Court: Student prayers OK at school board meetings

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Kevin Mcgill, Associated Press Updated 6:18 pm, Monday, March 20, 2017



NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Texas school board can open its meetings with student-led public prayers without running afoul of the Constitution's prohibition against government-established religion, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.

The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans upheld a lower court ruling dismissing a lawsuit against the Birdville Independent School District. The suit was filed by the American Humanist Association and a graduate of Birdville High School.

The panel said student-led prayers for legislative bodies differ from unconstitutional prayers in public schools.

The panel noted a 2014 Supreme Court ruling allowing prayers at a town council meeting in Greece, New York, and said the prayers at the Birdville school board fall under that "legislative prayer exception."








Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Court-Student-prayers-OK-at-school-board-meetings-11015425.php

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[Gore1FL]

1. I suspect the rub will come when someone wants to pray from an unexpected religion

That will inevitably happen.

[cstanleytech]

4. Yup but when that happens the court had best slap them down if they try to block them as they were

the ones that opened this can of worms so they need to learn to deal with the consequences one of which is if you let one religion lead a prayer then you have to equally let them all.

[Cosmocat]

11. I served on school board and I always told people when this came up

I am perfectly fine with school prayer as long as people realize that will mean that little abdul gets to do salah, too.

That usually ended the conversation.

[Thomas Hurt]

2. sure until they find a wiccan or a muslim student to lead the prayer

and since when do student show up to fn school board meetings.

a little lyin for the Lord. Those student prayer leaders, why they are here of their own free will.

If nothing else they are they are to pull a fast one on us heathens.

[turbinetree]

3. I just wonder what the Texas school board would do if descendants of Comanche Chief Quanah Parker

wanted to have his grand children do a medicine dance before each board meeting, would they give them the same courtesy?

[paleotn]

7. Umm, no.

Thus the establishment of christianity as the official religion of the Birdville school district.

When will these jerk offs ever stop forcing their particularly toxic brand of bullshit on the rest of us?

[turbinetree]

9. I agree whole heartly

[alphafemale]

5. Student led prayers have always been legal.

Just sayin'

[Judi Lynn]

6. Is it appropriate to drag students into the meetings of adult school board members,

pretending those students have been aching to drag their butts into the meeting room of adult-sized idiots to lead prayers for these bigoted, hate-filled "Christians?"

Just askin'.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

8. Yeah, no kid wants to go to a school board meeting. n/t

[alphafemale]

10. umm...the little brain-washed twits that want to do public prayer are probably exited.

They are opening the door to some other kids with mischief in mind though.