—– Ross County School Asked To End Prayer At Graduation (Jona Ison/LancasterEagleGazette.com; May 11)

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio: Southeastern Local Schools has received notice from a Washington group that it would be a violation of the Establishment Clause to include a prayer at the graduation ceremony.

Traditionally, the school has had a reverend deliver an invocation and benediction at the ceremony, but the practice recently was challenged by senior Jacob Davis. Davis, who raised his concerns in a Letter to the Editor at the Chillicothe Gazette, had conducted a petition of classmates for a moment of silence instead, gathering about 44 signatures.

Principal Leonard Steyer was prepared to make a decision about the prayer Friday when he received a copy of a letter faxed to the district Thursday by a staff attorney for Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.

“We write to inform you that the inclusion of prayer at public-school graduation ceremonies violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and to request that you end the school’s prayer practice.” The letter continues to cite the group’s interpretations of court cases and asks for a response from the district by Friday, May 15, just eight days before the school’s graduation. The letter does not indicate what the AU is prepared to do if the school does not remove prayer from the ceremony.

In 2006, the group sent a similar letter to Western Brown High School in Mt. Orab which also traditionally conducted an invocation and benediction at the graduation ceremony. AU reports on its Web site the school responded with a letter, indicating it would remove prayer from its graduation.

Davis, a practicing Wiccan, said he is uncomfortable being asked to participate in a Christian prayer at his graduation, and contends the tradition violates separation of church and state provisions.

“I think the best thing to do is have no other prayer,” Davis said.

However, Steyer said he also was approached by a few other seniors interested in giving a prayer themselves instead of a clergyman. The AU indicates in its letter this, too, would be a violation.

“There’s a lot of good in saying a prayer, but once again, if we’re not following the law and I need to change the way we do graduation, I will,” Steyer said Thursday, prior to receiving the letter.

Davis indicated a student-led prayer wouldn’t bother him (even though he wouldn’t partake) because the student would be exercising his or her right to free speech.

Someone giving a prayer at graduation is the norm for most all the schools in Ross County with the exception of Chillicothe and Unioto high schools. Administrators report those prayers are led by students and have not been challenged.

“Our feeling is it falls into the parameters of what we’re allowed to do,” said Dave Warne, Adena Local Schools superintendent. “We continue to do what the community has gotten used to.”

At Paint Valley, students volunteer and write their own prayer before and after the ceremony, while at Zane Trace the senior class president traditionally leads the prayer.

“It used to be a minister rotated until they could no longer do that. Usually, it goes to the class president to lead the prayer and leading the pledge.” said Todd Holdren, principal and long-time senior class adviser.

Holdren said he talks with the class officers and explains what is traditionally done at graduation. Over the years, he never has had a senior class president decline doing a prayer, but if he or she did, Holdren said he most likely would ask another student.

“I look at (the prayer) as a tradition with the graduation ceremony …I understand both sides of the issue. I think folks need to try to respect people’s beliefs or non-beliefs,” Holdren said.

At one time, it was common for schools to conduct a baccalaureate program prior to commencement. However, as concerns over separation of church became more common, most baccalaureates have been dropped at public high schools around the country.

Teays Valley High School in Pickaway County is the only nearby public school that continues the baccalaureate tradition. Principal John Keel explained the senior class organizes the program.

“It happens prior to our graduation for students who choose to go,” Keel said, adding half or more of graduating seniors attend the baccalaureate each year.

In his 13 years in administration with Teays Valley, Keel said he is not aware of any concerns from the community about the program.

“I think the biggest thing is it’s voluntary and students don’t have to go.”

The ACLU of Ohio appears to agree with the AU’s assertions in its letter to Southeastern. In its brochure “Students! Know Your Rights” it states student-led prayer is not acceptable at graduation and schools are permitted, and should, censor student speeches to prohibit religious talk. The ACLU also uses its interpretation of U.S. Supreme Court rulings to support its stance.

At Unioto High School, senior class adviser Nancy Shaw said the school doesn’t have an organized prayer at graduation, but student’s are not prohibited from including religious speak in their speeches.

“Whatever is said in a speech is student directed and is totally allowed,” she said.

While the ACLU may not agree, Liberty Counsel, a nationwide public interest religious civil liberties law firm, does. In a memorandum on graduation prayers in public schools, the firm asserts its interpretation the U.S. Supreme Court has “never ruled that prayer or religious messages are completely banned during public schools graduation ceremonies. The key to graduation prayer is that the school should remain neutral – neither commanding that prayer or religious messages be given, nor prohibiting voluntary prayer or religious messages. The school must not censor prayer or religious content from the graduation podium.”

The memorandum goes on to indicate each case should be considered individually….

