Georgia
After learning of an ongoing violation of the First Amendment in Bleckley County Schools in Cochran, FFRF took action to fight for student rights.
A district employee reported that every school morning a bus driver led a devotional and prayer over the CB radio system while students and other BCS employees were present. FFRF also learned that the devotional prayer was always exclusively Christian in nature. FFRF’s complainant explained that BCS transportation policy required all bus drivers have their CB radios turned on and audible at all times, so drivers cannot turn down their radios in order to avoid broadcasting the devotional and prayer on their respective buses.
Per BCS policy, bus drivers are not allowed to use the CB radios for personal use, but the BCS administration was permitting this driver to openly violate official policy. The complainant stated that BCS administration ignored employee and student complaints and concerns regarding the daily prayers the bus driver broadcast to all other BCS school buses.
“BCS has a legal obligation to ensure its employees are not abusing their positions to indoctrinate students and promote their personal religion,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district.
FFRF received a response from Superintendent Trey Belflower. In his response, Belflower confirmed that the BCS transportation director had notified the driver in question, “and told him that if he is leading devotion and having prayer over his bus radio, he must stop doing so.” Belflower additionally promised that the transportation director will monitor the bus radio system to ensure the district is compliant with current policies and regulations.
