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Sylacauga City Schools warned after “religious rituals” performed on school property

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SYLACAUGA, Ala. – Recent activity at Nichols-Lawson Middle School and Sylacauga High High School regarding religious acts has captured the attention of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The group says its goal is to promote the constitutional law of the separation between church and state.

As Sylacauga City Schools started back for the fall semester, students gathered for a Christian performance titled “BREAKTHROUGH.” The performance was caught on camera and spread through the Sylacauga community quickly. The scene was mainly met with positive reinforcement in the community, and spread through social media rapidly.

The FFRF, however, was not amused. The group described the scene as a “deeply troubling religious performance” in a press statement and said a concerned parent reported the events. In its letter warning the school district, FFRF informed Superintendent Todd Freeman that giving the outside groups access to proselytize to public school students is unconstitutional, and endorses the organizers’ Christian message.

The FFRF referenced the video below that shows students kneeling at a cross at NLMS.

“While some Christian evangelizers come as wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing, this wolf comes dressed as a wolf,” wrote FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Chris Line. “This event’s overtly religious and proselytizing messages were explicit. Even a cursory examination beforehand should have raised major red flags for school administrators.”

The so-called group of “free-thinkers” is requesting immediate assurance from the district that the groups responsible for putting on the Christian performance will not be allowed to present again in the district’s schools. Bibles were said to be given out to students at the event and the FFRF is looking for the district to ensure that bibles will not be given out to students during the school day.

“The district must take swift action to certify that such school promotion of religious indoctrination does not happen again,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “Administrators within the district’s schools must be reminded of their constitutional obligation to educate, not indoctrinate.”

Superintendent Todd Freeman said he did receive a complaint from the FFRF earlier this week. He said he is looking into the matter  and taking the proper protocol in this situation.

The FFRF is also trying to prevent Senator Marco Rubio from quoting bible verses on the popular social media site, Twitter. Click here to view other recent complaints from the organization.

Jeremy Law for SylacaugaNews.com | © 2017, SylacaugaNews.com/Marble City Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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