“The school has said that they don’t allow that and that they would not allow that, and that they know that it’s illegal, so we’re happy with that resolution.”UPDATE 1/14/15: Atheists, Satanists Force Bible Ban in Orange County Florida
-- Attorney Andrew Seidel, Freedom From Religion Foundation
UPDATE 9/1/14: Thousands vs. Atheists, Prayer at Florida Football
UPDATE 9/26/14: Arizona Schools Ban Christian Football Coaches
For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:
Oklahoma School Assures Wisconsin Atheists: No Praying Coaches Here
South Carolina School Bans Jesus from Prayers after Atheists Threaten but another SC School Says Prayer at Board Meetings Won't Stop
North Carolinians Pray at School, Defying Wisconsin Atheists
Georgia Citizens & School Team Up vs. Anti-Prayer Atheists
Saginaw, Michigan Ignores Atheist Threats Against Prayer
Wisconsin Atheists Say: Bar Pastors From Tennessee Schools
Atheists Threaten Mississippi School for Acting Christian
Atheists Attack Christian Kids Club at Portland, Oregon Schools
Atheists Sue Michigan Mayor Who Barred Their Booth
Also read how Atheists Force Christianity out of Private Small Businesses
-- From "Seminole schools denies allowing chaplains to lead student prayers" by Jeff Allen, Seminole County Reporter, Channel 13 8/27/14
. . . the Freedom From Religion Foundation contacted the Seminole County School’s superintendent this week, accusing Seminole High School of having a volunteer chaplain lead the team in prayer. The foundation said it got complaints from parents.
School officials said they don’t employ chaplains, and prohibit any employees, including coaches, from leading prayer.
We did learn the football team’s head coach, Kerry Wiggins, is . . . an ordained minister.
[Mike Blasewitz, Seminole County Public School’s Executive Director of Secondary Education said,] ". . . that particular coach is a teacher first, a coach second, and if they choose in their own personal life to be a minister on the side, then that’s certainly up to them.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Orange schools ban [volunteer] chaplains at football games" by Lauren Roth, Orlando Sentinel 8/27/14
In March, the school district's legal department got a complaint from the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation.
Their letter cited instances of Apopka High School football players praying with Pastor Todd Lamphere of The Venue Church, which meets at Apopka High and two Seminole County public schools.
Last week just before football season began, the Orange schools legal team issued a memo stating that football teams may not have [volunteer] chaplains and that adults may not lead prayers, based on previous court opinions.
Kathy Marsh, a spokesman for the district, said pastors may no longer talk about God, open a Bible or pray with team members. But clergy are still free to attend school sporting events.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Florida school district replaces football chaplains with 'life coaches'" by Todd Starnes, FoxNews.com 8/27/14
A spokesperson for Florida's Orange County Public Schools confirmed they have ended the long-standing tradition of having local ministers serve as volunteer chaplains for football teams.
Teachers and coaches “cannot participate in a visible way with the players during student-led prayers,” the [school district lawyer's] memorandum states.
Also, Bible verses and references to the Bible are banned on school property. Bible verses are also prohibited on clothing produced by the school. And songs with religious lyrics may not be used in school-related videos.
The school district’s crackdown on Christianity is a result of a threat filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Instead of standing their ground and defending the volunteer chaplain at Apopka, the school district decided to ban all chaplains.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read the long list of states enacting laws to bring prayer back to schools in response to the myriad atheist lawsuits against Christians and prayer nationwide.
In addition, read U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of public prayer, and read the resulting resurgence in public prayer following the Supreme Court decision.
