Gordy327
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From the article:
An Oklahoma school district has shut down morning prayers being broadcasted over the PA system at an elementary school after receiving criticism from parents.
Last month, parents discovered that Prague Elementary School had been sending students to Bible study and saying morning prayer over the school's PA system.
An anonymous parent told KFOR News that some students had been 'getting picked on or bullied' because they were not participating in the school-sanctioned religious activities.
"I went to the principal and told her that what they are doing is illegal," said the parent. "But they told me that because it is students technically leading it, it isn’t."
Prague Public School District eventually shut down the morning prayers and Bible study due to the backlash from parents. They released a statement saying the district "is dedicated to following the law and protecting the rights of every student to freely exercise his or her religion."
However, not everyone is happy with the decision. State Superintendent Ryan Walters posted a video on X where he vowed to "take a stand for our students’ freedom of religion, their freedom to express their religious beliefs."
Jeremy Telman, a law professor at Oklahoma City University, said that Walters was '100% incorrect' in claiming that any students' freedom to express their religious belief was under attack 'because the school isn’t allowing prayers over the intercom.'
"In fact, the rights of students of the other students were violated when the school was broadcasting those prayers," Telman explained to KFOR News.
According to the Oklahoman, the Freedom From Religion Foundation called for Walters' resignation.
Clearly this school was in the wrong and violating the Constitution. It's like I always say, the separation of church and state must always be absolute, absolutely!
An Oklahoma school district has shut down morning prayers being broadcasted over the PA system at an elementary school after receiving criticism from parents.
Last month, parents discovered that Prague Elementary School had been sending students to Bible study and saying morning prayer over the school's PA system.
An anonymous parent told KFOR News that some students had been 'getting picked on or bullied' because they were not participating in the school-sanctioned religious activities.
"I went to the principal and told her that what they are doing is illegal," said the parent. "But they told me that because it is students technically leading it, it isn’t."
Prague Public School District eventually shut down the morning prayers and Bible study due to the backlash from parents. They released a statement saying the district "is dedicated to following the law and protecting the rights of every student to freely exercise his or her religion."
However, not everyone is happy with the decision. State Superintendent Ryan Walters posted a video on X where he vowed to "take a stand for our students’ freedom of religion, their freedom to express their religious beliefs."
Jeremy Telman, a law professor at Oklahoma City University, said that Walters was '100% incorrect' in claiming that any students' freedom to express their religious belief was under attack 'because the school isn’t allowing prayers over the intercom.'
"In fact, the rights of students of the other students were violated when the school was broadcasting those prayers," Telman explained to KFOR News.
According to the Oklahoman, the Freedom From Religion Foundation called for Walters' resignation.
Clearly this school was in the wrong and violating the Constitution. It's like I always say, the separation of church and state must always be absolute, absolutely!