Judge: Conn. town can't hold graduations in church

Republican American ^ | May 31, 2010

[Man50D]

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) -- A federal judge ruled Monday that two public high schools can't hold their graduations inside a church because that would be an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.

U.S. District Court Judge Janet Hall's ruling followed an Enfield school board vote in April to hold graduation ceremonies for the town's two high schools at The First Cathedral in nearby Bloomfield.

Board officials said the church, which fits 3,000 people, had enough space at the right price. Two students and three of their parents sued, claiming the decision was an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.

The judge agreed, citing a visit to the church during which she viewed an environment "overwrought with religious symbols," including large crosses on the building's roof, over the main entrance and behind an indoor stage.

"A reasonable observer attending the 2010 Enfield graduations would perceive the message that Enfield endorsed the readily perceptible religious views of First Cathedral based upon the character of that forum which Enfield schools selected," she wrote.

A telephone call to a listing for the head of Enfield's board of education, Gregory Stokes, was not immediately returned Monday, Memorial Day.

Both high schools have held previous graduations at First Cathedral, and this year's ceremonies were scheduled for June 23 and 24. Several other Hartford-area schools also have used the church since 2001.

This year, groups including the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut and Americans United for Separation of Church and State warned they'd sue if Enfield didn't stop holding graduations at the church, which is about 15 miles southwest of the town.

[cdcdawg]

ahhhhhh, I was wondering.

[muawiyah]

No doubt I forgot to put (/s) at the end, but you really have to infer that given the nature of this thread.

So typical of a superstition ridden and addled old federal judge to think something evil will happen if a group meets in a Catholic church.

It's just a building.