Paxton Sues, Wins to Get Charlie Brown and Jesus Uncensored in Public School

AUSTIN, TX — A Texas judge ordered Killeen ISD to allow for the display of a poster inspired by the animated holiday television cartoon "A Charlie Brown Christmas" Thursday.

Wednesday, in a 6-1 vote, the board of trustees for the district had banned the handmade sign because it included Christian words like “David”, “Savior”, “Christ” and “Lord.”

Those words were included in the sign’s message that was actually a quote from Charles Schultz’s Linus, who as portrayed in the popular cartoon TV show, explained to the other Peanuts the meaning of Christmas. The quote from Linus accompanied a hand-drawn picture of the cartoon orator and was taped to a doorway to the school’s clinic.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. ... That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown," is what the text on the handmade sign read.

The artist of the poster was Detra Shannon, a nurse’s aide at the school.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the school district had unlawfully stamped out religious expression when it banned the poster, and his office fired back with a law suit.

The school board voted earlier to ban the poster's display on the grounds that it could offend students who do not have the same religious views as Christians.

"Religious discrimination towards Christians has become a holiday tradition of sorts among certain groups," Paxton said, adding, "I am glad to see that the court broke through the left's rhetorical fog and recognized that a commitment to diversity means protecting everyone's individual religious expression."

The district said the ruling from the Bell County 146th District Court required that text must be added to the poster saying it is "Ms. Shannon’s Christmas Message.”

Reuters reported that the school district issued a statement supporting the court’s ruling. "We believe that directing the individual to include the additional text better complies with state and federal law. We support this decision," it read.

Portions of this story came from Reuters.