In response to a Freedom From Religion Foundation letter, the Bolivar R-1 School District in Missouri won’t impose prayer on its staff during official meetings.
A concerned employee informed the national state/church watchdog that official prayer started the district’s Aug. 13 all-staff assembly. A local pastor, Matt Bunn of Heights Church, recited the school-sponsored prayer over a loudspeaker. Several staff members were uncomfortable, according to FFRF’s complainant, but were too afraid to walk out or speak up against the prayer.
Prayer at staff meetings is inappropriate and unconstitutional, FFRF informed the school district.
“School-sponsored prayer coerces attendees into worship,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Hirsh M. Joshi (who is a Missouri-licensed attorney) wrote to Bolivar R-1 School District Superintendent Michael Methvin. “Over a captive audience, official prayer is even more inappropriate.”
Faculty and staff have the First Amendment right to be free from religious indoctrination, including when participating in school-sponsored events, FFRF stressed. Additionally, Missouri’s Establishment Clause prohibits this coercion and preferential treatment. Plus, the school district serves and employs a diverse population with diverse religious beliefs, including Jews, Muslims, atheists and agnostics.
FFRF asserted that the district must remain neutral with regard to religion in order to respect and protect the First Amendment rights of all staff. School officials found its argument to be persuasive.
“We will not be holding prayer over future staff meetings,” Superintendent Methvin recently emailed FFRF.
FFRF always appreciates it when its constitutional lessons are heeded.
“It’s important that, even in rural Missouri, the First Amendment is respected and religion is kept out of the government’s official practice,” adds Joshi. “We thank the district for cooperating and wish them and their staff nothing but the best for this school year and the ones to come.”
FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor agrees.
“We’re glad that we made Bolivar R-1 School District realize the errors of its ways,” she remarks. “Official prayer steamrolls over the diversity of belief and nonbelief among school staff.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with about 40,000 members across the country, including almost 500 members in Missouri. Our purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
