A Kansas school district superintendent has agreed to restrain himself from praying with his employees at school functions.
A concerned employee informed FFRF that at an awards meeting for retiring staff, Independence Unified School District Superintendent Rusty Arnold asked the audience to join him in prayer and to bow their heads. FFRF Legal Fellow Christopher Line sent a letter to Arnold on July 7 warning the school district that imposing prayer on employees at a district-sponsored event violates constitutional limits on government religious endorsement. Furthermore, Line explained to Arnold that such prayers inappropriately alienate non-religious employees, or those who practice a minority religion.
On July 20, Arnold assured FFRF in a letter that he did not want to alienate staff members and would no longer be praying with his employees during school events.
