Christ First Forum

The Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union Monday filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Cranston challenging the constitutionality of a prayer banner displayed in the Cranston High School West auditorium.

The suit, filed on behalf of Jessica Ahlquist, a Cranston West sophomore, asks the courts to order the prayer removed on the grounds that the city, through the School Department, violated Jessica’s First and Fourteenth Amendment rights making her feel “excluded, ostracized and devalued by her school because she does not share or agree with the religious expression conveyed by the prayer.” Jessica is an atheist.
The suit also asks the court to award compensatory damages, including interest, for Jessica’s injuries along with attorney’s fees and related costs.