The Independence School District in Missouri had to be reminded by the FFRF that prayer during school assemblies is a constitutional violation. A district parent reported that the Nov. 12, 2022, Truman High School Veteran’s Day assembly included a prayer led by an ROTC student who began the invocation with “Let us pray.” The complainant stated that they spoke with the high school’s principal and were assured that a prayer would not happen at future Veterans Day assemblies. Unfortunately, the Truman High School’s 2023 assembly again included a prayer led by an ROTC student. “Students have the First Amendment right to be free from religious indoctrination in their public schools, including when participating in school-sponsored events,” FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence wrote. In response, J. Drew Marriott, legal counsel for the school, wrote to FFRF, confirming the district would not violate student rights any longer. “The district has taken steps to remind district staff of the district’s policies, including the requirement that staff avoid the promotion of religious views at school and that, to the extent that student speeches may include religious conduct, district staff are required by policy to state, orally, in writing, or both, that the student’s public speech does not reflect the endorsement, sponsorship, position or expression of the district,” Marriott wrote.
FFRF coached the Ohio-based Oak Hill Union Local School District on acceptable holiday choir programming for students after it learned of a school’s Christian-heavy program. A concerned district parent reported that the holiday program on Dec. 13 at Oak Hill Elementary School featured primarily Christian songs. Per the concert’s program, the first-grade concert featured six songs, five of which were Christian-based. The program additionally featured an image of the biblical manger scene, depicting the Christian story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The fourth-grade concert featured exclusively Christian songs, with the program also featuring a nativity scene. “Teaching public school students Christian worship music in a devotional manner violates the First Amendment,” FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence wrote. After receiving the state/church watchdog’s letter, Superintendent Susan L. Oppenheimer contacted FFRF to inform it that teachers would be instructed on the school policy more closely. “It is apparent to the district, after review of this matter, that certain staff could benefit from a reminder about board policies and guidelines,” Oppenheimer wrote. As part of these guidelines, principals have been instructed to review and approve programs for holiday concerts, and elementary music teachers will be instructed specifically to plan holiday concerts with a mix of secular songs and songs from various religious traditions instead of overtly Christian traditions.
FFRF fought successfully to keep baptisms out of the Missouri-based Dixon R-1 School District girls basketball program. FFRF received a report that the Dixon High School and Middle School girls basketball coach baptized a student-athlete at the end of a team practice. An accompanying Facebook post by an account named “Dixon Lady Bulldogs Basketball” confirmed the baptism took place. FFRF wrote to the district to ensure that students weren’t being coerced into baptisms. “Student baptisms are not an appropriate event to include in student basketball practices, which are school-sponsored events,” FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district. Margaret A. Hesse, legal representative for the district, informed FFRF that, while the event did take place, the baptism was performed by a former coach of the district, not the present coach. “Nevertheless, the district superintendent has discussed your concerns with both [coaches] and cautioned them against religious coercion when acting as district employees,” Hesse wrote. Additionally, the Dixon Lady Bulldogs Basketball Facebook page now contains a disclaimer informing the public that it is not officially affiliated with the district.
FFRF has kept the District School Board of Collier County in Florida from violating the Constitution by preventing them from opening board meetings with prayer. A concerned district parent reported that at the board’s meeting on Sept. 11, 2023, board member Jerry Rutherford presented a proposal to open meetings with a religious prayer, which would replace an existing measure that opens meetings with a moment of silence. FFRF was informed that Rutherford had a history of pushing his personal religious beliefs onto others, and that he had been trying to impose prayer on the school board students and parents since at least 2016. “The board’s current practice of holding a moment of silence allows those who wish to pray to do so without coercing students, staff, and community members into participating,” FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote to Chair Kelly Lichter. FFRF kept in contact with the complainant, who reported in early January that there was good news to the situation. “The school board voted 3-2 against the invocation,” they wrote in an email.
FFRF wrote to Texas State University when it came to its attention that an instructor was using their position to force students to pray. A student reported to FFRF that during the fall 2023 semester, students were required to observe and participate in a Christian prayer as part of the course “Leadership Development: Business As Unusual.” The complainant explained that due to the time of the class, students were provided a meal on-site during class. Prior to each meal, the instructor led students in a Christian prayer before students were allowed to eat and that women were told to line up for dinner prior to men. An audio recording from the class held on Nov. 6, 2023, showed that the pre-meal prayer was given as “thanks to the Lord.” Furthermore, the class primarily used course materials from the Relational Values Association, an affiliate of the evangelical Christian organization, the Great Commandment Network. “It is constitutionally problematic for a public university to utilize course materials created by an evangelical Christian organization,” FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence wrote to Dr. Sanjay Ramchander, dean of the McCoy College of Business. After receiving FFRF’s letter, Ramchander responded, informing it of changes to the course going forward. The five-point bulleted list included, “Class prayer or religious activities will not be part of the course curriculum and class discussions and learning activities will leverage multiple perspectives that are considered to be germane and appropriate for the course subject matter and curriculum.” Additionally, Ramchander stated that faculty would be conducting a comprehensive review of the course content.
