By Staff at AP
    Feb 29,2000

    ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — What began as a display of the Ten Commandments in central Pennsylvania schools will include, for a time at least, a selection of readings from Wiccan faith, gay rights history and atheism. 

    The Altoona Area School District announced Monday its decision to display documents representing some diverse beliefs – keeping in line with a policy reached last year to allow the Ten Commandments to be posted in glass display cases in school libraries. 

    Tom Bradley, a spokesman for the district, said there have been few critics of the decision to consider other documents for display in the schools. 

    “It has been pretty quiet so far,” he said. “I think people are smart enough to realize that if you allow that for one (part of the) community ... it opens the door.” 

    The district policy says that documents - including the commandments - which meet certain criteria can be displayed for 25 school days in each of the district’s 13 schools as long as they show no disrespect to any individual, ethnic group or religion. They must also be of a historical or religious origin. 

    District officials announced Monday that its Project Character Building Committee will add at least five documents to the displays which already have contained the commandments and the “Affirmations of Humanism.” 

    The latter is a list of 21 statements which says adults should be allowed to express sexual preferences, “exercise reproductive freedom,” have access to medical care and “die with dignity.” 

    Among the documents to be displayed are: 

         “The Cycle of the Goddess,” a writing from Wiccan, which
         some people consider a form of witchcraft. It was submitted,
         along with two other Wiccan writings, by Amanda Moore, an
         Altoona High School graduate who lives in State College and
         attends Penn State. 

         “The History of the Pink Triangle,” a one-page document
         submitted by Altoona resident James Gatehouse, which
         describes how the pink triangle became a symbol of the
         modern gay rights movement after being used in Nazi
         concentration camps during World War II. 

         The Baha’i Faith’s “Golden Rule,” submitted by Altoona
         resident Gail Alberini. 

         “What is a Freethinker?” and “American Atheists...An
         Introduction.” Both had originally been rejected by the
         committee in January, because they included information
         directly soliciting members. That information has been
         removed from the writings. 

    Also, a reading from the Jewish faith, from Leviticus or Michah, is
    expected to be displayed after one is selected by Temple Beth
    Israel. 

    Moore said she was happy with the district’s decision to display the materials. 

    “I am very satisfied with that,” she told the Altoona Mirror.
    “Everyone is getting their work in there in some shape or form.” 

    The approved documents will remain in the schools’ libraries for 25 school days as part of the program. The Rev. Gary Dull, of Faith Baptist Church, has said he plans to resubmit the Ten Commandments in the future. 

    Bradley said the flap over the documents hasn’t disturbed any school children. 

    “Quite frankly,” he said, “I don’t know how many kids have gone over to look at these pieces.”