Legal
Colorado ACLU Cases

Legal Department Docket, 2002-Present

Case Name: Shields v. Kiowa County School District
Case Number: 02-MK-0972, United States District Court, District of Colorado
ACLU Case Number: 2002-08

Description: Acting on behalf of a teacher and student who sought the ACLU's assistance, the ACLU filed suit to put an end to school-sponsored religious messages, including a planned school-sponsored prayer at the annual graduation ceremony, at Plainview School in Sheridan Lakes, Colorado, a small town 140 miles east of Denver with a population of about 60 K-12 students.

On May 24, 2002, the Court conducted a hearing on the ACLU's motion for a temporary restraining order regarding the upcoming graduation ceremony. Although the motion was denied, the Superintendent testified that the school district would modify other practices challenged in the lawsuit, such as distributing Bibles to grade school children and opening school functions with a faculty-delivered sectarian prayer.

Issues: Separation of church and state

ACLU of Colorado Attorneys: James Hubbell, Mark Silverstein

Links to Selected Documents:

ACLU News Release, May 23, 2002, "As Graduation Approaches, Kiowa County Family Asks Court to End School-sponsored Religious Exercises"

Complaint, filed May 20, 2002

Brief in Support of Motion for Temporary Restraining Order, filed May 20, 2002

Declaration of Sean Shields

Declaration of Ashlee Shields