Your public school students can legally pray at football games, graduations, and other events.  A law was passed last year.  Kelly Coghlan spoke at a conference I attended last week and gave us the information.

Here is a blurb from his website: http://www.kellycoghlan.com

The act provides that “A school district shall treat a student’s voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint, if any, on an otherwise permissible subject in the same manner the district treats a student’s voluntary expression of a secular or other viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject and may not discriminate against the student based on a religious viewpoint expressed by the student on an otherwise permissible subject.”

The Act establishes safeguards to assure that individual religious viewpoints are not censored in limited public forums for student speakers, that speaker selection is based on neutral criteria, and that disclaimers be read or printed clearly establishing the individual nature of the expressed viewpoint.

The law requires schools to adopt new policies and includes a suggested model policy covering Student Expression of Religious Viewpoints, Student Speakers at Non-Graduation Events, Student Speakers at Graduation Ceremonies, Religious Expressions in Class Assignments, and Freedom to Organize Religious Groups and Activities.

Basically, the school can offer a time of reflection or ‘statement’ from the kids.  The kids can say a secular statement or a faith-based statement (prayer).  The school can NOT discriminate against the religious statement.

It is likely that your child’s school is not a aware of this ability.  Please spread the word.

-Robin