A Wisconsin-based religious foundation claimed Thursday it was being discriminated against after its attempts to send flowers to a student at the center of a Cranston prayer banner lawsuit were rejected by Rhode Island florists.
A representative from the Freedom From Religion Foundation said the group tried to have flowers delivered to Jessica Ahlquist, a student at Cranston High School West who recently won a federal lawsuit to have a prayer banner in the school auditorium removed.
According to the foundation, none of the florists it called would agree to make the delivery.
Raymond Santilli of Flowers by Santilli in Cranston said someone from the foundation told him the delivery person might need police protection and show identification to gain access to the home.
"We refused the order because we really don't want to cross lines," he said.
Santilli said he had personal feelings about the issue and because it's his shop, he can choose to deliver or not to deliver flowers to whomever he wants.
"If I send flowers there, somebody may get upset with us and retaliate against us," he said.
Marina Plowman of Twins Florist on Park Avenue agreed with Santilli. She said she also refused the order.
"I just chose not to do it. Nothing personal, it was a choice that I made. It was my right, so I did that," Plowman said.
Ahlquist has faced some harsh backlash after a judge ruled in her favor, deeming the school banner which displays the words, "Our Heavenly Father" and "Amen," as unconstitutional.
Both florists said either way, they didn't want to get involved.
"I'm an independent owner and I can chose whoever I want, whenever I want," Plowman said.
The foundation later found Glimpse of Gaia, a florist from Putnam, Conn., to deliver the flowers to Ahlquist.
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