Texas School Changes Mind on Prayer

A north Texas middle school found itself in the crosshairs of a legal battle this fall after they told a group of students they couldn’t pray for their friend who had been in an accident. Principle Lee Frost told the group “Y’all don’t do that again” and stopped them from praying.

The next day these brave students prayed again and were told they needed to hide behind a curtain or meet outside the cafeteria where no one could see them. These instructions were punishing the students despite the fact they had done nothing wrong.

In a letter to the School district, our friends at First Liberty pointed out the students’ right to pray, without being exiled to another area. The letter states “By mandating that Hannah and the other students hide when they pray, Principal Frost sends a message to Hannah and all the other students in the school that prayer is illegitimate, disfavored, and should not occur in public. By quarantining the praying students as if to shield the other students from an infectious disease, Principal Frost acts with religious hostility impermissible under the Constitution and demeans the religious beliefs of Hannah and her friends.”

Thankfully the school fixed the situation quickly and avoided a costly legal battle they were sure to lose. “We are grateful to Honey Grove school district officials for acting swiftly to ensure that students can freely exercise their right to pray,” said Keisha Russell, Associate Counsel for First Liberty Institute. “…Our client is very pleased that she and her friends can continue to pray together for each other, their fellow classmates, and their teachers.”

If you hear about situations like this in your school, please contact Texas Values and we will work with you to make sure your religious freedom rights are respected!