Opinion ID: 708076
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: DISD Choirs' Theme Song

Text: 20 DISD contends that the district court erred by enjoining DISD from permitting DISD choirs to sing songs with religious content as their theme songs. The district court enjoined DISD, its employees and agents from: 21 2. initiating, leading, authorizing, encouraging, or condoning the recitation or singing of religious songs as a theme song of the Duncanville school choirs. Religious songs may be sung, however, for their artistic and historic qualities if presented objectively as part of a secular program of education. 22 The district court made only two findings specific to this issue: (1) that Jane Doe is a member of the DISD choir and receives academic credit for her participation in the choir; and (2) that [a]s a DISD choir member, Jane Doe was required to sing a religious Christian song entitled, The Lord Bless You and Keep You. This song is sung at each DISD choir performance and has been adopted by school personnel and students as the choir's theme song. 5 23 All parties recognize that the Establishment Clause does not prohibit DISD choirs from singing religious songs as part of a secular music program, in accord with School District of Abington Township v. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203, 225, 83 S.Ct. 1560, 1573, 10 L.Ed.2d 844 (1963). Thus, the Does essentially contend that the act of treating The Lord Bless You and Keep You as the theme song, rather than as simply one song in the repertoire, transforms the permissible practice of singing this song into an endorsement of religion. The record reveals that two practical effects flow from designating this as the theme song: it is sung often and it is carried over from year to year. 6 24 Legitimate secular reasons exist for maintaining The Lord Bless You and Keep You as the theme song. As the choir director, David McCullar, testified, this song is particularly useful to teach students to sight read and to sing a capella. In Mr. McCullar's words, it is also a good piece of music ... by a reputable composer. 25 Neither does utilizing The Lord Bless You and Keep You as a theme song advance or endorse religion. The Does do not argue that the choir sings the theme song as a religious exercise per se 7 so we do not accept the notion that repeated singing of a particular religious song amounts to an endorsement of religion. At trial, Mr. McCullar estimated that 60-75 percent of serious choral music is based on sacred themes or text. Given the dominance of religious music in this field, DISD can hardly be presumed to be advancing or endorsing religion by allowing its choirs to sing a religious theme song. As a matter of statistical probability, the song best suited to be the theme is more likely to be religious than not. Indeed, to forbid DISD from having a theme song that is religious would force DISD to disqualify the majority of appropriate choral music simply because it is religious. Within the world of choral music, such a restriction would require hostility, not neutrality, toward religion. 8 26 A position of neutrality towards religion must allow choir directors to recognize the fact that most choral music is religious. Limiting the number of times a religious piece of music can be sung is tantamount to censorship and does not send students a message of neutrality. Where, as here, singing the theme song is not a religious exercise, we will not find an endorsement of religion exists merely because a religious song with widely recognized musical value is sung more often than other songs. Such animosity towards religion is not required or condoned by the Constitution. 9 27 We conclude that the district court erred by enjoining DISD from using songs with religious content as theme songs for its choirs.