UPDATE: NY Student to Finish School Year Wearing Rosary

I am pleased to report that our client in New York - 13-year-old Raymond Hosier - will be permitted to finish this school year wearing a Rosary.

As you recall, we filed a federal lawsuit against school officials in Schenectady after they equated Raymond's Rosary to a gang symbol and suspended the 7th grader indefinitely for wearing the Rosary to school.

Now, a federal district court in New York has extended an order permitting Raymond to remain in class and to finish out the school year wearing his Rosary.  U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence E. Kahn today signed an order in which both sides agree to extend a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) through September 2010.

It's important that Raymond be permitted to complete this school year with his Rosary in place.  The lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the school district's dress code policy will continue to move forward.  And we remain confident the court will ultimately conclude that Raymond's rights were violated and the dress code policy is not only flawed but unconstitutional as well.  At the same time, by extending the order, the school district has a window of opportunity to utilize common sense.  We stand ready to resolve this issue - either inside or outside court - to ensure that Raymond's rights are permanently protected.

In the stipulation order signed today, both parties agreed to extend the TRO through September 10, 2010 "as the parties work to resolve this matter over the summer. . ."   At the same time, the court ordered that school officials are enjoined from preventing Raymond from attending school while wearing the Rosary outside his clothing through September 10, 2010. 

You can read the order here. 

Today's order extends a TRO that was issued June 1, 2010 which cleared the way for Raymond to return to Oneida Middle School in Schenectady with his Rosary in place.

We filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Raymond Hosier and his mother, Chantell.

The suit requests a jury trial and asserts that the school's actions violated Raymond's constitutional rights of speech and expression, free exercise of religion, and due process under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

In suspending Raymond, school officials contended that wearing a Rosary that included religious beads violated the school district's dress code policy and asserted that the Rosary is considered a gang-related symbol.

In the complaint, the ACLJ contends that Raymond wears the Rosary to express his faith in God and honor the memory of a deceased uncle and a brother who died with that very same Rosary in his hand.  The complaint also asserts that Raymond is not a member of any criminal gang and does not wear his Rosary to promote gang membership or violence.  The ACLJ complaint also notes that Raymond has been wearing the Rosary since September 2009 without causing "any disruption to the school environment."

You can read the ACLJ's complaint here.

This latest development is certainly good news for Raymond.  We will keep you posted as this case continues to unfold.