Injunction To Be Sought To Stop Graduation Prayer

GREENWOOD, Ind. -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana will seek an injunction to stop a prayer planned at the Greenwood High School graduation ceremony as part of a lawsuit filed by a top-ranked senior.

The suit by 18-year-old Eric Workman said the prayer and a vote taken by students at a school assembly in September unconstitutionally subjects religious practice to majority rule, 6News' Rafael Sanchez reported.

Video: The Rant: Should Schools Have Prayer At Graduation?

"(The vote) was unconstitutional," said Ken Falk with the ACLU. "You should never put someone's religious beliefs to a majority vote."

The law firm that represents the school district said on Friday that it had no knowledge of the suit, but said that the district does not promote school prayer.

The American Family Association of Indiana opposes the legal challenge.

"We tolerate different points of view, but to silence people because you disagree with them is unfortunate," said spokesman Micah Clark.

Some seniors also said that they don't mind the prayer.

"(There's) nothing wrong with praying. Nobody's skin will burn if they say a prayer one time," one senior said.

"Some people may not be religious, but it's not that big of a deal," another student said.

The suit said Workman is first in his class and expects to speak at graduation. Falk declined to say if his client was religious.

"He's obviously extremely intelligent. He thought it out," he said.

Greenwood's graduation is planned for May 28. Greenwood Superintendent David Edds told Sanchez that the district's other legal team is handling the case. He did not provide contact information for the law firm.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1992 that clergy-led prayers at public school graduations were unconstitutional.