ACLJ: CT Graduation Case to Continue Beyond 2010

(Washington, DC)   The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) said today even though the Enfield, Connecticut School Board voted not to move forward with an appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a federal district court over the location of graduation ceremonies, the case will continue.

The school board voted last night 5-4 not to appeal a preliminary injunction that prohibits two Enfield School District high schools from holding their graduation ceremonies in a local church this year.  The ACLJ represents the school district in the legal proceedings.   

The preliminary injunction will not be appealed, but the case will continue, said Vincent McCarthy, ACLJ Senior Counsel.  The Enfield School Board simply did not want to appeal the Judges ruling because they felt it would be too much work to prepare two facilitates for graduation.  They also wanted students to have certainty about the location of their commencement.
 
The preliminary injunction issued on Monday came despite the fact that the Enfield School District had agreed to cover many of the religious symbols in First Cathedral, the proposed site of the graduation ceremonies.  The two Enfield high schools now plan to have their 2010 graduation ceremonies at their respective school gyms, which provide significantly less seating and no air conditioning.  Thursday nights school board decision disappointed students and parents who attended the meeting.

We believe we had a strong case for an appeal, said McCarthy.  Constitutional law in this area is clear.  Holding a secular event at a religious facility does not constitute an endorsement of or entanglement with religion. 

McCarthy says while the school board decided not to appeal the preliminary injunction affecting the graduation venue for this year, the case will continue to proceed on the attempt by the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State to prohibit all graduations at First Cathedral or any other church in the future.

Five school districts in Connecticutincluding the Enfield School Districthad plans to hold graduation ceremonies at First Cathedral in 2010.  However, after the districts received letters from the ACLU threatening legal action, all but Enfield changed their plans. 
  
Enfield School Districts decision to hold graduation at First Cathedral was primarily based on financial and facilities considerations, as the district had set aside a budget of $32,000 for graduations in 2010.  Even though other venues were explored, each could not meet the low cost and high facilities standard offered by First Cathedral. 

The amenities offered by the church include ample seating and parking, advanced audio visual capabilities, and general comfort for graduates and their families.  Additionally, Student Board of Education representatives from both Enfield and Fermi High School stated that, after polling their fellow classmates, the vast majority wanted graduation to be held at the church and signed petitions in support of the venue.  

Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice focuses on constitutional law and is based in Washington, D.C.