Supreme Court refuses to hear ‘candy cane’ case

DALLAS (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court says it will not review a lower court’s decision that two Dallas-area elementary school principals have immunity from liability for stopping students from handing out Christian candy cane pens and other on-campus religious expressions.

The Supreme Court said Monday that it will not review the decision made last fall by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Also in that decision, a majority held that the principals went too far and may have violated the children’s free-speech rights.

Four families with students in Plano schools sued in 2004, claiming their children had been banned from handing out the materials in what became known as the “candy cane” case.

Other parts of the case continue in other courts.