School board to appeal ban on graduation at church
A Connecticut school board has voted to appeal a federal court ruling that would keep the town's two high school graduation ceremonies out of a megachurch, the Associated Press reports.
Tuesday night's 5-4 vote by Enfield's Board of Education reverses a board decision last week to let stand the temporary injunction issued by U.S. District Court Judge Janet Hall.
Hall found that holding the June 23 and 24 graduations at First Cathedral Baptist Church in Bloomfield would amount to an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.
Attorney Vincent McCarthy, who's representing the school district, plans to file with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
American Civil Liberties Union attorney David McGuire says he's disappointed by the decision but believes the injunction will be upheld.
Comments
I am not sure which building they are planning on having the ceremonies in, but I hope they arent told to cover any crosses like Obama did at Georgetown University before he would give a speech. Anyone who calls himself a Christian and wants a cross covered is a liar and a deceiver.
Posted by: Clay | June 9, 2010 3:03 PM
Clay, is it alright if the non-Christians cover the crosses?
Posted by: Camille Quelquejeu | June 9, 2010 4:25 PM
Of course not. That is what Obama tried to do. Let me ask you. Do you think it is ok if the ceremonies are held in a hall with no church decorations?
Posted by: Clay | June 9, 2010 4:31 PM
Clay,
Yes.
Posted by: Camille Quelquejeu | June 9, 2010 4:52 PM
Thats nice of you. There is hope for you.
Posted by: Clay | June 10, 2010 8:25 AM
I used to live in a town where the local middle school let our church meet in their classrooms on Sunday, as long as we cleaned up afterwards. There is nothing wrong with holding school meetings in a chapel, especially since the school might not have the facilities for holding graduation ceremonies, and holding it at a church might be much cheaper.
Posted by: Jonathan | June 13, 2010 7:56 PM
Jonathon,
The scenario in this case in Connecticut is somewhat diferent than the one you describe. I see a lot fewer problems with a church holding meetings in a school than I do with a school conducting its mandatory and all-inclusive graduation cermoney in a church sanctuary.
Also ... I am going to presume that you are Christian and that the local "church" is also Christian. Would you be as comfortable, were your ceremonies (or those of your child) to be held in a mosque, Hindu temple, or Wiccan assembly space? Because that's what the case is about: the necessity of keeping State (e.g., public-school) functions out of sectarian settings.
Finally, in the Connecticut case, less expensive secular spaces were available.
Posted by: BankStreet | June 14, 2010 11:44 AM