ACLU Tells Enfield (CT): Stop Using Cathedral For Graduations

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By SHAWN R. BEALS
The Hartford Courant
November 19, 2009

Two civil liberties organizations are demanding that Enfield's public high schools move their graduations from the First Cathedral in Bloomfield to a secular location, and threatened to sue if they don't.

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"A public school's graduation ceremony should be held in a secular location," said Patrick Doyle, an ACLU spokesman. " have ample opportunities as far as other places they can do this."

ACLU staff attorney David McGuire said Enfield families have made numerous complaints about the location.
"Regardless of the intent, they are devaluing the faith of students and families in the religious minority," McGuire said Wednesday. " essentially feel uncomfortable and unwelcome at the graduations."

Enfield High School and Enrico Fermi High School have held their June ceremonies at the cathedral in the past two years. Traditionally, the district held graduations at each high school — using the football field if possible, or the gym in bad weather. But they were moved temporarily to the enormous Bloomfield church while work was done on the football fields in consecutive years.

The district decided last year to continue using the cathedral.

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Some board of education members and many parents last year said they prefer the cathedral because it offers plenty of room, excellent video and audio systems, air conditioning, ample parking and shelter from bad weather.

Plus, it was cheaper, Gallacher said. Warranties on the new football fields require that a $30,000 covering be put down on the field for an event like a graduation, he said.

Stokes said that he has heard complaints in the past about the religious location, but that the cathedral "makes it as secular as they can."

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Link: http://www.courant.com/community/enfield/hc-enfield-aclu-1119.artnov19,0,6514746.story
There's a lot of information in that article regarding other districts that also use the same cathedral. Be sure to read the whole thing! I had a hard time deciding what to excerpt out.