NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A federal judge in Nashville will issue a written ruling in a lawsuit that claims the Wilson County schools wrongly censored Christian students’ free speech rights.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A federal judge in Nashville will issue a written ruling in a lawsuit that claims the Wilson County schools wrongly censored Christian students’ free speech rights.
The suit, brought by a group called Praying Parents, was heard Monday by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Robert Echols. He did not advise exactly when he would rule.
During testimony, school officials said they didn’t order that phrases including “In God We Trust” be covered up on posters promoting a “See You at the Pole” prayer event in September at Lakeview Elementary School.
The Tennessean reported testimony by assistant principal Bertie Alligood, who said she told the group the posters weren’t acceptable and thought the parents were making new ones.
Two years prior to the event, a federal judge ruled that the school district was favoring the religious-based parent group over other members of the community.
“I knew we’d been involved in another lawsuit, and I knew it cost the school system a lot of money, so I wanted to be very careful,” Alligood said.
The previous suit was brought against the Wilson County School Board by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, which argued the school board inappropriately promoted religion.
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