An Indiana high school is trying an interesting strategy to allow students to offer prayer during graduation ceremonies without – they hope – violating the separation of church and state. A new policy at Greenwood High School promises student speakers the right to say anything they wish, ending school approval of speeches in an attempt to remove all appearance of endorsement by school officials.
Greenwood High School's principal has reviewed commencement speeches in the past but will not do so this year. School officials say speakers will not be stopped even if they use profane language or deliver politically charged speeches.
The decision comes after a federal judge ruled in favor of valedictorian Eric Workman, who filed a lawsuit saying a school-sanctioned prayer at graduation and a student poll leading to it were unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, in Enfield, Connecticut an injunction hearing has begun in the ACLU's challenge of the use of a church to host graduation ceremonies.
A federal judge today plans to tour First Cathedral in Bloomfield as part of a hearing on a motion that would block Enfield's two high schools from holding graduation ceremonies at the church next month.
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The injunction hearing that began Monday should decide whether the district can hold the June 23 and 24 graduations at First Cathedral before a court rules on the lawsuit. The ACLU and Americans United say that while a court is deciding on whether holding graduations at a church is constitutional, the ceremonies should not be held at First Cathedral.
