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Religion & Law

: Religion Clause

Tennessee Federal Court Says School Endorsed "Praying Parents" Group

By Howard M. Friedman

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In Doe v. Wilson County School System, (MD TN, May 29, 2008), a Tennessee federal court ruled that Lakeview Elementary School in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, violated the Establishment Clause when it allowed extensive use of school facilities to publicize activities of a group known as Praying Parents. The organization describes itself as "a group of Lakeview parents who meet once a month to pray for our school, faculty, staff, and children. We pray for specific needs as well as for school-related issues. We also try to provide occasional 'treats' for our faculty and staff to remind them that we are praying for them."

The court concluded that "certain practices at Lakeview Elementary School during the 2005-2006 school year did not have a secular purpose and were allowed or pursued to tacitly approve the activities of the Praying Parents, which had the primary effect of endorsing or promoting their Christian beliefs and programs at the school. In addition, the Praying Parents practices and programs at the school caused the Lakeview administrators and teachers to become excessively entangled with religion in violation of the Establishment Clause." Today's Tennessean reports on the decision. (See prior related posting.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on May 30, 2008 (boomark / email).