The end is in sight for the battle over school prayer that began in July 2010 and has since affixed the national spotlight on Cranston. On Thursday, Feb. 16, at Cranston High School East, the Cranston School Committee will decide whether or not to take up an appeal of Judge Ronald Lagueux’s decision to remove the banner at West.

The committee made a point at their Jan. 25 and Jan. 30 meetings to keep public comment limited to the district budget, as they try to stay on their tight timeline to submit a final financial snapshot to the city. Still, advocates on both sides of the issue are at the ready, and made their presence known at the budget work sessions.

At the meeting last Wednesday, the Western Hills auditorium was littered with signs, both from banner supporters who threaten to launch campaigns against committee members should they not take up an appeal, as well as supporters of plaintiff Jessica Ahlquist who maintain that an appeal would be a waste of taxpayer money.

“Taking this down would be against our religion and be offensive to all the Catholics,” said 14-year-old Francis Brissette who, with his younger brother John Paul, held up signs calling for an appeal.

Brissette said this decision could be a slippery slope. At Park View Middle School, where he goes to school, one of his social studies classes ran a mock trial on the case and he said most of his classmates supported the prayer banner.

“They said it’s not hurting anybody,” he said. “I’m really hoping they appeal it and we’ll have a chance at this.”

Kate Katzberg, a parishioner of the First Unitarian Church, had a different take on the case. Her primary concern is for Ahlquist, who has been the victim of bullying and harassment from classmates and adults, especially on blogs and other Internet sites.

Katzberg held up a sign that said, “Would Jesus bully Jessica?”

“When I first read that this was going to happen, I knew she was going to face this. I think she has tremendous bravery to go through with it,” she said. “It’s so shameful that so many adults are bullying her.”

Next to her, Amy Webb argued that some prayer supporters are manipulating the words of Roger Williams, claiming favoring atheism over Christianity is violating his vision of freedom of religion. Webb does not see it that way. In her opinion, Williams stood for religious tolerance, and his ideas behind the separation of church and state were as much to protect religion as to protect an individual’s right to believe as they so choose.

Mayor Allan Fung chastised those who would bully or harass Ahlquist, and said it is unfortunate that Cranston is now associated with such incidents, which have been reported by national news outlets, including the New York Times.

He does not believe, though, that the picture painted of the city has been altogether fair. In his opinion, the city and the district have been working closely with public safety officials to ensure the safety of Cranston students.

“Right now, there’s a lot more stability in the schools than is being portrayed. The situation is being addressed from a proactive stance,” he said.

The School Committee has been tight-lipped on the chances of an appeal, preferring to wait for advice from their legal counsel before making a decision. At City Hall, however, Mayor Fung has expressed that he would not support an appeal.

“While I support having the banner up there, after reading the judge’s decision and basically facing the financial pressures that we are in, I cannot in good conscience support an appeal, even though I disagree with the judge’s decision,” he said.

Fung said he thinks there is a “very good, secular message” to the banner, but believes the district should cut its losses. What many people are overlooking, he added, is that acquiring pro bono legal services does not mean there is no cost associated. Already, the district is on the hook for the ACLU’s legal fees, and Fung believes the cost of an appeal is not worth the risk.

“I can’t support spending more money on paying the ACLU,” he said.