ACLU sues to stop Conn. school district from holding high school graduations at megachurch

Conn. ACLU sues to stop graduations at church

HARTFORD, Conn. — The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to stop two Connecticut high schools from holding their graduation ceremonies at a megachurch.

The state ACLU chapter and Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed the lawsuit Wednesday. They allege that it’s an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion for the Enfield school district to allow the ceremonies at The First Cathedral church in Bloomfield.

An attorney for the school district, Vincent McCarthy of the American Center for Law and Justice, says most of the lawsuit’s allegations are false and church leaders are willing to cover up the building’s few overtly religious symbols.

Enfield’s school board voted last month to continue holding graduations at the church.