==ACLU lawsuit==
{{main|Does v. School Board for Santa Rosa County, Florida}}
{{sectstub}}On [[August 27]], [[2008]], the [[ACLU of Florida]] filed a lawsuit in [[U.S. District Court]] against the [[Santa Rosa County School District]] on behalf of two [[Pace High School]] students. Principal Lay and former [[Santa Rosa Superintendent]] [[John Rogers]] were named as defendants in the complaint, which alleged that the school officials "used their government positions … to persistently and pervasively promote their personal religious beliefs in the public schools and at school events."<ref name="srcomplaint">[http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/religion/santarosacounty_complaint.pdf Complaint against Santa Rosa County School Board]</ref> The complaint also alleged that teachers and staff preached about "judgment day with the Lord" and conducted Bible readings and biblical interpretations at student meetings. According to [[Benjamin Stevenson]], attorney for the Northwest Region, "We sent a number of letters and exchanged telephone calls to avoid litigation" in [[2006]]. "After the [[Santa Rosa County School Board|School Board]] failed to bring the district in line with the Constitution and American values by ending the practice of school officials using their official positions to promote their religion, we had to act."<ref>"ACLU sues school district." ''Pensacola News Journal'', August 28, 2008.</ref> On [[December 15]], the [[Santa Rosa County School Board]], along with Lay and Superintendent [[Tim Wyrosdick]], filed an "Admission of Liability" with the court regarding district-wide constitutional violations. On [[January 12]], [[2009]], Judge [[Casey Rodgers]] issued an order prohibiting the school district and its employees from the following:<ref>"Schools ordered to stop prayer." ''Pensacola News Journal'', January 13, 2009.</ref>* Promoting prayer at school-sponsored events, including graduation.* Planning or financing religious baccalaureate services.* Promoting religious beliefs to students in class or during school-sponsored events and activities.* Holding school-sponsored events at churches.
The consent decree and order signed on [[May 9]], [[2009]] permanently enjoined school officials from "promoting, advancing, endorsing, participating in, or causing Prayers during or in conjunction with School Events" with specific instruction that "School Officials shall not encourage, solicit, or invite any person, either implicitly or explicitly, to deliver or offer a Prayer during or in conjunction with a School Event."<ref>[http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/religion/santarosaco_consentdecree.pdf Consent decree]</ref>