An atheist group levelled a complaint against Licking Valley Local Schools in Ohio, saying that the school district violated the constitution because of its culture of religion.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), a nonprofit educational organisation, accused the district of allowing a chaplain to evangelise its football team, the Coshocton Tribune reported.
According to the group's complaint, the district's chaplain evangelises football team members after every Thursday practice and before its Friday games. The group said in a November 26 letter that the chaplain stays with the players during games and acts as the team's water boy.
"The appointment of team chaplains, formal or de facto, for a public high school athletic team violates the Constitution," Coschoton Tribune cited the group's letter.
Also in the group's letter to Licking Valley Superintendent Dave Hile, FFRF cited several jurisprudences reminding the Ohio official of the separation of church and state.
"As you are aware, it is illegal for a public school to organise, sponsor, or lead prayers at public high school athletic events," the letter went on. "Accordingly, public high school football teams cannot appoint or employ a chaplain, seek out a spiritual leader for the team, or agree to have a volunteer team chaplain, because public schools may not advance or promote religion."
Hile responded and said he is unsure if the football team has a chaplain. Instead, he said he would meet with the team's football coach, Randy Baughman, to find out if the allegations are true and if so, put a stop to the prayers.
"Right now, it's all speculation, because I don't know what in the letter is true and what's not," Hile told the Coschoton Tribune in an interview.
FFRF identified Jeff Hawkins who serves as a chaplain of the school. The group said Hawkins works as a youth minister for the Licking Valley Church of Christ and has been with the football team since 1996.
The group said it felt "deeply troubled" about the role of the chaplain and complained about a "culture of religion" at the school that violates the constitutional principle of separation of church and state.
The group's complaint is the fourth letter it sent to Ohio's school district. The group sent its first letter on September 23 and called the attention of the district when its marching band wore T-shirts with "Salvation" emblazoned on them.
On September 30, FFRF sent a second letter alleging Baughman might have been part of a prayer led by district students.
The third letter, sent October 31, was related to a Jubilee Gang assembly in an elementary school. The Jubilee Gang is a Christian group, but the officials of the elementary school argued that the group did not proselytise during the assembly. Instead, it focused more on leadership and character education.
