WBRZ - Baton Rouge

The small southern Ohio city of Jackson stuck to its guns about a portrait of Jesus that hangs on the wall of a public middle school. The school board says the portrait stays despite a federal lawsuit that says the picture is unconstitutional. It was a gift from students in 1947 and townspeople say its attracted little attention and discussion and no controversy. The school district countered the lawsuit saying keeping the portrait protects students' rights. Board members voted late Tuesday to keep the Jesus portrait while allowing other student groups to hang portraits related to their club's focus. Its the latest battleground in a national legal debate over what displays of religion are constitutional.