I didn't see this mentioned anywhere today so thought I would extend the good news. I know this case won a lot of interest here when it came out.
Parents can share Wicca with son
Ruling shielding child from beliefs overruled
An Indianapolis father can share his Wiccan beliefs and rituals with his 10-year-old son, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday in a unanimous decision upholding parents' rights to share their religion with their children.
Full story here, more on the flip -->
This story broke in late May when a divorce decree was challenged by a Wiccan couple. Custody of their 9-year-old son was awarded, uncontested, to the father but he was warned not to share his "
non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals" with the boy. The boy was attending the same parochial school that the father had attended. The school had no problem with the differing beliefs of the family and the father was happy with the education his son was receiving but the Domestic Relations Counseling Bureau stepped in to say the family was sending harmful mixed messages:
"There is a discrepancy between Ms. Jones and Mr. Jones' lifestyle and the belief system adhered to by the parochial school. . . . Ms. Jones and Mr. Jones display little insight into the confusion these divergent belief systems will have upon (the boy) as he ages," the bureau said in its report.
The judge in the case took this as his signal to intrude, citing concerns about some Wiccan practices fitness for children. He's now whistling a different tune:
Marion Superior Court Judge Cale J. Bradford, who approved the divorce decree after a court commissioner made the initial decision, agreed with the appeals court decision.
"This case was never about freedom of religion," Bradford said. "I support freedom of religion, and not just mine, either. That includes the Wiccans."
"I have nothing against the Wiccans of the world," Bradford said. "I wish them all the best."
Heh.
Most of this info has come from the linked articles, but I'd like to add something I heard recently on local news. The boy's grandfather died this year and it doubled the father's grief that he couldn't share his mourning process with his son. He said he was hoping the case would be resolved by Samhain, a time for remembering passed spirits, so that he could share this loss with his son. They have this to look forward to now!
A little good news for the day.