The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a claim by an atheist group that beginning Texas school board meetings with prayer is a violation of the separation of church and state, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The Justices refused to consider an appeal of a lawsuit filed by the American Humanist Association against the school board in the Ft. Worth suburb of Birdwell.
The Humanist Society's Monica Miler says it is improper for the Board of Education to open its meetings with a student-led prayer.
"We're certainly disappointed with the decision by the Supreme Court not to review the case," Miler told News Radio 1200 WOAI. "School Children are being coerced into participating in religious exercises."
She claimed that the prayer 'favors one religion over another,' and is in violation of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.
A lower court ruled that the prayer is written and delivered by a student volunteer, and is not the opinion of the public school district. In addition, the Birdwell ISD said only students who volunteer to deliver the prayer are invited to participate.
"We feel that the Supreme Court in the past has been very vigilant in protecting students in the context of prayer, and we feel that by not hearing this case, it is allowing this flagrant practice to continue," Miler said.
She says another appeals court is considering a similar case, and if it rules differently, that will allow the issue to again come before the Supreme Court.
Justices have generally sided in support of school districts and against atheist groups in cases involving student led prayer, allowing, for example, football players in the east Texas town of Kountze to enter the field by breaking through banners emblazoned with Biblical verses, because the verses were chosen and written by the cheerleaders, and not by the school district.