Arkansas —
A community member informed FFRF that Superintendent David Gilmore promoted Christianity several times during the 2023-2024 school year. FFRF learned that Gilmore prayed over a professional development breakfast on Aug. 6, 2024, which staff were required to attend. Gilmore also promoted a “prayer walk” which took place on Aug. 11, 2024, sending an email to attendees inviting them to join.
“By praying over a captive audience and then promoting a prayer event, the district demonstrates a preference for religion over nonreligion, and Christianity over other religions,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Hirsh M. Joshi wrote to Gilmore.
After FFRF’s letter in March, the district reached out to the Crouch, Harwell, Fryar and Ferner law firm, where Charles L. Harwell responded to FFRF’s concern. “The prayer you reference was spontaneous and a single incident,” Harwell wrote. “Mr. Gillmore is now aware that he should not be praying at faculty meetings. He also recognizes that his invitation to a prayer walk was ill-advised. I am confident he will not repeat that in the future.”
