Graduation Ceremony in Church Spurs Lawsuit (USA)

A high school graduation ceremony held last year in a Newark church has sparked a lawsuit over religious freedom.

A senior who was graduating from West Side High School says he could not attend the ceremony because his Muslim faith prohibited him from entering a building with religious icons, such as pictures of God or the cross, according to a lawsuit filed against the Newark Public Schools by the American Civil Liberties Union.

"Schools should not sponsor activities that exclude some students from participating on the basis of religious belief," said Edward Barocas, the group's legal director.

The suit, filed on behalf of Bilal Shareef, is asking the court to grant the 18-year-old damages because both the graduation and a religious baccalaureate service violated his right not to be discriminated against on the basis of his religion.

The lawsuit alleges West Side officials told students if they attended the separate religious baccalaureate ceremony at a Catholic church, they would receive two additional tickets for the graduation ceremony.

"I worked hard throughout high school to reach the point of graduation and the school denied me the chance to be there with my friends and family for what should have been a happy, once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Shareef, who is now enrolled at Union County College in Cranford, N.J.

Perry Lattiboudere, the district's general counsel, said the school system denies the allegations and has always prided itself in trying to balance the needs of a diverse group of kids.

Lattiboudere argued that no federal or state court has ruled a school's decision to hold a graduation ceremony in a church violates the rights of a student or parent.

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