FFRF reached out to Crothersville Community Schools in Indiana to warn against the district scheduling pregame prayers before girls basketball games. A community member reported that Crothersville Jr./Sr. High School regularly scheduled prayers at athletic events. Reportedly, at the Jan. 9 Crothersville Jr./Sr. High School Girls’ basketball game, the official announcer delivered a Christian prayer over the PA system immediately following the national anthem. The complainant additionally stated that school-sponsored prayers have regularly been a part of athletic events since at least 2020. “The district must investigate this situation and ensure that Crothersville Jr./ Sr. High School ceases scheduling prayer at school-sponsored events,” FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence wrote to Superintendent Chrystal Street. In response, Street emailed FFRF, writing, “We have received your letter. We are no longer doing prayer at school events.”
FFRF took action to ensure that the Paso Robles Post Office would no longer be host to religious proselytizers on official state ground. A concerned patron contacted FFRF to report that the Jehovah’s Witnesses have been setting up their pamphlet stand outside the entrance to the post office nearly every day and had been proselytizing patrons. The complainant reported that their presence made visits to the post office very uncomfortable. “Giving a religious organization special permission to set up a stand and distribute literature on post office grounds violates the First Amendment to the United States Constitution,” FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote to Postmaster Shelly Larsen. Promptly after FFRF brought attention to the issue, Larsen sent back an email notifying the state/church watchdog about a change in practice. “This will cease and desist as of today. This was grandfathered in as past practice from previous Postmasters,” Larsen wrote.
FFRF successfully stopped a Clark County School District teacher in Las Vegas from using the official school email to promote their personal religious beliefs. A community member contacted FFRF to report that a district employee included religious messages in their official Clark County School District email signature. FFRF’s complainant reported that they received an email including the religious message: “God’s love is like an ocean; you can see its beginning but not its end. — Rick Warren.” “We understand, of course, that the district cannot monitor every email sent by employees,” FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote to the district. “But we do ask that it take the appropriate steps to ensure that employees are made aware of their constitutional obligation to remain neutral toward religion while acting in their official capacity.” After FFRF sent the letter of complaint, legal representation for the district reached out to FFRF to inform it of its remedying actions. “We have completed our investigation and updated our Acceptable Use Policy regarding taglines and email signatures,” the district’s Assistant General Counsel Alexandre M. Fayad wrote. The school’s updated policy prohibits usage of email signatures completely.
A North Carolina senior center has replaced its lunchtime prayer with a moment of silence after FFRF contacted it about its unconstitutional practice. A community member informed the state/church watchdog that a Currituck County Senior Center employee was leading an explicitly Christian prayer before every lunch served at the public-supported center. The seniors were reportedly not allowed to eat lunch until an employee finished blessing the food. The center’s lunchtime prayer practice made FFRF’s complainant feel pressured to participate in prayer. Federal regulations prohibit senior centers receiving federal funding to engage in religious activities at government-sponsored functions, FFRF informed the senior center. “The Code of Federal Regulations is explicit and unequivocal in its prohibition on religious activities as part of any program funded through the Department of Health and Human Services,” FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence wrote to Currituck County Aging/Senior Services Director Stacy Joseph. “Requiring seniors to observe and participate in a coercive prayer practice at government-subsidized activities places your agency in direct violation of the federal mandate.” Currituck County immediately modified its lunch practice in response to FFRF’s objection (after disputing some of the details). “Even though the Senior Center is not condoning an unconstitutional prayer practice alleged in your letter, there will be an immediate shift from a voluntary prayer to a moment of silence prior to lunch,” the county attorney wrote back.
The Mobile County Public School District in Alabama has painted over a divisive religious display on Theodore High School’s baseball dugout after FFRF cautioned it about the constitutional violation. A Mobile County Public Schools community member informed FFRF that Theodore High School displayed a bible verse on the dugout of its baseball field: “Whatever you do, do it for the Glory of GOD. I Corinthians 10:31.” “To protect students’ First Amendment rights, the district must remove this religious display from its baseball field immediately, as well as any other religious displays it becomes aware of in its schools,” FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line advised the district’s legal representative. In response, the district’s legal counsel promptly responded, “The bible verse has been painted over.”