Florida —
The Hardee County (Fla.) School system agreed not to include prayer in graduation ceremonies thanks to FFRF’s work defending students’ First Amendment rights.
FFRF learned that Hardee Senior High School had a practice of including pre-planned, Christian prayer at its graduation ceremonies. These prayers had been documented in YouTube videos of the 2020 and 2021 graduation ceremonies and in livestreams posted by the Hardee County School District Facebook account of the 2024 and 2025 graduation ceremonies. These prayers were overtly religious and made references to a “lord” and “his son,” a “Heavenly Father,” the “Father, son, and holy spirit,” and “Jesus.”
Furthermore, the students who led the 2020 and 2024 graduation ceremony prayers also identified themselves as “student class chaplains.” “Students have the First Amendment right to be free from religious indoctrination in their public schools, including when participating in graduation ceremonies,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district.
After receiving FFRF’s letter, the district’s superintendent asked Michael R. McKinley of the Schumaker law firm to respond regarding the situation. Thankfully, FFRF’s arguments were enough to sway the district. “I have discussed the legal contours of our high school graduation with [the superintendent], and she has assured me that she understands your concerns and will instruct the principal of Hardee Senior High School and the class sponsors accordingly.”
