George Nathaniel, who was fired last week from driving a school bus for the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District near Minneapolis, says it's unconstitutional to forbid children on the bus from voluntarily praying with him and each other. After Nathaniel was given a warning by his employer, he continued to encourage children to pray because when he talked to parents, none of them were opposed. Nathaniel said his past employers in other states had no problem with his Christian prayers while driving school buses.
UPDATE 11/15/13 - Praying Bus Driver Fired at Rutgers: Safety Issue
For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:
Teacher Fired for Bible Gift at New Jersey School
New Jersey Teacher Investigated for Christian Beliefs
Teachers Forbidden Private Christian Lives
Teacher Suspended for Christian Beliefs at Home
Portland Boots Teacher for Countering Abortionist
Calif. Christian Principal Disciplined for Non-School Prayer
Virginia Principal Clamps Down on Christian Teachers
In addition, read Christians Cause Workplace Conflict, So Silence Them
-- From "School bus driver fired for leading children in prayer" by UPI 11/8/13
Nathaniel, who said he is a pastor at two Minneapolis churches, said no children were forced into anything. He said he would begin his prayers after the last child got on and continue during the 7-minute drive to school.
"We start out with a song," he said. "Then each person will pray if they want to pray. If they don't want to pray, they don't have to pray. Then I will pray and ask them if they want to join me in prayer. Just give them something constructive and positive to go to school with."
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1962 that school prayers breached the First Amendment ban on an established church.
A spokeswoman for the school district would not comment on Nathaniel's dismissal but said the district considers the bus ride an extension of the school day.
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From "Minn. bus driver fired for leading kids in prayers" by The Associated Press 11/8/13
George Nathaniel, 49, of Richfield, who is also a pastor for a pair of Minneapolis churches, was in his second year as a school bus driver for Durham School Services, which is under contract to the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage district. Nathaniel told the Star Tribune Durham School Services originally gave him a warning and assigned him two new bus routes after receiving a complaint about the prayers.
Durham spokeswoman Molly Hart said that "the company does not have a specific policy on the subject of prayer."
The district's contract with the bus company allows for the schools to have an employee of the bus company removed if it deems that person unsuitable for the job.
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The root issue is American Religious Liberty vs. Anti-Christian Totalitarianism
To read the latest attacks on Christian prayer by atheists, click label "PRAYER" below:
