A high school in Tecumseh, Okla., is no longer proselytizing football players and students after FFRF intervened.
A concerned community member reported that on Aug. 29, Tecumseh High School football players were required to attend a team prayer meeting on the football field while district coaches organized and led prayer at the school-sponsored event. A post on the Tecumseh Savage Football Facebook page confirmed that there was an official team prayer event held to “say a prayer over our players, cheerleaders, band members, students, coaches, and fans.
FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote a letter to Tecumseh Public Schools asking that it investigate and take action to make sure coaches and employees no longer lead students in prayer, participate in prayer with students or organize team prayer events.
Tecumseh Superintendent Robert Kinsey instructed the removal of the religious message on the school’s Facebook page, and spoke with coaches to ensure that prayers are student-led, voluntary and held off district property.