—– Senior: Take Prayer Out Of Graduation (Patrick Preston/NBC4i.com; May 12)

ROSS COUNTY, Ohio: A local community that’s largely centered around family and religion is riled up over a challenge to a tradition.

A senior at Southeastern High School in Ross County told his school he wants prayer taken out of the school’s upcoming graduation ceremony.

Seventeen-year-old Jacob Davis also wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper and has enlisted the help of a lawyer from the group Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.

Seventeen years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled public school prayer violates the Constitution’s First Amendment by coercing students into religious participation.

Jacob, who practices the Wiccan faith, said he’s angry that nearly two decades later, Southeastern’s graduation prayer continues. He proposed replacing it with a moment of silence.

“If you want to thank the god or gods you believe in, they should do that before or after the entire ceremony, not at the school,” Jacob said.

While many in the community said Davis doesn’t have to listen to the graduation prayer, he said he shouldn’t have to hear it.

“It’s pushing Christianity on us, and it’s just uncomfortable for everybody. I don’t think it should be there,” Jacob said. “I’m not depriving you of your right to worship your God, not at all. I’m just saying you shouldn’t bring any religion into a graduation ceremony.”

The graduation prayer has become a tradition – a tradition that parents, teachers and community members are not ready to part with.

“I think that there should be allowed to be prayer. There always has been,” Kim Riddle said.

“A moment of silence? People will wander at that point. Their minds will wander. If a prayer is being spoken, that’s where you’ll focus,” Steve Speakman, an employee at a local Christian bookstore, said.

“And if the school thinks this is best, one person shouldn’t be able to change the minds of everyone,” Speakman said.

“He should just close his eyes and just … have his own moment of silence and go on with the way that it’s been,” Chillicothe resident Amber Riddle said….

The graduation ceremony is one week from Saturday.

—– School District Cancels Graduation Prayer (Patrick Preston/NBC4i.com; May 13)

ROSS COUNTY, Ohio: A local school district has decided it will take a prayer out of its graduation ceremony.

Faced with a complaint from a high-school senior and potential legal action, Southeastern Local School District Superintendent Brian Justice told NBC 4 Wednesday afternoon the district will not include a school-sponsored prayer in next week’s graduation ceremony.

Southeastern High School student Jacob Davis enlisted the help of an attorney from the group Americans United for the Separation of Church and State in asking the prayer be removed.

Justice said that after consulting with a school-district attorney, he had no choice but to follow the law and remove the traditional prayer from the ceremony.

In its place, Justice said one or two students will be selected to give opening and closing remarks, leaving open the possibility that a student could lead a prayer without direction from the school or district.

In its 1992 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court said public schools cannot invite religious authority figures to deliver a prayer at graduation ceremonies. The ruling did not prohibit student-led prayer….

These stories have inspired some very smart and some very ignorant comments.

Here are two of my favorites (as posted at the website hosting the middle story I quoted):

“Why are so many people afraid of prayer? If they do not wish to hear, simply close your ears.”

I am not afraid of prayer, but I am sick and tired of it. I am tired of hearing the person praying cherry-pick the bits of the Bible that he or she believes in, and being expected to keep my mouth shut and respectfully listen as the speaker goes off on his or her tangent.

I am sick of the assumption that all “real Americans” basically agree with generic-vanilla-Christianity, and that those who differ should go back where they came from.

I am sick of hearing people demonstrate how little they understand the liberties granted to us in the Constitution, when they say that all would be well in this country if only “God” were brought into the classroom. Seriously? Which God would you bring? Which rules would that God impose? Baptist rules? Catholic? Mormon? Muslim? Hindu? Native American?

The point of the First Amendment is that no matter how sure you are that your religion is the right one, you don’t get to use government (or the schools it runs) to force others to act like they agree with you. – JenL (May 13, 2009 at 1:18 pm)

Well said, JenL!!!! I’m about sick of this topic, but I was very impressed with your intelligent comment. Additionally, I do wonder about the strength of anyone’s inner convictions when they need to hit others over the head with them. I don’t especially want to know what strangers believe about religion, sexual orientation or politics. I grew up in a time when well-mannered people kept that kind of thing to themselves, especially in public venues. In this country we are allowed to believe whatever we want to, but what is it that makes some people need to indoctrinate others at every turn.

I would also ask those who claim to believe in the literal word of the Bible how often they beat their slaves.

But none of this is really on point, because the laws already in place protect us from prayer in public schools, and this school is in violation. I’m amazed it took this long for a student to object, and I’m surprised at the vehemence of those who react by arguing every tangential point that comes to mind, without understanding the very simple fact that this law is a good thing and exists for a very good reason. – Sprockets (May 13, 2009 at 1:25 pm)

Have any comments you’d like to share? Now’s your chance!