ICC Note: Following a complaint by an outside organization, an Alabama school district has decided to ban prayer recited over the loudspeakers before football games. Although the prayers were voluntarily led by students or other volunteers, the district has opted to replace the practice with a moment of silence instead.
09/19/2018 United States (CBS 42) – Student or volunteer led prayer will no longer be allowed over the intercom before high school football games in the Blount County School District.
According to superintendent Rodney Green, the district made the decision after a complaint from an organization based outside of the community.
After discussing options with attorneys, the district said there will now be a moment of silence at home games instead.
Some neighbors who live in the area were upset to hear about the change. Many said they have been accustomed to prayer over the public address system for years.
“One of our youth actually led the prayer over the P.A. system and that was last week,” said Scott Wortham, who is a youth minister at First Baptist Church in Remlap.
The church is just down the road from Southeastern High School.
“We really see no harm in praying for the welfare of our football players, and those that will be out playing, protection, and good sportsmanship,” said Wortham.
Religion is ingrained in many who live in Blount County. On a Wednesday night, we found several members of the Church of Remlap washing car windshields for strangers at a service station as part of a ministry.
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