NOTE:  NJ high school student Samantha Jones and her family have been granted intervenor status in a NJ Superior Court case. In legal terms, an intervenor is a person who obtains the court's permission to enter into a lawsuit which has already started between other parties and to file a complaint stating the basis for a claim in the existing lawsuit. Such intervention will be allowed only if the party wanting to enter into the case has some right or interest in the suit and will not unduly prejudice the ability of the original parties to the lawsuit in conducting their case. (from Legal Dictionary at FreeDictionary .com)

1. Describe the case in which Samantha Jones and her family have been granted intervenor status.

2. How is the school district defending its policy on the Pledge of Allegiance?

3. How did a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rule in May on a similar case?

4. What arguments is the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty using to defend the case?

5. a) It is optional for students to recite the pledge. Why is the Humanist Association suing the school district?
b) What would be another way (besides suing the school district to force them to remove “under God” from their pledge) for the family to address the problem they say their child was having with not saying “under God”?

6. a) Write out the words to the Pledge of Allegiance.
b) Ask a parent and a grandparent how they view this lawsuit and the arguments from both sides.

7. Samantha Jones said atheists have the right to not recite the pledge. She added, "They don't have the right to silence everyone else.” Do you agree? Explain your answer.