The RI ACLU indicated today that it plans to take legal action against the Cranston School District in light of the school committee’s vote on Tuesday to maintain a prayer mural in the auditorium of Cranston High School West. Upon learning of it last July, the ACLU wrote school officials to point out the blatant unconstitutionality of the display of the prayer, which is addressed to “Our Heavenly Father.”
In the hope of avoiding the need for litigation, and erroneously expecting school officials to take their constitutional duties seriously, the Affiliate waited eight months for the school committee to determine what to do. By a 4-3 vote, however, the school committee decided to keep the prayer, ignoring warnings about the cost of litigation and despite the school district’s ongoing and severe budgetary problems, which has led to layoffs and program cuts.
