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Townhall
School
Bans Religious Graduation
Songs
By Todd Starnes
May 09, 2013
A
Georgia school district will no
longer allow prayers or songs with religious references at graduation
ceremonies after a Wisconsin group threatened to file a lawsuit and
suggested
that forcing non-Christian students to listen to religious music was a
form of
bullying.
“If
the valedictorians want to
thank their parents, grandparents and god, that’s freedom of speech,”
Houston
County Superintendent Robin Hines told the Macon Telegraph. “We can’t
stop
that. As long as it’s not lewd, they can say whatever they want.”
The
Freedom From Religion
Foundation sent the school district a letter complaining that last
year’s
graduation ceremony included prayers and a musical performance of a
song
written by a Christian artist.
“It
is wholly inappropriate for
Christian worship songs to be performed in a public school setting or
at public
school events,” wrote FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel. “There are a
multitude of
secular songs that would be appropriate.”
The
FFRF took offense to “Find Your
Wings,” a song written by well-known Christian artist Mark Harris,
arguing that
it was a blatantly religious song that “belongs in a church, not a
public
school event.”
“I
pray that God would fill your
heart with dreams and that faith gives you the courage to dare to do
great
things,” read the lyrics.
The
FFRF alleged the song excluded
non-evangelical Christians, Jewish, Muslim and non-religious students
and their
families. They said the song breached the district’s obligation to
remain
neutral on religion…
Read
the rest of the article at
Townhall
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