Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty - Agreement Reached in Poster Censorship Suit

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Agreement Reached in Poster Censorship Suit

Lakeview Elementary School in Wilson County, TN just may have found their Goldilocks solution. In 2006, sued by parents for promoting religion, Judge Robert Echols ruled that the preferential treatment officials gave to the "Praying Parents" group was a violation of church-state separation, and ordered the school district to pay. --Too hot!-- Then last year, many of the same parents sued over the school's censorship of religious elements in posters advertising an after-school prayer event, and the same judge ruled that officials seemed to have gone too far in the other direction, issuing an injunction until the claim could be heard. --Too cold!-- Now, the school hopes they've managed to get it just right in an agreement with parents that would end this second suit.

Under the terms of the settlement, the school district will have 180 days to do away with the policy used to censor the signs. If the district decides to write a replacement, school officials must specifically address questions of constitutionality in the new policy.
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The settlement prohibits schools from using the policy to censor posters advertising "See You At The Pole" or other prayer events at Lakeview "unless any school regulation restricting religious speech on posters is reasonable, viewpoint-neutral, and in accordance with federal law."

In addition, the school system will pay the parents' court fees, which total $50,000. Each of the 17 parents and children who participated in the suit will receive $1 in damages.

Judge Echols will still have to approve the settlement agreement before it takes effect.

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