The Freedom from Religion Foundation – an militant-atheist organization that advocates for the outlawing of any form of religious expression – have sued McKinney Independent School District in North Texas over the simple act of reciting prayer during the convocation portion of the school’s graduation ceremony.
During a back-school-convocation, held by the Mckinney ISD, Rick McDaniel, the superintendent at the school prayed for the future success of the students. The event was even held in a church, the Prestonwood Baptist Church. As Rick McDaniel took the podium, he said, “I realize that some of you, now you may not feel comfortable. And I’m alright with that. I understand,” McDaniel stated addressing the crowd. “For those of you who feel comfortable praying with me that’s fine. At a minimum, we’re going to have a moment of silence.” McDaniel led a minute-long prayer on the microphone.
Following the event, three people, including a district employee filed a complaint against the school through the avowed anti-religion organization, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). The FFRF responded by sending a letter to the school, arguing that the school had allegedly violated an , “obligation to remain neutral on matters of religion” by including a public prayer led by an official as a part of their event. The letter also demanded that McDaniel face immediate and sever discipline for his unacceptable actions.
Responding to the letter, and the absurd activities of the FFRF, School Board President, Curtis Ripee simply noted, “I think that’s something Dr. McDaniel feels strongly about.” He also expressed that the school board doesn’t have “official position” on the situation as yet.
Noting the incident, Judge William Hawley Atwell Chair of Constitutional Law at SMU, expressed that there people praying in public school and government settings isn’t an issue. However, he highlighted, “when someone in an official capacity takes that role at the beginning of a required event, that does raise potential issues under the establishment clause.”
The FFRF has repeatedly, and annually sent out letters to schools across the nation wherever prayer is even hinted at. This hate filled organization recently sent out a letter to Lee County School System to ban student-led prayers before football games. “The Supreme Court has continually struck down school-sponsored prayer in public schools,” the FFRF wrote in a threatening letter to Lee County Schools Superintendent James Edwin McCoy Jr.
“Moreover, the Supreme Court has specifically struck down invocations given over the loudspeaker at public school athletic events, even when student-led. The court reasoned that because the football game was a school-sponsored event, hosting prayer was a constitutional violation,” Line added.
It should be noted that the FFRF has continuously fought to remove the phrase “Under God” from the pledge of allegiance, and to suppress any and all forms of religious expression from private American citizens.
