The city of Coronado, California, will be removing a church directory sign from city property. According to the Los Angeles Times, the sign has been on the property since the 60s, and its removal is being prompted by “First Amendment concerns.”
The concerns first arose when Ryan Meoni, a 20-year-old who grew up in Coronado, complained to the Freedom From Religion Foundation about the sign’s use of the word “church.” Meoni later explained that he didn’t like the word “because, in his opinion, it excludes religious institutions that meet in temples or mosques.” As his intention was simply to get the one word replaced, Meoni was surprised when his complaint brought even farther-reaching consequences.
According to the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the inclusion of only Christian churches on the list “could give the appearance that Coronado promotes Christianity over other faiths.” And, as the organization expressed in a letter to the city, this raises “serious constitutional concerns under the Establishment Clause.”
University of San Diego Law Professors cited in the article shared their concerns that taking no action to change or remove the sign could lead to serious social and political issues in the future. Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey even “cited possible 1st Amendment lawsuits.”
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