Illinois —
FFRF has ensured that the Lisbon Community Consolidated School District 90 in Illinois will not permit official graduation prayers at a middle school from now on.
FFRF learned last year that Lisbon Grade School included a preplanned invocation and benediction at the eighth-grade graduation ceremony. It was reported that Kari Friestad, who is a youth ministry coordinator at West Lisbon Church, delivered a Christian sermon before leading the audience in both a prayer and a religious benediction, blessing the students as they graduated. The content of her speech reportedly included direct references to Christian theology and was delivered in the tone and format of a sermon.
FFRF reminded the district of its constitutional duty to stay secular.
“School officials may not invite a student, faculty member, clergy member or anyone else to give any type of prayer, invocation, benediction or sermon at a public school-sponsored event,” FFRF Staff Attorney Madeline Ziegler wrote to Superintendent William Pender. She noted that the courts have continually reaffirmed that the rights of minorities are nonetheless protected by the Constitution.
While the district did not initially respond, upon a follow-up in May, Interim Superintendent Chris Mehochko confirmed via email that the district had altered the program.
“We are in the process of finalizing the graduation program,” Mehochko wrote. “We have removed the prayer portion that you are referencing.”
