By Betsy Finklea
Prayer at school football games, school board meetings and other school functions was discussed at the Dillon County Board of Education meeting last week.
Attorney Bruce Davis, the board’s legal counsel, said that for decades it had been the law of the land that in matters of religion that the state cannot promote or inhibit religion and that the state must be neutral in matters of religion. “Prayer is not neutral,’ said Davis, who said this applies to prayer whether it is sectarian or non-sectarian. He said this is well-settled law.
Davis said whether you are a superintendent, school board member, principal or other school official and you have a prayer of any kind it is in violation of the law if it is done at a government event or football game, etc. Davis informed board members that they can be held personally liable and that the insurance would not cover it. He said he was strongly urge that they cease and desist from invocations at board meetings, Friday night football games, etc. He said to be in compliance with the law they must cease and desist. He said that it challenged by the ACLU or others, they would lose.
Dr. John Kirby, superintendent of Dillon District Three, said they had been doing non-sectarian prayer for years and his board has reaffirmed their decision some months back to continue non-sectarian prayer.
Dr. Kirby responded to an ACLU inquiry into the matter and asked for the ACLU’s opinion about whether they were doing anything wrong. He said until a response from them and further legal advice, they will continue non-sectarian prayer.
Dillon District Four Superintendent Ray Rogers said they would be following the advice of their attorney and would be holding a moment of silence instead of a vocal invocation. This began at the last school board meeting and is taking place at football games.
County board member James Calvin McRae said when he was on the state school board they went to a moment of silence.
ATEC Director Jerry Strickland inquired about the Gideons who give Bibles to their nursing students. Attorney Davis said this must stop immediately. He said in matters of religion that the state must be neutral and that is the bottom line of the law.
