Judge affirms ban on graduation prayer at Illinois high school

By The Associated Press

05.25.01

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PEORIA, Ill. — A federal judge has extended his restraining order barring a central Illinois high school from allowing student-led prayer during its graduation ceremonies.

Chief U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade released his written order yesterday upholding a temporary restraining order against Washington High School, meaning the case can move forward in court.

"Prayer at graduation does not by itself violate the First Amendment," McDade wrote. "If, however, the degree of school involvement makes it clear that the prayers bear the 'imprint' of the state, then a constitutional violation has occurred."

Washington High valedictorian Natasha Appenheimer filed a lawsuit to stop the invocation and benediction at the school's graduation ceremony on May 20. For the first time in the school's 80-year history neither was said, although a student speaker bowed his head before his speech and students joined hands and prayed around a flagpole before the ceremony.

American Civil Liberties Union attorney Pamela Sumners represented Appenheimer at yesterday's hearing. Appenheimer is a co-plaintiff with her brother, Jerrod, a sophomore at the school, and their parents.

The school district has until June 5 to file its response to the lawsuit, and McDade set another status hearing in the case for June 28.

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Federal court bars student-led prayer at Illinois graduation
District officials defend 80-year tradition, saying students, not administrators, plan ceremony, but judge says high school ‘can’t license students to do what it cannot do.’  05.18.01

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