Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Elmbrook's Gibson Is Right on Graduation

Some Professionally-Aggrieved types are going to sue the School District of Elmbrook.

Good. Being the sue-er always costs a lot more than being the defendant, particularly when your defense is damn near open-and-shut.

A local school district's decision to go ahead with scheduled graduations at Elmbrook Church increases the likelihood of a federal lawsuit, according to an attorney who represents a group that advocates for separation of church and state.

...responses from Elmbrook and New Berlin had been received, with Elmbrook saying it planned to go ahead with its plans. New Berlin officials said "they've taken pause to consider our request" to move Eisenhower High School's ceremonies, said Alex Luchenitser, senior litigation counsel for the Washington, D.C.-based Americans United.

Bring it on!

Elmbrook Superintendent Matt Gibson said his district believes it is complying with the law. In its response to Americans United, the district asserted that its reasons for choosing the church were "purely secular."

"Those reasons include providing a venue that is large enough to host all the graduates and their family members, providing air conditioning, accommodating the disabled, offering audio and visual technologies, as well as offering sufficient parking," Gibson wrote. "It should also be noted that the cost of renting this offsite facility is less than the overtime custodial and energy consumption costs of holding the ceremonies in our current small, non-air conditioned gymnasiums."

All of that is absolutely true.

It is also absolutely true that Americans United is a group of Professionally Aggrieved individuals.

At least one of the Professionally Aggrieved parents has already made quite a name for herself in the Elmbrook District. This will certainly enhance her reputation.

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