LOUISVILLE, Ky.--The Bullitt County school board upheld a decision last month by Superintendent Michael Eberbaugh to oust ministers from school lunchrooms.

According to a story in the Courier-Journal, a crowd of more than 500 showed up to protest at the board meeting. Many were members of the Little Flock Baptist Church, whose youth ministers were turned away from their usual lunch visits at North Bullitt High and Hebron Middle schools.

The ministers said they only ate with the students and did not discuss religion, pray or evangelize. Little Flock pastors said the practice date back 17 years.

Francis J. Manion, a Kentucky attorney with the conservative American Center for Law and Justice, urged the board to protect the rights of ministers.

"The Constitution is clear; case law is clear," Manion said. "You may not exclude a minister, a rabbi or anyone else solely because of their religious status."

School board attorney Eric Farris said the district didn't know about the lunch visits until last month. He said the decision made then was based on existing district policies regarding visitors, religious activities, and the use of facilities by nonacademic groups.

Attorney Rodney Burress, who represented four Little Flock pastors, said the issue was not a church and state issue, but a religious discrimination issue.

"They have basically said that because these men are employed at a church, they are not to be in the Bullitt County schools," he said. "That is discrimination pure and simple."

Beth Wilson of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky said that if the schools enforce the policy neutrally, with no preferential treatment, the district should remain on solid legal ground.

Lisa Gross, spokesperson for the Kentucky Department of Education, said schools have a right to decide who comes in. Bullitt County schools have decided no one but parents will be welcome.