First Ammendment Prom Rights

What is the name of your state? Illinois

According the the first ammendment of the US consitution,
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof." I have read that the the Ohio Supreme Court
has interprets that as "any sincerly held moral belief."
(http://www.animal-law.org/srco/kisscmpt.htm) I was wondering if
you had any informatiuon and rescources as to this being held true in either
Illinois or federal legislation, and would pertain to highschool students.
I have heard that a school is required by law to honour a student's right not
to eat meat, and to choose a vegitarian or vegan lifetyle. Does this
rule pertain to optional events such as high school proms? If a school
requires a student attending the event to place an order for food, and
refuses to offer an alternative meal upon request, would this qualify as
discrimination and a student's rights violation due to the fact that it is
disrespect/disregard for a sincerly held moral belief? Also, since I am a Christian and vegitarianism is a part of my religious beliefs I should have my first ammendment rights.
Any information, facts and resources on the issue that you have
would be of great help!

Since when is being a vegetarian a Christian belief?

The school prom committee almost certainly does not have to offer you an alternative menu. You can choose to accept the options or not. However, you MAY be able to negotiate an opportunity to bring your own food should you not want to partake in the selections offered.

Plus, there is likely some time before prom, perhaps you can work with the committee to select a meal option that is acceptable to you.

Very often, these events are catered and priced with specific limitations on the food items in order to keep the price by the caterer or restaurant to an acceptable level.

- Carl

There is no violation of your constitutional rights.

If you'd like to know why, read the passage you posted and then use your brain.

Jesus was a vegetarian? Who knew?!?! Next you'll be telling us he didn't drink wine, either.

Read the Bible vegitarianism is encouarged, however not madated or required. And I never said Jesus was a vegitarian, or that He didn't drink wine. I came here for advice, not to be disrespected. Also, If you would have read the message you probably would realize that I HAVE talked to them about the best option and WAS DENIED. Prom is optional, however still school sponsored and still required to respect student's rights. And it is not catered, and the meal price is included in the ticket price, AND vegitarian food costs LESS than meat.

Date: Monday April 11th 2005

Time: approximately 11:40 AM

Description: A few weeks before the incident I spoke with my principal and requested an alternative meal at our schools prom. He was fully respectful to me and responded that I would have to speak directly to the sponsor. I went to look for her, to no avail. After that, the sponsor was out for several weeks due to health related reasons. The day she came to visit I looked for her again but she had already left. On the day she returned, I managed to speak with her. I made my request for an alternative meal and the response given was that it's "not possible." After hearing her response I then asked if I could "just not order food." Her response to this was [and I quote] "That's not an option because it comes with the package." [End quote] Because prom is a school-sponsored event, and because veganism is a part of my personal religious beliefs and convictions I feel that this incident is a violation of my first amendment rights.


Dear Bonnie and All:

We believe your concepts are correct, but we don't know the law well enough
to confirm whether or not their is any case history in the courts.

Vegetarianism and veganism are long and well established lifestyles, and to
discriminate against a person with those beliefs could also place your
concepts under the anti-discrimination laws.

This would be something very interesting for a lawyer to explore, and
publish on our web sites.

In the Love of the Lord,

Frank and Mary
http://www.all-creatures.org
-If you really want God to bless America and the world...GO VEGAN!

While you are certainly free to hold what beliefs you wish (and, of course, vegetarianism is not a tenet of the Christian faith), the school is under no legal obligation that I am aware of to provide you with a meal that you would accept.

Say for instance I am of a belief system that ate only freshly slaughtered chickens. Would I then be able to argue that the school adhere to my rights and purchase a chicken for me to slaughter on the table at the prom?

Life is full of choices. And faith is full of sacrifices. Consider this one of those sacrifices.

- Carl