(Federal) Judge Blocks Ky. Schools Graduation Prayer

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Graduation-Prayer-Lawsuit.html

Judge Blocks Ky. Schools Graduation Prayer

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: May 19, 2006

Filed at 11:04 a.m. ET

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- A federal judge on Friday blocked a southern Kentucky high school from including clergy-led prayers in its graduation ceremony set to start a few hours later.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit this week seeking a restraining order on behalf of an unidentified student at Russell County High School in Russell Springs, 90 miles south of Louisville.

The student had appealed to principal Darren Gossage to drop the prayer from the Friday evening ceremony, but the principal refused, ACLU attorney Lili Lutgens said.

Lutgens argued that any clergy-led prayer would be unconstitutional because it would endorse a specific religion and religious views. U.S. District Judge Joseph McKinley granted the temporary restraining order Friday morning.

more...

How much you wanna bet this "unidentified" student will now receive death threats from loving Christians in his or her community?

Really, this shit got to stop!

And (unforntunately) nothing will come of it.

They are free to pray any time they want. Oh I see they wanted everyone else to stop what THEY were doing while they pray oh and everyone else has to at least act like they are praying too.

they just can't have a clergy lead the prayer. Courts have already ruled the "moment of silence" stuff constitutional. I doubt they'll have the clergy show up -- you can get thrown in jail for contempt.

And for insecure believers, why would you want non-believers to be coerced into joining you in prayer anyway? Why cheapen your communion with the Almighty by dragging the unwilling into it, or is this merely a public display of your piety? Jesus had some pretty hard words for folks who did that, you know.

It just boggles the mind.

seemed more like a religious ceremony than a public school ceremony. There were bible readings, sermons and prayers led from the stage.

They're graduating. If they are praying types, their prayers have already been answered.

for me I just can't get too excited about this. When I read the first story that the boy was
trying to stop the commencement prayer, and the ACLU was representing him....I sighed and was
SO GLAD that I was no longer a donating ACLU'er.

You see, I see civil rights getting crapped on day in and day out in the courts. But the ACLU
has NEVER NEVER I mean NEVER! come in and offered any help on the cases I have seen in
the past. Perhaps they were too pedestrian and did not get headlines or did not give the
ACLU the 'warm fuzzy feeling' its members enjoy...you know...that self righteous
indignation and vindication.

ACLU...I totally love the ideas and the concept...I hate the execution.

This kid doesn't like the commencement prayer. You know, He probably is right on the law.
Its just he looks like such a putz...and the ACLU looks like a putz enabler. Forgive me...
who gives a flying F. Can an atheist be violated by respecting the mutterings of the
unenlightened neighbors to their 'spaghetti monster'...just how does that infringe his
rights?

SO MICKEY MOUSE!!!!

pray in their own way to their own God PRIVATELY, OR AT THEIR OWN CHURCH.

Unless you've ever lived in the South, you may not understand how the fire and brimstone type of Christianity is rammed down your throat at every public occasion.

Not flaming.
Just glad the ACLU keeps pressing this issue.
And glad to be a continuous donor.

they are spending your money. (I am sincere) And you are right
all the way. Its just I think they pick too many of the wrong
fights.

But I respect your view.

So, I can't agree with you on this at all.

Just put atheists aside: their prayers don't represents what I think,a nd will most probably candider stuff I find offensive.. as would many, many other religions. Religion belongs in churches, homes, and religious schools. They need to save their pennies and send Junior and Susie to a private school. Just keep your religion out of schools my tax money funds and my family goes to.

still thinking its mickey mouse. Russell County KY is
a heavily entrenched religous community like you are saying.
So, the suit is a 'stick in the eye' to the community.

The ACLU loves this kind of suit and to me its just mickey mouse.

I don't think the Bill of Rights is mickey mouse. But I see so
many more abuses of rights than what is represented by a
commencement prayer. ...whatever.

I would like the ACLU take on the MASSIVE incursion on the
right to counsel that is systematically abused by system,


Where was the ACLU when our local towns and cities where making
the african american projects subject to NO TRESPASS zones
and not the white projects? (just a 'scam' so cops could
stop and shakedown any young black guy standing around.)?

Don't get me started. But one thing I do know...I am SO glad
that my money didn't go to pay some ACLU lawyer to file this
stupid lawsuit over one horribly offensive prayer.

and still be a dumb ass.

that the ACLU MUST take. They are doing more to keep the fundies out of our lives than anyone else. They are keeping the doors shut tight against mandatory religion.

I proudly donate to the ACLU.

If they were forcing people to pray...no way. But simply
having a prayer as part of the ceremony does not impose such
a level of intrusion on my right to be free of state imposed
religion that it rises to a level that offends me.

Is it wrong. Probably. Is it worth a lawsuit and giving the
nutjobs on the right another outraged ACLU news story to make
liberals look like godless heathen? Not in my view.

As I see it, they're about the letter of the law on civil rights. And they piss of everyone, from time to time, on who they choose to defend.

That's the whole point. I agree without about half their lawsuits, as it should be. :)

The seniors nominated and voted on the clergy. The senior class choir/soloists also sang a few songs that might be considered religious. No one objected.
I am coming to understand why some people are offended. If there was a student who was offended, certainly that should be respected.

we picked the extreme radical taliban mullahs to rant and chant...it was beautiful man!!!