Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Court Refuses To Dismiss Challenge To 10 Commandments Monument

In Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. v. New Kensington-Arnold School District, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8269 (WD PA, Jan. 22, 2013), a Pennsylvania federal district court denied defendants' motion to dismiss a challenge to the constitutionality of a 6-foot tall 10 Commandments monument that has stood for decades at the entrance to Valley High School.  After discussing what it sees as four different Establishment Clause tests that have been announced by the Supreme Court, the court concluded that while perhaps it may later find plaintiffs' case untenable, "a fair reading of the Complaint at this stage of the proceedings leads to the conclusion that the factual allegations provided by Plaintiffs ... at least having stated a facially plausible claim." FFRF has links to all the pleadings in the case.