Klein Independent School District is currently reviewing its graduation policies, after Americans United for the Separation of Church and State issued a letter Wednesday calling on Klein High School and Klein Collins High School to no longer include prayer in school events. Student volunteers at each of the schools offered invocations and benedictions at the June 4 ceremonies.
The letter states:
“Graduation is an important rite of passage for young people and all students should feel welcome regardless of their views about religion,” said Americans United Legal Director Ayesha N. Khan. “It’s a matter of simple fairness and decency for school officials to recognize that we live in a diverse society and to include everyone.
“In addition,” Khan continued, “the law is absolutely clear on this issue. Public school officials offer students a poor model of citizenship when they flout the Constitution and the plain rulings of the Supreme Court.”
The high court ruled in 1992 in Lee v. Weisman that public schools may not impose prayer and or other forms of religious worship on students and their families during graduation.
In 2000, the high court ruled against school-sanctioned student-led prayers before football games in a Texas case called Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe.
“The school district takes its legal obligations very seriously, especially regarding the Constitution,” said Judy Rimato, Klein ISD spokeswoman. “We will be reviewing our policies regarding graduation ceremonies.”
On June 3, a day before the Klein ISD graduations, a federal court ruled that a valedictorian at a San Antonio public school would be allowed to offer a prayer at her graduation. Gov. Rick Perry had also voiced his support for the move.
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