Court backs Louisiana school board’s refusal to bus students to religious rally
A public school can't bus students to a religious rally during school, a federal judge ruled en banc ruled one day before the "Just for Jesus" rally at the Lake Charles Civic Center. The Alliance Defense Fund filed the suit two weeks after the Calcasieu Parish School Board voted 8-4 against letting the Fellowship of Christian Athletes use school buses for what the ADF called a club field trip to the rally. When U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi asked why the rally was being held during school hours rather than on a weekend or after school, defense attorneys said only that Thursday was a national day of prayer. The school board voted against busing students to the rally after an assistant district attorney told the board that doing so could violate the state and U.S. constitutions. James Bertrand of Sulphur, founder of Just for Jesus, contends the board's decision violates the First Amendment and the federal Equal Access Act. Although the board will not send buses, a spokesman said it will excuse absences of students whose parents or guardians check them out of school early to attend the rally.
Source: NOLA.com, 4/30/08, By Associated Press
[Editor’s Note: For details about the suit, including links the legal complaint and motion for a temporary restraining order filed by ADF, see below.]
ADF press release