PROSSER, Wash.-The student representative opposition to the Prosser School Board beginning its meetings with a prayer has now been taken up by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
At its Jan. 24 meeting, Prosser School Board member Frank Vermulm suggested beginning the board meetings with a prayer after the Pledge of Allegiance.
“I’d be willing to lead it,” Vermulm said. “I just think there’s a lot of things and issues that we as a school district, a community even, you know, we think we could use some divine intervention.”
Other school board members agreed with Vermulm and broached the possibility of different members leading the prayer each month. A video of the full school board meeting is available online.
According to a Freedom from Religion press release, issued on Feb. 1, the student representative to the school board objected to the implementation of an opening prayer, noting that people of various faiths attend Prosser school board meetings and prayer could be disrespectful to some.
The Freedom from Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit, sent a letter to the Prosser Superintendent highlighting how “the Supreme Court has consistently struck down prayers offered at school-sponsored events.”
According to the FFRF, the Prosser Superintendent replied to its letter and reiterated that the school board only discussed implementing an opening prayer, but that nothing had been decided, at the meeting on the 24th or since.
