255:
decided to sit in on the school board meetings. She also created a
Facebook page to raise support for the cause. At an August 2010 meeting of the Cranston School Committee, a subcommittee was asked to make recommendations about the disposition of the banner; Ahlquist attended the public meetings of the subcommittee in November 2010 and February 2011. At the end of the November meeting, out of safety concerns, a police escort was provided for Ahlquist and one other person who spoke in favor of the banner's removal. At a contentious meeting of the full committee, she argued the case for the removal of the banner and a similar display at Bain Middle School. The committee voted 4–3 in favor of keeping the banner in place, despite a budget deficit and the threat of an ACLU lawsuit.
31:
347:
On
February 16, 2012, the Cranston School Committee decided not to appeal by a 5–2 vote. The banner was removed, intact, during the first weekend in March, and the school and city agreed to pay the ACLU $ 150,000 in legal fees. On the day of the agreement, a group consisting of three students, three
331:
At the hearing, Lagueux remarked that
Ahlquist "is clearly an articulate and courageous young woman, who took a brave stand, particularly in light of the hostile response she has received from her community". Following the ruling on the case, police involvement has increased, both escorting Ahlquist
356:
to a fifth appellant's address was returned as undeliverable with no forwarding address. While various parties remained interested in acquiring the banner a year after the case had been decided, the banner remained in storage. In
September 2013, an alumni group presented a new mural to the school
254:
superintendent on behalf of an unnamed parent who complained about the banner. Initially, school officials thought the banner could be modified, avoiding the prohibitive expense of a lawsuit. Ahlquist had noticed the banner in her first year in high school. After reading about the complaint, she
343:
On the day following the ruling, Rhode Island State
Representative Peter G. Palumbo spoke on a local radio show and referred to Ahlquist as "an evil little thing". While the supporters of the banner raised funds for the preservation of the banner in the event of its ordered removal by selling
339:
Religious leaders from the Rhode Island State
Council of Churches rallied to defend Ahlquist and condemn the language used to describe her. The organization's executive minister, Rev. Dr. Donald Anderson attended Cranston West when the banner went up; he supported Lagueux's decision.
332:
to classes and investigating threats, mostly originating in
Cranston. An unnamed student was disciplined by the school because of threats. Local florists also refused a delivery to Ahlquist. Two high school students from other states have described their objections to
1240:
258:
The Rhode Island chapter of the ACLU asked
Ahlquist if she would serve as a plaintiff in a lawsuit. The suit was filed in April 2011. The Cranston School Committee had made defense arrangements with
395:
352:. The group filed a notice of appeal over the ruling barring their intervention. Of the seven appellants, as of October 2012 four had not signed the notice of appeal, and mail sent by the
191:. Banners bearing both the school creed and prayer were gifts from the school's first graduating class (1963), and were affixed in the school auditorium. The text of the prayer reads:
177:
was opened in 1959, its student council was charged with selection of a school prayer along with its school creed, colors, and mascot. The prayer, adopted in 1960, replaced the
344:
T-shirts with the banner's full text, Ahlquist's supporters raised funds with "Evil little thing" T-shirts, the proceeds going to a college education fund established for her.
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alumni, and a North
Providence resident filed a motion to stay. The motion was dismissed on the basis of being untimely and that they lacked
234:
Jessica
Ahlquist was born in 1995, and lives in Cranston, Rhode Island. Her father, Mark Ahlquist, was co-plaintiff as parent, guardian, and
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601:
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552:
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issued a decision in favor of Ahlquist on January 11, 2012. The decision was in part based on the Establishment Clause of the
263:
730:
1098:
757:"Cranston student disciplined over comments against fellow student in prayer banner case; student walkout thwarted Friday"
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616:"Jessica Ahlquist, Rhode Island Student, Confident Her Side Is 'Very Strong' In School Prayer Mural Suit"
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After florists in Cranston and Warwick refused, a Connecticut florist agreed to deliver the flowers.
1203:
304:
251:
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375:"Jessica Ahlquist, Teenage Atheist, Wins Case To Remove Prayer Banner From Cranston High School"
157:
and ordered its removal. The suit was brought by Mark Ahlquist on behalf of his minor daughter
53:
16:
2012 US court case which required a public school to remove a banner featuring a written prayer
783:"Florist found in Connecticut to deliver roses to Cranston West prayer banner opponent / Poll"
940:
150:
113:
712:
Winston, Kimberly (January 13, 2012). "Judge rules against prayer banner in R.I. school".
8:
714:
620:
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Help us always to conduct ourselves so as to bring credit to Cranston High School West.
