FFRF received a complain about a local pastor/ class presenter appearing to hijack required educational programs for families about divorce in Family Court in Jackson County, Mo., to talk about himself and his faith. FFRF was told that for the three-hour course, a minister “spent two of the three required hours talking about himself, how he came to the priesthood, how he moved from congregation to congregation,” and generally about “his path to the church.” He “also handed out fliers to the class offering his religious service outside of class.” The complainant reported that “he made religious quotes and references throughout the class, and some were included in the slideshow.”

FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote to the court on July 16, 2012, asking it to investigate and correct the theological bent of the secular class. Seidel questioned the minister’s credentials to lead this course, and also asked that the class be moved out of the church where he is pastor. The court took the allegations seriously and phoned to notify FFRF that an investigation is underway.

In the August 16 written reply, the court wrote that it has instructed the minister that “the issue of his religious faith and his ministry have no place in the teaching of this curriculum and we have instructed him to discontinue references to his background such that gives the appearance that the Court is promoting religion over non-religious beliefs.” The court will “monitor this issue with all” of its instructors.

The response noted that the court is also “actively looking for locations outside of church property where we can hold classes” and “will assure that participants are aware of different options for attending classes and that attendance at a classroom located on church property is not mandatory and that other options exist.” 

FFRF took a complaint that a teacher at a Mandarin immersion elementary school in the San Mateo Foster City School District, Calif., had told students that the “man in the sky can see everything you do, but you can’t see him because he is camouflaged.” Apparently the teacher used two fingers to point to her eyes and then the same fingers to point at the children to emphasize the fact that the “man in the sky” is watching them.

FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote a letter to the district on May 22, 2012, alerting it to the allegation against proselytization of a captive audience of young children. As complainant put it, these children are of “such a sensitive age,” and such action “robs children of growth and experience and [the right to make] up their own mind when capable of doing so.”

Seidel pointed out the legal problems with teaching young schoolchildren about religious themes, and also wrote: “Public school staff and administrators, particularly in a school with a diverse population of students, should ensure that all students are made to feel welcome in all programs. School sponsorship of a religious message is impermissible because it sends the ancillary message to members of the audience who are nonadherents that they are outsiders.”

In its August 16 response letter, the school district informed FFRF that it “has reminded its employees of the District’s policy of not [teaching] religion in schools.”

Readers may want to look up Ricky Gervais’ “The Invention of Lying” movie for a funny take on ‘the man in the sky’? 

The San Francisco Assessment Appeals Board removed “so help me god” from the script used for swearing-in parties before Board hearings in response to an FFRF complaint. Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt wrote to the Board in February 2012 indicating that the complainant felt compelled to take the oath “for fear that any comment might negatively affect the outcome of the hearing.”

After receiving several follow-up letters, Board Administrator Dawn Duran wrote on Aug. 14: “Please be advised we have implemented procedural changes that have eliminated the use of a religious oath effective as of today.” The script now says, “Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” 

Castlewood School District, S. Dak., will no longer hold pre-game prayers, following a complaint by FFRF. A video posted on YouTube showed school district personnel leading and participating in prayers before sporting events.

On May 23, 2012, FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote to the district informing them that public school officials, including coaches, cannot lead, organize, or participate in prayers with their students. The student-coach relationship is naturally coercive and students are trained to follow the lead of coaches.

After FFRF sent several follow-up letters, Castlewood Superintendent Keith Fodness responded on August 14: “Our coaching staff has been briefed on the case law pertaining to prayer as it relates to the situation described in your letter and have been instructed to act within those guidelines.”

FFRF was informed by a parent that two schools in Iberville Parish Schools (Plaquemine, La.) hosted teachers and pastors who delivered illegal prayers at two graduation ceremonies in May. The prayers were listed in the commencement programs.

Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt wrote a May 23, 2012, letter to the Edward Cancienne, superintendent, to request an end to the invocations and benedictions that took place at high school graduation ceremonies.

On Aug. 10, the Iberville Parish School Board’s attorney replied, “Dr. Cancienne advised that he has instructed faculty and staff of the Iberville Parish School System that prayer is not allowed at any school organized or sponsored events.”

“It is encouraging to see that schools are making changes and are agreeing to follow the Constitution,” said Schmitt. 

