The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio yesterday joined another group in seeking the removal of a painting of Jesus displayed in a Jackson, Ohio, school. Like the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the ACLU believes that the picture, which school officials vow will stay, is an unconstitutional entanglement of church and state and an endorsement of Christianity.
“In this case, there are no other historical or religious figures displayed, making it very clear that the portrait is non-secular and meant to endorse one religion in particular,” an ACLU of Ohio lawyer said in a statement.
“The fact that this portrait has been hanging for many years does not change the fact that it promotes one set of religious beliefs at the expense of all others,” said ACLU litigation coordinator Drew Dennis.
The Jackson school board decided on Tuesday that the picture of Jesus, which has hung in Jackson Middle School since 1947, would not be removed in response to the objections of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Rebecca Markert, a staff attorney for the Madison, Wis.-based nonprofit group, said yesterday it was “unfortunate” that the school board defends the display of the Jesus picture despite court rulings to the contrary.
The group, which is confident a court would rule against the school district, is meeting with Jackson-area residents to determine “our next step,” she said.
Superintendent Phil Howard told an approving crowd of more than 300 people at the school board meeting that the picture, a decades-old gift from a student group, is legal because it has historical significance. Howard did not return telephone calls yesterday seeking comment.
“Public-school displays that advance one particular religious tradition are neither welcoming, nor inclusive for those who may have other beliefs,” said Dennis, who wrote to the school district requesting the removal of the painting. It hangs over an entrance to the middle school.