Regrettably, the High Point Elementary School cafeteria in Virginia is currently dealing with a notable presence of atheist gadflies, which is even more unpleasant than mystery meat. The Freedom From Religion Foundation, an organization consisting of atheists and agnostics from Wisconsin, is urging school authorities to take down a prayer that was previously displayed on a cafeteria wall.
The prayer reads: “Lord, We thank you for this food. Bless it to the nourishment of our bodies and us to your service. Amen.”
The atheists from another city were notified by an intrusive parent who allegedly became upset by the prayer. The parent also claimed that there were Bible verses being showcased in the school’s main office.
“Courts have continually held that public school districts may not display religious messages or iconography in public schools,” FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote in a letter to the superintendent. “We ask that the District remove this prayer display immediately in order to protect students’ First Amendment rights. The District should also ensure that there are no other religious displays in the school.”
The atheists said “religion is a divisive force in public schools.” They also said it is illegal.
“This display directly breaches the First Amendment by creating the appearance that the district prefers religion over nonreligion and Christianity over all other faiths,” the FFRF wrote. The FFRF has emphasized the importance of upholding the constitutional rights of every individual within the district and has requested the prompt removal of the prayer.
“School districts exist to educate, not indoctrinate into religion,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “Displaying a prayer poster in a grade school cafeteria aimed at the youngest and most impressionable children is not only intrusive, it is unconstitutional. It must come down immediately.”
