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Anonymous plaintiffs in Chestatee case to be revealed to schools counsel
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The names of three plaintiffs filing a religious lawsuit with the American Humanist Association against Chestatee High School will be revealed to the school’s lawyers.

Jane Doe, Jane Roe and Jane Coe are the placeholder names for three parents living in the Hall County School District.

The three and the American Humanist Association filed their suit Dec.1 against the school district, Superintendent Will Schofield and Chestatee Principal Suzanne Jarrard alleging violations of the U.S. Constitution’s Establishment Clause.

A protective order was filed Wednesday to securely give the school and its lawyers the names for any potential future proceedings.

“Defendants’ counsel shall reveal the identity of any of the plaintiffs only to the defendants and any present employee of the School District if, in the sole opinion of defendants’ counsel, that employee may have information needed by counsel and review by the Court if good cause for review is demonstrated by opposing counsel,” the order reads.

The original complaints centered around alleged coach-led prayer on the Chestatee football team. The Appignani Humanist Legal Center sent a letter in August detailing the concerns of alleged First Amendment violations to Schofield and Jarrard.

The protective order signed by U.S. District Judge William O’Kelley goes on to read that any future transcripts or pleadings must not make reference to their identities unless the documents are under seal.

“If counsel for defendants intends to disclose the identity of any of the plaintiffs at any trial or public hearing in connection with this case, he or she shall notify plaintiffs’ counsel of that intent at least seven days beforehand,” the order reads.