rights, the very first citizen-right codified: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exer cise thereof. . Thus, the State may not promote one religion over another and must remain neutral with respect to faith. Ultimately, Inner Change ran afoul of this restriction on state entanglement with religion. On its face, Inner Charge was charged with a religious ly neutral, and constitution ally permitted, goal, i.e., to provide a “value-based” rehabilitation program. However, peeling away the contractual facade revealed a far less neutral practice according to Judge Pratt. He noted Inner Change dis- | >. f lS|i ,!> J. *”• -.. . ,_. COTTON “Pam Piper has done a tremendous job for Security Bank over the past five years and will continue to serve commercial customers in her new location,” Slappey added. Among Piper’s many com munity leadership positions are Chairman of the Board of HODAC, Warner Robins nel will be present to regis ter their children. High schools Houston County High School By appointment only from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on either July 25 or 26, or Aug. 3. Parents must first pick up and complete a new student registration packet. Once the packet is returned with of the all requested informa tion, a registration appoint ment will be scheduled. Houston County Career & Technology Center Applications for fall enroll ment are being accepted throughout the summer. Northside High School July 19, 8-11:30 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. Perry High School July 25-Aug. 2 8-11:30 and 1-3 p.m. Warner Robins High July 21 and 24, by appoint ment only Call 929-7878 to schedule an appointment. Documentation required for enrollment: iMfiGhefitsileamnnieraice Summer Time Is Here j “Hands On Cleaning” / VINYL • WINDOWS IN/OUT • RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL • DEEP CLEANING, MILDEW SCRUB • ROOF CLEANING, STRIPPING & WAXINGjpJOR&k \ FREE 478-952-9314 or 988-0306 718 Carroll St. • Perry, GA 31069 Jim Rockefeller Columnist ajr@rockefellerlawcenter.com couraged, if not prohibited, participants from practicing other religious disciplines. Furthermore, it was housed in a Prison Unit deemed an “honor unit,” with special privileges, facilities, and sta tus within the prison cul ture. Yet, those who did not commit themselves to the Evangelical “Christian based” lifestyle promoted by Inner Change would be involuntarily removed from this privileged Unit. This created a problem for Judge Pratt, as this ostra cization implicitly promoted BBF Jlb \ JjKjf ■•*** * - ■V PIPER Civitan Club member, Board Member of the Warner Robins Convention and Visitors Bureau'‘and, B9£r{i, Member for United Way. Security Bank of Houston County has five full-service banking offices in Warner Robins and Perry. It is an affiliate bank of Security Bank Corporation. Certificate of Immunization (Georgia Form 3231) - Out-of-state students or initial student enrollments must submit Georgia Form 3231 at the time of registra tion. Inoculations for MMR, Varicella, and Hepatitis B must have begun. Transfer students from within Georgia may have 30 days for their records to arrive. - Ear, Eye, and Dental Screening (Georgia Form 3300) - Guardianship/Custody orders (If student does not live with natural parents) - Proof of Residency - util ity deposit verification, lease agreement, contract, etc. Copy of Social Security Card or waiver The following documenta tion must be provided within 30 days of enrollment: - Permanent Academic/ Attendance Records from Previous School - The child’s placement will be temporary until offi cial records arrive from your previous school. - The new school will request these records, but the responsi bility for their receipt rests with the parents. LOCAL JK, InnerChange’s specific form of Evangelical Christianity. Thus, Judge Pratt con cluded, “The physical set ting . . . the programming, and the daily schedule all combine to create a sort of modern, Evangelical Christian monastic setting in which every waking hour is devoted to living out an intentional Christian experi ence.” Troubled, Judge Pratt couched the constitution al issue as whether or not the "... moral code pre sented by Inner Change, as DHR encourages vigilance for child safety during summer Special to the HDJ With summer upon us, and children out of school, the Department of Human Resources urges parents to remain vigilant in order to keep kids safe. The summer can be a time for fun and recreation, but can also pose serious health and safety risks for children of all ages. With children home from school, some parents may find themselves leaving children home alone