Deal averts religious jewelry suit

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. » A Christian legal group says it has reached an agreement with a Colorado Springs middle school on the religious jewelry students wear.

The Washington-based American Center for Law & Justice threatened to sue the school district, saying it was a case of punishing students for religious expression. The group said the school agreed to allow students to wear necklace crosses.

But district spokesman Elaine Naleski told the Colorado Springs Gazette Tuesday that the school has not changed its policy on displaying religious symbols.

Naleski said the school district allows the display of all religious symbols except Catholic rosaries because some local gangs have adopted it as a unity symbol. Naleski said rosaries can be worn but must be covered up in some schools.