ACLU to school: take down prayer banner

CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) - The Cranston School Committee met in executive session Tuesday evening to discuss whether to remove a controversial sign inside Cranston High School West.

The banner has been in the auditorium at Cranston West for as long as anyone can remember. It begins with the statement "Our Heavenly Father," and ends with "Amen."

Critics, including the Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, call the message a prayer which violates the constitutional right guaranteeing separation of church and state.

The ACLU asked the Cranston School Department to take down the banner after receiving a complaint from a parent.

That parent does not have a child who attends Cranston West, but she does have a child within the Cranston school system. She noticed the sign while attending a recent function at the Cranston West auditorium, and contacted the ACLU.

The school department could face a legal challenge if it does not remove the banner.