1136:
487:
396:"Police, School Officials Investigating Online Prayer Case Reaction for Cyberbullying"
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87:
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1013:"Cranston agrees to pay ACLU $ 150,000 in legal fees, ending prayer-banner fight"
731:"Rhode Island Teen's Battle Against Prayer Banner Has Gone 'Too Far,' Mayor Says"
672:
187:
1121:
no. 12-1614 (1st Cir. filed May 21, 2012), order, Sep. 20 2012; retrieved from
349:
295:
1234:
574:"Facebook page: "Support the Removal of the Cranston High School West Prayer"
496:
333:
425:
320:
259:
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Mark Ahlquist, as next friend, parent, and guardian of Jessica Ahlquist v.
235:
84:
963:"As Committee Nears Appeal Decision, Banner Saga Reaches New York Times"
206:
Help us to be good sports and smile when we lose as well as when we win.
665:
551:, Media General Communications Holdings, July 22, 2010, archived from
319:
case was consolidated at the appeals level from both Rhode Island and
480:
1241:
United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island cases
578:
299:(1992), all three of which had a local Rhode Island component: the
812:"Ahlquist Inspires Two Others To Contest Prayers At Their Schools"
481:
Goodnough, Abby; Jen McCaffery (contributing) (January 26, 2012).
454:"Rhode Island: A Resident Hears Dissent in Roger Williams' State"
315:
bordering Providence on the opposite side from Cranston, and the
873:"Council of Churches leader supports removal of prayer banner"
1163:"Cranston West Class of '63 presents school with new banners"
143:
United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
42:
United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
141:, 840 F. Supp. 2d 507 (D.R.I. 2012), was a case where the
688:"School School Committee Finds Lawyers to Defend Banner"
483:"Student Faces Town's Wrath in Protest Against a Prayer"
933:"Rival shirts go on sale amidst the banner controversy"
1190:, 840 F. Supp. 2d 507 (D.R.I. 2012) is available from:
202:
To be kind and helpful to our classmates and teachers.
161:, a student at the school, with the assistance of the
1066:"Federal judge: Cranston prayer banner case is over"
1039:"7 seek stay of order to remove prayer banner in RI"
902:"Palumbo calls Cranston student "Evil Little Thing""
900:
NewsTalk 630 WPRO & 99.7 FM (January 12, 2012).
421:"Threats against RI atheist teen being investigated"
545:"Cranston weighs changing words on 'prayer' banner"
204:
To be honest with ourselves as well as with others.
200:
To grow mentally and morally as well as physically.
666:ACLU Files Suit Over Cranston School Prayer Banner
102:Motion for reconsideration denied (April 12, 2012)
989:"Cranston Votes Not to Appeal Prayer Banner Case"
841:Smith, Matt; Sotnik, Kathryn (January 24, 2012),
1232:
451:
181:in daily recitation until 1962, following the
145:ruled that a "School Prayer" banner posted in
1160:
366:
56:and School Committee of the City of Cranston
1271:Student rights case law in the United States
1251:Education in Providence County, Rhode Island
198:Grant us each day the desire to do our best.
1045:. NY Times. Associated Press. March 7, 2012
840:
637:"School Committee Decides to Defend Banner"
960:
393:
29:
1091:"Group wants prayer banner case reopened"
930:
1276:United States children's rights case law
986:
870:
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613:
607:
591:
589:
415:
413:
218:School Prayer, Cranston High School West
112:The "School Prayer" banner violates the
809:
711:
685:
634:
372:
266:which represented them without charge.
1233:
1063:
908:. Providence, RI. WPRO. Archived from
373:Winston, Kimberly (January 14, 2012).
208:Teach us the value of true friendship.
1134:
987:Crimaldi, Laura (February 17, 2012),
961:Schieldrop, Mark (January 27, 2012).
780:
586:
516:
476:
474:
472:
470:
410:
394:Schieldrop, Mark (January 13, 2012).
264:The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
1161:Kuffner, Alex (September 21, 2013).
755:Armental, Maria (January 16, 2012).
614:Crimaldi, Laura (October 13, 2011).
939:, WPRO 630AM 99.7FM, archived from
931:DeQuattro, Dee (January 24, 2012),
526:(letter), Rhode Island Chapter ACLU
13:
871:Kalunian, Kim (January 19, 2012),
843:"Religious group defends Ahlquist"
729:Ng, Christina (January 18, 2012).
728:
686:Metcalf, Andrew (March 29, 2011).
600: (D.R.I. 01/11/2012),
467:
429:. January 13, 2012. Archived from
14:
1292:
1180:
810:Metcalf, Andrew (June 24, 2012).
635:Metcalf, Andrew (March 8, 2011).
452:Thomas A. Lewis (July 19, 2012).
1137:"Prayer banner still in storage"
1135:Jonic, Flo (February 18, 2013).
781:Davis, Paul (January 19, 2012).
1226:Case webpage of the Becket Fund
1154:
1128:
1112:
1083:
1064:Arditi, Lynn (April 12, 2012).
