Louisiana —
The Caddo Parish Public Schools in Louisiana agreed to cease allowing an outside religious group to distribute bibles to students, as well as no longer having school staff organize prayer events, thanks to the work of FFRF.
A local family member reported that Herndon Magnet School permitted Gideons International to distribute bibles to students on school grounds during the school day. Gideons International is “an evangelical association that equips and mobilizes Christian business and professional men, along with their wives, to share God’s word.” The individual who reported the incident to FFRF shared a post that appeared to be from Herndon Magnet School’s official Facebook page that said, “We were so thankful to be visited by the Gideon Ministry this morning! They spoke with our 5th graders and offered each student the opportunity to receive a Youth New Testament Bible.” Pictures attached to the post showed Gideon International representatives in what appeared to be a performance hall in the school.
Additionally, the same Facebook page promoted the religious See You at the Pole prayer event that took place in Sept. 2025. The post said that students and staff gathered for the prayer event. Events in previous years had reportedly been organized by staff members.
“By allowing Gideons International to distribute bibles to students, Caddo Parish Public Schools displays blatant favoritism for religion over nonreligion and Christianity above all other faiths,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Charlotte R. Gude wrote to the district. “When school staff encourage young students to take bibles, they run the risk of unconstitutionally coercing students to take, read and reflect upon religious literature.”
FFRF’s hard work paid off when Caddo Parish School Board General Counsel Reginald Abrams informed the organization that action had been taken.
“Please be advised that staff at Herndon Magnet School has been advised to not allow the Gideons to distribute bibles during the school day at the school,” Abrams wrote. “Also, the staff has been advised they are not allowed to organize student prayer meetings at the school.”
