UNIONTOWN, Ohio — Lake Local Schools parents weren’t happy when they received a letter from Superintendent Brett Yeagley stating that coaches will no longer be allowed to lead their teams in prayer.
The controversy started after the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the district after stating a student’s parent reported their child in middle school felt awkward, helpless and embarrassed participating in team-led prayer.
Yeagley said when they got the complaint, they sent it off to district legal counsel.
“I was kind of bummed because we're not doing anything wrong, and it's harmless. Honestly, I want to have a coach that says 'let’s pray before the game or after the game,' I’m all in for it,” said Lake Local Schools parent Maribel Diez.
In the letter to parents, Yeagley stated, “while coaches have an absolute right to pray, and students always have a right to pray, within their official capacity as a public-school employee, they cannot organize and lead a prayer with the entire team,” said Yeagley.
Several parents said the school should give teams a choice if they want to pray with their coaches or not. A petition reportedly started by parents on change.org calls for allowing prayer with the coaches.
“Give the kids an option, don't force them to stand there. But if they want to be involved, or if they don't want to, then that's their choice,” said Lake Local Schools parent Kristen.
The district said it acknowledges that faith is important to many families in the community and fully respects the rights of students of all faiths to pray at school, which are protected by the U.S. Constitution.
You can read the full statement from the district below.
“On the evening of Thursday, September 4th, the District received an email from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) regarding concerns about coach-led prayer at athletic events. On Friday, September 5th, district administrators met to review these concerns in consultation with legal counsel.
First and foremost, the District recognizes that faith is very important to many families in our community and fully respects that students of all faiths have rights to pray at school that are protected by the U.S. Constitution. Like students, teachers and coaches can pray independently and voluntarily during non-instructional time, but they may not lead, organize, or require students to pray as part of class or school-sponsored extracurricular activities or athletic events.
The District has reviewed its practices and legal obligations and responsibilities to both respect the rights of students/staff who wish to pray and to protect the rights of students/staff who do not wish to participate in prayer. Continuing forward, as it relates to the concerns raised by the FFRF, the district is committed to enforcing and maintaining compliance with constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in public schools. As explained in the U.S. Department of Education’s current guidance on constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in public elementary and secondary schools, students choosing to pray at athletic events have the opportunity to do so. While employees maintain their individual right to pray, No District employees will lead student athletes in prayer."
