Florida school district ordered to stop promoting religion, prayer

Milton, USA - A school district has been told by a judge to stop promoting religion and prayer in the classroom and at school events.

A federal judge has ordered the Santa Rosa County School District to stop promoting religion and prayer in the classroom and at school events.

U.S. District Court Judge Casey Rodgers ruled after Santa Rosa County school officials in Florida, California, admitted allegations in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Pensacola News Journal reports..

The ACLU sued the district, Pace High School Principal Frank Lay and former Superintendent John Rogers, on behalf of two unnamed Pace High students.

Rodgers' order prohibits employees from:

Promoting prayer at school-sponsored events, including graduation.

Planning or financing religious baccalaureate services.

Promoting religious beliefs to students in class or during school-sponsored events and activities.

Holding school-sponsored events at churches.

"We are pleased with Friday's decision, and we look forward to working with the defendants and the court to bring the School District in line permanently with the First Amendment," said attorney James Stevenson of the Florida ACLU's Northwest Regional office.