In California, Lake Elsinore Unified School District’s “Student of the Month” luncheons with the local Chamber of Commerce will no longer be religious events, and a praying coach has been taken to task.
The monthly lunches that honored students for their academic achievements took place on school property and were attended by school staff and government officials. They also typically included a Christian prayer, and, one year, Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ was given to the honorees.
Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote to the school district on July 23, 2015, asking the district to “discontinue prayer and the distribution of religious literature at future school-sponsored activities.”
The district replied on Aug. 20, claiming that the Student of the Month events were not sponsored by the district. Seidel rebutted the letter on Sept. 15, pointing out that district employees were “volunteer administrators” and the district was thanked in the programs as a sponsor.
On Feb. 12, the district informed FFRF that changes had been made to the Student of the Month ceremonies. The district is no longer a sponsor, it vowed not to mandate or encourage student participation in prayers, and the chamber agreed to implement a “secular inspirational message” in lieu of prayer.
The district also noted that it had directed the Elsinore High School football coach to refrain from requiring prayer and participating in student prayers.
