South Fremont High School
Encyclopedia
South Fremont High School is public high school located in St. Anthony, Idaho
, USA.
for displaying a nativity scene
in a school hallway. The scene contained two-inch tall figures and was arranged by the school's student council. The ACLU argued that the display was a violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
, which guarantees separation of church and state
.
The school also received criticism in 1998 for holding its graduation ceremonies at Ricks College, which is run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A school board member claimed that the ceremony would be uncomfortable for students who were not Mormons. The ACLU had fought with the school district in the 1980s to move its high school graduation from a LDS church building to a public school.
St. Anthony, Idaho
St. Anthony is a city in and the county seat of Fremont County, Idaho, United States. The population was 3,342 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Rexburg, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:St...
, USA.
Controversies
In 1992, the school caught the attention of the American Civil Liberties UnionAmerican Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
for displaying a nativity scene
Nativity scene
A nativity scene, manger scene, krippe, crèche, or crib, is a depiction of the birth of Jesus as described in the gospels of Matthew and Luke...
in a school hallway. The scene contained two-inch tall figures and was arranged by the school's student council. The ACLU argued that the display was a violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
, which guarantees separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
.
The school also received criticism in 1998 for holding its graduation ceremonies at Ricks College, which is run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A school board member claimed that the ceremony would be uncomfortable for students who were not Mormons. The ACLU had fought with the school district in the 1980s to move its high school graduation from a LDS church building to a public school.