A federal judge ruled today that Enfield Board of Educaton cannot hold their high school graduation at a Christian church, as doing so violates the First Amendment. At issue — in part — were prominently displayed crosses.
Originally, the board rented First Cathedral in Bloomfield, but five unnamed plaintiffs — two students and three of their parents — expressed concern in a suit filed by the ACLU of Connecticut, ACLU, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
You can read Judge Janet Hall’s ruling here.
We can discuss this until — well — Jesus comes back, but this is a good decision. There are plenty of other, secular venues in which to hold a graduation. First Cathedral does good work. This is not a slam against them, but holding an important ceremony like a graduation in a religious setting was a bad idea from the start.
Why did they choose this venue in the first place? Price? Location? Somebody was getting a kickback?
Location couldn’t be it. The church isn’t especially near the town. There are closer venues, I believe.
Maybe they were looking to create a test case?
Interesting. I hadn’t thought of that.
Over the years, the intent of the framers of the Constitution with regard to the separation of Church and State has been muddied, to say the least. I attended a Graduation at this “Church,” however I never felt compelled to Join their Church, nor did I feel uncomfortable being there, as stated by Doe 2. It’s a freakin’ building. I have been in Churches, Mosques and Temples and never felt “…that one should be part of their
religion.”
If I were Principal of either school, I would cancel graduation and mail the silly diplomas home.
Stone walls do not make a Church.
I dunno, Mario. Even though I belong to the dominant group (Christians rule! Yeh, Christians!) I can see the point. My experiences in mosques have been pleasant — synagogues, too — but that’s coming from belonging to a dominant group. You know what I mean? I don’t have the same reaction to symbols of Judaism or Islam that a Jew or a Muslim might have to Christian symbols.
I loathe graduation ceremonies and didn’t attend my own. But there are people who look forward to such events from Day One.
Enfield and Bloomfield are separate towns, anyway. When I went to Bloomfield High School half a century ago, we played sports against Enfield.
I am not in favor of public school graduations in houses of worship. “Render unto Caesar,” and all that.
Ditto. Same here.
I don’t care where they are held, that’s the point. Better then outdoors in June, or crammed inside with limited seating.
I prefer that, too. I wonder if Enfield BOE thought of that? Of course, you run the risk of having a downpour but better to be outside, always.
I’m sure that there are venues big enough.
Don’t any of the post-secondary institutions in the area have auditoriums?
Another possiblity is simply to limit the number of tickets available. Four per family, or something like that.
My graduation at Bloomfield High School was held in the school gym. There were 103 graduates. No prob.
Yes. There are boatloads of places graduation could be held.
I looked up “Family Institute of Connecticut,” since according to the judge, they actively lobbied the Enfield BOE to move the graduations from the schools to the “Cathedral.”
They are a fundie based conservative group, structured (like the Trinity) in three parts, so one part can rear its head while the others may be hidden.
http://www.ctfamily.org/about.html
I just added that to the blog at my newspaper. Yes. They are a fundamentalist group and I have a jovial pissing-match (my words, not his) via the blogs with the ED.
As Crocodile Dundee would say–
“That is not a cathedral. Now THIS is a cathedral.”
http://journeyintoamerica.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/national-cathedral-picture.jpg
Indeed!
Oh, yeah!
Oh, the 1st amendment is so mishandled now a days. It does not apply to having the graduatiion at Cathedral.
Amendment I
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Diagram it in english class –does it prohibit graduation exercises in a building normally used for religious purposes? NO
If we hold graduation exercises in a casino does that promote gambling? If held in a brothel–Does that promote prostitution?
Technically correct. But I disagree that those other two situations wouldn’t also send a message. Public school children are a special case of captive audience.
Well, no, but it also says Congress won’t prohibit the freedom of the press, and entire law libraries on built on the cases parsing that one out. And that’s just the press.
Agreed. If people knew just what started the whole thing in the first place, perhaps they wouldn’t be so agreeable with the ACLU’s motives.
“perhaps they wouldn’t be so agreeable with the ACLU’s motives.”
… which are……….?
I don’t know that that’s the case. It appears that the Family Institute of CT had a big hand in negotiations, and that makes me suspect something’s weird.
It says “Congress shall make no law . . .”
It doesn’t say that the Judicial branch cannot interpret the first amendment.
K-12 is provided by the Board of Education of a town or county, and these BOEs receive Federal funds in various ways. They are different from a private school, which can hold graduations wherever they please.
What rankles me in this case is that originally the Enfield BOE voted to hold the graduations in their school buildings. Then the BOE was LOBBIED by this organization to hold it in this church building. Under pressure they reconsidered their decision.
It is clear to me that it was not a matter of space, or parking, or availability of non-religious venues. The Family Institute of Connecticut, for its own reasons, wanted the graduation to be held in a church building, and specifically this church building.
Tangentially (what, aGAIN?), I’ve probably mentioned Catechism in my youth? On Wednesdays the Catholic kids would stay behind when everyone else left school, and nuns would come into the school and teach Catechism. In the public schools.
At one time “released time” was popular. Kids could be released to a nearby church building for religious instruction. I don’t think that’s done any more.
And in CS’s situation I guess it was a similar situation. It was after school hours and completely voluntary. Sort of like a scouting troop using the school building.
Did other religious groups have the same privileges, CS?
“Did other religious groups have the same privileges, CS?”
Good question, I was trying to remember if any other organizations used the school(s), but I was a grade-schooler in what I remember to be a primarily Catholic town, and if any other religious organizations used the school, I don’t remember it.
That was me, being bussed to a Church for “Religious instruction.”
I guess it didn’t take.
But the nuns continue to pray on your behalf.
That wouldn’t happen now, would it?
I doubt if it could, but maybe as a rental? This was before the town had a Catholic school, BTW (it’s all … well some of it’s … coming back to me now…).
Public school facilities are regularly rented out to religious organizations; most are new congregations using the school until they have enough funds for their own building.
The rules are pretty strict–all religious stuff has to be removed from the building after the service, signage has to be temporary and set up only for the hours of the rental agreement, and so forth.
After reading about the hate mail Islamic soldiers get, heck yeah if I was a muslim in a Christian church for my PUBLIC SCHOOL Graduation I’d feel uncomfortable. Do you think they will clear the building of pamphlets, and crosses?
Reading Wikipedia about them – they have been soliciting the graduation rentals in order to pay off their building debt. Yeah…that’s what I want …
Where’s there a statement of faith? Who made this guy an archbishop?
Ah…Jesus? Just a guess on my part.
“Who made this guy an archbishop?”
Dunno about that, but his wife is called First Lady Rev. Bailey. What follows is pure gossip: an acquaintance is a parishioner there, and says that there’s always some sort of collection for gifts for the Baileys, who drive VERY expensive cars. And that bit of “information” and $3.75 will get you some kind of smallish coffee somewhere.
With whipped cream? Because I like my fancy coffees with whipped cream.
I don’t drink/like it so I don’t know what that’ll getcha!
Nuts.
I don’t think they put nuts on coffee.
BAHhahahahaha!!
Vegas made a funny! And it was a good one!
And reading, at the “cathedral’s” website, the glowing account of
The Most Reverend Bailey’s life–all his children are Reverends, too.
It’s genetic!
Don’t want my kids saying prayers in school.
Don’t want my kids graduating in a church.