Rhode Island’s Cranston High School will remove a controversial prayer banner, rather than appeal a judge’s ruling that it violates the Constitution. After an apparently heated public meeting last night, the school committee voted 5-2 not to appeal.
Superintendent Peter Nero told The Associated Press that the banner is expected to be removed within a week. He said there are a few remaining legal issues to be worked out between attorneys for the school system and the Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU challenged the constitutionality of the display on behalf of 16-year-old student Jessica Ahlquist.
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The legal battle over the banner — which was covered with wood until the school committee decided whether to appeal — sparked passionate debate on both sides and made Ahlquist, an atheist, the target of online threats. She said after Thursday’s vote that she was “thrilled” with the outcome.
I’m all for teaching prayer to young people! But it’s not the proper role of government or certainly of public schools. Kudos to Ms. Ahlquist for her courage, and to the Cranston school committee for making the right decision.