1057:
1031:
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834:
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774:
748:
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517:Brown, Stephen (July 6, 2010),
357:containing the school's creed.
1266:2012 in United States case law
1097:, May 14, 2012, archived from
661:American Civil Liberties Union
566:
537:
510:
445:
387:
354:First Circuit Court of Appeals
248:American Civil Liberties Union
163:American Civil Liberties Union
1:
1246:Establishment Clause case law
360:
336:as inspired by her activism.
223:
326:
7:
1221:Case webpage of the RI ACLU
1119:Ahlquist v. Mesagno, et al,
279:United States Supreme Court
183:United States Supreme Court
10:
1297:
241:
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155:United States Constitution
1141:Rhode Island Public Radio
175:Cranston High School West
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147:Cranston High School West
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69:
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520:Letter to Superintendent
252:Cranston School District
250:(ACLU) sent a letter to
260:Joseph V. Cavanagh, Jr.
149:was a violation of the
1261:Religion and education
1256:Cranston, Rhode Island
281:'s earlier rulings in
221:
881:Beacon Communications
303:case was from nearby
269:District Court Judge
195:Our Heavenly Father.
193:
1188:Ahlquist v. Cranston
1165:. Providence Journal
597:Ahlquist v. Cranston
406:on January 15, 2012.
151:Establishment Clause
138:Ahlquist v. Cranston
114:Establishment Clause
24:Ahlquist v. Cranston
912:on October 18, 2011
853:on January 30, 2012
715:The Washington Post
621:The Huffington Post
380:The Huffington Post
1125:, October 22, 2012
1070:Providence Journal
1017:Providence Journal
787:Providence Journal
761:Providence Journal
671:2012-02-18 at the
488:The New York Times
246:In July 2010, the
906:John DePetro Show
290:Lynch v. Donnelly
284:Lemon v. Kurtzman
271:Ronald R. Lagueux
134:
133:
129:Ronald R. Lagueux
99:Subsequent action
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818:. Archived from
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402:. Archived from
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230:Jessica Ahlquist
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159:Jessica Ahlquist
120:Court membership
65:January 11, 2012
54:City of Cranston
33:
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1101:on May 18, 2012
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1043:BostonGlobe.com
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676:4th April, 2011
673:Wayback Machine
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311:case was from
296:Lee v. Weisman
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1167:. Retrieved
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1114:
1103:, retrieved
1099:the original
1094:
1085:
1073:. Retrieved
1069:
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1047:. Retrieved
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1033:
1021:. Retrieved
1016:
1007:
998:February 17,
996:, retrieved
992:
982:
970:. Retrieved
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956:
945:, retrieved
941:the original
936:
926:
914:. Retrieved
910:the original
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884:, retrieved
876:
866:
855:, retrieved
851:the original
846:
836:
824:. Retrieved
820:the original
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790:. Retrieved
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640:
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557:, retrieved
553:the original
549:Turnto10.com
548:
539:
528:, retrieved
519:
512:
500:. Retrieved
486:
459:December 29,
457:. Retrieved
447:
435:. Retrieved
431:the original
426:Boston Globe
424:
404:the original
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321:Pennsylvania
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293:(1984), and
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94:Case history
51:
18:
972:January 27,
947:January 27,
916:January 27,
886:January 29,
857:January 29,
826:January 27,
792:January 20,
766:January 28,
740:January 28,
697:January 28,
646:January 27,
559:January 29,
530:January 29,
502:January 26,
437:January 22,
236:next friend
85:F. Supp. 2d
70:Docket nos.
1235:Categories
361:References
305:Providence
277:, and the
224:Plaintiffs
185:ruling in
1075:April 14,
1049:April 14,
937:WPRO News
497:0362-4331
327:Aftermath
313:Pawtucket
1186:Text of
1095:WPRI.com
1023:March 6,
993:ABC News
847:WPRI.com
735:ABC News
669:Archived
579:Facebook
350:standing
287:(1971),
216:—
80:Citation
1146:June 4,
1105:May 14,
242:Lawsuit
153:of the
107:Holding
62:Decided
1281:Prayer
1216:
1213:Leagle
1210:
1207:
1201:
1198:
1192:
495:
307:, the
169:Banner
1123:PACER
524:(PDF)
317:Lemon
309:Lynch
213:Amen.
173:When
38:Court
1171:2013
1148:2013
1107:2012
1077:2012
1051:2012
1025:2012
1000:2012
974:2012
949:2012
918:2012
888:2012
859:2012
828:2012
794:2012
768:2012
742:2012
699:2012
648:2012
602:Text
561:2012
532:2012
504:2012
493:ISSN
461:2014
439:2012
262:and
83:840
301:Lee
88:507
1237::
1139:.
1093:,
1068:.
1041:.
1015:.
991:,
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