Court Denies City’s Plea to Reject Injunction, Churches Will Be Allowed to Worship in Schools Until June

February 29, 2012 at 6:33 PM

The Second Circuit court denied the Department of Education’s application to have a preliminary injunction lifted on its policy banning worship in school buildings during off-hours. The denial will allow churches and other religious groups to continue worshiping inside city public schools until at least mid-June.

On Friday, Judge Loretta Preska ordered a preliminary injunction that would temporarily allow all religious groups to continue worshiping at school buildings while she came to a more definitive decision. On Monday, city lawyers asked the Second Circuit court to lift the preliminary injunction and were denied. However, the court did ask that a decision be made by “mid-June.”

“Today’s order is unusual; however, it calls for a speedy resolution of this litigation,” said Jane Gordon, who is working on the case for the law department. “We look forward to concluding this matter in accordance with the Court’s expedited time frame.”