BASTROP, LA – The ACLU and a couple of other organizations dedicated to the separation of church and state are asking for an apology after a student led a graduation ceremony crowd in the Lord’s Prayer despite warnings to refrain.
The request sent to Bastrop High came jointly from the ACLU, ACLU of Louisiana, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Laci Rae Mattice, had been instructed not to mention religion and only observe a moment of silence. The school district had issued the instructions after another student had complained about the possibility of prayer at the ceremony.
The ACLU said it is seeking an apology to the student who had complained, a statement made to the community about the school system’s obligation to not sponsor prayer at graduation ceremonies, punishment to the student who disobeyed the order and assurances that adults will lead the moment of silence at events so that students don’t take the matter into their own hands.
“The school system’s longstanding disregard for constitutional norms has predictably bred a culture of noncompliance,” said the ACLU in a statement.
