Judge finds school district in contempt over school prayer

July 14, 2015 admin News, Religion Comments Off on Judge finds school district in contempt over school prayer

By JEFF AMY
Associated Press

rankinJACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A federal judge says the Rankin County school district is in contempt of court for continuing to promote Christianity during school hours after it agreed to stop.

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, in an order filed Friday, fined the district $7,500 and again ordered it to stop sponsoring prayers at graduations, assemblies, athletic competitions and other school events.

The district first got into trouble when a Northwest Rankin High School student sued over having to attend a school assembly that promoted Christianity. The district agreed in 2013 to settle the suit, and was supposed to implement a policy that activities during school hours would not advance, endorse or inhibit any religion.

However, in 2014, the same student attended an honors assembly that was opened by a minister’s prayer.

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