On Thursday it looked like the dispute over church-state issues in the Harrison County West Virginia's Bridgeport High School was over, as the school board agreed it would not replace the painting of Jesus that had hung in the school but was stolen during litigation challenging its constitutionality. (See prior posting.) However today's Charleston (WV) Gazette-Mail reports that this conclusion was premature. Friday afternoon, students associated with the Christian Freedom Alliance donated to the school something to replace the painting. It is a mirror with a brass plate at the bottom that reads, "To know the will of God is the highest of all wisdoms. The love of Jesus Christ lives in each of us." Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State-- one of the groups that brought the litigation against the school-- said: "In some ways, this is even worse than the picture. This says to a minority student who looks in the mirror, 'by the way, if you know it or not, Jesus is a part of you'." At least one Harrison County School Board member seemed to agree. Wilson Currey said that he felt that the mirror was a way of baiting the groups that had sued.
UPDATE: The Associated Press reports that early Friday evening, three and one-half hours after the mirror was hung at Bridgeport High School, the plaque with the religious inscription on it was removed. Counsel who had negotiated the settlement of the lawsuit advised the move. The school board could become liable for nearly $100,000 for plaintiff's attorneys fees if the terms of the consent order requiring the removal of all religious objects is not carried out. But not all school board members were happy about the superintendent's decision to remove the inscription.
UPDATE 2: The Sept. 4 Pittsburgh Post Gazette carries an excellent piece on the whole controversy, adding some interesting details, such as the fact that the Jesus painting was first hung in the school hallway years ago to hide graffiti, and that administrators at first did not even notice it had been stolen. Also, it reports that the school board may now consider authorizing a comparative religion class and may draft policies on displaying religious items in schools.
