FFRF stops prayer events in Kansas (June 6, 2016)

The Sylvan-Lucas Unified School District will no longer allow prayer at school-sponsored events following a complaint from FFRF.

A student at Sylvan-Lucas High School contacted FFRF after the class president read a pre-written prayer at prom and a teacher gave an invocation at the schoolā€™s award night. The prayer at prom ended with ā€œthrough Jesus, our lord, we pray. Amen,ā€ and the invocation referenced ā€œour lord Jesus.ā€

ā€œThe district has a duty to remain neutral toward religion,ā€ wrote FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel. ā€œBy including prayers at school-sponsored events, the district abridges that duty and alienates the 35% of millennialsā€“born after 1981, i.e., your studentsā€“that are nonreligious.ā€

The superintendent replied to FFRF on June 6 saying the principal, teacher and sponsors would no longer allow prayer at school events.

Freedom From Religion Foundation