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| | ==ACLU lawsuit== | | ==ACLU lawsuit== |
| | {{main|Does v. School Board for Santa Rosa County, Florida}} | | {{main|Does v. School Board for Santa Rosa County, Florida}} |
| − | On [[August 27]], [[2008]], the [[ACLU of Florida]] filed a lawsuit in [[U.S. District Court]] against the [[Santa Rosa County School District]] on behalf of two [[Pace High School]] students. Principal Lay and former [[Santa Rosa Superintendent]] [[John Rogers]] were named as defendants in the complaint, which alleged that the school officials "used their government positions … to persistently and pervasively promote their personal religious beliefs in the public schools and at school events."<ref name="srcomplaint">[http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/religion/santarosacounty_complaint.pdf Complaint against Santa Rosa County School Board]</ref> The complaint also alleged that teachers and staff preached about "judgment day with the Lord" and conducted Bible readings and biblical interpretations at student meetings.
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| − | According to [[Benjamin Stevenson]], attorney for the Northwest Region, "We sent a number of letters and exchanged telephone calls to avoid litigation" in [[2006]]. "After the [[Santa Rosa County School Board|School Board]] failed to bring the district in line with the Constitution and American values by ending the practice of school officials using their official positions to promote their religion, we had to act."<ref>"ACLU sues school district." ''Pensacola News Journal'', August 28, 2008.</ref>
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| − | It was later revealed that, among other infractions, the official Pace High School Teacher Handbook instructed faculty to "embrace every opportunity to inculcate, by precept and example, the principles of truth, honesty and patriotism and the practice of every Christian virtue."<ref>[http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/religion/santarosa_paceteacherhandbook.pdf Pace High Teacher Handbook]</ref>
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| − | On [[December 15]], the [[Santa Rosa County School Board]], along with Lay and Superintendent [[Tim Wyrosdick]], filed an "Admission of Liability" with the court regarding district-wide constitutional violations. On [[January 9]], [[2009]], Judge [[Casey Rodgers]] issued an order prohibiting the school district and its employees from the following, effective [[January 19]]:<ref>"Schools ordered to stop prayer." ''Pensacola News Journal'', January 13, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/religion/santarosa_order_on_pi.pdf Injunction]</ref>
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| − | # Promoting, advancing, aiding, facilitating, endorsing, or causing religious prayers or devotionals during school-sponsored events;
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| − | # Planning, organizing, financing, promoting, or otherwise sponsoring religious baccalaureate services at all schools within the Santa Rosa School District, including at Pace High School;
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| − | # Holding school-sponsored events at religious venues when alternative venues are reasonably available;
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| − | # Permitting school officials to promote their personal religious beliefs and proselytize students in class or during school-sponsored events and activities; and
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| − | # Otherwise unconstitutionally endorsing or coercing religion.
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| − | On [[January 28]], at a luncheon for football boosters at the school's new fieldhouse, Principal Lay asked [[Robert Freeman]], the school's athletic director, to lead a prayer blessing the food, in apparent violation of the injunction. A week later Lay wrote to Superintendent Wyrosdick, "I accept full responsibility for this action. My actions were overt and not meant to circumvent any court order or constitutional mandate."<ref>[http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/religion/santarosa_pubrecordsofviolations.pdf Letter from Lay]</ref> He also said of the incident, "We did what we normally do in the South before we eat. I wasn't trying to hurt or offend anybody or cause any consternation."<ref>"ACLU seeks contempt order." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 14, 2009.</ref>
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| − | [[Michelle Winkler]], a clerical assistant employed by the school district at the [[Berryhill Administrative Complex]], committed a similar infraction at a [[February 20]] "employee of the year" banquet. Several weeks earlier, Winkler had previously sent an "off the record" email asking permission to lead a prayer at the event: "I would like to use the prayer I had prayed about and received from God and will suffer whatever consequences for."<ref>"ACLU seeks contempt order." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 14, 2009.</ref> Director of purchasing Jud Crane had responded that there would be no invocation or devotion, but that Winkler could offer a non-religious "thought of the day." On the evening of the banquet, after two students led the attendees in the pledge of allegiance, Winkler rose and said that she was not allowed to pray, and subsequently invited her husband to the microphone to do so instead.
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| | The consent decree and order signed on [[May 9]], [[2009]] permanently enjoined school officials from "promoting, advancing, endorsing, participating in, or causing Prayers during or in conjunction with School Events" with specific instruction that "School Officials shall not encourage, solicit, or invite any person, either implicitly or explicitly, to deliver or offer a Prayer during or in conjunction with a School Event."<ref>[http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/religion/santarosaco_consentdecree.pdf Consent decree]</ref> | | The consent decree and order signed on [[May 9]], [[2009]] permanently enjoined school officials from "promoting, advancing, endorsing, participating in, or causing Prayers during or in conjunction with School Events" with specific instruction that "School Officials shall not encourage, solicit, or invite any person, either implicitly or explicitly, to deliver or offer a Prayer during or in conjunction with a School Event."<ref>[http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/religion/santarosaco_consentdecree.pdf Consent decree]</ref> |
