FFRF stopped prayer and religion at mandatory employee in-service at a Tennessee correctional facility.
An alarmed employee and FFRF members in Tennessee notified FFRF that the Tennessee Correction Academy was engaging in religious practices at employee in-service. FFRF was told there were bibles in employees’ rooms and prayer while employees were in formation. It was also FFRF’s understanding that there were religious postings in the gym. FFRF Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert sent a Sept. 16, 2011, letter to Tennessee Correction Academy Superintendent Sam DiNicola advising him to end illegal employee in-services.
In DiNicola’s Oct. 12 reply he wrote, “Please be advised that as of Oct. 2, 2011, a presentation which informs or reminds trainees of the separation between church and state has been added to all academy orientation sessions presented to trainees shortly after their arrival.” All religious postings in the gym have been removed, as well as the practice of furnishing bibles to dormitory rooms.
