FFRF had warned the Duval County School Board in Florida in January that the Seacoast Charter Academy seemed like a thinly disguised religious establishment.
The institution, which was run as part of a private Christian school for almost 20 years, became a kindergarten to fifth-grade charter entity in 2011 for financial reasons.
Also, Seacoast hosted a Veterans Day program inside the academy’s auditorium, which features a large Latin cross at center stage and lots of religious iconography. It is also used for Seacoast’s chapel services, so it serves the same role as a church.
“We’re pleased the school district investigated and issued the default,” said FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel. “Both the district and FFRF will continue to monitor these schools.”