The banning of rosary beads at a Colorado school is raising questions over what religious symbols those students can and cannot wear.
The American Center for Law & Justice, representing a seventh-grader at Mann Middle School in Colorado Springs, wants clarification that it is permissible to wear a cross to school. The confusion comes from the school policy that bans the wearing of a rosary, which has a cross on it.
ACLJ senior counsel Ed White says the policy had changed a couple of times — so his firm sent a letter to the school asking for written assurance that the boy can wear a cross on the outside of his clothing without fear of punishment.
“So after we sent the letter, the school then changed its position a third time and [essentially] said ‘Oh no, we just don’t want people wearing rosaries because they’re gang symbols.'”
The attorney says the school is taking an illegal position. “Because every time those types of school codes have come up for review before a federal judge, they’re always struck down,” he explains, “because they’re always vague, because they’re generally written as this school code is — ‘Any jewelry that may be deemed to be gang-related is prohibited.’
“Well, the school can deem almost anything to be gang-related,” White remarks.
Elaine Naleski, spokeswoman for the school district, confirms to OneNewsNow that students are permitted to wear crosses outside their clothing, just not a rosary. White says he will not deem the matter involving his client resolved until he receives written confirmation from the school.
(Source: OneNewsNow.com)