The ACLU of Tennessee has filed a lawsuit (pdf) alleging significant religious freedom violations in Cheatham County schools:
School officials have persistently and pervasively used their official positions to promote their religious beliefs. Specifically, for at least the past five years, school officials have cultivated well-established policies, practices and customs authorizing, sponsoring or supporting (1) prayer at school events, led by invited clergy, school officials, parents or students; (2) school officials' promotion of their personal religious views and proselytizing of students in class and during extracurricular activities; and (3) the distribution of Christian Bibles to students during instructional time in the classroom.
Legendary civil rights attorney George Barrett is the cooperating attorney representing the plaintiffs in this Establishment Clause case that bears watching. The Tennessean story on the filing is here. Nashville's News Channel 5 TV (Cheatham County is Nashville's neighbor to the West) offers this coverage.
[UPDATE – 3/2/10: Cheatham County has settled the lawsuit, agreeing to stop activities that improperly promote religion. Read the settlement here.]
