By Staff
Austin T. Lawrence, a junior at Dowagiac Union High School, won the fourth annual Civil Liberties Essay Contest sponsored by the Southwest Michigan Branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Lawrence read his award-winning essay at the branch's annual dinner at People's Church in Kalamazoo April 17.
Both Lawrence and his sponsoring teacher, Robert Kwiatkoski, were honored with the presentation of plaques.
Lawrence was also given a $500 cash award.
His essay, based on an actual case in which the Michigan ACLU defended a student's right to include a Biblical quotation in her high school yearbook entry, argued that ". . . while the government must be careful not to advocate a religion, it must also respect the rights of freedom and speech guaranteed under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution."
The winning essay was selected from entries from throughout southwestern Michigan and were judged on clarity, coherency, persuasiveness and overall quality.