The Freedom From Religion Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio filed a lawsuit on Feb. 3, 2013, on behalf of plaintiffs who sought removal of a Jesus painting from Jackson Middle School in Jackson, Ohio. Plaintiffs Doe 1, Doe 2 and Doe 3 sued the Jackson City School District and others to remove the portrait from the public school after school authorities refused. A protective order was granted by the judge in order to protect the identity of the students and parents.
In response to the lawsuit, the painting of Jesus was moved from the middle school to the high school. The school district worked with the Liberty Institute, a religious right group, which proclaimed at its website: “We have never lost a case to the ACLU, [or] Freedom From Religion Foundation,” even though this was FFRF’s first case in which the Liberty Institute interceded. The superintendent announced that it would take a court order to remove the painting.
On Oct. 4, 2013, the federal lawsuit was settled with a consent degree in favor FFRF and the plaintiffs. As part of this, the court order mandated permanent removal of the portrait. Parties also agreed to a financial settlement requiring the school to pay the plaintiffs a combination of damages and legal fees totaling $95,000. Each of the plaintiffs, parents and students, received $3,000 in claims and damages.
The federal lawsuit was in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio with Judge Algrnon Marbley. The case number was: 2:13-cv-112.
- Consent Decree
- Financial Settlement
- Original Press Release
- Complaint 2-7-13
- Memo 2-7-13
- Order 2-12-13
