Florida Today reports that a Florida Federal District Court yesterday denied a temporary restraining order to Brevard County high school parents who object to the location of today's graduation ceremonies. Four schools have scheduled their graduations for Calvary Chapel, arguing that it is the only indoor facility that can seat the expected audience of 3,500. Other articles pointed out that alternative locations available would not have been handicap accessible.
However, Middle District of Florida Judge Gregory Presnell was not happy with the choice of locations. Rather, he said that even though the ceremonies probably violate the constitution, it would be too disruptive to move them on such short notice. During the hearing the schools agreed to two changes in their plans: diplomas will be handed out at the side of the stage so that the church's cross will not be in graduation pictures, and the graduation program will carry a disclaimer explaining that the ceremonies are intended as secular events.
The director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State that filed the suit on behalf of the parents was quoted earlier by the Daily Review as saying: “This kind of symbolic joining of government and religion makes some families feel like they’re second-class citizens in their own communities, and that should never happen.”
