Doe v. Elmbrook School District

Dist. Ct erred in granting defendant-school district’s motion for summary judgment in action by plaintiffs-students and parents alleging that defendant violated Establishment Clause when defendant held its high school graduation ceremonies in evangelical Christian church. Plaintiffs were entitled to summary judgment where instant ceremonies were held in church sanctuary that featured staff information booths with religious literature and banners, as well as large Latin cross, and where said setting necessarily conveyed message of improper religious endorsement, as well as improper perception of link between church and state. Fact that defendant did not itself adorn church with religous literature or banners or that students themselves picked church as site of their graduation ceremonies did not require different result. (Dissent filed.)