FFRF has ensured that only secular music will be played at the Nadine Johnson Elementary School in Hutto, Texas.
FFRF was informed by a district parent that staff at the school regularly played Christian worship music during morning arrival time. Additionally, the front office staff consistently played Christian pop and worship music during the school day. The complainant reported feeling angry and concerned over the school faculty and staff’s custom and practice of playing overtly religious music during the school day, saying that it signals a clear lack of inclusivity.
“Playing Christian worship music carries with it the risk of ostracizing non-Christian students, which may lead to bullying — a risk not shared by most secular alternatives,” FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence wrote to Superintendent Celina Estrada Thomas.
Thomas wrote a letter in response to FFRF, informing of an investigation that took place. “The campus principal responded immediately and has assured me that the front office staff will be more mindful about playing music that is inclusive and representative of the students who attend school,” she wrote.
