Virginia
The Rockingham County School Board in Harrisonburg, Va., stopped imposing prayer at school board meetings after FFRF’s intervention.
FFRF learned from district parents that the board had previously held a moment of silence to begin meetings for more than a decade, but the newly elected board chair changed the practice to impose prayer on students, parents and community members. A January meeting began with the chairman explaining that he had unilaterally decided to resume beginning meetings with prayer because “we need God’s help.”
“It is coercive, insensitive and intimidating to force nonreligious citizens, such as our many complainants, to choose between making a public showing of their nonbelief by refusing to participate in the prayer or else display deference toward a religious sentiment in which they do not believe, but which their school board members clearly do,” FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote to the district.
FFRF kept in close contact with the complainant, despite the school refusing to communicate with the state/church watchdog. The primary complainant vigilantly continued to email the board chair about the violation as it continued. While FFRF never heard back from the school board directly, it is thanks to the complainant that it was confirmed the board finally stopped opening meetings with prayer.
