CHARLESTON, WV - The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia and
Americans United for Separation of Church and State today asked a court to order
the removal of a large portrait of Jesus prominently displayed outside the
principal's office at Bridgeport High School, saying that the display is an
unconstitutional endorsement of religion.
"The Constitution's ban on
government endorsement of religion is good for both government and religion. It
keeps religion free and allows government to represent us all," said Andrew
Schneider, Executive Director of the ACLU of West Virginia. "In violating that
ban, Bridgeport High School is interfering with the right of all students to
freely express their religious beliefs."
The current debate dates to a March
meeting of the Harrison County Board of Education, when a local resident, Harold
Sklar, submitted a formal request that the portrait be taken down. However, this
is not the first time the display has been questioned. Sklar had asked for the
portrait's removal several times over a 10 year period, but his requests were
ignored.
Schneider noted that even if the portrait reflected the beliefs of a
majority of individuals, the United States Supreme Court ruled unequivocally in
1943 in a landmark West Virginia case that the purpose of the Bill of Rights was
to ensure that fundamental liberties like freedom of religion are not subject to
the whims of a majority.
"School officials are flouting the First Amendment
principle of church-state separation and in the process providing students a
shoddy civics lesson," said Richard Katskee, Assistant Legal Director of
Americans United.
The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for
the Northern District of West Virginia, seeks to remove the portrait and obtain
damages as well as reasonable attorneys' fees.
Sklar is represented by
Katskee and Aram Schvey of Americans United, and Terri Baur of the ACLU of West
Virginia Foundation.