Supreme Court rejects appeal over graduations in church

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court has left in place a court decision that said public high school graduations in a church adorned with religious symbols violated the separation of church and state.

The justices' action Monday comes more than a month after the court upheld Christian prayer at the start of town council meetings.

The justices did not explain their denial of the appeal from the Elmbrook School District in southeastern Wisconsin, however. Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas said they would have heard the case.

In 2012, the federal appeals court in Chicago found that a giant cross on the wall of Elmbrook Church and other religious symbols that were visible during graduation ceremonies conveyed a message that government was endorsing a particular religion. The district no longer holds graduations there.