The Freedom From Religion Foundation has put a stop to a public school teacher assigning religious assignments to young students in Kentucky’s Russell County Schools system.
A concerned community member informed the state/church watchdog that a teacher at Salem Elementary School was infusing her own religious beliefs into the classroom. Students had been given overtly religious assignments as part of their class work. Reported examples of assignments included a worksheet headlined, “God Made Me Special,” with the following instructions:
God created everyone! The Bible says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13). That means you are very special because you were created on purpose by God! Instructions: Complete the drawing to look like YOU! Then write 3 things that make you unique.
Another assignment was headlined “Jesus is King!” and required students to “Cut and paste the letters to spell the King’s name: Draw a picture of baby Jesus in the manger.” In a Facebook page belonging to the teacher, she posted photos of classroom activities, including building nativity puzzles and a read-aloud of the book “The Christmas Story” accompanied by a detailed bright red poster about the religious origins of Christmas.
“The district has a duty to ensure that its teachers are not using their positions to promote their personal religious beliefs to students,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district.
It is well settled that public schools may not show favoritism toward or coerce belief or participation in religion, FFRF emphasized. The teacher continually crossed the constitutional line and abused her position to instruct students about her own religious beliefs, turning her public school classroom into a Sunday school. Parents, not public school teachers, have the constitutional right to determine their children’s religious or nonreligious upbringing.
The district thankfully agreed with FFRF’s logic.
“On March 4, 2025, I met with the teacher mentioned in the letter and the school principal,” Russell County Schools Superintendent Michael Ford recently responded in an email. “The situation has been resolved.”
FFRF is glad to see the school district come back in line with the Constitution.
“To impose proselytizing assignments upon a captive audience of very young and impressionable students is a very serious misuse of authority by a public school teacher,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “We are relieved that the school district took prompt action to stop this abuse and protect student rights of conscience.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 42,000 members and several chapters nationwide, including hundreds of members and a chapter in Kentucky. FFRF’s purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between church and state, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
March 12, 2025
