In American Humanist Association v. Greenville County School District, (D SC, Dec. 12, 2017), in a case on remand from the 4th Circuit (see prior posting), a South Carolina federal district court held that a South Carolina school district’s practice of holding elementary school graduation ceremonies in the Christian Chapel of a local university violates the Establishment Clause. The court awarded plaintiffs $1 in nominal damages. The court said in part:… [T]his ruling is limited to the specific facts of this case and should not be construed as a bright line rule regarding a school district’s use of a church-owned facility…. The fact that the district chose to hold the ceremony (which included school-endorsed Christian prayers) in a clearly Christian place of worship in the presence of religious iconography, including, among other things, a cross on the podium and eight stained glass windows depicting Christian imagery, only further created a likelihood that observers would perceive the district as endorsing a particular set of religious beliefs. There has been no showing that the chapel was the only available venue for the graduation ceremony, and in view of the overall circumstances of the event, there can be no doubt that the setting in which the ceremony occurred conveyed a message of religious endorsement and created a likelihood that the school-aged children would perceive a link between church and state. In a prior opinion in the case, the court had concluded student-led prayer at the school’s past graduation ceremonies was unconstitutional.  In this case, the court held that the organizational plaintiff has standing to challenge the school’s revised prayer policy as it is being applied.  Plaintiffs claim that as implemented, the revised policy merely continues past practices.  The court ordered the parties to attempt mediation before proceeding further. American Humanist Association issued a press release announcing the opinion.

Source: http://lslink.info/?c=2b66

The New York Post reported last week that the former chief financial officer of New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage has filed suit alleging that he was forced out of his position because he is Muslim.  According to the Post:Mohad Athar says he was subjected to racial slurs and false performance reviews after a new chief executive officer, Michael Glickman, was hired in 2016.

Source: http://lslink.info/?c=29Tr

An unanticipated development flowing from Spain’s takeover of the Catalonian government is Spain’s move to retrieve 44 religious artifacts housed in Catalonia’s Museum of Lleida. The Spanish government claims that nuns of a convent in Sijena illegally sold the rare artifacts to the Museum after the order moved to Barcelona. The Telegraph yesterday reported:In 2015, after years of contradictory rulings and appeals, an Aragonese court found that the sales were illicit, and ordered the treasures returned. But Catalonia refused to comply, lodging an appeal which has yet to be ruled upon.When that Catalan government was removed in November under Article 155 – which imposed direct rule in response to the illegal independence referendum – the Aragonese judge saw his chance, demanding that the return be approved by Spain’s culture ministry.The minister, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo, defended the sign-off, insisting it was not