Report: Group Still Trying to Save Prayer Banner

A group of past and present Cranston High School West students last week appealed a federal court judge's rejection of their motion to intervene in the prayer banner saga last month.

The group of past and present students of Cranston High School West whose effort to reopen the prayer banner case was rebuffed by U.S. District Court Judge Ronald R. Lagueux last month have appealed his denial of their motion to intervene. The Associated Press reported that the group, identified as Michael Motaranni, Christian Frangos, Olivia Frangos, Carolyn Mesagno, Lori McClain, Jared McMullen and Ronald L'Heureux, filed an appeal of Lagueux's ruling last week in District Court. Lagueux rejected their motion on based on a lack of standing in the case and not timely, since their motion was filed after the entry of final judgement and an agreement between the Cranston School Committee and the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties …

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Paul Auger

10:32 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012

We asked for a list of schools YOU were referring to. The list one would get off Google would not have a star next to it saying "This is one of the schools Deb was talking about on Patch." Believe it or not Deb the world and the internet does not revolve around you. You started the conversation suggesting that faith based schools were being shut down due to their philosophy. This implied that you…   more ›

Ahlquist: We Have No Connection to Woonsocket Cross Case

Mark Ahlquist, father of Jessica Ahlquist, said his family has nothing to do with the controversy over a cross on Woonsocket city property.

It's easy to make a connection between the Cranston prayer banner case and the most recent controversy in Woonsocket over a cross at a war memorial at a fire station. Mark Ahlquist, father of Jessica Ahlquist — the Cranston West student and plaintiff at the center of the prayer banner case — said that his family "once again. . .is being targeted with hate" and people are assuming that they're connected to the Woonsocket situation. "We have absolutely nothing to do with that situation," Ahlquist said in an e-mail message. "For several reasons, I consider it to be a very different case than the prayer banner," Ahlquist said. In fact, Ahlquist agrees with some of the supporters who came out to defend his daughter in her legal case against the…

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Robin Lionheart

3:27 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012

I support more troops than you, Ed. You should support _all_ the troops.   more ›

School District Will Split ACLU Fees with City

The city has already paid the $150,000 in legal fees owed to the ACLU after losing the prayer banner case.

The School Committee last night unanimously approved a proposal that asks the city to split the $150,000 in legal fees owed to the American Civil Liberties Union after losing the prayer banner case. Superintendent Peter Nero proposed the plan at last night's meeting. The city has already paid the bill. Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung said that the city paid the bill recently and is hoping the school department pays back the city some of the money. Under the proposal, the district would pay the city $75,000. The banner, which contained a school prayer, was ordered removed by a U.S. District Court Judge earlier this year. The enormous banner has hung in this Rhode Island high school since 1963. It begins with the phrase "Our Heavenly Father" …

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Melanie Scalera

10:39 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Yeah.....the ACLU is just as shitty as you. I'd rather flush money down the toilet....   more ›

Reader Roundup

READER ROUNDUP: 'Hateful, Hypocritical Christians'

Take a look at what readers are talking about around the state and join the conversation in the comments section below.

  Cranston: "Hateful hypocritical "Christians" are the scum of the earth." — ELM, commenting on Ahlquist Family Told to 'Get Out of RI' in Threatening Letter Coventry: "Yeah because that's exactly what I want my kid doing, spending more time online!! seriously people, think. Kids barely pay attention in regular classes do you really think they are going to retain any information from online classes?" — harry balzonya, commenting on Virtual High School Program Presented to Committee East Greenwich: "Though they may have overreacted, it is a good thing the principal took this seriously and possibly averted an awful tragedy. If he had done nothing and a massacre took place then everyone would be upset that he did nothing!" — carolyn, …

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Melanie Scalera

10:23 pm on Sunday, April 29, 2012

8.) READER ROUNDUP: READER ROUNDUP By Patrick Luce Email the author January 22, 2012 'Thuggish' Response to First Amendment Fight Cranston: "I'm not all that surprised, but certainly dismayed, by the thuggish, moblike response to citizens like Ahlquist and Grenga, who not only are entitled to express their opinions without being shouted down (if not threatened with physical harm), but who pretty …   more ›

Judge: Last Ditch Effort to Save Banner "Misguided and Frivolous"

Judge Ronald R. Lagueux had strong words for the group that filed an eleventh hour request to save the prayer banner at Cranston West — even after it had been removed. He said their argument was based on "a mishmash of misguided and frivolous arguments."

