Federal Court in Central NY Prohibits Discrimination by Public School of Christian Message
Fundraising bricks were free speech, not establishment of religion, federal judge rules.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
By Fred A. Mohr Staff writer

The Mexico school district has been ordered to reinstall bricks bearing evangelical Christian messages in its high school sidewalk.

U.S. District Judge Norman Mordue, in a 31-page ruling last week, said the bricks - which carry messages such as "Jesus Christ the only way" and "Jesus Saves" - don't endorse a particular religious view by the district and that removing them violated the rights of the people who paid for them.

The issue arose in February 2000 when the school, acting on a complaint, removed nine bricks bearing religious messages from the sidewalk leading up to Mexico High School in Oswego County. The bricks were part of a fundraiser for the Class of 1999. the rest