Pearisburg, USA - Officials in Giles County Public Schools, acting on a school board vote, removed controversial displays of the Ten Commandments this morning from various buildings, said Amanda Tickle, board clerk and executive secretary in the school system.
The board voted during a 7:30 a.m. special meeting, Tickle said.
The Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation threatened Jan. 20 to sue in federal court to get the religious writings taken down.
Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said today the organization was evaluating today’s development.
“We’re still readying our lawsuit,” she said. “We were planning to file this week, but this may delay it a little bit, I don’t know.”
FFRF's leaders say the displayed commandments advance religion in a public place and violate rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court and other courts and First Amendment rights.
The ACLU of Virginia is partnering with the Freedom from Religion Foundation to prepare the threatened lawsuit.
“We’re skeptical that this new move is the end of it,” said Rebecca Glenberg, an ACLU attorney.