A Texas school will no longer unlawfully promote religion after receiving a legal letter from FFRF.
A parent contacted FFRF to let it know that at Judson High School in Live Oak, Texas, a religious invocation and benediction had been delivered at the school's graduation ceremony. The official program for the ceremony indicated that the school designated a "student chaplain" to deliver the opening invocation, which began "Dear heavenly father" and ended with a reference to "our Lord Jesus Christ" and an "Amen."
FFRF sent a letter to the school district on June 13, warning the district against personal religious promotion. In order to protect the freedom of conscience of all students, Staff Attorney Sam Grover wrote, high school graduations must be secular events. On Sept. 13, an attorney representing the district responded by informing FFRF that district staff in charge of graduation ceremonies had been reminded to not promote religion.