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Tennessee school district can't push religion on students: Federal court injunction


Tennessee school district can't push religion on students: Federal court injunction  (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Tennessee school district can't push religion on students: Federal court injunction (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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SMITH COUNTY, Tenn. (WZTV) - A federal court has filed an injunction prohibiting a Tennessee school district from imposing religion on students.

Two atheist families previously sued Smith County Schools claiming district officials there promote Christianity. The lawsuit was filed by American Civil Liberties Union-Tennessee (ACLU-TN). It claimed Smith County school officials engage in unconstitutional practices that include school-directed prayer during assemblies, Bible distribution during classes and a large cross painted on the wall of a school athletic facility.

Late Monday, a federal judge issued a consent decree, an injunction agreed to by the school district to resolve the lawsuit.

"School officials may not incorporate official prayer into school events, pray with students, or encourage or promote student prayer," a news release from ACLU-TN said. "They also are prohibited from promoting their personal religious beliefs to students, posting religious iconography, and inviting outside guests or third parties to pray during school events, proselytize students, or distribute religious literature to students in class."

“I’m relieved the school district recognized that its widespread promotion of religion was unconstitutional,” plaintiff Kelly Butler said. “My children, and all children, deserve an education that is free from the type of religious coercion that our family has suffered.”

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