Church Graduations Pit School Board Against ACLU
Graduation ceremonies held at Bloomfield church
By MONICA BUCHANAN
Updated 6:37 AM EST, Thu, Nov 19, 2009
A graduation gripe in Enfield has pitted two schools against the ACLU. It all centers on the place where public school seniors get their diplomas -- in a church. So, you can imagine where this one is headed.
On Wednesday, the Enfield school board received a letter from the ACLU warning them to change the location of graduation ceremonies or face a lawsuit.
Since 2007, graduation has been held at First Cathedral, a Baptist church in Bloomfield, which has indoor seating for about 3,000 people.
“We’ve been contacted by a number of parents and students who feel their religious ideas are being rejected or feel uncomfortable having their graduation in a church,” said David McGuire, an ACLU attorney.
The ACLU and several other civil rights groups want to give the Enfield School Board a lesson on the U.S. Constitution and they are demanding graduation be moved to a secular location.
“The church is full of religious iconography. There are posters that say Jesus is Lord,” McGuire said.
According to the ACLU, 75 percent of Enfield High School’s 2008 graduating class and 90 percent of the 2009 class voted against graduating at the Cathedral.
Several students of different faiths say they don’t care where they graduate.
“It really doesn’t matter where I graduate. I just really want to get my diploma and get it over with,” said Hanna Sleiman, a senior of Islamic faith.
“Personally I don’t care where the ceremony is held. It’s about the students and their accomplishments, not religion,” said Evan Skukowski, a senior.
Calls to the Enfield school board were not returned on Wednesday night.
The ACLU said the board has until Dec. 9 to respond to their demand. Otherwise, they’ll head to court.
First Published: Nov 18, 2009 10:16 PM EST
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