Ohio —
After reports of multiple First Amendment violations from the Chesapeake Union Exempted Village Schools, FFRF got to work to ensure that all school activities would be conducted in a secular nature going forward.
A parent informed FFRF that a prayer was scheduled at Chesapeake Union Middle School’s May 2024 award ceremony. FFRF learned that a student recited a prayer to open the ceremony, while another parent informed FFRF that the Board of Education opens regular monthly meetings with a Christian prayer delivered by someone selected by the board. A parent informed FFRF that they were unaware of the prayer and felt coerced to pray during a meeting where their students received an award.
“Public school students have a constitutional right to be free from religious indoctrination in their public schools,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Hirsh M. Joshi wrote. “It is well settled that public schools may not show favoritism toward or coerce belief or participation in religion.”
The district reached out to legal representative Susan L. Oppenheimer from Ricker Graydon LLP. Oppenheimer addressed both claims formally. “With respect to the student award ceremony, building administrators, including the middle school principal, will be advised that there should be no scheduled prayer in the future, in accordance with current federal case law,” she wrote. Additionally, she confirmed that board members will be advised that there should be no scheduled prayer to open board meetings in the future, in accordance with federal case law.
