West Virginia
The Green Brier County Schools system heeded FFRF’s advice and removed an outside religious group after a reported baptism ceremony took place on school grounds.
A district community member reported that there was a religious club at Greenbrier East High School that appeared to be run by outside adults and/or school staff members. FFRF’s complainant reported that the “Spartan Prayer Team” operated at the high school and that outside adults, as well as staff members, prayed and engaged in religious worship with students. Reportedly, a local pastor and several teachers even baptized students on the school’s football field as part of this religious club.
“The district may not allow outside adults to lead, organize, or regularly participate in ‘student’ religious clubs,” FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote to the district in February 2024.
After nearly a year of silence, FFRF finally heard back from Superintendent Jeff Bryant, who apologized for the silence. “It was brought to my attention near the conclusion of the 2023 school year that a baptism ceremony had taken place on school grounds in affiliation with fellowship of Christian Athletes,” Bryant wrote. Bryant confirmed that after the report came to him, he immediately investigated the incident and confirmed that a baptism ceremony was conducted on school grounds without the knowledge of Greenbrier County Schools administration.
After confirmation of the event, Bryant convened a meeting in his office with the responsible adult parties who conducted the baptism ceremony and “directed that this type of religious ceremony is a violation of policy and is not to take place on Greenbrier County School property in the future.”
