January 25, 2007
Board reverses Jericho decision
In a closed-session decision this evening, the Board of Education voted 5-3 to restore Jericho City of Praise as Blair's graduation venue.
The Board's vote, a reversal of their previous decision, will allow Blair to hold graduation at Jericho instead of returning to last year's site, the Prince George's Equestrian Center. Jericho was rejected as a graduation venue after the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, a small interest group based in Washington, D.C., filed a legal objection in June 2005. The PTSA appealed the decision after parents complained about the Equestrian Center, which can only accommodate about half as many guests as Jericho and charges a higher fee to use the facility.
The Board did not provide any public explanations for their new decision, but a written decision and order will be approved at a later date.
The PTSA submitted an appeal to the Board of Education last December, challenging then President of the Board Charles Haughey's August 2006 decision to reject Jericho as Blair's graduation venue. The Board decided to have Superintendent Jerry Weast review the PTSA's appeal before a formal vote. Weast wrote to the PTSA on Jan. 16, stating that his decision remained the same and that he still believed holding the commencement ceremony at Jericho would be a violation of the constitutional right to separation of church and state.
While Weast was unable to reject the appeal himself, his reaffirmation of the previous decision put pressure on the Board to vote against Blair, said PTSA Counseling Advisor Miriam Szapiro.
The PTSA submitted a new legal memorandum and letter of appeal on Jan.22. Gene Schaerr, an attorney from the law firm Winston and Strawn who has been working pro-bono on the case since August, wrote, in the memorandum, "the law is quite clear that using the Church presents no serious problems under the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution."
The letter of appeal also stated that Blair, as a "predominantly working class" community, could not afford to use more expensive facilities like The Comcast Center, which would cost nearly $30,000, and that less expensive alternatives were inappropriate for the occasion. The Equestrian Center, which has a capacity of 4,500 while Jericho seats 10,000, did not have enough space to fully accommodate Blair's large graduating class. Jericho has been offered to Blair for free, while the Equestrian Center cost about $3,500.
PTSA Co-President Deborah Stoll was pleased with the Board's decision and recognized the difficulty of going against Weast's statement. "I think it was a very tough decision for [the Board] to take that stand," Stoll said.
SGA President Eric Hysen thought that the Board's decision was correct and would satisfy students. "I'm happy that the Board voted to support what every Blazer I've talked to believes," he said.
The Board's decision came just in time to finalize graduation invitations, which were due to the printers on Jan. 29.
The Board's vote, a reversal of their previous decision, will allow Blair to hold graduation at Jericho instead of returning to last year's site, the Prince George's Equestrian Center. Jericho was rejected as a graduation venue after the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, a small interest group based in Washington, D.C., filed a legal objection in June 2005. The PTSA appealed the decision after parents complained about the Equestrian Center, which can only accommodate about half as many guests as Jericho and charges a higher fee to use the facility.
The Board did not provide any public explanations for their new decision, but a written decision and order will be approved at a later date.
The PTSA submitted an appeal to the Board of Education last December, challenging then President of the Board Charles Haughey's August 2006 decision to reject Jericho as Blair's graduation venue. The Board decided to have Superintendent Jerry Weast review the PTSA's appeal before a formal vote. Weast wrote to the PTSA on Jan. 16, stating that his decision remained the same and that he still believed holding the commencement ceremony at Jericho would be a violation of the constitutional right to separation of church and state.
While Weast was unable to reject the appeal himself, his reaffirmation of the previous decision put pressure on the Board to vote against Blair, said PTSA Counseling Advisor Miriam Szapiro.
The PTSA submitted a new legal memorandum and letter of appeal on Jan.22. Gene Schaerr, an attorney from the law firm Winston and Strawn who has been working pro-bono on the case since August, wrote, in the memorandum, "the law is quite clear that using the Church presents no serious problems under the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution."
The letter of appeal also stated that Blair, as a "predominantly working class" community, could not afford to use more expensive facilities like The Comcast Center, which would cost nearly $30,000, and that less expensive alternatives were inappropriate for the occasion. The Equestrian Center, which has a capacity of 4,500 while Jericho seats 10,000, did not have enough space to fully accommodate Blair's large graduating class. Jericho has been offered to Blair for free, while the Equestrian Center cost about $3,500.