Judge Ronald Lagueux called the prayer banner saga a "drawn-out affair" consisting of two months of "divisive debate." "It is time to move on," the judge wrote in his Thursday denial of a motion by a group of past and present Cranston High School West students asking him to intervene and consider reversing his January ruling ordering the prayer banner hanging in the school auditorium be removed. Lagueux described the motion, which was filed by Michael Motaranni, Christian Frangos, Olivia Frangos, Carolyn Mesagno, Lori McClain, Jared McMullen and Ronald L'Heureux, as not "timely" and based on "frivolous arguments." He wrote that their request for a motion to intervene in a closed case, a stay in  the decision and order and for him to …

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Bill Santagata

4:24 am on Friday, April 20, 2012

(cont'd 2) Jessica wasn't trying to extend the meaning of the Establishment Clause in any new way, such as by challenging "Under God." She was just trying to get the school to follow the law as it is currently written and interpreted. As our country becomes more religiously diverse, there will be a greater chance that an illegal government endorsement of religion will reach the ears or eyes of …   more ›

Ahlquist Family Told to 'Get out of RI' in Threatening Letter

A piece of hate mail threatening rape and ordering Ahlquist to "get out of RI" was posted on Twitter and is now circulating on several Atheist Web sites.

A photo of the letter has been removed from this article after a request. "We know where he works, what kind of cars you have and the plate numbers of the cars. Get the [expletive] out of RI." That was part of a threatening letter sent to Jessica Ahlquist recently. Ahlquist, the Cranston High School West junior who was the plaintiff in the American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit against the school district over the prayer banner that hanged in the auditorium at her school, posted an image of the hate mail on Twitter last night. The letter warns of sexual assault, taunting Ahlquist that a group of "crusaders" have a betting pool going to see who "gets you first." "The cops will not watch you forever," it stated. "We will get you good." The …

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Ed

3:59 pm on Monday, April 23, 2012

Look here, we now have another ignorant and aggressive atheist that stepped forward, complete with cocky comments... That is the problem when you believe the world is square...   more ›

District Agrees to Pay ACLU $150,000 [VIDEO]

City and school officials and the School Committee have come to an agreement with the ACLU for the district to pay $150,000 in attorney's fees after losing the prayer banner lawsuit.

Cranston Public Schools and the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union have tentatively agreed upon a figure of $150,000 for the school district to pay the ACLU for legal fees after losing the prayer banner case. The schools’ Chief Operating Officer Raymond Votto said the city, School Committee and school district appeared to agree to the figure today. It remains up to U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Lagueux to approve the amount. The announcement came with the backdrop of a blank, white wall in the auditorium at Cranston High School West, where Votto delivered remarks this afternoon about the prayer banner’s removal over the weekend. Votto said the banner’s removal cost a total of about $2,500, the majority spent on labor, …

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The Shill

11:07 am on Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Glad you need to become more educated and learn what satire is.   more ›

Former Councilman Offers to Pay for Banner Removal

Former councilman Jeffrey P. Barone is asking the school district to let him pay for the removal of the prayer banner at Cranston High School West so he can donate to the class of 1963.

The controversial prayer banner at Cranston High School West remains covered and has yet to be removed. Former Cranston City Councilman Jeffrey P. Barone has written Superintendent Peter Nero with an offer to pay for the banner's removal so it can be donated to the class of 1963, the schools first graduating class, which gave the banner to the school as its class gift. "I am again requesting that I absorb the cost of the removal of the banner and in return, I am allowed to take possession of the banner. Upon my possession, I will then donate it back to the class that originally donated it to [the school]," Barone wrote. Barone said that he believes the banner's fate isn't up to the School Committee to decide. The U.S. District Court ruling…

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Robin Lionheart

11:55 am on Thursday, March 8, 2012

@Arthur C writes “I do not believe in atheists.” Hello! I’m an atheist. Now you’ve met one.   more ›