Today's graduation story

MANIFESTO

As an irreligious card-carrying member of the ACLU, I have this story in my sights:

A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday against the Enfield [CT] Board of Education could determine whether holding graduations in a church forces religion on students and their families.

The school board's plan to hold graduations at First Cathedral in Bloomfield next month violates the First Amendment's order to keep church and state separated, say the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The groups are trying to block the town from using the mega-church as a graduation site for Enfield High School's and Enrico Fermi High's senior classes.

I really can't agree with the ACLU's position on this. As I see it, the place is a venue and nothing more. The notion of forcing religion (i.e., proselytizing) on graduates and their families is really foolish. The position is akin to arguing that if someone goes to school, he'll be educated—and we all know that doesn't always work.

Nevertheless, I'm not sure having the graduations at this venue is a good idea since

Board of Education Chairman Gregory Stokes has said the board set aside $32,000 for both graduations in its budget this year, assuming they would continue to be held at the church.

Phew! That's a lot of money for a ceremony that could be held for free on a football field—especially in a town that plans to lay off 39 teachers next year.