Michelle Rotuno-Johnson

mrotunojoh@marionstar.com

MARION – Administrators at Marion City Schools will work with a group of concerned students to reach a compromise about where to put a plaque of the Ten Commandments.

The plaque, a gift from the class of 1953, was in a school hallway next to the Preamble to the United States Constitution until this summer. Reporters for the "Harding Herald" broke the story last week.

According to a release from city schools, the district removed the plaque "after watching other Ohio school districts face legal challenges to their decision to keep the Ten Commandments posted."

Freshman Anthony Miller is protesting the decision this week: He is attending classes, but not actively participating or doing his homework.

"I don't care about my grades right now," he said.

"I told the principal, until there is an agreement reached, I will not participate in any Harding-related activities, any Marion City Schools-related activities. Sports, choir, classes, whatever. I won't even wear my Harding Marching Band shirt."

Principal Kirk Koennecke made the decision to take the plaque down, Superintendent Gary Barber said.

Barber said the school had several people question the decision to have the Ten Commandments up in a public school, even though the plaque was a gift.

He said the decision to take it down was "not made arbitrarily."

"Our responsibility, when we're challenged, is we do what's in line with the law," he said.

Barber and Miller met Wednesday morning. Both sides agreed to meet Jan. 6 and start discussing where to display the plaque, according to the news release.

Barber said he and students will work with faith-based ministers and others in the community to discuss an appropriate home for the plaque. He said it would be a community discussion as students and administrators work together to find a resolution.

Koennecke said students will have "involvement and input" on the decision.

In the meantime, Miller said, he will continue circulating a petition to get the plaque back up. Students Shanna Morris, Cheyenne Abrams and Sydney Cook started the petition; the three students broke the story in the "Harding Herald" newspaper last Friday.

Miller said he would be OK with material from another religion being posted in the school, as long as no one was forcing another student to follow one particular belief system.

He said he plans to continue his protest.

Barber and Koennecke said Miller will not face any punishments as long as he does not disrupt the school day.