A Tennessee middle school principal was punished after he delivered a prayer during a graduation ceremony.
The principal at Battle Creek Middle School in Spring Hill reportedly encouraged eighth graders to read the Bible, calling the book a good guide for life. He also led the students in prayer.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation alleged that a non-Christian family in the audience objected to the prayer and filed a complaint.
“We are told that at the end of the ceremony Principal read several bible verses as part of his closing remarks and stated that he regularly reads the bible to students and recommends that students read the bible as a good guide for their lives,” the FFRF said in a letter to the Maury County School District. “Our complainant further reports that (the principal) then closed the ceremony with an explicitly Christian prayer.”
The FFRF says before giving the prayer the principal stated that he was honored to be the principal, but that he was still going to pray.
“It makes no difference how many students want prayer or would not be offended by prayer at their graduation ceremony; courts have continually reaffirmed that the rights of minorities are nonetheless protected by the Constitution,” FFRF legal fellow Hirsh M. Joshi wrote to the district.
Students have a constitutional right to be free from religious indoctrination in public schools, FFRF pointed out. If the district turns a blind eye to overt proselytization by its staff, on its property, it becomes complicit in an egregious constitutional violation and breach of trust, the atheist organization said.
They allege that 49 percent of Generation Z is religiously unaffiliated. If true, this nation is in dire straits. I would strongly consider that you give your teenager a copy of my new book. They’ll get a very clear understanding of why a relationship with God is important.
The school superintendent said that corrective action had been taken.
“I have investigated this incident and spoken with [the principal]. The actions of [the principal] violated the school district’s policies and procedures. I have issued a private letter of concern, and he has been instructed not to repeat this behavior going forward,” the superintendent wrote. Click here to get my new best-selling book on how to save America from the Marxists.
