The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit on behalf of two high school students who say they are offended by the school's policy of allowing prayer at voluntary events and holding Christmas concerts at churches.

The students, from Pace High School in Pace, Fla., are identified only as Minor I Doe and Minor II Doe in the lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court because they are both under 18. The complaint alleges disclosure of their names would put the students at risk of "social ostracism, economic injury, governmental retaliation … and potential physical harm."

Benjamin Stevenson, staff attorney with the ACLU of Florida's Northwest Region office, released an ACLU statement accusing school officials of using governmental positions to promote individual religious beliefs in public school.

"Parents, not the public schools, should be responsible for deciding whether their children receive religious education," said Benjamin Stevenson, staff attorney with the ACLU of Florida's Northwest Region office. "Religious freedom is eroded when the government endorses any particular religious viewpoint."

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The lawsuit states, "[S]tudents not only face overt compulsion to adopt the religious beliefs of school officials, but also must contend with subtle coercive pressures to conform their religious beliefs to those favored by school officials."

According to the complaint, graduation ceremonies at the high school have included prayers by students who are "often members of groups like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes or the Christian World Order." Attendees are asked to stand during prayer. The grievance also alleges Pace High School has conducted school-sponsored events at private places of worship and that school officials have promoted personal religious views and proselytizing of students in class and during extracurricular activities.

The complaint claims teacher and girls' track coach Clint Martin has used a bullhorn to preach to cross-country students before school in the parking lot. It also states faculty and staff invite students to pray before sports events such as football and basketball games and before club meetings.

Pace High Principal Frank Lay and Superintendent John Rogers, defendants in the suit, declined to comment on the pending legal action. However, Daniel Mach, director of litigation for the ACLU's Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief said he believes the school should refrain from endorsing religions.

"The government should not be in the business of deciding which religions to promote," he said in an ACLU statement. "Individuals, families and religious communities should be free to make their own decisions about religion."

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