{"id":12925,"date":"2018-10-10T11:53:08","date_gmt":"2018-10-10T15:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/?p=12925"},"modified":"2018-10-10T11:53:08","modified_gmt":"2018-10-10T15:53:08","slug":"prayer-now-banned-graduations-events-following-complaint-atheist-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/2018\/10\/prayer-now-banned-graduations-events-following-complaint-atheist-group","title":{"rendered":"Prayer Now Banned at Graduations and Events Following Complaint From Atheist Group"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A school district in Massachusetts will no longer allow prayer at school-sponsored events, including graduations, as a result of complaints from one of the nation\u2019s largest atheist organizations.<\/p>\n

This decision came after a Christian minister publicly prayed for Canton High School\u2019s 2018 graduating class during the commencement ceremony. Rev. John Tamilio III called on our \u201choly, loving, and most gracious God\u201d to bless the graduating seniors, and that they would \u201cserve others in service of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, he asked God to \u201cbless these fine young men and women\u201d and petitioned them to \u201cconsecrate all that they do [when they] venture into the future that You have carved for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also prayed that God would help them see \u201cthe entirety of their lives as a ministry of love, truth, courage and reconciliation.\u201d He closed the prayer \u201cin Your sacred Name, O Creator of All\u201d<\/p>\n

Following Rev. Tamilio III\u2019s remarks at the invocation, the Freedom from Religion Foundation sent a letter to Canton Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Fischer-Mueller demanding that religious rituals be banned from school events.<\/p>\n

The Freedom From Religion Foundation promotes the separation of church and state and is dedicated to ensuring religion stays out of state sponsored events.<\/p>\n

The atheist group said prayer violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and cited previous Supreme Court rulings, specifically citing Lee v. Weisman.<\/p>\n

Fischer-Mueller complied and sent a letter to FFRF confirming that \u201csteps have been taken to ensure that there will be no prayers or religious rituals\u201d at any future graduation ceremonies or school-sponsored events.<\/p>\n

If a school does not comply with FFRF\u2019s demands, they risk facing a lawsuit<\/p>\n

The group\u2019s mission is to intervene in cases involving public religious expression. They were recently involved in a situation that targeted a Christian club at an Indiana Elementary School.<\/p>\n

CBN News reported last month that a Michigan high school was persuaded to prohibit the prayerful activities of those supporting the sick child of a local football coach.<\/p>\n

They were also involved in a situation involving prayers being said before football games.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A school district in Massachusetts will no longer allow prayer at school-sponsored events, including graduations, as a result of complaints from one of the nation\u2019s largest atheist organizations. This decision came after a Christian minister publicly prayed for Canton High School\u2019s 2018 graduating class during the commencement ceremony. Rev. 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