Almost a year after an appeal had been submitted into the Supreme Court to hold public school graduation ceremonies in a evangelical Christian church, the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago has rejected the appeal.
The rejection came towards two Wisconsin public schools after use of a church for more seating for the ceremony. In 2002, a federal appeals court concluded that the commencements, which had been held in the sanctuary of an evangelical church for over a decade, had become an improper government endorsement of religion. The appeals court said that students had to walk under a 15-to-20 foot cross to recieve their diplomas, reports the Bloomberg Businessweek.
An evangelical advocacy group has expressed frustrations about the court's decision, and their disinterest in hearing about the case. "Church buildings should not be treated like toxic warehouses simply because they normally house religious activities," the Allience Defending Freedom said in a statement towards the LA Times.