for extended periods of time. Children may also be engaged in sports and other irecreational activities. With this-'m mind DHR is Advis ing parents to take heed of some crucial summer safety tips for their children. “Summer should be fun as well as a safe time for children, and we must take care that in the midst of that fun, we don’t miss potential hazards for chil dren. Neglect can be eliminat ed by ensuring that fami lies have the support and resources they need to raise their children in a healthy and safe environment,” said DHR Commissioner B.J. Walker. Parents should care fully weigh their options before leaving children home alone this summer. Children age 13 and older generally can be left home alone, but shouldn’t be left home overnight. Children under 8 years of age, however, should never be left home alone even for short periods of time. Parents must assess the maturity and responsibil ity of their children before deciding whether or not to leave a child alone. Young children should LADDA Unai The best Fried ice cream it S 4 lift* «&% \ - :■;. .. % 1 « iflr &J Bb . Hr /vß' 1 Via n iirniftmtfr 9 \ Stuffed Boneless Chicken rniigi I w/Sweet Chili Dipping Sauced lu datM jißu&sEkz • -<Jk ut. , 1746 WATSON BLVD., WARNER ROfilNS, GA 31093 financed by the state ... can be separated from the religious vehicle in which it is presented.” Inner Change and the State argued that any religion could adapt the curriculum to their faith and that “Inner Change should not be slighted for being the only real option in the mar ketplace for values-based rehabilitation providers in prisons.” Judge Pratt disagreed; the lack of “market” competition in providing inmates with rehabilitation resulted in the State consciously using InnerChange’s religious teachings to rehabilitate prisoners, rehabilitation of prisoners being a uniquely State function. Consequently, Judge Pratt could not separate the sec ular goal of rehabilitation from the religious identity of Inner Change. This was especially unconstitutional given that prisons consti tute an inherently coercive environment. never be left in a parked car, there have been hundreds of incidents across the country where children have died of heat stroke while trapped in cars with temperatures well above 100 degrees. Young children should never be left unsupervised around water. Even good swimmers could suffer a serious accident while left unaccompanied. Children who are going to be around water during the summer should learn to swim and children should always wear a US Coast Guard approved life jack et while on a lake, river or ocean while boating or engaged in other water activities. Top Notch Cleaning Service “Where We Take Cleaning To The Highest Level” No Job Too Small! vVe Schedule On Short Notice FREE ESTIMATES! lg* Residential/Commercial 109 Springfield Court • Perry, GA 31069 478-218-4676 0003445^ irs all in •Home Journal Classifieds fisM • OEMS FOR SUE • AUTOMOTIVE mm * SPECIALS • REAL ESTATE iasll • HELP WANTED -PETS Call Amanda or Betty today to #i/rpaeo your classified advertisement! 478-987-1823 Ttue Qiesk Experience the iiiiltdfife l taste of ThailamK^ wmm mm & W, f a.. 1 JHflk WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2006 Some may not like this decision; however, it is con stitutionally sound. Government funds may not implicitly promote a spe cific religion - period. In contrast, a religious orga nization, even in prison, can seek participants in its program, so long as the Government is uninvolved in this election. This is the beauty of the Ist Amendment, protecting each of us from a religious state. We need only look to Taliban-Afghanistan and modem Iran to understand the danger of a society lack ing this protection. Warner Robins attorney Jim Rockefeller is the for mer Chief Assistant District Attorney for Houston County, and a former Florida State Attorney. Ownerofßockefeller Law Center, Jim has been in private practice since 2000. E-mail your comments or confidential legal questions to ajr@rockefellarlawcenter. com. The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) encourages families and concerned citizens to recognize the warning signs of child neglect and abuse, including: children who are unsupervised or left home alone frequently, children who are often hungry, chil dren who have inadequate clothing, children who have mysterious bruises or chil dren who are overly aggres sive. DFCS urges everyone to be mindful of these warning signs and if a person sus pects a child is being abused or neglected, they should report their suspicions to the county DFCS office or the police. Tel 329-1200 OPEN! Lunch & Dinner 5A