The complaint says administration, teachers, and Board promote prayer at graduation and other events; their Christian faith is simply too visible for the ACLU.
-- From "ACLU sues school district" by Bill Gamblin, Santa Rosa's Press Gazette 8/30/08
Wednesday the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in Pensacola over religion in the Santa Rosa County Schools
According to the lawsuit filed on the behalf of two Pace students identified as John Doe I and John Doe II, Santa Rosa County school officials are using their governmental positions to promote their personal religious beliefs in public schools.
According to the lawsuit graduation ceremonies during the past five years at Central, Jay, Milton, Navarre and Pace High Schools have included prayers by students – often members of groups like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes or the Christian World Order. The graduation ceremonies at Santa Rosa Adult School and Santa Rosa Learning Academy also have included prayers.
School administrators and teachers mix their responsibilities as public officials with their personal religious beliefs, according to the lawsuit, by planning baccalaureates, helping to decide the place of worship at which they would be held, and leading prayers with students. Additionally, school officials interjected their own religious perspectives at elementary school graduations, a middle school Christmas concert, and high school football and cheerleading banquets.
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