A Colorado school district will not include religious songs in its concerts after a Thompson Valley High School parent reported that their child had participated in an event that contained overwhelmingly Christian language.
One song, performed on March 23, was “Worthy to Be Praised,” and is very clearly a Christian worship song:
Holy holy holy.
Praise our God, Almighty.
Worthy and holy.
Lord eternally.
Praise the Lord in the highest, praise His holy name.
Let all things that haveth the breath, just praise the Lord.
I believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
Performing Christian worship songs at public schools is wholly inappropriate, FFRF insisted. FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote a letter to the superintendent of Thompson School District, reminding him that “Teaching students Christian worship music in a public school violates the First Amendment. It is well settled that public schools may not advance or endorse religion.”
The district responded to inform FFRF that religious music will no longer be a part of the concert.