Florida School Board Settles Lawsuit Over Graduation Ceremonies At Church

[Zenlitened]

Florida School Board Settles Lawsuit Over Graduation Ceremonies At Church

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

A Florida public school board has agreed to stop conducting graduation ceremonies in overtly religious settings, settling a lawsuit filed by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The Brevard County School Board voted unanimously Oct. 25 to settle a federal lawsuit over the district’s use of Calvary Chapel in Melbourne for several high school graduation ceremonies.

Americans United sued the board earlier this year on behalf of some Brevard County parents who objected to use of the church sanctuary, which is dominated by a large cross.

In his Musgrove v. School Board of Brevard County decision, (U.S. District Judge Gregory A.) Presnell chastised school officials for using the church for the school ceremonies and agreed with Americans United’s assertions that neutral locations were the proper forums for such events.

http://www.au.org/site/News2?abbr=pr&page=NewsArticle&id=7621&security=1002&news_iv_ctrl=1241

Graduation ceremonies will now be held outdoors at the school's football field or, if weather is bad, indoors at a nearby college auditorium.

[WinkyDink]

1. Good for this judge.

People must surely have little faith if it must be propped up in public.

[Mend]

2. Now, was that so hard?

follow the Constitution, use the football field.

[ManiacJoe]

3. The judge needs to make up his mind.

First he allows the use of the church due to a lack of alternative venues, then allows a law suit against those who followed his legal advice.

[Zenlitened]

4. Uh... no. That's not quite how it went.

...On May 18, U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell allowed several Brevard County high schools to conduct their graduation ceremonies in Calvary Chapel with its religious symbols exposed because there was not time to find an alternative venue.

He basically said, awright go ahead and use the church for now, because otherwise there's no graduation ceremony. But we've still got to work this out afterward.

[ManiacJoe]

5. That is how I read it, too.

However, my definition of 'working it out' never involves lawyers and the courts.

[Zenlitened]

6. That must be nice, over there in Utopia.