Conn. school board votes to appeal court ruling against high school graduations at church

Conn. school board to appeal church grad ruling

HARTFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut school board has voted to appeal a federal court ruling that would keep the town’s two high school graduation ceremonies out of a megachurch.

Tuesday night’s 5-4 vote by Enfield’s Board of Education reverses a board decision last week to let stand the temporary injunction issued by U.S. District Court Judge Janet Hall.

Hall found that holding the June 23 and 24 graduations at First Cathedral Baptist Church in Bloomfield would amount to an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.

Attorney Vincent McCarthy, who’s representing the school district, plans to file with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

American Civil Liberties Union attorney David McGuire says he’s disappointed by the decision but believes the injunction will be upheld.