Jackson , Jackson County , Ohio

The American Civil Liberties Union and another group are asking a federal judge to make a southern Ohio middle school take down its portrait of Jesus.

The ACLU of Ohio and the Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation contend the large portrait hanging in a public school violates constitutional requirement for separation of church and state and promotes a single religion.

Their lawsuit was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court following complaints by both groups to Jackson City Schools.

A message for comment was left Thursday at the school district, some 65 miles south of Columbus.

School officials had said earlier that the portrait, at the Jackson Middle School building since 1947, has historical importance and that they planned to leave it in place.


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The American Civil Liberties Union has written to a southern Ohio school district challenging the continued display of a large portrait of Jesus that has been at a middle school building since 1947.

The ACLU of Ohio said Thursday the portrait is unconstitutional, promoting one religion instead of separation of church and state.

A Wisconsin-based activist group had written earlier to the school saying the painting hanging above the Jackson Middle School entrance is illegal and should be taken down.

During a school board meeting Tuesday night that drew 300 people, Superintendent Phil Howard said the painting has historical significance and will stay put. He received strong backing from most in the crowd. He could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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There's a controversy in Jackson, Ohio over a picture of Jesus at the local Middle School. It's been hanging in Jackson Middle since 1947, but a group from Madison, Wisconsin says that's illegal.

The group, Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the Jackson City School District. In it, it said, "Jackson City Schools may not display Christian or other religious messages on school grounds. The Supreme Court has stressed the importance of protecting public school students from types of messages. It is illegal for Jackson Middle School to post religious images on the walls of its school. If true, the District must remove the picture of Jesus at once."

Hundreds of people packed the auditorium at Jackson Middle School Tuesday night at the School District's Board meeting to support keeping the portrait up on the wall. Superintendent Phil Howard says he doesn't plan to take down the picture of Jesus.

John Hensler heads a group in town who wants the portrait to stay. "It is a public school and nobody is forcing anyone to look at the picture. It's been there for so many years and never made a ruckus this far. The general consensus so far in our community is 95% the portrait stays."

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Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or distributed.