Connecticut School Board to Appeal Graduation Ruling after All

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“A Connecticut school board voted June 8 to appeal a federal judge’s ruling that holding high-school graduation ceremonies at a local church is unconstitutional, reversing a vote a week earlier to lay the matter to rest.”

Discussion

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Susan R
Sat, 06/12/10 7:14 am

Religious imagery seems to only be offensive when it is present in a serious setting such as a church or temple. Folks will embrace such pop icons as Madonna and Lady Gaga, who use religious themes and images throughout their music and videos, religious symbols and quotations are for sale as art and jewelry in every WalMart and Target in America, but angels forfend there be a crucifix in a CHURCH. Do these people who are so uncomfortable and offended by religious symbols ever leave the house?
The ACLU and AU lawsuit claims that holding graduations in a church sanctuary filled with religious symbols and literature while other secular venues are available endorses religion in a way prohibited by the First Amendment.

In her injunction order, Judge Hall said forcing non-Christians to choose between attending a graduation surrounded by Christian symbols or missing it outright would be coercive and that requiring the church to cover or remove such objects would violate the congregation’s right to make religious decisions without government interference.
The back and forth on this sounds so juvenile it is hard to take seriously.

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