The West Michigan Whitecaps baseball team acknowledged after receiving a complaint from FFRF that any publication would suffice to qualify for an “All Faiths Day” promotion. The team had promoted the discount saying, “keep your church bulletins and bring them with you when you get your tickets because you get half-priced box and reserved seat tickets!” Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt wrote to the team president on July 18, 2011, notifying him that the bulletin discount was discriminatory. Schmitt sent several follow-up letters.

An attorney for the team responded on Aug. 9, 2012, saying that the team website said that the promotion was available for those who “show a worship or community bulletin.” The attorney said, “In actual practice, the Whitecaps accept any secular publication, such as school newsletters, community recreation department fliers, apartment and home association newsletters, municipal newsletters, and trade association newsletters and publications. . . If a patron brought a FFRF newsletter, they would be given the same discount as a patron bringing a church bulletin.” 

The Antwerp Local School District in Ohio will no longer include religious messages in school assemblies thanks to a complaint from FFRF.

The District hosted a Veterans Day assembly, which included a flag folding ceremony and a recitation of “The Meaning Behind the Folding Ceremonies of the Flag,” a discredited religious narrative which explains the “meaning” of each of the twelve folds of the flag. This narrative includes blatant Christian dogma, such as the “meaning” of the twelfth fold, which is said to represent and glorify “God the Father, The Son, and Holy Ghost.”

In a Nov. 17 letter, FFRF staff attorney Stephanie Schmitt warned, “religious messages as part of a school-sponsored activity are illegal and inappropriate.” She also argued that the reading “further perpetuates the myth that there are no ‘atheists in foxholes’ and that the only veterans worth memorializing are Christians.”

On Aug. 9 Kimball Carey, attorney for the school district, informed Schmitt that the principal who organized the assembly did not realize the content of the narrative. Carey assured FFRF that their complaint was heard and understood, and this would not happen again in the Antwerp Schools. 

Employees at Peach County Senior Citizens Center, Fort Valley, Ga., were regularly leading residents in prayer before meals, playing Baptist hymns on the piano, and reading from the bible to celebrate any event or special day, according to a senior citizen complainant.

On July 26, 2012, FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote a letter to the director of the center explaining that, because it receives federal funds, it is subject to federal law which “is explicit and unequivocal in its prohibition on religious activities. . .” Even though it is a private center, the federal government attaches secular strings to its funding to protect client freedom of conscience.

The center responded on August 9 that “we have reminded staff or our Agency’s position… at all times, our agency intends to fully comply with regulations. . .” The center added that “we have discussed this matter with the participants to educate them that our staff cannot/will not initiate, encourage, or participate in any religious based activity. Any participant that observes staff promoting religion in any way has been made aware of the Agency’s grievance policy. . .”

Thanks to an FFRF complaint, a coach at Hutto High School in Texas will no longer be allowed to play an active role in the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter.

The high school coach was the Christian group’s faculty advisor, but he actively participated in the organization, sending emails to the staff and faculty promoting FCA events and listing himself as the contact person on event advertisements.

FFRF Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt in wrote a letter on Feb. 17, 2012, noting that this Christian student organization was not actually student-initiated or student-run. “A reasonable Hutto High School student would presume that this Christian club is sponsored by the school.”

FFRF received a response from the attorney for the school district on August 8. He assured FFRF that the district would be provided training on the Constitutional issues raised and that the “district will also ensure that this club is truly student initiated and student run.” 

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has stopped a high school teacher in Raymond, Miss., from proselytizing and distributing bibles in her classroom.

A U.S. history teacher brought “Truth for Youth Bibles” to class for students to take and distribute. The same teacher asked students in her classroom to raise their hands if they “believe that women who have abortions are going to hell.” While the teacher was present and during class, a student was permitted to ask all students who were “saved” to raise their hands.

In a May 23, 2012, letter, FFRF staff attorney Stephanie Schmitt wrote to Superintendent Stephen Handley, “It is unconstitutional for Hinds County School District to allow employees to facilitate the distribution of religious materials during the school day.” Schmitt also warned, “Public schools have a constitutional obligation to remain neutral towards religion.”

In an Aug. 8 response, Handley assured FFRF that “the teacher was given instruction and counseling on her role as a teacher in our district and the requirement of neutrality with respect to religious issues.”