PTSA Co-President Deborah Stoll was pleased with the Board's decision and recognized the difficulty of going against Weast's statement. "I think it was a very tough decision for [the Board] to take that stand," Stoll said.
SGA President Eric Hysen thought that the Board's decision was correct and would satisfy students. "I'm happy that the Board voted to support what every Blazer I've talked to believes," he said.
The Board's decision came just in time to finalize graduation invitations, which were due to the printers on Jan. 29.
Though Jericho removes all movable religious icons for Blair's graduation ceremony, the church will not curtain off a glass window depicting religious icons and "Jesus is the Lord" inscriptions. Stoll believes the religious art was too inconspicuous to merit concern, but State Senator Jamie Raskin (Democrat - District 20) suggested that the PTSA post a disclaimer on the door of the church. This solution was proposed in last year's August Board of Education hearing, but did not persuade the Board to permit using Jericho. The disclaimer was mentioned again in January's letter of appeal.
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can you publish it or tell us where to acces it?
The church provides better facilities, at a lower cost, with a larger capacity. So the church is the better deal. No one is going to make you eat the waffer or pray to jesus or anything like that.
In short, get over it or stay home. I know that I would much rather you stayed away from my graduation, than coming and complaining.
I completely agree with what you're saying about there being a middle ground. To simply say you're either for one side or the other is simplifying the issue way too much.
But then you compare it to displaying a crucifix in the SAC. The reason that's not permissible is that the school would be sponsoring it. The church is taking down most religious symbols and the ones still there are clearly not endorsed by the school. I would suggest an actual reading of the first amendment. Note there is nowhere the phrase "separation of church and state".
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" - Amendment I to the US Constitution
This is the reason why there can be a Muslim and a Christian club at Blair. Religion isn't banned at school, it simply cannot be endorsed by the school. Now it's perfectly acceptable for them to move the graduation site because kids were uncomfortable, but having graduation at a church is not unconstitutional. But the majority of the kids seem fine with having graduation at a church, because there is more room (if we didn't have it there I would have had to find a few more tickets for my grandparents since I believe the limit would have been 3), it's cheaper, and it's just a much better environment to graduate in. Honestly, the spirit of the first amendment goes the other way too. You should respect their right to practice their own religion and display what they want. In return you can practice whatever religion you want and ignore what they put up.
So yes they could have kept graduation at the equestrian center because of opinion, but not because of Constitutionality. And I am glad I will be able to graduate at the church because it is simply a much better place to graduate. Thank you to all who contributed to them making this decision.
I didn't mean to say holding graduation at a church is like displaying a crucifix in the SAC. I was using the crucifix as an example of a situation where it is true that "no one is going to make you eat the waffer or pray to jesus or anything like that" but where it would clearly be reasonable for people to object. I was just pointing out the poor rationale for disagreeing, as opposed to -- for example -- your well-thought out rationale, which distinguishes between holding a (permissible) graduation at a church and the (non-permissible) display of a crucifix in the SAC.
And yes, I know the First Amendment does not say "separation of church and state," explicitly.
Just like all non-Christians, I am extremely hurt and shocked by Jericho decision. It is extremely hurtful to me because churches are different from all the other buildings I've been to in my life. They cause this uneasiness in me, it must be their building material.
Also, it is clearly unconstitutional because the constitution clearly says that religion and state should be separated and I sure don't want to be converted to a religion I do not wish to follow.
I know this has already been said, but it needs to be said again. The phrase "separation of church and state" does not appear EVER in the Constitution. It is a misinterpretation of the First Amendment. The First Amendment was created to make sure the government would not force religion upon people, not that government should treat religion like it's the Black Death.
And not all non-Christians have a problem with this. You cannot make such a general statement. Have you talked to every single non-Christian on the face of the earth? Do they all have a problem with the possibility of graduation being held in a church? I know many non-Christian people that wouldn't have a problem with the location of graduation.
And honestly, how would being in a church for a few hours convert you into a Christian? People grow up in Christian households for years and never take to any of it. I doubt by sitting in a chair, listening to stuff that has to nothing do with Christianity, and walking across a stage that you would somehow become a devout Christian.
The church charges nothing, and is superior in every way. The good far outweighs the bad.