It was a tradition dating back years, but now one school district in Lancaster County will not longer say a prayer before school board meetings. A national anti-religious group made them stop.
The Eastern Lancaster County School District was the only district left in Lancaster County that would recite a prayer before school board meetings. But it decided to stop the tradition, rather than spend taxpayer money in court.
“I think initially the will of the board would have been to challenge it however the solicitor made it pretty clear that we would lose,” explained Superintendent Bob Hollister.
For the past 15 years, the School Board for Eastern Lancaster County Schools would say a short prayer before its monthly meetings. The board thought it was OK because the prayer happened before the meetings official began. But that was not the case.
A few months ago, after being tipped off by a local resident, the Freedom from Religion Foundation sent the board a letter demanding they stop praying.
The non-profit, based out of Madison, Wisconsin, cited a recent court decision which said prayer at school board meetings is unconstitutional. .
In the original letter to the school, Freedom from Religion wrote: “Prayer at public school board meetings is unnecessary, inappropriate and divisive. Calling upon board members, as well as parents and students of the school, to pray is coercive, embarrassing and beyond the scope of our secular school system.” - Freedom From Religion Foundation:
“Rather than take the money, to take funds, that are critical to educating kids, particularly in this economy and also give money to the coffers of these kinds of organizations, the board made a logical and intelligent decision, I think, to back off of their position,’ Hollister advised.
Now, instead of prayer, the school board will call for a moment of silence before the meetings. The Anti-Defamation League of Philadelphia was also involved in forcing the board to stop praying.
The Eastern Lancaster County School District was the only district left in Lancaster County that would recite a prayer before school board meetings. But it decided to stop the tradition, rather than spend taxpayer money in court.
“I think initially the will of the board would have been to challenge it however the solicitor made it pretty clear that we would lose,” explained Superintendent Bob Hollister.
For the past 15 years, the School Board for Eastern Lancaster County Schools would say a short prayer before its monthly meetings. The board thought it was OK because the prayer happened before the meetings official began. But that was not the case.
A few months ago, after being tipped off by a local resident, the Freedom from Religion Foundation sent the board a letter demanding they stop praying.
The non-profit, based out of Madison, Wisconsin, cited a recent court decision which said prayer at school board meetings is unconstitutional. .
In the original letter to the school, Freedom from Religion wrote: “Prayer at public school board meetings is unnecessary, inappropriate and divisive. Calling upon board members, as well as parents and students of the school, to pray is coercive, embarrassing and beyond the scope of our secular school system.” - Freedom From Religion Foundation:
“Rather than take the money, to take funds, that are critical to educating kids, particularly in this economy and also give money to the coffers of these kinds of organizations, the board made a logical and intelligent decision, I think, to back off of their position,’ Hollister advised.
Now, instead of prayer, the school board will call for a moment of silence before the meetings. The Anti-Defamation League of Philadelphia was also involved in forcing the board to stop praying.