FFRF received a complaint that the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) hosted a soccer tournament that included prayer. Video footage revealed that a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes delivered an invocation at the Athens versus Chelsea girls soccer championship.

FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote a letter on July 31, 2012, to remind the AHSAA that even student-initiated and student-led prayers at public school events are unconstitutional, and has been specifically barred by the Supreme Court. Students may not be subjected to religious ritual as the price of attending or participating in school sporting events. Any reasonable observer would perceive that the school was endorsing the religion espoused in the prayer.

AHSAA responded on August 6 that “we certainly appreciate your concerns and take very seriously our duties and obligations under federal and state law. To that end, we intend to fully comply with all constitutional mandates.”

Thanks to a letter from FFRF, the Rocky River Municipal Court will now offer secular alternatives to Alcoholics Anonymous.

As part of a rehabilitation program in Rocky River, which is just west of Cleveland, the court required some offenders to either attend Alcoholics Anonymous or face jail time. An atheist complainant reported that the probation conditions were unworkable and said, “all I want is a viable alternative to AA other than jail.”

Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott wrote a March 16, 2012, letter to the court’s probation department, pointing out that courts have consistently found AA and other 12-step programs to be “religious programs for purposes of First Amendment analysis.” Therefore, requiring attendance at one of the programs violates the Establishment Clause because “it coerces offenders to attend religious programming in violation of their conscience.” 

The Chief Probation Officer Judy Nash responded on August 1 to report that the Rocky River Municipal Court will now offer offenders options for other support. Nash also said that the court will make available information on Rational Recovery and Secular Organizations for Sobriety.

When it comes to public school assemblies, evangelists need not apply. Thanks to a letter from Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert, Signal Mountain Middle/High School is on notice that future school assemblies cannot use warnings about alcohol as pretext for Christian proselytization.

Our complainant alerted us to an assembly at Signal Mountain Middle/High School (Chattanooga, Tenn.) that featured a speech by Dave Walton. The school brought in Mr. Walton to speak of the dangers of alcohol but a cursory search of his website, www.braggingforjesus.org, reveals his ulterior motives. In her July 26, 2012, letter to the school district, Markert wrote that “given the speaker’s over and primarily Christian message, it is troubling that the district would schedule this speaker for the assembly.” She identified such assemblies as “subvert[ing] constitutional mandates” with the purpose of “inject[ing] Christianity into students.”

Markert’s powerful letter demanding positive action garnered a quick response. The attorney for Hamilton County Schools wrote on Aug. 1 that many faculty members were also concerned that the presentation was inappropriate and that the presentation resulted from a “gross failure” to screen the speaker. Hamilton County Schools have acknowledged the grave error and their attorney calls this “a good story for training.” 

Performances from proselytizing groups will no longer be allowed in Joshua Independent School District, thanks to an FFRF complaint.

A North Joshua Elementary School assembly was hosted by KidStand, a Christian ministry group that stages school performances to convert children to Christianity. KidStand targets children under age 14 “to reach children with the Gospel of Christ before the window of opportunity diminishes greatly.” KidStand veils their religious agenda by claiming their school assemblies address secular topics such as bullying and drugs, but they admit that they perform in hopes that “kids will bring their families to the Community Family Festival where we can teach they can be all they are created to be through Jesus.”

A Feb. 1, 2012, letter from FFRF staff attorney Stephanie Schmitt warned “recruitment for religious programming as part of a school assembly is in violation of the Establishment Clause.”

An attorney for the District agreed in a response on July 30 that the KidStand performance was against the policy of the District, and that disciplinary action was taken. The District confirmed, “this type of assembly will not occur in the future at Joshua ISD.”

The outgoing recorded message of the License Office in Rolla, Mo. no longer includes an endorsement of religion.

The Rolla License Office voice mail greeting, which played when the line was busy and during non-business hours, ended “God bless you.”

In a July 11, 2012, letter, FFRF staff attorney Stephanie Schmitt wrote that this message amounts to a government endorsement of religion “thereby alienating non-believers by turning them into political outsiders in their own community.”

On July 28, FFRF learned that the outgoing message had been changed to replace “god bless you” with “have a wonderful day.”