School District Pushes Back Against Worship Complaints
Allegations surfaced regarding a Kansas public school, Goddard Unified School District, following a complaint from an atheist group about a music teacher incorporating Christian worship songs and biblical teachings in her sixth-grade classes at Challenger Intermediate School.
Triggered by a concerned parent’s report to the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF), based in Wisconsin, the foundation promptly issued a demand letter to Superintendent Justin Henry on Nov. 29. The FFRF, an advocate for the separation of church and state, raised constitutional concerns about the use of religious songs like “Praise His Holy Name” and “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” during lessons.
Sammi Lawrence, a Legal Fellow at FFRF, stressed the purportedly unconstitutional nature of the situation. The letter urged an immediate investigation and cessation of religious teachings, alleging that the teacher’s lessons promoted faith in the Abrahamic god.
Providing excerpts from the songs used, the FFRF emphasized that public schools should focus on secular teachings, not religious devotion. The foundation argued that using religious music in public school contexts should only serve educational purposes, such as historical context for choral music, cautioning against impressionable exposure to devotional content.
Superintendent Henry assured FFRF of addressing the issue, acknowledging receipt of their communication and planning discussions with district choir instructors.
The FFRF, upon the district’s response, expressed satisfaction, lauding the acknowledgment of constitutional principles. Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF’s Co-President, emphasized the distinction between public school and religious choir settings, asserting that teachers should not aim to convert students to their faith.
This incident mirrors prior instances where FFRF intervened in educational settings, including pressuring a Mississippi school district to address teacher-led prayer activities and prompting the removal of religious symbols from an Indiana classroom.