Prayer at school board meeting sparks Constitutional debate

A North Carolina school board meeting took an unexpected turn when the chairman opened the meeting with a prayer instead of the customary moment of silence.

Before he prayed, newly appointed Chair Matt Cross began the Rockingham County School Board meeting on Jan. 8 with a brief explanation.

“I believe the majority of our community would agree with me; we need God’s help in the days we are living in. And so, tonight if you would like to join me in a moment of prayer,” Cross said. “If you don’t, that’s OK as well, but I am going to say a prayer as we open up tonight.” 

Cross proceeded to say this prayer:  

“Heavenly Father, we need your wisdom, your discernment, understanding, and patience. Protect our children, our teachers and administrators, and staff while they are in our schools. May your peace that goes beyond all understanding rest upon our schools. Amen.”  

Following the meeting, the Freedom from Religion Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that espouses the separation of state and church, sent a letter to the school claiming Cross’s prayer violated the Constitution.

“I am writing on behalf of the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) regarding a constitutional violation occurring at Rockingham County School Board meetings,” the letter stated. “Multiple concerned District parents have reported that the Board has held a moment of silence to begin its meetings for more than a decade, but that the newly elected board chair decided to change this practice and begin imposing prayer on students, parents, and community members.”  

The organization is calling on the board to “cease opening its meeting with prayer” out of “respect for the First Amendment rights of and the diversity of Rockingham County Public Schools.”  

However, First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit Christian legal organization, sent a letter to the board offering its legal assistance pro bono, or free of charge, along with its argument for the constitutionality of the prayer.

“Earlier this month you received a letter dated January 11, 2024, from an anti-religion organization that complained about invocations at your school board meetings,” the letter stated. “Unsurprisingly, the letter omitted significant portions of the law.” 

“I write to provide you a fuller understanding of the law regarding government invocations (also known as legislative prayer), to encourage you regarding the lawfulness of legislative prayer, and offer to answer any questions you may have. Additionally, any assistance my firm or I provide will be done pro bono at no charge to you or the school district.”  

First Liberty goes on to cite the landmark Supreme Court case it won in June 2022 in which Joe Kennedy, a high school football coach, was fired for saying a silent prayer after every game. First Liberty argued in the lawsuit against the school district that banning coaches from quietly praying in public violated the Constitution.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Kennedy and First Liberty.  

Roger Byron, an attorney for First Liberty, encouraged the Rockingham County School Board to stand its ground.

“In sum, my firm and I encourage you not to allow the complaint letter you received to intimidate you in any way,” Byron writes. “We also encourage you to seek full and thorough legal counsel regarding your invocation policy or practice before making any decisions.”